African Christianity surges

[Martin Marprelate]

From Peter Brierley, Church of England Newspaper.

Half of the Christian growth across the world is in the continent of Africa! In 2018 the world had 2.5 billion Christian adherents, growing at the rate of 29 million people a year.

Africa had 630 million (25 per cent), growing at 14 million a year. Europe had almost as many – 570 million (23 per cent) – but only growing at 0.2 million a year and that largely because of all the immigrants arriving in that continent.

Asia had 420 million (17 per cent), growing at 7 million a year. The rest of the world had 890 million (35 per cent), growing at 8 million a year.

The obvious question is, “Why are there so many new Christians in Africa?”There is, at least in part, a threefold answer.

Africa still has a high fertility rate.In 2018 African women had 4.9 children each on average, while globally the figure is 2.5.Both figures have decreased quite drastically over the past 20 or 30 years, but the African rate is still twice as high as elsewhere.Consequently, as a result of gradually decreasing infant and child mortality rates due to slowly improving medical facilities and availability, many African children now survive to adulthood […]

[…] In a number of countries, traditional Christianity was accepted as a result of Western European colonisation and missionary work and has persisted and prospered in spite of radical political changes. Some 60 per cent of the African population say they are Christian (as when asked in a Census), against only 33 per cent globally. So Africa has almost twice as many Christians pro rata as elsewhere.

African Christianity is growing almost three times as fast as in the rest of the world. Between 1970 and 2015 African Christians grew at an average rate of +3.3 per cent per annum, while Christians across the rest of the world only grew at the rate of +1.2 per cent per annum.

 

[Yeshua1]

From Peter Brierley, Church of England Newspaper.

Half of the Christian growth across the world is in the continent of Africa! In 2018 the world had 2.5 billion Christian adherents, growing at the rate of 29 million people a year.

Africa had 630 million (25 per cent), growing at 14 million a year. Europe had almost as many – 570 million (23 per cent) – but only growing at 0.2 million a year and that largely because of all the immigrants arriving in that continent.

Asia had 420 million (17 per cent), growing at 7 million a year. The rest of the world had 890 million (35 per cent), growing at 8 million a year.

The obvious question is, “Why are there so many new Christians in Africa?”There is, at least in part, a threefold answer.

Africa still has a high fertility rate.In 2018 African women had 4.9 children each on average, while globally the figure is 2.5.Both figures have decreased quite drastically over the past 20 or 30 years, but the African rate is still twice as high as elsewhere.Consequently, as a result of gradually decreasing infant and child mortality rates due to slowly improving medical facilities and availability, many African children now survive to adulthood […]

[…] In a number of countries, traditional Christianity was accepted as a result of Western European colonisation and missionary work and has persisted and prospered in spite of radical political changes. Some 60 per cent of the African population say they are Christian (as when asked in a Census), against only 33 per cent globally. So Africa has almost twice as many Christians pro rata as elsewhere.

African Christianity is growing almost three times as fast as in the rest of the world. Between 1970 and 2015 African Christians grew at an average rate of +3.3 per cent per annum, while Christians across the rest of the world only grew at the rate of +1.2 per cent per annum.

The question would have on this would be is the growth surge among pentacosts/Charasmatrics, or among more regular rank and file Christians? Just curious, as those groups are growing big, but much of what the saved are getting theology wise by those group are HIGHLY suspect and dubious!

 

[Salty]

The real question is: How many of those "Christians" are truly Born Again?

 

[Martin Marprelate]

The question would have on this would be is the growth surge among pentacosts/Charasmatrics, or among more regular rank and file Christians? Just curious, as those groups are growing big, but much of what the saved are getting theology wise by those group are HIGHLY suspect and dubious!

Herein lies the problem. There is an awful lot of pseudo-religious junk in African churches. When I did a 'Bible blitz' to Lesotho 3 years ago with the Gideons, I became aware that some of the Pastors were really ignorant and did not know the Gospel. And in the Capital, Maseru, there was a Prosperity Gospel guy doing his stuff.

However, there is some good stuff going on. Conrad Mbewe, the 'Spurgeon of Africa' is doing a lot to promote training for Pastors, and I support an organization called pastor Training International https://www.pastor-training.org/ which holds seminars all over the Third World teaching Pastors how to preach. Good churches are springing up all over Africa but more help is needed.

