From African Ancestral Beliefs to Christ: A Journey of Faith, Deception, and Redemption

In this heartfelt and candid interview, Annie (not her real name) shares her transformative journey from involvement in ancestral churches steeped in tradition and spiritual practices, to discovering a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Out of respect for her family and their culture, she chose to use a pseudonym to protect their privacy.

Q: To begin, Annie, could you explain what an ancestral church actually is?

A: An ancestral church is a faith tradition rooted in the belief that those who came before us; our departed ancestors' continue to hold influence over the lives of the living. At its core, it’s about reverence for lineage and heritage, and the conviction that family ties extend beyond the physical world. Some expressions of ancestral faith intertwine with belief in God or a higher power, often weaving in biblical principles as a way of grounding or lending credibility to the practice.

Q: Do you remember the first time you came across an ancestral church?

Annie: Yes! There is one prominent one in my home country and when I was in primary school, I had gone to a street stall opposite our house to buy a snack. On my way back I passed two men wrapped in white sheets, each carrying a wooden walking stick. As we crossed paths one of them looked me squarely in the eye and kept the gaze as he went by. For reasons I couldn’t explain at the time, it scared me; and I couldn’t stop staring back at him. When I got home I asked our domestic worker who they were. She told me they belonged to a particular ancestral church and were thought to be spiritually powerful. From that afternoon on I carried with me a persistent, quiet fear around them. 

Q: How did that first encounter eventually lead you to becoming involved with the church?

Annie: Years later, when I was about twenty, I was home for the summer holidays from university, lying in bed, when my mum suddenly called me over and handed me the phone without any explanation. On the line was a woman who began speaking about struggles I was facing at the time; very specific things I had never shared with anyone. She even mentioned the exact university module I was failing! I was stunned. I’d never experienced anything like it, but I trusted her immediately because, really, how else could she have known? I didn't know at the time who she was or that she was part of the church, but I think it opened my heart and eyes to that world.

Q: Was there something specific in that call that made you see the 'faith' differently? What do you think really drew you in?

Annie: With any cult or new-age belief, it’s rarely a single, lightning-bolt moment. It’s often gradual. If you think of Jonestown and The People’s Temple, those members didn’t leap overnight from ordinary lives to mass suicide. Many were vulnerable, searching, and they found themselves drawn in by a charismatic leader who felt safe, wise, and comforting. Over time, through a steady drip-feed of ideas and experiences, they were led into darkness.

For me, during that call, the detail that lodged in my heart was when she said I would meet my husband in 2008. She shared other 'prophetic' words too, but that one eclipsed everything else. Looking back, I can see how cleverly the enemy exploited that desire of mine. By the age of ten I had already begun searching for love. I was desperate for the love and affection I didn’t feel at home. I was convinced that if a boy chose me, it would prove I was worthy, and he would provide both the intimacy and protection I longed for, especially as I hadn’t been shielded from abuse in childhood. So when this woman told me that my long wait for love was about to end, it felt like an answered prayer. It was thrilling, intoxicating even, to think that the ache I had carried for so long might finally be fulfilled. The thought that she - or anyone - could see the future was another drop in the drip feed.

Q: Did you find your great love in 2008?

Annie: No! (She laughs.) But I certainly went looking! I become obsessed with finding 'him', if I'm being honest. Every man I met, I found myself wondering, is he the one? I went to every party, every social event on campus, carrying the quiet hope that my husband was just around the corner. It quickly became damaging to my self-image, my sense of worth, and my identity. I was throwing myself at men, willing even to sleep with them if I thought it might turn into a relationship. At the time, I was convinced boys only wanted sex; a damaging perspective born from my experience of childhood sexual abuse. And yet, even when I offered that, they still didn’t want me. That was crushing. In hindsight, I’m incredibly grateful that all of them were gentlemen who didn’t take advantage of my desperation and brokeness! On New Year’s Eve, as 2008 slipped into 2009, I became painfully aware that the promised husband had never materialised. That disappointment stung. But strangely, it also meant that I tucked the woman’s words to the back of my mind and didn’t seriously explore the ‘church’ again for another decade.

