Yeast, Salt, and Music in Africa
Written By: Mike Schrage
09/28/2009
Most of the time change comes gradual. The sun comes up and the fog dissipates over the course of hours. Yeast is placed in the bread dough and the lump set aside for the yeast to work and the dough to rise. Salt is rubbed into the steaks on the grill and over the next few minutes the seasoning permeates lunch! Yeast and salt are two examples Jesus used to welcome and educate his potential kingdom followers on the process of godly, gradual change of relationships, and eventually an entire culture, from the inside out!
Good News Productions, International is about accelerating change and about being salt in the world! Being culturally relevant with modern technology is key to GNPI partners impacting and changing lives in India, Asia and Africa. Recently, a new project called DETOX was released on a television broadcasting company called MNET.
MNET covers many central and southern African nations and has millions of viewers. Emily Mkoji Masiga, (the wife of a GNPI-Africa staff member) hosts the DETOX Gospel Music Show, produced by GNPI in Nairobi, Kenya. Check here for specific airing times.
DETOX is a show that incorporates original music in a TV program format that’s refreshing and contains contemporary gospel music from East Africa. The purpose for creating and broadcasting the program is to change the next generation. MNET, as a broadcasting company asked GNPI to produce the program. The company offered key broadcasting slots for the GNPI production! What a switch—a secular broadcaster approaching a Christian ministry to supply them with programming! This indicates the tremendous need for more wholesome broadcasting in Africa. DETOX is the outcome of the Video Loop project that GNPI has initiated to use music to lead youth to Christ in public schools in Kenya. Placing these songs back to back was an easy task and good stewardship too!
The above video is an example of how youthful worship songs contend with the latest rap music on the African airwaves. Messages of hope juxtaposition with lyrics of darkness and destruction. Slowly but steadily change is occurring! The plan is to communicate to the youth of Africa that Jesus “detoxifies” you from the sin that so easily tempts people today. As one of the lyrics of one of the songs states, “even Osama will one day say hosanna!” Now that’s change we can live with!
