Out of the Darkness and Into His Light

But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;  1Peter 2:9

From babyhood on the vast majority of Liberians hear stories of the power of the spirits. By the time they are adults they have a large number of assumptions about witchcraft's power. Namely, in order to secure safety, money and power the spirits must not simply be appeased, they must be honored. These beliefs led to some of the biggest horrors of Liberia's recent civil war.

Image Melodie Sheppard Kejr

The Liberians live in deep fear of the spirits and witchcraft. When things go wrong physically, the spirits are blamed. When things go wrong financially, the spirits are blamed. When things go wrong in relationships, the spirits are blamed. Unlike the West, where everything is thought to have a natural cause unless there is no possible alternative explanation, the opposite is true in Liberia. The spirit world is credited or blamed for almost everything. 

In Liberian English "witch" is most often used as a verb, as in "she witched him."  The word "spirit" also has a definition different than what is normally seen in the West. (The definitions below are from  Cracking the Code: The Confused Traveler's Guide to Liberian English by John-Mark Sheppard.)

witch: [wiʃ] “Witch” n., 1. n., Not usually used in reference to a single person as in Standard English.  Rather, it is a spirit that can possess a person. It is believed this spirit can operate independently of the body, leaving the body at night to harm people by the destruction of property or the consumption of their souls. De sancutta say ma aunty geh witch. (The sandcutter say my aunty get witch.) “The sandcutter said my aunt has a witch.” 2. v., A hex or curse which harnesses the power of the “witch.” Dey go up de mountain to mek witch. (They to up the mountain to make witch.) “They went up the mountain to prepare a curse.” 3. v., To place a curse on someone.Yu wan so de zo muh witch hur? (You want so the zo must witch her?) Do you want the zo to put a curse on her?”  

spirit: [spiɹɪ] n., A generally reference to a number of spiritual being such as ancestor spirits, forest spirits, and jina.  

It doesn't take a doctorate in theology to figure out that witchcraft is simply idolatry—the worship of false gods. Most Liberians, including professing Christians, do not understand this and so instead of worshipping God as true Christians, they practice dualism—a combining of two separate belief systems. 

Several years ago Mark began teaching on the subject of witchcraft at various conferences. Recently, because of hearing of two fellowshipping churches facing serious internal conflicts rooted in their fear of witchcraft, he prepared additional materials.

On Saturday, September 7th, at Grace Baptist Church of Monrovia, Liberia, we had an all-day seminar entitled "Witchcraft and the Bible: Finding Freedom From Fear." 

Of course no event is complete without food. The women worked really hard! 

And because we are in Liberia, there was rice and soup. Lots of rice and soup! 

soup: [sup] n., A sauce served over rice. Each tribe in Liberia is known for a particular sauce. The Vai like cassava leaf, the Lorma torbagee, the Gio palm butta, etc. Hoday yu fising dis same soup. Yu na know different one? (Whole day you fixing this same soup. You not know different one?) “You’re always making the same kind of sauce. Don’t you know how to make any other kind?”

Pototo greens with chicken! Yum!

We are very thankful for the many Liberian friends, as well as friends from the missionary and expatriate communities, who attended. 

We truly felt the presence of God yesterday as Mark taught. We are humbled that He would open this door of ministry before us—a door to help the Liberians out of darkness and into His marvelous light!

See Witchcraft and the Undermining of the Virgin Birth of Christ.