People continue to ask the question, “What about voodoo in Haiti?” Well, the worldwide media continues to publish made-up statistics about the religions of Haiti. You can read in journals and newspapers how Haiti is a “voodoo nation,” how Roman Catholicism along with voodoo are followed by a vast majority of the population, and how Evangelical Protestantism is a small minority. Evangelicals are regularly accused by the international media of trying to force an “American-imported religion” upon the people, in the process destroying the ancient voodoo culture.
I imagine that most everyone who reads the newsletters and blogs of this ministry realize that voodoo is not a Haitian cultural phenomenon any more than Satan himself has ownership of any nation or culture. Satan has stolen and destroyed the nation of Haiti, just as he does with any people, culture, or nation who allow him to do so. So also is the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ belong to every person on the face of the earth.
Take a look at this photo of youth creating a mosaic tile mural on a wall near the beach in Jacmel (I just took this one week ago). I was so
sad to see two things…they have drawn demons to decorate with tile…and the group sponsoring and paying for this, working beside them, were Americans!
It USED to be that voodoo and Catholicism, and the syncretism between the two, captured the majority of Haitians’ devotion. But the GOOD NEWS is that people who are currently researching such stuff all agree that FORTY PERCENT of the population are evangelical (which includes both mainline evangelicals and all Pentecostals). You only have to take a drive through Haiti and see for yourself…both in the cities and throughout the countryside. Here and there you see voodoo peristyles (temples). Here and there you see Catholic churches. And everywhere you go, one after another, you see Lutheran, Episcopal, Baptist, Nazarene, Methodist, Church of God, Assemblies of God, Independent, and every other imaginable kind of Christian. Most of the private schools are evangelical schools, as are the hospitals, as are the orphanages, as are many national radio stations, as are the mission campuses and Bible schools and seminaries.
So does that mean the Church of Jesus Christ, now the majority, is changing the whole spiritual atmosphere of the nation and is creating holy ground upon which the feet of the Lord can “touch down” in revival? Sadly, NO.
What you see with human eyes tells you that this is an evangelical nation, but if you have spiritual eyes, it’s clear that Satan and his demons are still the uncontested rulers over Haiti. Why is that?
The answer is simple, and similar to the reason we don’t see much revival in the United States. Here it is: division…jealousy…love of power and position…love of money…commitment to doctrines created by people not by God…pastors establishing kingdoms for themselves instead of coming together to serve the Kingdom of God, the age-old division between Baptists and Pentecostals.
If the Christians had united behind a godly, humble Presidential candidate (there was one, maybe two), they could have shocked the world with an evangelical President. But most Christians don’t vote, and if they do, they don’t do it in unity.
Satan’s forces are small but very vocal and united in Haiti. And as we know from many Bible story examples, a small number of dedicated, united people can change the world! Too bad unity is on the side of the Opposition!
Here in our country, most Christians are too busy following the “American Dream” instead of giving up their lives to follow Jesus wherever He calls. And so, despite our mega-churches and mega-ministries, we continue to look like non-Christians in most ways, while our cries for revival are short-lived.
Still, I thank the Lord that I can see behind the deceptive veil of this world. In Haiti, we can see that the Lord is assembling His troops to do spiritual battle against the powers of evil. If you read all my blogs that are titled with the words, “His Name Is…”, you will agree that something very supernatural is happening. That’s not because God is finally getting Himself moving; He’s been waiting like a horse at the starting line of the race, waiting for a critical mass of His people to seek Him with fasting, tears, and cries that pour from the heart, and it seems that, unseen by many, this is happening in Haiti.
For this ministry, that means I suddenly have more to do than it seems I can do, more people hungry to go to Haiti to do spiritual revival ministry, more pastors in Haiti who want me to come and feed their spiritual hunger instead of chicken, rice, and beans, more worship leaders and musicians who want to focus all eyes on heaven instead of on themselves.
And I’m counting the years I have left and asking the Lord to come quickly in answer to a lifetime of seeking Him for the sake of that little island once called “The Pearl of the Antilles.” One day, we will see it transformed into that jewel again, by the transforming power of the Holy Spirit of God.
TO SEE ALL THE PHOTOS FROM OUR MOST RECENT MINISTRY TRIP IN HAITI, CLICK HERE.