What was the turning point that led you to the church?

Annie: By the time I was thirty, I was at a breaking point. I had been battling depression and anxiety, working in a toxic job, and living in an HMO where one housemate took pleasure in harassing me. She would make up lies to the landlord about things I was supposedly doing in the house. Thankfully, i could prove I wasn't in the house for most of the times she claimed I was doing these things - sometimes out of the country with work!- but the stress and anxiety it caused was taking its toll. I started to drink to cope with all the emotions, and was soon drinking every night. I had struggled with suicidal ideation since I was 13 or so, and it became worse during this period. Add to this a history of trauma, repeated disappointments in relationships, and a lifestyle now heavily influenced by partying; something endemic to my industry, I was slowly dying inside.

Unbeknownst to me, my aunt had been active in the church for a few years. When my mum told her about my struggles, my aunt offered to take me to the church to see one of the prophets. They seemed certain that I might be healed of whatever spiritual malaise, bad omen, or unseen forces were affecting my life. At that moment, it felt like a lifeline I couldn’t ignore.

Q: What were your initial impressions of the church?

Women in the Nation of Islam. Source: the African American Museum of History and Culture.

Annie: When we arrived at the meeting place, my aunt handed me three white sheets; the same kind the men had worn when I encountered them nearly two decades earlier. One was to cover my hair, since women weren’t allowed to show it; another draped over my shoulders to cover my skin; and the third wrapped around me like a skirt. Essentially, only my hands and my face were visible. This was how visitors dressed. Bonafide members wore 'official' garments which were reminiscent of the way women in the Nation of Islam dressed in the 1960s. Walking into the hall, I was slightly frightened. I thought the prophets might be able to read my mind or see all my sins just by looking at me. That was the reputation they had for their supposed gifts and (she makes air quotes) powers. I also couldn’t help but recall that first encounter from my childhood, and how terrified I had been. It was a mix of emotions: awe, excitement, and fear all at once. 

Q: What were the services like?

Annie: They were usually held in a hall - something like a sports hall or a community centre. Everyone sat on the floor in rows, with men on one side facing the women on the other. Services typically took place on Fridays and could last several hours, sometimes even a full twenty-four hours. There was a lot of singing. Most songs focused on God orJehovah, though occasionally people would sing to the founder of the church, who I believe started it in the 1920s. Between the men and women was a wide gap that functioned as a walkway, and along this a man would pace with his wooden walking stick, delivering a monologue to or about God - like a sermon. If someone felt a song brewing in their hearts during the monologue, they would just stand up and start singing, and everyone would join in, bowing and bending at the knees as they sang. The hymns were simple and easy to follow; after hearing the words a few times, I could join in effortlessly. To me, it sounded like how I imagined heaven would: harmonious voices, singing in unison, full of devotion and worship.

Q: Were there specific rituals or practices that stood out to you?

Annie: I often found myself just waiting for the end of the 'service', because that’s when several “prophets” would line up at the front, and people would form queues to see them. One by one, each person would approach with their predicament, and the prophet would offer a prophetic word; often accompanied by a remedy for whatever they were facing. The prophets had bottles of water they had prayed over, a bag full of small stones they had also blessed, and a bowl. The bowl was used to hold the water and the stones, and people would either be given the bowls to drink from, the stones to take home and pray with, or a bottle of water to use at home for bathing in or drinking before or after prayer.

Q: What kinds of predicaments did people bring to the prophets?

Annie: The predicaments were very human and everyday. Some people were struggling with unruly children and didn’t know how to manage them. Many of us had migrated to the UK from our home country, so some brought immigration papers, hoping to have them blessed and, presumably, that this would help secure citizenship. Others sought help for ailments or were desperate over financial difficulties. Essentially, people were looking for spiritual guidance to navigate real-life problems.

Q: What explanations were given for your problems, and what kinds of remedies were offered to you?

