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11.1
Sexual misconduct in missions may be physical, emotional, or spiritual. In Africa, where respect for spiritual authority is deeply ingrained, such misconduct may go unreported. Sexual misconduct is not rare, but mission organizations often respond with silence or spiritualize the issue, urging repentance without accountability. This culture of secrecy allows abuse to persist and victims to suffer in silence. In this issue, leaders from across the continent explore the topic in-depth, sharing practical steps and stories to assist missionaries and organizations in addressing misconduct from a biblical viewpoint.
A quiet disaster
It is no longer news that sex scandals involving ministers of the gospel, dead or alive, have surfaced across Africa and beyond. During a missions conference, a seasoned missionary confessed to a colleague: “More than half of our missionaries an...
From slums to eagle’s wings
My journey into immorality is not something I care to remember. My restoration was helped by one Christian writer brave enough to share his story. So, I will, in part, share mine.
I attended Sunday school from a young age. By the age of fou...
The psychology of sexual abuse – full version
Sexual misconduct of all forms continue to be an endemic destructive behavior in our human race. From childhood molestations, incest to adult cases of sexual abuse, studies show that perpetrators of sexual misconduct (actors) are often known by th...
The psychology of sexual abuse – shorter version
Sexual misconduct is an endemic destructive behaviour that includes sexual harassment, abuse, rape, and violence. Most perpetrators are male – regardless of age and marital status – though some may be women. Likewise, victims may be male or fe...
Break the silence loudly
The affair had continued for months before it finally reached the ears of Sister Agnes* through a whistle blower. The church had guidelines for dealing with such matters. She told the whistle-blower she was going to verify the facts from the perso...
Safeguard the vulnerable
My first experience of mission work was travelling through Mozambique in the back of an Isuzu bakkie (pickup truck). We moved through flood damaged towns and showed the Jesus film to thousands of people. I was only twelve years old, and I could no...
Dealing with pornography
Pornography is any material that gives access to explicit sexual content or sexual stimulation outside of God’s purpose for sexuality. It is designed to arouse sexual desire through images, videos, words, or sounds. In scripture, lust is not mer...
PACMACK: Where Africa’s missionary kids finally found home
In Lagos, Nigeria, something quietly historic unfolded in October 2025. The Pan-African Conference for Missionary and Cross-Cultural Kids (PACMACK) was not just an event. PACMACK was a long-awaited answer to a question many children of African mis...
Book review: Decolonizing Mission
Harvey C. Kwiyani’s Decolonizing Mission is a bold and deeply African reflection on the relationship between Christian mission and colonial power. Writing as a Malawian theologian shaped by both African Christianity and Western missiona...
Navigating cases of sexual misconduct
You hoped this day would never come, but it has. You have received the sad news that one of your missionaries has been involved in a case of sexual misconduct. As a mission leader, what do you do? What are next steps? What key factors should you c...
People group: the Japanese of East Asia
The Japanese are an East Asian people group numbering approximately 124 million, living primarily in Japan. The population is highly urbanized, with most people concentrated in large metropolitan areas such as Tokyo and Osaka, while rural communit...
