Evangelicalism is steadily growing around the world, especially in Africa where the increase has been “explosive” which is presenting new challenges, especially in relation to training.
That’s according to researcher Jason Mandryk who addressed the World Evangelical Alliance (WEA) on the first day of its World General Assembly in Seoul, South Korea this week.
He noted that by contrast, evangelical growth in Western nations remains “modest.”
In a detailed presentation tracking the growth of the movement, he told delegates that in 1960, evangelicals accounted for only 8% of the global body of Christ.
Today it makes up more than a quarter of the world’s believers.
EVANGELICAL CHRISTIANS ESTIMATED TO NUMBER MORE THAN 600 MILLION
Mr. Mandryk, a Christian researcher with Operation World estimated the total number of evangelicals worldwide sits between 600 million and 650 million.
“We are many and we are increasing,” he said, explaining that the growth is down to a combination of factors, including natural reproduction, evangelism, and the “evangelicalisation” of Christians who were not previously evangelical.
In Africa specifically, this growth has gone hand in hand with “rapid urbanisation” as many rural Christians migrate to cities.
So long as evangelicals continue to prioritise family and the proclamation of the Gospel, Mr. Mandryk expects this growth to continue.
MOST EVANGELICAL GROWTH TAKING PLACE IN AFRICA
Describing evangelical churches in Africa as “vibrant” and “quickly growing”, he said nearly 70% of all Christian growth around the world was occurring in Africa alone, and that the growth rates on the continent were “astonishing”.
“In some ways, this is not new as the shift in global Christianity away from its traditional strongholds in the West has been in evidence since 1980,” — a year the researcher described as “a tipping point”.
“The future of Christianity is already here and it has already been here for 45 years. This is not new news,” he said.
“The notion of Christianity and Evangelicalism as the white man’s religion is rapidly shrinking in the rearview mirror.”
RAPID GROWTH RAISES SOME CHALLENGING QUESTIONS
This raises some questions for evangelicals, Mr. Mandryk observed.
Specifically, “whether evangelicalism looks and acts and is led by the demographic realities on the ground, or led by the vestiges of the past”.
What this rapid growth also means is that “discipleship has to be amongst our very top priorities,” alongside pastoral training and leadership development.
DISAGREEMENT OVER THE DEFINITION OF ‘EVANGELICAL’
Mr. Mandryk also addressed the lack of agreement over what the term ‘evangelical’ actually means – something that has been long debated within the movement.
In addition to “a dizzy array of definitions,” the term ‘evangelical’ is sometimes being used “unfairly, inaccurately, even harmfully,” he asserted.
“There are many tribes of evangelicals, many points of contention regarding what our priorities should be and therefore it becomes necessary to acknowledge there is no one single definition to rule them all.”
“It means different things to different people.”
“Even being evangelical means different things to different evangelicals.”
“EVANGELICALS MUST EXPLAIN THEIR BELIEFS WITH CLARITY AND CONFIDENCE”
“We’re going to have to operate in this reality that there is not a single understanding of what it means to be an evangelical.”
Jason Mandryk believes what is important is for evangelicals to explain their beliefs “with clarity and confidence to others.”
He adds this has not been made easier by a succession of “scandals” that have affected the evangelical community in recent years.
“Sadly, we must also recognise that we are, as evangelicals, compromised,” he said, without expanding on the details.
“EVANGELICALS HAVE FAILED TO LIVE UP TO THE GOSPEL”
“It’s because we have failed to live up to the Gospel that we preach.”
“We’ve often presented a poor testimony to a leading world,” he said.
“And as scandals continue to come to light within the Christian faith, our reputation has gone in some parts from being well-regarded as good people to the term evangelical, becoming one of derision almost synonymous with words like hypocritical, bigoted, and hateful.”
However, on a positive note, Mr, Mandryk reflected that evangelicalism worldwide has been doing a “good job” of retaining the next generation, particularly in Africa where many young evangelicals continue into adulthood with the evangelical faith they were raised in by their parents.
URGENT NEED TO SUPPORT EVANGELICALS IN AFRICA
Dr. David Tarus of the Association of Evangelicals in Africa told the Assembly, there is an urgent need to increase access to quality theological education and training for pastors in Africa.
Ninety percent of them have no formal theological training, while 80% do not have a Bachelor’s degree or equivalent.
Most of the blame was laid at a lack of finances and time.
“TAKE THEOLOGICAL TRAINING TO THE LOCAL CHURCH AND COMMUNITIES”
Dr. Tarus said the Church should “not wait for people to come to its institutions for training, but take theological education to the local church and communities”
He gave the example of his own father who had planted many churches despite never having a formal theological education.
“What he did have was informal training by Christians from such institutions who went out into the villages and taught under the trees”.
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