The status of the Church in Africa

Abstract

The Church in Africa is currently experiencing a surge in numerical growth, consequently making Christianity the leading religion in the continent. Just before the twentieth century, Africa was known to be a heartland of voodooist, witchcraft, and traditional religions. The continent is now emerging as the “center of gravity of Christianity.” Research predicts Africa to have the largest majority of Christian population by 2060, with four in ten Christians living in the region. Despite tremendous growth, however, the Church in Africa still lacks the influence and impact one would expect it to have. Poverty and hunger are still rampant, especially in the Sub-Saharan area, where children are malnourished and deprived. Although the cornerstone of Christianity is love, one would expect that the growth of the Church would affect the socio-economic state of Africa. Sadly, the current statistics show otherwise. Notable, too, is the contribution of missionaries to the global missionary effort, which is only 6%. Amid numerical growth, the African Church still faces major challenges, including but not limited to persecutions in certain regions by some governments and extremist groups, the lack of “African identity,” and low enthusiasm to participate in political leadership and community development.