Costa Chibwe; a step towards sound doctrine

 

The descent of the Gospel into pop culture forced a downgrade of Gospel music with it. In the old days you could tell the difference between church music and worldly music. The prosperity Gospel is erroneously man-focused and so is the supporting music. Indeed it seems the so-called new church with its false message attracts the world with its great bands and great music. Thus it is the music that leads for obvious reasons and whatever message it sold is held as the theological foundation of the new supposed converts. A typical example is the likes of Hill Song and Jesus Culture and the churches behind them. More popular than most rock bands, they have been the main attractions—not Christ. Sadly, these “fast food” churches behind these bands also preach an unhealthy Gospel that is light years away from sound doctrine. When they sing about love and God, you would think it is about a sensual relationship. One song writer actually wrote that God’s love is reckless[1]. No amount of criticism has provoked any form of repentance from this blasphemous line that millions sing around the world on a daily basis in supposed worship. There is indeed an important place for theology in art concerning the faith.

In my country Ghana and indeed all of West Africa, Gospel music is now about what God will do to your enemies and how much money He will put into your pocket. It is also about how God will place you above your enemies. Worship is a show and many Gospel musicians from their own utterances do no differentiate between worship and inspiring people. The lifestyle of these Gospel musicians also leaves very little to be desired but that’s a different story for another day. It is an established principle of homiletics that the messenger is the message—most gospel musicians still have not received that memo.

Gospel Music must necessarily be about the GOSPEL; IE God, His mercy and the salvation it brings about. It is about Christ and His work on the cross; not people. It is on this framework that the love and mercy of God can be interpreted correctly. Repentance access the forgiveness that saves man from the claws of the enemy where eternal damnation is his lot. Repentance addresses the sin that is now in the DNA of man. This is the very essence of the Christian faith and the core of the message that must be reached to both the spiritually living so they can continue to thrive in Christ and the spiritually dead so they can be awakened in Christ. Sadly, it is also the message that has been drowned by the dross that we now call Gospel Music.

In the reform community however, this message is still loud and clear. At Kwabata Baptist Church in Lusaka where Rev. Conrad Mbewe (also known as the African Spurgeon; a champion of sound doctrine on the continent) is the presiding pastor, the Gospel is at its most pristine. It is among the ministering interns at Kwabata Baptist that we found Costa Chibwe who together with the fellow young ministers like Angel Francis has been serving with us for a while now at Hopeman Ministries.

Costa is not only a trained theologian being polished for sound doctrine at Kwabata Baptist under the Rev. Conrad Mbewe, He is also a recording Gospel Musician of the first order. Born and bred in Kabwe the Central Province of Zambia, Costa got saved in 2012 at River of Life Tabernacle Church after hearing the Gospel.  He went on to obtain a Bachelor’s of Art (BA) in Bible and theology from Central Africa Baptist University. He started singing and composing his music in 2006 and started recording in 2013.  He has released two singles to the glory of God; Twakumana and Lesa Mulelela which are currently available on YouTube. Costa is working on an album to be release in 2021.

 As we march towards a restoration of the Gospel in the hope driving out the darkness that has engulfed our continent, music and art of that matter is going to becoming increasingly important. It must spearhead the spreading the true Gospel that saves men and causes a transformation by the renewal of minds[2]. This is the reason that young theologically sound musicians like Costa are valuable to the cause. We asked some experts to share some thoughts on the quality of the music and it came out with an A+. Most importantly however, Costa walks with the champions of sound doctrine and is therefore as biblical as it gets. Our confidence is firmed that God is still building His Church[3] and that false doctrine is here only for a while. We have already seen the gates of hell crumbling with the expose of false prophets in Ghana and Nigeria in recent times. Zambia stands as the beacon of hope for Africa in this Ecclesia Africanus Reformanda agenda.

Costa’s latest release which is currently available on YouTube is complete with English subtitles for those who do not understand Bemba[4]. We encourage you to listen to it and take few minutes to share it on your social media platform in order that many more will be reached with the message of God’s love and the forgiveness that awaits those who come to believe in Him. God bless you abundantly. Please follow this link https://youtu.be/Qb9rSGUL9Ss

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[1] Cory Asbury

[2] Romans 12:2

[3] Mathew 16:18

[4] Bemba is the most widely spoken language in Zambia