Part 1: The Root Problem – Anthropocentric Theology and the Rise of Nominal Christians

 

As a performance coach, I've spent years working with individuals of all kinds of religious persuasions as well as organisations towards the maximisation of their potential. Over time, I've realised that true high performance isn't just about skills or strategies—it's about worldview. In Africa, where Christianity is professed by a majority in many nations, we face a paradox: widespread claims of faith coexist with rampant corruption, ethical lapses, and stagnant progress. Why? Much of it stems from an anthropocentric theology—often packaged as the prosperity gospel—that shifts the focus from God to self. They are fed this regularly at their churches and charged to return with fat tithes and offerings and enough to engage in Simony.

Anthropocentric theology places humanity at the centre: God exists primarily to bless me with health, wealth, and success. This "name it and claim it" mindset, popularised in many pulpits, reduces faith to a tool for personal gain. The result? Nominal Christians—those who identify as believers but live indistinguishable lives from unbelievers. Their faith is skin-deep, centred on self-fulfilment rather than surrender to Christ.

Biblically, this couldn't be further from the truth. The Westminster Shorter Catechism reminds us that our chief end is "to glorify God and enjoy Him forever" (1 Cor. 10:31; Rom. 11:36). A theocentric worldview—God at the centre—ensures human flourishing not as an end in itself, but as a byproduct of obedience and alignment with His purposes. When we glorify God, we thrive because we're living as we were designed (Ps. 37:4; Matt. 6:33). But anthropocentrism flips this: self-glorification leads to emptiness, as seen in Ecclesiastes' warning about chasing wind.

In the workplace, nominal Christians lack the fruits of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22-23)—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. They don't embody the Beatitudes' character (Matt. 5:3-12): humility, mercy, purity of heart, peacemaking. Instead, their focus on self manifests as opportunism, shortcuts, and compromise. They pray for promotion but overlook integrity; they tithe for blessings but tolerate bribery. Not surprisingly,  surveys from organisations like Transparency International highlight corruption as a top barrier to African development, even as politicians, business leaders, and influencers publicly claim Christianity. These nominal believers don't bring Christ's light to their environments (Matt. 5:14-16). They blend in, prioritising personal ambition over kingdom values. The upshot? Workplaces suffer from distrust, inefficiency, and moral decay—mirroring the world rather than transforming it. They are not light-bearers.

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1. Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) 2025 Full report and analysis: https://www.transparency.org/en/cpi/2025 Press release on Sub-Saharan Africa (February 10, 2026): https://www.transparency.org/en/press/corruption-perceptions-index-2025-public-sector-corruption-sub-saharan-africa-face-highest-corruption-levels-globally Key finding: Sub-Saharan Africa has the lowest global average score (32/100), with corruption remaining a serious problem hindering access to services and development. Only 4 out of 49 countries score above 50. Supports claims about corruption as a major barrier to progress in the region.
2. Global Corruption Barometer (GCB) – Africa 2019 (10th Edition) Full report: https://www.transparency.org/en/gcb/africa/africa-2019 PDF download: https://images.transparencycdn.org/images/2019_GCB_Africa3.pdf (or via https://www.corruptionwatch.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/GCB-Africa-2019-Full-report-WEB.pdf) Published: July 2019 Key finding: Corruption is hindering Africa’s economic, political, and social development; it is a major barrier to growth, governance, and freedoms. Based on surveys in 34–35 countries with over 47,000 respondents. Note: This is the most detailed citizens' views edition referenced; later editions (e.g., 9th Edition mentioned in some summaries) show similar trends, with 58% of Africans perceiving corruption as increasing.
3. General Global Corruption Barometer page https://www.transparency.org/en/gcb Overview of the series, including ongoing surveys on citizens' experiences of corruption worldwide.

Pew Research Center Source (on Christianity in sub-Saharan Africa)

1. Religion in sub-Saharan Africa (from Pew's 2025 global religious landscape update) Main report section: https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2025/06/09/religion-in-sub-saharan-africa Related: https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2025/06/09/christian-population-change Published: June 9, 2025 Key finding: As of 2020, about 62% of sub-Saharan Africa's population identifies as Christian (up slightly in share from 2010), with the region home to the largest number of Christians globally (surpassing Europe).