Transforming the Church in Africa

This book is a must-read for serious Christians hoping to obey the Great Commission to make disciples in Africa. Vernon strikes an admirable balance between academic depth and practical application, helping us to appreciate the interface between the gospel of Jesus Christ and the traditional African worldview. I heartily recommend this book to all thinking Christian leaders in Africa-pastors, teachers, and missionaries.

Kevin G. Smith, DLitt, PhD


Vernon Light wrote this book with an apostolic passion in the way the apostles presented and proclaimed the Gospel to world religions and cultures. It is an exciting study of African traditional religion and its relation to Christianity. It shows that for Christianity to thrive and be relevant, biblically and transformationally, in Africa, firstly, Christian scholars and theologians are needed who understand and address Africa's traditional heritage and Western modern, postmodern, and pluralistic ideologies and, secondly, the Gospel must be contextually, relevantly, meaningfully, and practically taught through an effective discipleship program. The book, based on extensive research and massive use of resources, is a valuable tool for students, pastors, scholars, and theologians interested in the state of Christianity and religious change in Africa.

Professor Yusufu Turaki, PhD


Much more than being a useful resource, this is a book with a mission. Like Jeremiah of old (Jer 20:9), Vernon is a man with a passion and message from God to the society to which God has called him. Like Jeremiah, Vernon is totally convinced of the absolute truth of his message in the midst of a myriad of conflicting opinions and that his message will change society from disaster to hope. Would that it is heard!

Professor David T. Williams, DTh

The Rev. Vernon E. Light (BSc, BDHons, MTh) is a member of the academic staff at the South African Theological Seminary.