Annie: You’d be surprised how often the root of someone’s problem wasn’t legal or the result of their own actions! (She laughs). For example, if someone had entered a country without completing all the official processes, it would make sense that they might face difficulties down the line. But in the church, these challenges were often seen as spiritual displeasure; either by God or by an ancestor for a wronging or a failure.

In my culture, for example, when a man pays his bride price for a wife, one of the cows gifted to his new mother-in-law is meant to be put out to pasture, regardless of its age. It’s not meant to be eaten, slaughtered, or bred. I can only speculate why, but I remember one occasion when a prophet told me that my mental health struggles were because the cow gifted to my grandmother had been slaughtered and eaten. He said an ancestor was angry, which explained why I couldn’t get ahead in life. The solution, he said, was to buy a new cow and send it to my grandmother’s farm back home - which my parents promptly did. Needless to say, it didn’t work! (She laughs).

I can laugh about it now, but at the time I genuinely hoped it would work. I was clinging to just about anything in my grasp, desperate for something, anything, that might give me a sense of hope that life would improve.

Q: How involved did you become in the life of the church?

Annie: It’s not a traditional church like a Christian congregation. There were no regular activities outside of the meetings; no home groups, no tithes, no church outings, not even opportunities to serve. My aunt’s church met just once a month on a Friday. You were told by word of mouth when the next meeting would be, and that was it. Sometimes the gatherings were in London, other times in Slough, Bristol, or Birmingham. I simply went wherever my aunt took me. I saw some of the same faces at each meeting, but there was no sense of community or opportunities to connect or serve in the traditional sense. Naturally, the longer you stay in the church the more likely you are to form friendships, but since everyone came from all over the country just for the church and then went home, there wasn't really any sense of community.

Q: What did you think about the teachings or messages you received?

Annie: Looking back, I feel God kept me somewhat veiled from a lot of the teachings. The preaching was in my native language, but having grown up in England, I didn’t catch everything. On top of that, the prophets often yelled or spoke very quickly, delivering long, monologue-like sermons that made my mind wander. Honestly, I mainly just enjoyed the singing. Truth be told, I was there for the 'prophecies'. I wanted answers; I was seeking truth. During the meetings, I would often find myself scanning the room for a specific prophet I wanted to see at the end. The gatherings didn’t have the structured flow of a traditional church service. Whoever spoke, spoke with charisma and authoritatively, and I didn’t really take much notice beyond that.

Q: Were there aspects of the church’s culture or doctrine that you questioned even then?

Annie: No, not at all. I simply didn’t know enough. Discernment comes from having something to weigh information or a situation against, and at that time, I had nothing. All I saw was how my Christian, educated family approached this faith, so I assumed it couldn’t be wrong. I wasn’t discerning, so how could I have known that just because someone speaks about God, it doesn’t necessarily mean they are followers of Christ? The red flags only became apparent later, as I began to feel the call of Christ in my own life.

Q: How did your family’s faith influence your perception of the church?

Annie: It had a huge impact. During my first year at university, I had met other families for the first time. It was the first time I saw what 'normal', functional, loving families looked like; and it completely shocked me. I didn’t know there was a world where mothers hugged their children, where dads said “I love you,” and where siblings cried on each other’s shoulders and treated one another with respect.

My culture places a strong emphasis on total obedience and subservience: children are told what to believe, how to think, and even how to feel; no matter their age. If I thought I’d found a good job but my mother said it wasn’t, then it simply wasn’t. If I liked a boy and my brother disapproved, that was the end of it. My aunts once attacked me in the early 20's - for reasons I still don’t understand to this day - and after days of being yelled at, berated, and ganged up on, I spoke up for myself. That only made things worse for me. My parents dragged me out of our house against my will and in tears, and forced me to apologise to each aunt. Long, grovelling, reverential apologies.

By the time I joined the church in my 30's, my family’s influence still loomed large. I believed their approval and honour mattered more than anything, and I trusted them completely. Their belief in ancestral spirits only made the church’s teachings seem more believable. A common misconception is that these things are easy to believe for uneducated people, but my family and many members of the church have higher degrees in education, medicine, business. They worked for multinational conglomerates, the UN, RedCross, large financial institutions, and sat in positions with titles like CEO and COO. These are educated and accomplished people. In many ways, my culture, family and our traditions laid the groundwork for obedience, submission, not questioning, and spiritual abuse for the church.

