Revival in the Ubangi

In 1950, the news from the Congo spread: Revival in the Ubangi! The African church had been birthed in the northwest corner of Congo in the 1920s by early Free Church and other missionaries. Though there were several thousand Congolese believers, many struggled to make a clean break from their past, dealing with issues of witchcraft, animism, immorality and shallow spirituality. 

In 1949, after the first Billy Graham revival in Los Angeles, missionaries prayed fervently for a similar outpouring of the Spirit far away in the Ubangi. As the Ubangi church conference approached, the field chairman wrote about all the busy and good activities: “All of these so occupy our time that we become desperately hungry for God to take over, sanctify the church, bring great conviction among the heathen and glorify His great name here in the Ubangi. There have been hungry hearts for revival this past year.” 

Intense prayer became the norm during those days, missionaries and African leaders alike, often in all-night sessions. In August 1951, the Spirit was poured out first at the Bau Station, then at Kala, then from place to place across the Ubangi. God put His hand on a preacher, Jean Mobaya, and as he traveled about the Ubangi––along with missionary Clarence Lundberg––the fire spread from one pastor to another, with emphasis on confession of sin, making things right with others and a great prayer movement. Thousands came to Christ for conversion and the revival spread across the different tribal lines of the area. 

They often cited James 4:8-10: “Draw near to God and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands you sinners; purify your hearts you double-minded. Be afflicted, mourn and weep…Humble yourselves in the eyes of the Lord and He will lift you up.” And a favorite song was “Nasili kopona kobila Yesu” (“I have decided to follow Jesus, no turning back”). 

The lives of many were changed forever and the national church in the Ubangi took a great step forward thanks to the work of the Spirit in the early 1950s. Pastor Mobaya later became president of the Congo Free Church.

As it happened 75 years ago, how might we ask God for an outpouring of His Spirit and bring about revival today? 

_{Header photo from left to right: A.T. Olson, Della Olson, Veronica Ikenga (Jean Mobaya's wife) and Jean Mobaya.}