From a Seed to a Harvest

The Growth of the Christadelphian Community in Sierra Leone

The story of the Christadelphians in Sierra Leone is a remarkable testimony to perseverance, faith, and the enduring power of the Gospel in even the most challenging circumstances.

Humble Beginnings (1976–1983)

It began in 1976 when Bro. Stuart Cowlishaw travelled to visit Sis. Vicky Boyle Hebron, a UK Christadelphian who had married a Sierra Leonean doctor and returned to her homeland. That initial contact sparked the beginning of what would become a thriving Christadelphian presence in West Africa.

By 1982, efforts intensified as Bre. Tecwyn Morgan and Derek Hayward held public Bible talks in Freetown’s Central Library, supported by Bro. Steve Sykes and Bro. Philip Vyse. Their witness laid the groundwork for more committed missionary activity.

In 1983, Bro. Ron and Sis. Betty Sealey arrived in Sierra Leone, staying for six months. Armed with little more than leaflets, Bibles, and determination, they preached around the famous Cotton Tree in Freetown. Despite modest beginnings (all their possessions followed by sea, sealed in 40-gallon oil drums), their work bore fruit. That year saw five baptisms, with three still in fellowship today. Four more were baptized in January 1984, bringing early encouragement to the fledgling group.

Establishing the Ecclesia (1984–1990)

In September 1984, Bro. Cowlishaw returned with Bro. Tecwyn and Sis. Mary Morgan. With a rented flat on Fort Street the Freetown ecclesia was formally established with thirteen members. Over the next few years, Bro. Ron and Sis. Betty Sealey, often joined by Bro. Michael Woodcock, visited regularly, nurturing the growing community.

A key feature of Christadelphian life in Sierra Leone soon became evident: structured, community-driven preaching work. Long before the era of digital preaching tools like CBM Media, every “mother ecclesia” (central or established ecclesia) formed its own preaching team. Each week, at least two brothers would travel from the mother ecclesia to more remote preaching areas, staying from Friday through Sunday after the service on hired motorbikes, the most common form of travel in the provinces.

Meanwhile, civil unrest brewed nearby. In 1990, Bro. Steve Sykes and Bro. Peter McEvoy traveled to the region intending to support Sierra Leone but diverted to Liberia due to conflict. There, Bro. David Mambu was baptized, illustrating how the gospel found a way despite obstacles.

War and Witness (1991–2002)

The outbreak of civil war in Sierra Leone in March 1991 tested the community’s resilience. That year, a new ecclesia was planted in Kenema. Though Revolutionary United Front (RUF) rebel forces pushed deep into the country, including near Freetown by 1993, faithful support continued. In 1994, Bro. Steve and Sis. Wendy Sykes spent three months in Freetown, reporting thirty members in the capital, Freetown, and eight in Kenema.

The years that followed were marked by violence, uncertainty, and displacement. In 1997 ther was a military coup, when the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council joined forces with the RUF to seize Freetown. As a result, many members were scattered. Despite the danger, three baptisms took place that year, bringing membership to thirty-four.

Aid efforts were coordinated by Bre. Ron Sealey and Andrew Briley, with food distribution and limited travel internally facilitated by Bro. Joseph Kandeh and others. By 1999, a tentative ceasefire was in place, although roads were still too dangerous to use.

In 2001, a new ecclesia was founded in Wanjamma. When the war officially ended in January 2002, many had fled, leaving only twenty members in Freetown. The Kenema ecclesia had effectively ceased.

Recovery and Renewal (2003–2014)

With peace restored, renewed efforts focused on rebuilding. Bro. Bob Fox, the author, who would become a central figure in the post-war development, visited in 2003 and took over as linkman in 2004. Over the next few years, regular visits resumed, infrastructure was rebuilt, and the Freetown Hall was acquired and renovated in 2006.

In 2008, Christadelphian Meal a Day took over the running of a school previously managed by Muslims about twenty miles from Kenema, in a village called Talia Makia. Two years later, they provided funds for a street kids project set up by Bro. Bob.

Continued visits throughout the decade, including those by Bro. Dan and Sis. Corine Fox, Bro. Gordon Dawes, Bro. David Kirby and many young brothers and sisters revitalized both ecclesial and educational work.

Harvest Time (2015–2025)

Despite the disruption caused by the Ebola outbreak in 2015 and the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020–21, the Truth has seen extraordinary growth.

Baptism numbers skyrocketed. In 2018, eighty-seven new members were baptized. In 2019, another seventy-seven followed. Then in 2022, after the pandemic eased, an astonishing 358 baptisms were recorded during a visit by Bro. Bob Fox and Bro. David Gouldingay. The following year, 285 more joined the fold. By the end of 2024, there were thirty-one ecclesias and over 1,500 brothers and sisters. There remain hundreds undergoing instruction at the time of this report.

In areas too remote for weekly travel, a brother from the mother ecclesia is assigned to live permanently in the region, receiving a small allowance for accommodation and basic living costs. These brothers, often supported by visiting preachers, carry on weekly Bible classes, baptismal preparation sessions every Saturday, Bible reading groups, and of course the Breaking of Bread Service.

Welfare and Social Care

With little or no effective state-provided social care, each mother ecclesia appointed a welfare brother or team to look after needy members. Despite government policy promising free medical care for pregnant women, nursing mothers, and children under five, in practice this was, and still is, rarely the case, as confirmed by two Christadelphian sisters who had worked in local health services in the country. So CBM welfare has played a huge role in caring for brothers and sisters.

Hymnbooks, Bibles, and Literacy

In 2016, a Sierra Leone hymnbook in English was developed, adding local flavor to worship and aiding consistency across ecclesias. Every newly baptized member receives a Bible, a personal planner, and a hymnbook, essential tools for spiritual growth.

However, one significant challenge remains: adult literacy. Literacy rates are estimated to be only around 30–40% outside the main urban centers. This situation makes verbal teaching, visual aids, and personal contact essential to discipleship and ongoing preaching. Bible reading is often done communally or through repetition and memorization, rather than individual study.

Into the Future

Though no CBM visit took place in 2024, the work continues, sustained by dedicated local brothers and sisters, and supported by Christadelphians worldwide. From a single visit in 1976 to a vibrant, resilient, and growing community today, the story of the Christadelphians in Sierra Leone is a remarkable chapter in the wider narrative of the gospel’s reach.

CBM Media: Supporting Growth Through Digital Resources

With low literacy levels, rapid ecclesial growth, and a shortage of experienced brothers to lead new congregations, there was a clear need for new approaches in preaching, training elders, and managing ecclesias. This led to the development of CBM Media, a series of video-based training courses and preaching materials. Originally distributed on memory sticks and shown using rechargeable projectors, the resources are now increasingly accessed on handheld devices. While not a substitute for in-person visits from CBM (UK) brothers and sisters, CBM Media provides consistent, reusable content to support both ecclesial development and the preaching of a clear, unified message.

In addition to English and the two main languages spoken in Sierra Leone, these resources are being developed in over twenty-five languages, and will soon be available through a new online platform, launching at the end of 2025, Lord Willing.

As the Apostle Paul wrote, “I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase.” (1 Corinthians 3:6 NKJV). Truly, God has given the increase in Sierra Leone.

Bob Fox,
CBM Link brother for Sierra Leone