Q: How did the church impact your understanding of God and faith?

Annie: Firstly, I think I came to see God a bit like a genie: if you asked, you received. Most people attended because they had problems and were seeking solutions, and sometimes those solutions came. When solutions didn’t materialise, it was explained as God or the ancestors not being pleased with the offering, a different ancestor now being angry, a family member cursing their efforts, or God being angry about something else entirely. This led me to my second understanding of God and faith': God was temperamental. He only seemed to bless people who had done the right thing, met some arbitrary standard, or He needed to be appeased for things to work out in life. I became annoyed with Him for never clearly explaining what I needed to do or how, to get out of proverbial purgatory. Thirdly, and perhaps most concerning, I concluded that if pleasing the ancestors brought tangible blessings while God seemed distant or unresponsive, the ancestors must be more powerful than God.

When I eventually became a Christian, I realised I had carried this transactional view into my understanding of Him. I thought I had to earn His love, that if something bad happened, God was angry, and that one misstep could jeopardise my salvation. I even believed the enemy was as powerful as God, and that in their ongoing spiritual battle, the enemy was winning in my life.

Q: How did the ancestral church teachings shape your view of morality and life choices?

Annie: Every misfortune in my life was attributed to ancestors from generations before me. It infuriated me to think I was being punished because someone I had never met, somewhere in my bloodline, was supposedly causing my problems. There was nothing I could do about it until they were appeased, and even then, the relief was temporary as I wondered if another ancestor woudl crop back up! It felt very much like a moving target. After the cow was purchased to “resolve” one issue, I was still struggling with my mental health so a new reason and solution would be given, and this happened more than once. It didn’t matter if I didn’t know the ancestors, if I was a good person, or how hard I tried to change my life. I was always at the mercy of the ancestors, and the church was the only place that could “fix me.” It left me feeling powerless, lacking in free will or autonomy. My life, my choices, even my wellbeing, were dictated by ancestral powers and their moods.

The Journey Toward Faith in Christ 

Q: When did you first start questioning your beliefs or feeling the desire to seek Christ?

Annie: I experienced a mental health crisis about three years after my first visit to the church. The church offered solutions that only seemed to worsen my condition. During my mental breakdown, their advice was to pray every three hours for two weeks. Before each prayer, I had to bathe twice: once to clean myself and a second time immediately afterwards, placing six stones in the bath, and using cold bottled water that had been prayed over by the prophets. This routine left me sleep-deprived as I could only rest for a couple of hours between each prayer cycle; and utterly exhausted from essentially taking 8 baths a day! Psychologically, I was just a shell of a person, clinging to these rituals as the only way back to health and some semblance of a normal life. Yet in the depths of that despair, God revealed Himself to me. I believe the moment He chose to reveal Himself was simply the time He appointed. I had to reach a point where I realised that everything else I’d tried had failed, and I had to be open - just open - to the idea of His way. 

Q: How did your feelings about the ancestral church change as you moved toward faith in Christ?

Annie: Honestly, it was the Holy Spirit who began revealing Bible verses to me that challenged my beliefs about the church. I didn’t even own a Bible, nor had I intentionally read one. The Holy Spirit would just give me a verse as though plucked from thin air, and I would google it (she laughs). From the story of the woman with the issue of blood, to verses about not serving two masters, I slowly began to see the ancestral church differently. Scripture made it clear that the dead are either in God’s presence or separated from Him for eternity, and they do not interact with the living (Deuteronomy 18:10–12, Ecclesiastes 9:5, Isaiah 8:19, Leviticus 19:31). That made me wonder who the spirits those prophets claimed to communicate with really were.

Over several weeks, it was as though God was chipping away at each false doctrine, one Bible verse or story at a time, knocking down the pillars that held up those beliefs. Each verse made me sit and reflect on the church’s practices, and the more I questioned, the more God revealed. By then, I had even been asked by one of the prophets what I wanted, and I said I wanted to be an official member - not just a visitor who came occasionally, but ready to give my life to the church.

