The challenge to Baptist churches "to reach and evangelize each resident in Central Africa who has not yet found Jesus Christ" and to make disciples, is among three key areas of growth for African churches according to Andre Bokundoa, president of All Africa Baptist Fellowship (AABF).

Bokundoa spoke to a regional conference on Mission , Leadership and Peace in Central Africa , held in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, February 17-21. Paul Montacute, director of Baptist World Aid for the Baptist World Alliance, represented the BWA at the Conference.

In his address Bokundoa said African Baptists need also to present the Gospel of Jesus Christ in a holistic way to include both salvation from sin and "liberation of all aspects of the human being." Baptists also need to integrate that Christian faith in the culture of each of the nation, "so that each member of the Body of Christ in central Africa may internalize the Word of God and live it in authentic way."

Nations in the Central African region include the Congo, Benin, Cameroon, Burundi, Rwanda and Angola. While all of these countries were not represented there were about 60 at the Conference, mostly from the Congolese communities.

Bokundoa pled with those present to model a new kind of leadership, "that is inspired by us by Christ." He described Africa as in need of Christian leadership in political, economic, social, cultural and religious areas.

"Christ," he said, "is the model especially the Christ who is the Good Shepherd, who exposes Himself to the danger of death in order to bring security to His flock. It is also the Christ who washed the feet of His disciples and who told them whoever aims at filling the highest position must be conscious at the same time, he or she takes on the commitment, to be of service to all, including those at the bottom of the social scale."

Bokundoa had even more to say about the challenge of peace for a war-torn or one might even say a war-plagued Africa.

Bokundoa described peace as "the fruit of a society in which justice reigns for all," and he said in order for a society to know peace and to live effectively in peace, much work is required. "Human attitudes, social relations, environments must all be positively transformed," he said, "and we must bring to an end the mistrust, enmity and exclusion in all forms and replace them with love and mutual trust."

Bokundoa reminded his listeners about Christ's gift of peace to His disciples and said that meant peace at all levels, internal peace, peace with God, peace with each disciple for others and peace that must reign throughout all aspects of life on earth. He emphasized the need for peace in Central Africa, that is not only a synonym for the absence of open wars and conflicts, between ethnic groups and neighboring countries, but which also looks at the basic needs that many Africans face.

"We know that someone who has not eaten enough is not at peace," Bokundoa says, "in the same way it is clear that someone who does not have the means to clothe him/herself or find adequate housing cannot find treatment for illness, cannot educate his/her children, cannot travel easily are not at all at peace."

Bokundoa also pointed out the lack of peace that comes when people live in traditional or depressing societies, under dictatorial political regime and even face tribal conflicts.

"Currently," he said, "in many respects, the crushing majority of Africans are not at all at peace. They live in hardship, in anguish, in oppression of all kinds and in fear."

Bokundoa warned the Christian leaders that the price of peace in Africa will be high. "There is a price to pay for the commitment of our African churches to the promotion of peace," he said. "The price to be paid could be the risk of being considered a traitor and rejected by one's own people in the tribe or in one's own country because of adherence to universal values of truth and justice, to principles of tolerance, equality and respect of conscience."

"Yes," he said, "many leaders may have bitter cups to drink on the road to liberation but they should be strengthened by the example of Christ, whose death on the cross of Golgotha restored peace with God and obtained eternal life for all humanity."