3. HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF CHRISTIANITY AND THE IMPACT OF THE REVIVAL MOVEMENT IN THE NORTH WESTERN DIOCESE OF THE
5.2. Some Strengths within the Revival Movement
5.2.1. Revival as a Spiritual Enrichment
As we have seen in chapter two, the African Christians in the area under study, were the first to proclaim the good news to their own people. Although at that time there were no "good buildings" called the "Church, Christian believers continued to praise God in their respective places in Buhaya. They knew that the Church is a confessing community of believers.
Sahlberg maintains that at the local village level, people touched by the revival held small group meetings in private houses, under the trees and also in church buildings. These meetings were primarily devotional, providing opportunity for testimony and mutual encouragement, prayer, Bible reading and singing (Sahlberg 1968:123).
During the research it was observed that gradually and steadily, Christians impacted by the revival are playing an important role in bringing revival inside their own churches as they become involved in preaching and other areas of service. They are more committed as
believers under "born again charismatic" pastors and leaders. Bible studies and the Christian fellowships raise their level of understanding of the scriptures and testimonies have edified many of them.
This tendency has caused the Church to grow, as Mlahagwa, a prominent revivalist and a lecturer of history at the University of Dar Es Salaam asserts. He sees the Revival as a spiritual movement which has continued to grow from the 1970's and significant changes have occurred in Protestant Churches in Tanzania as a result (Spear & Kimambo 1999:
297-306).
The qualitative dimensions of the Revival are even more interesting. Hardly a week passes without one seeing or hearing about Mikutano ya Kiroho (fellowships), a crusade meeting or a denominational evangelical rally taking place somewhere in the Diocese. Many of the meetings attract huge crowds of people. Common to such meetings is fiery preaching followed by a call of repentance, when people are invited to come forward, repent and invite Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour into their lives so that they can become born again Christians. Another important aspect is the open meetings and prayers conducted by the preachers, aimed at casting away demons from people and delivering them from their ailments and other problems. Undoubtedly, the crowds are attracted to these meetings by the hope of being healed or delivered from their social problems, just as much as they are drawn by the Gospel message and the popularity of the principal speaker.
The quantitative aspect of Revival in Tanzania is very conspicuous. For example almost every evangelical church in the city of Dar Es Salaam has an expansion programme or is in the process of executing one. New church structures are built and old buildings are being remodelled so as to accommodate more church goers. Churches unable to enlarge their buildings cater for increased church goers by launching more worship services. It is not uncommon for a church to conduct two or three services every Sunday, each service attended by different people. There is also a noticeable increase in mid week activities. While previously people went to church only on hearing the gong on Sunday morning, church premises now are bustling with group activities.
Those who come forward as new converts to the Christian faith, together with older converts
advised by the leaders of the crusade to join the fellowships that operate in areas close to their homes. In previous times, such born again Christians often joined Pentecostal charismatic churches, whose members consider them as authentic Christians in contrast to the nominal believers in sacramental denominational churches. Although not all who are registered during evangelical meetings as born again Christians continue to be faithful members of their own church or fellowship, the fellowships have continued every week with new members who express renewed commitment to the Christian faith.
The researcher observed that some of the Abalokole preachers (male and female) are included in the order of preachers in Sunday worship. Instead of witnessing outside Church after worship they are now given opportunity to give testimonies. In all fellowship groups visited in the North Western Diocese, the writer noticed that people bewail their sins, confess them, and do their best to atone of them, to make amends or injuries made to others.
With regard to spirituality, it was observed during the fellowship gathering that the most secret sins are confessed, even those that might cost them dearly to confess. Amends are made for misdeeds; peace is restored between the enemies. The majority of those whose lives had been changed by the Revival have remained faithful. The writer adds that this is an important step because it may not be easy for society to accept that a person has been converted just because of a verbal confession of faith. Revival demands more. Those offended or hurt by past sins are addressed directly, and given concrete signs of an amendment of life. The return of stolen items is only one of many such signs.
Today many church leaders within the Diocese are themselves active members of the Revival Movement. Sundkler supports this when he mentions that in the year 1974 all pastors in the North Western Diocese belonged to the Revival Movement (1980:130). This picture is also seen in Kenya. Rostedt cites Mambo who asserts that it is estimated that over 90% of all clergy in the Anglican, Presbyterian and Methodist churches in Kenya including, the whole national leadership of the church belong to the Revival Movement (Rostedt 1982:68).
The Revival Movement stressed the need for a radical personal experience of conversion and that the Revival in the area was a spiritual movement, so its results were naturally spiritual.
The Revival gave the light of new hope to the Bahaya Christians.