Rationale Behind the ministry of African Enterprise

 South African Alan Paton, author of “Cry the Beloved Country,” deeply challenged African Enterprise founder, Michael Cassidy, in 1955 by highlighting the depth of racism and prejudice in the South African socio-political system.  A statement of Paton’s particularly affected him: “when the Whites turn to loving, the Blacks will have turned to hating!”  Paton was calling on White South Africans to love before it was too late.  Having grown up in Southern Africa, Michael was familiar with many of the complex issues related to this truth, and deeply wrestled over how such love could happen. 

 The following year, his first year at University, he found the answer in his conversion.  Here he realized that, “It was [only] Jesus who could enable people to love each other.¼ no political solutions could come unless out of the matrix of spiritual awakenings and renewal.  But people have to be won to Christ – in their hundreds and thousands.  That meant – evangelism.”  A few months later a Billy Graham Crusade showed him the method – team evangelism in cities.  His heart and calling was for Africa and by 1962 he had founded African Enterprise.  From then through to today the core of Michael Cassidy’s ministry has been to see individuals, communities, cities and even nations in Africa positively changed through the love of Jesus.

 This is no easy task as Africa has tremendous challenges.  Racial, tribal, political and religious conflicts have characterized the continent for decades.  Poverty, overpopulation, AIDS, injustice, refugees and corruption are at such high levels that they can overwhelm even the most optimistic of souls.  Thirty-two of the world’s forty poorest countries are found in Africa.  Many Africans are seeking spiritual answers to these problems and are looking to the Christian Church or Islam for help.  Yet godly church leaders are limited and less than one in twenty pastors have any theological training.  So despite Christian numerical growth the 1997 World Churches Handbook reveals that a staggering 51% of all African Christians are “notional.”  This term refers to people referring to themselves as Christian but who have never been adult regular or occasional attendees of any local church group.

 Yet in all this, Michael Cassidy is confident that God is greater than Africa’s problems. For thirty-eight years he has lead African Enterprise in ministry across the entire African continent.  Today there are African Enterprise teams, comprised of African nationals, based in ten African countries.  Cassidy believes that the main cause of Africa’s problems is lack of godly leadership.  By this he means leadership that fears God more than man, follows the Spirit of God above any other voice, is Biblically based and is willing to serve others before serving self.  In other words he believes Africa needs leaders of faith that live out their lives prophetically – moving ahead to do something when God calls them, even if the circumstances are going absolutely against them.

 This is the leadership style Michael Cassidy has modeled and like the Apostle Paul (Phil 3:17), has boldly and courageously challenged Africa’s leaders to emulate.  This leadership philosophy has not only been reflected in his own ministry but also in the whole of African Enterprise.  African Enterprise and Michael Cassidy believe that this kind of leadership of love in all sectors of society can bring about the godly reformation of African nations.  England in the late eighteenth century had horrific socio-political conditions and God raised up godly leaders like Wesley and Whitfield to share the love of God and bring tens of thousands to Jesus.  God similarly raised up other godly leaders like Wilberforce and Lord Shaftsbury to labor in British parliament their entire lives, seeing godly laws of love passed that positively millions of individuals.

 Charles Finney, probably the greatest American revivalist ever, recognized the truth of this when he said, “the great business of the church is to reform the world¼The Church of Christ was originally organized to be a body of reformers.  The very profession of Christianity implies the profession and virtually an oath to do all that can be done for the universal reformation of the world.”  Not surprisingly, his converts became troops to bring reform to his age and greatly contributed to the anti-slavery movement.  Even this century former South African president, Nelson Mandela, during a critical period of escalating violence in South Africa prior to provincial elections in 1996 said, “You in the Church do not realize the power and influence you have.  You must understand that the politicians have not succeeded in bringing peace.  That’s why we need the church so much right now¼we need you to help bring reconciliation.”  He called on Michael Cassidy and two senior church leaders to call on the Church to help bring peace to a situation where 20 people were being murdered daily.  Project Ukuthula (Zulu for “peace”) was initiated and within six weeks the murder rate had dropped to zero.  The elections were also carried out peacefully.