 

[JonShaff]

I'm sure there are wheat and tares on every continent. The harvest will reveal what is genuine.

 

[Yeshua1]

Herein lies the problem. There is an awful lot of pseudo-religious junk in African churches. When I did a 'Bible blitz' to Lesotho 3 years ago with the Gideons, I became aware that some of the Pastors were really ignorant and did not know the Gospel. And in the Capital, Maseru, there was a Prosperity Gospel guy doing his stuff.

However, there is some good stuff going on. Conrad Mbewe, the 'Spurgeon of Africa' is doing a lot to promote training for Pastors, and I support an organization called pastor Training International Pastor Training International which holds seminars all over the Third World teaching Pastors how to preach. Good churches are springing up all over Africa but more help is needed.

that is very good news, as my concern is that much of what is passing as Christianity today in say Africa and South America is really an offshoot of Charasmatic Chaos, so good to hear sole solid teaching/traing also in there! Best way to combat that false theology is with sold bilical one!

 

[Jordan Kurecki]

Having been to Uganda a few times, and knowing personally several missionaries in Africa, and doing a lot of studying of the world's people groups, most of the "Christians" in Africa are just Christian in name. There is a ton of Roman Catholicism and Anglicanism in Africa, as well as a lot of prosperity type preachers that don't even preach the Gospel.

One of my missionary friends to Congo told me when he was in Congo he went to some "churches", they called themselves Christians, but he said their practices and beliefs did not resemble Christianity at all, I think he may have even made the comment that it didn't even look like nominal American "Christianity".

There is a lot of syncretism in Africa of "Christianity" and ethnic religion (spirit worship, ancestor worship, witch doctors, etc).
I know of several groups in Uganda that are "Christian" but do not have Scripture in the language they speak...

 

[John of Japan]

There is a lot of syncretism in Africa of "Christianity" and ethnic religion (spirit worship, ancestor worship, witch doctors, etc).
I know of several groups in Uganda that are "Christian" but do not have Scripture in the language they speak...

That is the real tragedy of Africa--literally hundreds of people groups do not have the Scriptures in their heart language, and can be deceived. We are not fulfilling the Great Commission until every group has its own Scriptures. That is why our church, which supports a church planting movement in Africa, has now instituted an M.A. in Bible Translation in our seminary.

 

[Yeshua1]

That is the real tragedy of Africa--literally hundreds of people groups do not have the Scriptures in their heart language, and can be deceived. We are not fulfilling the Great Commission until every group has its own Scriptures. That is why our church, which supports a church planting movement in Africa, has now instituted an M.A. in Bible Translation in our seminary.

That is why we have to define and know what Christianity is being taught in those areas!

 

[John of Japan]

That is why we have to define and know what Christianity is being taught in those areas!

Absolutely.

When I was in Africa, the city I was in was filled with Christian references: buildings, signs, taxis, etc., etc. But getting to know the area and listening to the missionaries, we questioned the brand of Christianity usually displayed.

More in the sticks, there is still much left of superstitious spiritism. If the city Christianity does not reach out to the jungle people groups, they are a failure. But to be fair, many of the jungle people come into the cities quite often.

 

[SovereignGrace]

That is the real tragedy of Africa--literally hundreds of people groups do not have the Scriptures in their heart language, and can be deceived. We are not fulfilling the Great Commission until every group has its own Scriptures. That is why our church, which supports a church planting movement in Africa, has now instituted an M.A. in Bible Translation in our seminary.

I recently listened to a Dr. Voddie Baucham sermon. He is dean of a seminary in Africa, so he has first hand knowledge. He said we have prosperity gospel, jr., here, whereas it’s sr. over there. He said that they have even deceived men into giving them their wives for intercourse. They said by them doing that, it would open their wombs to birth babies. Sickening, just pure unadulterated evil.

 

[John of Japan]

I recently listened to a Dr. Voddie Baucham sermon. He is dean of a seminary in Africa, so he has first hand knowledge. He said we have prosperity gospel, jr., here, whereas it’s sr. over there. He said that they have even deceived men into giving them their wives for intercourse. They said by them doing that, it would open their wombs to birth babies. Sickening, just pure unadulterated evil.

