Jeyakaran “Jakes” Emmanuel with A3 says that in the next decade, ministries in Africa will need to invest strategically, as Christians on the continent are poised to do gospel work for several reasons. 

First, Africa has the youngest median age of any continent at just 19 years old.

(Image courtesy of A3)

Second, Africa has the fastest church growth of any continent in the world. Emmanuel says that it is projected that 40% of the world’s Church will live in Africa by 2050.

Third, Africa has shifted from being a mission field to becoming a mission force, with the continent already sending out thousands of cross-cultural missionaries.

Despite these blessings, there remains a critical leadership gap in the African church.

With the African church growing so fast and with regional issues of conflict and poverty, resources for theological training are spread thin.

“One of the greatest needs in the African church is church health and for the purity of the gospel to be preserved, because we are seeing rampant growth of the prosperity gospel and a whole lot of cults emerging all across Africa,” Emmanuel says.

Due to rampant false gospel start-up churches in Rwanda, last year, the president of Rwanda shut down churches across the country, including about 9,000 churches, because of the emergence of the false gospel and scammers in start-up churches, as well as the lack of theological education for the pastors.

“The false gospels, prosperity gospel being one of them, and a whole lot of heretical teachings that are rapidly gaining ground…” Emmanuel says. “There is again, the huge need for training of pastors and leaders and theological education, leadership development, and all of them become very critical needs for the continent.”

Emmanuel says doors are opening and church denominations are coming together to welcome A3 into lead church leadership in discipleship and training.

“A3 is poised to impact all of Africa, but the needs are great, and we pray that the Lord of the harvest will provide the needs for us to take his kingdom into this continent,” Emmanuel says. 

Please pray that God will provide the financial and human resources needed to do this coming work.

(Photo courtesy of Peggy und Marco Lachmann-Anke/Pixabay)