Adeleye - The preachers of a different gospel: a pilgrims reflections on contemporary trends in christianity

T his book has largely been the result of my own reflections as a pilgrim in interaction with people and trends within the family of God. In this continuing pilgrimage, I have not travelled alone. So I am grateful to my fellow pilgrims friends, family members, pastors, writers, teachers, helpers and prayer partners who have influenced my reflections in various ways or helped in the process of producing this book. I am eternally grateful to those who gave me a solid foundation in the way of the cross, among whom are Mama Mary Frank-Kirkpatrick, Harris and Neva Poole as well as Kola Ejiwunmi.

I am equally thankful to pastors and friends like Gordion Okezie, Victor Musa, Bill Leslie and Josiah Idowu-Fearon who have been of great encouragement in my own nurture as I have encountered various gospels. Not to be left out are some friends and writers who have challenged my thinking and reflection. Notable among these are Philip Yancey, who helped me greatly in rereading Scripture to get to know Jesus and his teachings better, and Uncle John Stott, who made me know that my mind matters when it comes to the truths of God. There are also writers I have not known personally but whose research and works have helped me in producing this work; among such are Warren W. Wiersbe and Hank Hanegraaff.

I cannot but thank students and co-workers within the IFES movement with whom I have interacted on some of the contents of this book. I am equally grateful to my friend and brother, the Rt. Rev. David Zac Niringiye, now Bishop of Kampala, who has helped me to think much more about our African context than I probably would have. The same appreciation goes to my secretaries Grace Dogo in Jos and Linah Muchimika in Harare, who helped type the manuscripts over and over again.

Then there are others whose silent witness lack the language of contemporary spirituality but who have nevertheless been supportive. Among such are my mother and others in the family who have watched and prayed along.

The greatest appreciation, apart from that owed to God, goes to my wife, Affy, and our children, Remi, Philip, Olive-Kemi and Emmanuel, who gave me time to think and to write. Affy not only understood my withdrawal to the study, but also typed and proofread the manuscript. Our children eventually understood why I sometimes could not play soccer or do other things with them.

Finally, to God be the glory for making this book possible and for the constant reminder that Jesus is the way, and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through him alone.