Q: Did you seek out other sources of spiritual guidance during this process?

Annie: In the beginning, I was guided only by the Holy Spirit. I started praying to God because, unlike the universe, which had never answered, or the ancestral church, which came with proxy rituals, prayer gave me a direct line to a God who actually responded. It was like walking around your entire life with questions, and then one day meeting someone who had the answers to all of them. Coupled with the overwhelming sense of love I felt when He revealed Himself to me, I just knew this was a source and love I could trust.

God did send a woman who owned a hair salon in my neighbourhood. I had visited her shop a few times, and one day, I told her about the ancestral church. She had a look of concern on her face and asked a question that gave me pause: “What kind of church doesn’t read the Bible?” She was right. The church didn’t read the Bible. I had never seen anyone there even carry one, and yet it was the Bible that was beginning to bring me clarity, wisdom, discernment, healing, and peace. She didn’t tell me I was wrong or explicitly warn me to leave, but her expression; combined with that one question and the handful of Bible verses I’d already read, was enough for me to decide I was done with the church.

Q: Did you encounter doubts or fears about leaving or changing your faith? 

Annie: Absolutely. Every faith or belief system teaches that if we leave, we are damned. But there was something about Jesus that made me feel I was stepping into loving arms. Any questions I had, He answered. Any doubts I harboured were dispelled by the Holy Spirit through Scripture. I had never read the Bible before, yet a verse would often randomly come to mind, and when I looked for it, I would find it in the Bible, speaking directly to the struggle I was facing. Furthermore, I remember the aunt who took to me to the church tried to scare me by reminding me that 'the spirits are real', when I stood on gospel truth over an issue. In moments like that, I was terrified, but my mind was made up. If I couldn't serve two masters, I had made my choice. I was choosing the God of Scripture.

Q: How did your family or community react to your decision to follow Christ? 

Annie: When I had my mental breakdown, my family pretended like it wasn't happening. Sending me to the church was the only sign of their care and concern. From then on, for the most part, I think they see me as quite eccentric or just crazy (she laughs). They see the depth of my faith as merely an extension of that eccentricity, rather than a radical transformation. That suits me just fine (she laughs again).

Initially, becoming a Christian was not an issue, but now it has become a point of contention - especially as they try to impose their cultural beliefs on me, whereas I choose to follow what God instructs. For them, following Christ is acceptable until it clashes with tradition and culture, at which point tradition and culture take precedence over scripture. They often think I am being disrespectful, say that I am too British, or that I do not understand or respect our traditions when I use scripture to explain why they ought to forgive someone, or what God says about how we ought to love one another. I pray about it and do keep things respectful, but I choose to stand with Christ every time.

Q: I’ve heard people speak of spiritual attacks when they leave ancestral churches, witchcraft, etc. Is this something you experienced? If so, how did you overcome it?

Annie: Oh yes, I really did! For weeks after I left the church, I constantly felt that something bad was around me; something menacing that made me afraid. I would wake up in the middle of the night with an urgent need to turn all the lights on and pray. One night, I encountered what I can only describe as the presence of a powerful demonic spirit and experienced sleep paralysis. I was left trembling with fear, hiding under a blanket, reading my Bible until the feeling passed. That night made me question whether this was happening because I had decided to leave the church as this had never happened before.

What gave me comfort was speaking to my brother-in-law the next day. He told me that the Lord had woken him around the same time that night, and urged him to pray for me. It reminded me of 2 Chronicles 20:15-17, where the prophet Jahaziel tells King Jehoshaphat and the people of Judah and Jerusalem not to fear or be dismayed by the large enemy army because the battle belongs to God, not them. God instructs them to take their positions, stand still, and witness the deliverance He will bring, as the Lord Himself will be with them in the fight. That verse became a powerful reminder that the battle was not mine to fight, and that He would always protect me. Not long after, God spoke to me about being baptised, which I did promptly! That moment marked the beginning of real freedom and protection, as I stepped fully into His care.