To think of standing before God the righteous judge with such awful sins in one's past is horrible. The leaders of even the American Charismatic movement have much to answer for.

 

[Yeshua1]

Absolutely.

When I was in Africa, the city I was in was filled with Christian references: buildings, signs, taxis, etc., etc. But getting to know the area and listening to the missionaries, we questioned the brand of Christianity usually displayed.

More in the sticks, there is still much left of superstitious spiritism. If the city Christianity does not reach out to the jungle people groups, they are a failure. But to be fair, many of the jungle people come into the cities quite often.

I know there are many commited Christians for jesus out in the field, as knew one who was missionary to Japan for Campus Crusade 4 years, and had 7 converts toi Christ in that time. Just concerned that the bad so called Christianity is one is getting out there many times...

 

[Yeshua1]

I recently listened to a Dr. Voddie Baucham sermon. He is dean of a seminary in Africa, so he has first hand knowledge. He said we have prosperity gospel, jr., here, whereas it’s sr. over there. He said that they have even deceived men into giving them their wives for intercourse. They said by them doing that, it would open their wombs to birth babies. Sickening, just pure unadulterated evil.

Sounds like not of jesus, but of satan!

 

[Yeshua1]

To think of standing before God the righteous judge with such awful sins in one's past is horrible. The leaders of even the American Charismatic movement have much to answer for.

The real problem is that I have friends from my AOG days, who are just as saved as i am, agree on much doctrines, and yet theri blindness to some fringe Charasmatic chaos messes up the water!

 

[Jordan Kurecki]

That is the real tragedy of Africa--literally hundreds of people groups do not have the Scriptures in their heart language, and can be deceived. We are not fulfilling the Great Commission until every group has its own Scriptures. That is why our church, which supports a church planting movement in Africa, has now instituted an M.A. in Bible Translation in our seminary.

I hear you brother, I just began working on ThM in Biblical Languages through Andersonville Theological Seminary. I am hoping in the future to perhaps do some translation work, or at least train some nationals to do it. I'd do love to chat with you sometime about the philosophy of the foreign missionary doing translation work vs nationals doing the translation work themselves.

 

[John of Japan]

I hear you brother, I just began working on ThM in Biblical Languages through Andersonville Theological Seminary.

I trust that will go well for you. You'll have to work hard, but I'm sure you're up to it.

I am hoping in the future to perhaps do some translation work, or at least train some nationals to do it. I'd do love to chat with you sometime about the philosophy of the foreign missionary doing translation work vs nationals doing the translation work themselves.

By all means. If you want to start a conversation about this through the personal message function of the BB, I'd be happy to converse. Or, start a thread in the Bible translations forum here--though the kibitzers would be on us like syrup on a pancake.

 

[John of Japan]

Thought I'd change my avatar to reflect this thread. I'm with a Fulani Muslim in this photo. The guy likes the missionary pilot and often gets rides in his airplane.

 

[Marooncat79]

The obvious question is, “Why are there so many new Christians in Africa?”There is, at least in part, a threefold answer.

I am very much in touch w Christianity in Africa. Here are a couple of observations. The majority of what is spoken of revolves around the Properity Gospel and another great percentage around Pentecostalism.

I have worked w pastors in Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya, Malawi and Ghana. All have the same story.

According to them, the PG is killing true Christianity afterall they are all very poor. They say that nationalist pastors are given mopeds, laptops and small stipends which inherently serves to strengthen the claims eventhough they are false claims. It also undermines true Church work.

Pentecostalism appeals to their native pagaism

 

[Shoostie]

The obvious question is, “Why are there so many new Christians in Africa?”There is, at least in part, a threefold answer.

A century+ ago, Africa was a savage place, devoid of civilization. Africa was a vacuum. So, it was super easy for English and French to become the standard languages of Africa, and for Christianity and Islam to become the standard religions. Africa even beat America to widespread cell phones, given they didn't have wired phones to compete with cell phones.

Unfortunately, Christianity is Africa is very much Pentecostalism. It's bad enough to get an email from a Nigerian prince needing your money, who'll repay you with great wealth, let alone having the same scammers with you in person.