Gospel Spreading at 'Explosive' Rate in Africa
Seoul, South Korea — Evangelicalism is growing around the world but nowhere more so than in Africa where the increase has been "explosive," researcher Jason Mandryk told the World Evangelical Alliance (WEA) at its World General Assembly in Seoul this week.
Mandryk, a Christian researcher with Operation World, reported that in 1960, evangelicals accounted for only 8% of the global body of Christ. Today it stands at over 25%. The total number of evangelicals worldwide sits between 600 million and 650 million.
Growth is attributed to a combination of factors, including natural reproduction, evangelism, and the "evangelicalisation" of Christians who were not previously evangelical. Around 70% of Christians in general, many of them evangelicals, now live in Africa, Asia and Latin America.
Mandryk stated that nearly 70% of all Christian growth around the world is occurring in Africa alone, with growth rates described as "astonishing." In Africa specifically, this growth has gone hand in hand with "rapid urbanisation," with many rural Christians migrating to cities.
Mandryk described evangelical churches in Africa as "vibrant" and "quickly growing." He noted that this shift in global Christianity away from its traditional strongholds in the West has been in evidence since 1980, calling it "a tipping point."
"The future of Christianity is already here and it has already been here for 45 years. This is not new news," Mandryk said. "The notion of Christianity and Evangelicalism as the white man's religion is rapidly shrinking in the rearview mirror."
Dr. David Tarus of the Association of Evangelicals in Africa said that as the Church continues to grow on the African continent, there is an urgent need to increase access to quality theological education and training for pastors.
Research by Dr. Tarus's organisation found that 90% of African pastors lack any formal theological training, while 79.5% do not have a Bachelor's degree or equivalent. A majority (87.9%) said that financial lack was a barrier to formal training, while over a quarter (27.4%) said that time constraints were an issue.
Dr. Tarus cautioned that African Christianity is being confronted with challenges like syncretism, the prosperity gospel, and divisions. He stated it is "critical" that the Church think afresh about how it can help more African Christians access formal theological training.
Dr. Tarus gave the example of his own father who planted many churches despite never having formal theological education. What he did have was informal training by Christians from institutions who went out into the villages and taught "under the trees."
THE CRUSADER'S OPINION
While Islamic jihadists massacre Christians across Africa, the Gospel is simultaneously exploding across the continent at a rate the West can barely comprehend. Christianity isn't dying. It's migrating.
Evangelicals went from 8% of global Christianity in 1960 to over 25% today. That's 600-650 million believers, and 70% of all Christian growth worldwide is happening in Africa. Not Europe. Not North America. Africa. The same continent where Boko Haram burns churches is the same continent where the Gospel spreads like wildfire.
This should humble Western Christians who think Christianity rises and falls with our cultural relevance. We're not the center of God's work anymore. We haven't been since 1980. The researcher called it a "tipping point," but let's be honest: it's a tectonic shift. The notion of Christianity as "the white man's religion" is dead, and frankly, good riddance to that colonialist baggage.
African Christianity is vibrant, growing, and young. While Western churches debate pronouns and try to make the Gospel "relevant" by gutting its truth, African believers are planting churches, evangelizing villages, and raising children in the faith. They're prioritizing family and Gospel proclamation. Revolutionary concepts, apparently.
But here's the hard truth buried in this report: 90% of African pastors have zero formal theological training. That's millions of church leaders with incredible zeal but limited theological grounding. The prosperity gospel is spreading. Syncretism is creeping in. Without sound doctrine, explosive growth can produce explosive error.
Western Christians should be pouring resources into African theological education instead of funding another church coffee bar renovation.
These believers are leading Christianity's future.
They need solid biblical training, not patronizing "dialogue" from liberal denominations trying to export their dying theology.
The Gospel is winning in Africa despite persecution, poverty, and lack of resources. Imagine what African Christianity could become with proper theological education.
That's the Church's urgent mission, not chasing cultural acceptance in post-Christian Europe.
TAKE ACTION
Support Theological Training for African Pastors:
- Africa Inland Mission - Training African church leaders
Website: https://www.aimint.org/give
Phone: 1-800-254-0010 - Langham Partnership - Theological education and biblical training in Africa
Website: https://us.langham.org/donate
Phone: 1-704-333-4045 - ReachGlobal (EFCA) - Supporting African evangelical churches and training
Website: https://www.efca.org/reachglobal/give
Phone: 1-800-745-2202 - SIM (Serving In Mission) - Church planting and pastoral training in Africa
Website: https://www.sim.org/donate
Phone: 1-704-587-1500
