No ‘softy-soft’ preaching here

New on The Christian Chronicle’s website is the latest installment of our award-winning Global South series.
This month we ask the question, “Should Christians in the U.S. support African preachers?” Christians in both locales debate the topic, and we also offer a feature on African ministries that seek to balance support and self-sufficiency — plus an editorial about how Americans and Africans view money differently. As always, I covet your feedback.
I got the idea for the feature while talking with three students at African Christian College in Swaziland during my southern Africa reporting trip. I find that, when I travel, a lot of good story ideas come from simple conversations in between the “big” items on my agenda.
The Tubungu Church of Christ meets on the campus of African Christian College. During a Sunday night worship service, I shot video of one of the students preaching. His style was anything but “softy-soft” (as you hear him explain in the video above) and he made some good points about the need for Christians to live lives of prayer.
He also tells a story about his grandfather, who at one time was ill and went to traditional healers. When that didn’t work, a group of Christians prayed for him and his health improved. (A few months ago I wrote a story about the prevalence of belief in divine healing among churches in Africa.)
Another video comes from the Matsapha Church of Christ — the largest Church of Christ in Swaziland. Here’s you’ll see kids singing “Jesus Loves the Little Children.” And I really like the last song on this video. (Can anyone translate it?)

Finally, here’s a video from African Christian College itself. The singing during the students’ devotional time is particularly good, I think.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jTtXzU5LXBI