THERE IS A GAP: The First of Many
What does it mean to be a pioneer?
Webster’s dictionary defines a pioneer as:
A person who is among those who first enter or settle a region, thus opening it for occupation and development by others.
One who is first or among the earliest in any field of inquiry, enterprise, or progress
One of a group of foot soldiers detailed to make roads, dig entrenchments, etc., in advance of the main body
Truly, the life of George Liele embodies that of a pioneer.
George Liele paved a path for others to follow behind him and, like most pioneers, faced the challenges of going first. He was born around 1750 into slavery. As a child, he was separated and sold off from his parents when he was very young. Liele had no memories of his mother and father outside of what he heard from other slaves. Liele went from plantation to plantation up and down the east coast of America until he landed on a plantation owned by a man named Henry Sharp. At this point, George Liele was called George Sharp. Later, when he was freed, he chose the last name Liele, which was his father’s first name.
Liele’s life would take a dramatic turn on Henry Sharp's plantation when he heard the gospel for the first time. He realized he was not walking in the way of Christ and surrendered His life to Jesus at the age of twenty-three. Liele’s conversion would impact not only him but slaves and slave owners alike. On the plantation, he began to preach to fellow slaves and his preaching caught the attention of Henry Sharps pastor, Matthew Moore. Matthew Moore baptized and ordained Liele on May 20, 1775, making him the first African American Baptist Pastor in America. Shortly after, Sharp granted Liele his freedom so that he would be able to preach unhindered and pursue the ministry. Liele not only preached to slaves but also at the quarterly meetings with Matthew Moore’s white congregation. Liele preached, baptized slaves, and raised up leaders to preach on the various plantations he would visit. In a time where slavery was the law of the land and the Revolutionary War was at its conception, Liele made the gospel message his priority. He may have been born into slavery, but it didn’t stop him from serving God and bringing the gospel to those in need. Liele would go on to found First African Baptist Church in Savannah, Georgia. His preaching and ministry were so dynamic that the meetings would be packed with both black and white together. This went on for a few years. During this time, Liele’s heart began to turn towards slave populations beyond the shores of America.
When the Revolutionary War began, Henry Sharp was killed in battle and his children tried to re-enslave Liele. Liele was able to provide his manumission papers but he saw the future did not look bright for him in America. George Liele and his family decided to leave with Colonel Kirkland to Kingston, Jamaica. Liele’s life as a pioneer was only just beginning.
In Church history, it has been debated as to who was the first missionary sent from America. History points to that missionary being George Liele. However, some argue that since Liele left America and wasn't “sent out” like Adoniram Judson, who had the public blessing and commissioning of the Baptist Church, that he was not the first American missionary. This argument is one merely of semantics. The acceptance of Liele amongst white congregations such as Matthew Moore’s church is evidence that his call to preach the gospel was validated. Matthew Moore's choice to baptize and ordain Liele validates his ability, gifting, and the assignment on his life. I’m sure if Liele could have remained in America as a free man, he would have pioneered here in more ways, but persecution against him forced him to walk out his assignment by going to Jamaica. He may have not been commissioned by a mission board but he was thrust forth by the Lord of the Harvest. The persecution that Liele and his family faced was the catalyst that sent him to a nation that wasn't his home to preach the gospel and declare the name of Jesus.
George Liele is a pioneer. He arrived in Jamaica in 1782 and began building a church in Kingston in 1789. The process was slow because of financial challenges but they were not the only challenges that Liele would face. The slave owners in Jamaica persecuted Liele and even jailed him on two occasions for preaching to slaves. Through all the difficulties he persevered and built the church through financial help from the English Baptists. This allowed Liele to hold services nearly every day of the week. They baptized new converts every three months and by 1793 they had baptized 500 converts. George Liele, though a son of slaves, was the first missionary sent from America and pioneered in a nation where Jesus was not yet known.
George Liele is the first of many African American missionaries who will go to a nation not their own to those who know nothing of the Son of God. They will go because, like George, they too “hold to live nigh the scriptures as much as (they) can.” The reality of George Liele being the first missionary sent out of America speaks volumes about the prophetic future of missions from the shores of America. This history of African Americans pioneering in missions from America prophesies the destiny of black missions. Currently, the reality does not represent this history or destiny! This can only mean that the greatest mobilization effort for global missions is ahead of us, and it will be full of African American praying, preaching, and singing.