In the early 20th Century there was a massive push by western white Christians to “bring Jesus” to the pagans of Africa. The major push was into Central Africa, and especially the country of Rwanda. The message that was brought to this area and presented as the gospel was “you are a sinner and to get to heaven when you die, you need Jesus. So invite Jesus into your heart, and when you die you will go to heaven.” Rwanda was the country that really took this message in, and received it. By 1994 a poll showed that 80% of Rwandans were in a Christian church, professing Jesus as their savior. In 1994 there was a tribal war in Rwanda between the Hutu majority and the Tutsi minority. It is estimated that between 600,000 to 1 million Rwandans were killed by their own countrymen. There are stories of churches killing churches. These deaths were brutal beyond belief, people hacking other people, burnings, shootings, rapes, all committed by professing Christians against their Christian brothers.
This really brings home the unbelievable importance of preaching the gospel that Jesus preached.
If the gospel we present is about getting somewhere when we die, this world greatly suffers.