Q: Did your perception of the ancestral church or its teachings change after you came to faith?

Annie: Absolutely. It’s one of the reasons I’m so passionate about sharing the gospel with those involved in false religions and practices. Even before I joined an ancestral church, I was often approached by psychics, mediums, and people who called themselves witches or prophets; on the street, on social media, and at work. At the time, I didn't think anything of it, entertaining it even. Now when it happens, I share my experience and the gospel with them.

When you’re involved in these practices, they can seem harmless, even peaceful. But there invariably comes a point when things turn dark, and life did get very dark for me in the ancestral church. I tell them this, and give them a way to reach out to me when it happens. I’ve since learned other stories of spiritual attacks and encounters with demonic entities when people try to leave these practices. Today, I see the ancestral church as being purely demonic.

Q: Looking back, what do you appreciate most about your journey from the ancestral church to Christ?

Annie: The experience has equipped me to journey with others coming out of ancestral churches or other false religions. Since leaving the church, I’ve encountered many former cult members, Muslims, Sikhs, and others who have chosen to follow Jesus. One thing I see clearly now is that the enemy makes such convincing imitations that it’s easy to understand why people think they’re walking in the light - I was like them too.

I’ve also encountered Christians who will preach about battling spirits and principalities, yet scoff at another Christian talking about spiritual attacks or encounters with demons. Whether an encounter is real isn’t for me to decide. My role is simply to listen with an open heart and mind, walk alongside them, pray for them, and hopefully be a disciple who helps them draw closer to Christ. Because I’ve been there myself, I can challenge new age beliefs with compassion and love. That perspective, born from my own journey, is something I deeply appreciate and carry with me.

Q: What did you find difficult or painful about leaving the church?

Annie: It was incredibly painful to create distance between my family and me. There came a point when I knew the Lord was asking me to let go, but I felt so guilty; it seemed completely unnatural. Who would I be in the world on my own? Why couldn’t they come with me? Then He gave me Luke 14:26, and through that scripture, I found the courage to forgive, to apologise, and, over time, to step back. My relationship with my mother suffered deeply after the incident with my aunts, but I thank God that He healed and restored me enough to forgive her and to care for her towards the end of her life.

My family still hold fast to that church and those traditions, and over the years, they’ve become fractured because of it. It still pains me to see my father praying to God while bowing before a picture of an ancestral tree. It’s hard, too, knowing that my brother isn’t saved and that my aunt remains deceived by the church. But I remind myself that God already knows how each of our stories will end. I pray for them, and I hold on to the hope that one day they will see the truth and come to know His freedom and love.

Q: How do you feel about your faith journey today? 

Annie: How do you sum it up in a few words?! ( she laughs). If you had told young me I would work in ministry, attend Bible college, or even just share parts of my testimony, I would have laughed. It’s been quite the adventure! One thing I can say is that I am thankful for all the areas of people’s lives I now feel able to speak life into. From addiction to mental health and spiritual struggles, I can share the part of my testimony that speaks to their journey - how God brought me through it and what’s on the other side. 

Q: What lessons did you learn from your experience that you wish others knew? 

Annie: Spiritual warfare is real. The enemy is real. Hell is real. I’ve heard Christians dismiss these things because they’ve never experienced them or just don't believe in them. That’s understandable. Believing in these realities asks too much for many. But each of us has our respective ministries that He equips us for. Just because you haven’t experienced it or believe in it doesn’t mean it’s not happening. When others share these things with you, listen with an open mind and heart. Seek the Holy Spirit’s guidance on how to respond. Don’t dismiss it. Whether it’s truly happening or simply feels real to the person, it still deserves your time, prayer, and compassionate counsel.

Q: What advice would you give to someone questioning their cultural and/or traditional faith community? 

