Can God overcome culture?  In a rural area of Ghana, tribal traditions teach that men are supreme.  Women are useful, but their main purpose is to serve men.  Even when lives are changed through the power of the Gospel, it sometimes takes time and training to overcome old ways.  Several years ago, Fred Amoah-Darko, National Director of AFCI Ghana, was teaching a group of pastors who were all first-generation Christians, coming from a tribal background.  In teaching on the family, he shared Eph. 5:25, “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.”  Then he read Col. 3:19, “Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them.”

Suddenly, it occurred to Fred that the husbands he was teaching could do something very practical.  Their wives had been cooking for the conference all week.  “Why don’t we go over and tell all our wives how much we appreciate what they have been doing and thank them.”  Immediately, they all responded with one voice, “No way!  This is something we should never do.  Our wives will get the wrong idea and think they are more than they are.”  “Well,” said Fred, “I am your teacher, and the Bible says we should do this.  So I am going, whether you go or not.”  Initially, the men tried the prevent Fred from going, but he was undeterred.  Reluctantly they followed.

One by one, Fred went to each woman in the kitchen.  “I want you to know that we greatly appreciate your work of love this week.  May God richly bless you!”  One by one, the women began to smile.  You could tell they really appreciated the kind words.  Then he turned to one pastor.  “Have you ever seen your wife smile like this?”  “Never,” he replied.  “Would you like to?”  “Yes,“ he said.  “Then consider doing this at home.”  As a fellow national, Fred was not speaking as an outsider, trying to promote foreign notions, so his practical example of obedience and love spoke deeply to many of the men that day.  They went home and looked for ways to change their behavior.

At a conference the next year Fred observed many of the same men eating together with their wives off the same plate.  Previously, they would eat first and leave only leftovers for their wives; even though their wives had prepared the food.  When God changes lives, he works a deep work in us.  He even breaks through long held cultural understandings of relationships so that we may live the abundant life he offers.  Nothing is too big for Him to overcome.  AFCI Nationals in Ministry are blessed to play a vital role in encouraging and training their fellow Christians to walk in Biblical Truth.