 Regional peace was only possible through reconciliation mediated by the Church.  Yet for this to happen, reconciliation has to start within the Church.  Only in seeing it there would the world believe it speaks with the authority of God.  Jesus prayed earnestly for believers to “continue to have unity in the way that you, Father, are in me and I am in you.  I pray that they may be united with us so that the world will believe that you have sent me.” (Jn 17:21).  Unfortunately many within the Church can be silent over the need for reconciliation while evil flourishes as in the Rwandan genocide of 1994.  One church leader pointedly said, “there was a spiritual genocide in Rwanda before the human holocaust.”  Alternatively, as Cassidy writes, the “church can be active in a supposedly spiritual or socio-political arena, but so lack the style and fruit of Christian grace and spirituality that it becomes a travesty of the gospel and a source of utter confusion to a watching world.”

 It is not surprising therefore that Michael Cassidy’s love for the entire church of Christ and all the nations of Africa has integrated reconciliation deeply into the fabric of all he does.  It is this that caused John Perkins to say: “The ministry of reconciliation has been Michael Cassidy’s life.  His courage as he stands up for his beliefs in the midst of opposition is a testimony to the power of God and the power of truth.”  Indeed Cassidy has come to realize that conflict resolution; reconciliation, peace, and justice are key elements to the success of African Enterprise’s citywide missions.  African Enterprise has been assisting community, church and political leadership conflicts and disputes all over Africa.  A significant product of these reconciliation and peace making efforts was the miracle of the first multi-racial South African elections in April 1994.  Many top leaders from around the world have recognized the role African Enterprise played in this process. 

 In an effort to bring greater love and unity within the South African church, Michael Cassidy had called several major gatherings of church leaders over many years.  The SA Congress on Mission and Evangelism in 1973 was the first multi-ethnic gathering of church leaders in South Africa and this then spawned many other critical and significant conferences .  Furthermore, Cassidy and African Enterprise’s city-wide missions philosophy of working with the entire church within a city has frequently necessitated reconciliation between local churches and denominations.  The effects of this have been miraculous as previously estranged Christians work together again, often for the first time, to minister His love to thousands in their communities.  Cassidy remains active in this regard and in February 1999 served on the board of the National Consultation of Churches in South Africa.

 Like the Lord Shaftbury’s and Wilberforce’s of previous generations, Cassidy also believes in the need for love to impact the world of national politics.  He agrees with Edgar Brookes, a noted South African theologian who once said, “Love is a political virtue...The world languishes because love is being tried so little.  It is imperative that it should be admitted into the field of political thought.”  In fact Cassidy has written books and articles extensively on the politics of love and much of African Enterprise’s critical contributions to the first peaceful democratic elections in South Africa in 1994 was their hosting of numerous behind the scenes “Dialogue weekends” for opposing and even openly hostile political parties.  Cassidy has repeatedly called the South African Church and society to move toward greater national justice, believing justice is love reaching people through political and legal structures.  Toward this end he has met with, challenged and ministered to numerous leaders from all racial groups and walks of society.  His latest initiative was African Enterprise’s convening of the second South African Christian Leadership Assembly (SACLA II) in 2003, where 4,000 Christian leaders gathered in Pretoria.

 Cassidy’s prophetic ministry has not been limited to South Africa.  His ministry within South Africa has been modeled by African Enterprise across the African continent and their collective accomplishments will always be a witness and challenge to leaders throughout the world to follow the way of Jesus’ love.  The overcoming power of His love is what Cassidy passionately believes is the only answer to the challenges of Africa.  Over the years Cassidy has repeatedly called on African Church leaders to exercise His love in their respective communities and nations.  Amongst these many initiatives he has called the African Church to greater reconciliation, unity and purpose by convening the Pan African Christian Leadership Assembly in 1976 and again in 1994.  Even outside Africa the Lord has provided opportunities for him to speak his message of Christ’s love.  In Europe he has addressed a group of British members of Parliament and Members of the House of Lords in 1992, spoken to a Consultation of European leaders at Windsor Castle in England in 1993, and spoken to Northern and Southern Irish leaders in Ireland in 1995.  Similarly, in North America he has spoken at the World Shapers ’96 Conference in Canada, spoken at Promise Keepers in 1996 and 1997, and Reconciliation ’98 in Coventry, UK.  He also was on the board of reference and played a prominent role in the Pretoria GCOWE (Global Consultation on World Evangelism) conference in 1997.  He was on the AD 2000 and Beyond International Coalition and is an International Advisor for the Worldwide Leadership Council.  He also is a Co-Patron of the Africa Transformations Movement who co-ordinate the Global Day of Prayer.  On June 14, 2006 over 400 million gathered for prayer in more 198 nations.

 Stephen Lungu will be taking over from Michael Cassidy as AE's CEO in August 2006.