Annie: Choose Jesus. Where is that verse about followers being Christs mother, brother and sisters?  (We pull it up):  

While Jesus was still speaking to the crowd, his mother and brothers stood outside, wanting to speak to him. Someone told him, “Your mother and brothers are standing outside, wanting to speak to you.” He replied to him, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” Pointing to his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers. For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.”  — Matthew 12:46-50 

We are called to take up our cross and follow Him. For some of us, that means walking away from tradition, culture, or even family ties. But remember; He is not a God who abandons; He is a God who restores. Perhaps He will restore your family. Perhaps He will bless you with a new one. Either way, He knows what we need, what is best for us, and He is always right on time. Trust that gentle pull on your heart. Heed the call. Lean into the discomfort and learn to trust Him to lead you through it.

Q: What warnings would you give to those still involved in ancestral churches who might be questioning their faith? 

Annie: God is not there.

Sadly, deception can blind people to the truth, and ancestral churches often mix faith in God with practices that lead people away from Him. But if you’re beginning to question, don’t ignore that stirring in your spirit; it could be the Holy Spirit prompting you to seek the truth. Keep asking, keep seeking, and keep praying for discernment. Don’t let fear, guilt, or cultural expectations silence your questions. God isn’t afraid of your doubts; He welcomes them because He wants you to know Him for who He truly is. The Truth can withstand scrutiny, lies cannot. (See note at the bottom)

Q: How important is personal relationship with Christ versus cultural or family tradition for you? 

Annie: For me, culture and tradition are a shifting thing, they are always changing. In my own family, we often only learned about certain “traditions” when adults were in the wrong or in danger of losing authority. I remember my father once had a disagreement with my sister-in-law. He was clearly in the wrong, and her feelings were completely valid, but instead of acknowledging that, he dismissed it by invoking the idea that, traditionally, parents are never questioned, never apologise, and are never wrong. He quoted 'Honour thy mother and father', and dismissed 'fathers do not provoke your children to anger'. They haven’t spoken in years.

God, on the other hand, calls us to something far deeper and truer. He teaches us humility to apologise, grace and kindness to forgive, integrity to take accountability, and love to reconcile. These are not shifting principles; they are eternal truths.

Q: Ultimately, what is your hope or prayer for others who are in a similar situation? 

Annie: In my language, we say, “There are no prayers on the other side of the grave.” It means that salvation is only possible in this life; the only one we’ve been given, and it is finite. If you’re here, seeing this and recognising yourself in these words, yet still part of an ancestral church or a false religion, it means you’re seeking. Lean into that. It’s far better to discover the truth while you still have time.

My hope is that reading this helps you recognise where you are, what God can do, and encourages you to keep questioning boldly and without fear. The truth is never afraid of questions. It doesn’t cower before doubt, it doesn’t shrink under scrutiny, and it never grows defensive when challenged.

Don’t be afraid to bring your questions to God or to weigh His truth against tradition, culture, or ancestral belief. Questions lead to answers. Answers bring clarity. And clarity leads to freedom.

Q: Can you pray for them? 

Annie: sure!

"Heavenly Father, I come before You with a humble heart, seeking Your divine intervention and clarity. Lord, I ask that You open the eyes of this dear one who is caught in a place that may not fully reflect Your truth. Reveal to them Your presence and Your love in a way that they can see and understand.  Lord, I pray that You remove any spiritual blindness or deception that has clouded their vision. Shine Your light into their heart, illuminating the path that leads to You, to Your truth, and to eternal life.  God, I ask that You give them confirmation; whether through Your Word, through Your Spirit, or through circumstances, that You are near. Let them feel Your guiding hand and hear Your voice clearly as You lead them out of confusion and into Your glorious truth.  Father, I pray that You strengthen their faith and give them courage to seek You with all their heart. Draw them closer to You and let Your peace fill their soul. Show them the way to the life that only You can give, life abundant and everlasting.  

Thank You, Lord, for Your mercy, Your grace, and Your unwavering love. I trust that You will reveal Yourself to this person in Your perfect time and manner.  

In Jesus' name, I pray, Amen. 

Notes: If you would like to speak with us or with Annie regarding the topics raised in this interview, please feel free to reach out privately through our instagram messages or publicly in the comments section.