God’s Purpose for the Ethiopian Church

Ethiopian Local Minister

In the early history of the Church, Ethiopia had the opportunity to hear and accept the gospel of Christ from one of Christ’s original disciples. This occurred at a time when many of today’s great nations and civilizations did not even exist.

“And he commanded the chariot to stop. Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and he baptized him. Now when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away, so the eunuch saw him no more; and he went on his way rejoicing.” (Acts 8:38–39)

We see how salvation came to Ethiopia—through the Ethiopian eunuch who recognized Jesus as the Messiah spoken of by Isaiah. But what did this eunuch do after receiving salvation and returning to Ethiopia? Did he become a witness for the salvation of others? Did the gospel spread to the ends of the earth through him? Was Christ’s Church established? The Bible does not tell us about this, nor do historical records.

Although the gospel may have entered Ethiopia in the first century through that Ethiopian eunuch, we have no record of the Ethiopian Church’s history until the fourth century. Until then, kings and people worshiped pagan gods, including snakes. They worshiped gods of the moon, sun, and earth. The inscriptions and symbols found on stone monuments from their reigns attest to this.

History tells us that Christianity entered Ethiopia during the reign of King Ezana around A.D. 330. Like other kings, he was known to have been devoted to various gods. However, toward the end of his life, he converted to Christianity, and the statues found at the end of his reign confirm this. Instead of being called the son of a moon god, he began to use the Lord’s name. Another piece of evidence is that the symbols of the moon, which had been inscribed on monuments and coins, were replaced by crosses. This shows that he abandoned paganism and finally came to worship the true God.

Lalibela Rock-Hewn Churches in Ethiopia

This happened when the Syrian missionary Frumentius came to the Ethiopian royal court to preach the gospel. Frumentius converted the king and many people to Christianity, marking the “early Christianity” of the Ethiopian Church.

Of course, this is not simply for Ethiopians to record our own name in history. This special moment, when our people embraced Christianity, was not just an event to be written down—it was intended to be a tool to transform the world. God wanted Ethiopia to be the fulfillment of His work in history, and also to be those who fulfill His work. We Ethiopians are a light for Africa, and God intended for us to be a light and a blessing for Europe, Asia, and the world.

But today’s Ethiopia does not reflect that reality. When we first heard the gospel centuries ago, we could say that the Lord had given the Church the call to make disciples of all nations. We could say we needed to fulfill the Great Commission and go to countries that had not yet heard the gospel, establishing God’s kingdom among them. Yet, when Western missionaries came to Ethiopia after many centuries had passed since the Ethiopian eunuch’s conversion, what was our response? “We don’t need the Bible from you. We already have the Bible. What we truly need are weapons. Come and make weapons for us. Teach us various technologies, train us, employ us in industry, and help us develop as workers.” And in doing so, we missed the opportunity to assume spiritual leadership in God’s kingdom.

However, just as God chose Israel to be a light among all nations of the world, so God chose Ethiopia. Though Ethiopian Christianity is old, its practice has been slow. Over the past 2,000 years, the gospel was in Ethiopia, but we did not send out missionaries. In contrast, in Korea, where the gospel has been present for about 150 years, the gospel has spread worldwide.

What is different about the gospel that took root in Korea? When the gospel first entered Ethiopia, it entered the royal court and the palace. Eventually, the gospel left the court and spread to the people, permeating with great glory, completeness, and peace. But when the gospel departed the upper classes, there were no missionaries or evangelists preaching to transform people’s hearts. Instead, the gospel spread by royal decree and armed swords! “Instead of expanding God’s kingdom in Ethiopia, the gospel became a tool to meet the needs of kings and expand their empire.” This is how Dr. Assefa describes the expansion of Christianity and the wars in Ethiopia: “In Ethiopia, there were over a hundred years of civil war between new Christians and ancient pagans. The Christian conquerors of the empire were considered ancient gods of civilization. They tore down, broke, burned, and destroyed them.” (Ethiopian Church Reformation Vol. 1, p.154)

When 95% of North Africa’s population was Christian, great international scholars and theologians emerged. Ethiopia, too, was once called a Christian nation because 95% of its population was Christian. Now North Africa is filled with Islamic countries such as Egypt, Libya, and Tunisia, and these countries bring their own message to Ethiopia. Today, Ethiopia must not only bless them but also save them and help complete God’s story. Ethiopia still holds a great opportunity to push God’s kingdom forward to the very end.

“This gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.” (Matthew 24:14)

Yes, the Ethiopian Church had the opportunity in early Church history to spread God’s story throughout Africa. Today, the Ethiopian Church stands once again at the frontline of God’s kingdom, armed with the gospel and God’s vision. The Ethiopian Church still faces a great opportunity to fulfill that sacred vision and calling!

Conclusion

The Ethiopian Church, with its long and rich history, is not merely a historical curiosity but plays a crucial role in God's ongoing redemptive plan. Although there have been periods of struggle and a slower spread of the gospel within Ethiopia itself, the Ethiopian Church is still positioned to be a light not just for Africa but for the world. As we reflect on the past and the challenges faced by the Ethiopian people, we can confidently affirm that God has chosen Ethiopia for a significant role in the fulfillment of His kingdom, and that role continues to unfold today.