Oscar Muriu from Kenya spoke to an Intervarsity meeting in December 2007, in St Loius. Some of his points: . There were nine million Christians in Africa in 1900, over 360 million today. . There are more Anglicans in Nigeria than in all of North America and Europe. . Kenya has more people with a personal faith in Christ than the whole of Western Europe. . The largest congregations in Kiev, London and Zürich are led by African pastors. . African has the fastest church growth in the world. . For every North American or European Christian who drops out of church (6000 a day), 4 are added in Africa (23,000 a day). The centre of gravity of Christianity has moved from the 'north' to the 'south', and it is the Christians of the non-Western world who will increasingly define what it means to be a Christian in the world today. Muriu asks: "If western models of church are not working in the west ... should he church of the two thirds world copy the models of the west or embrace western theologies?" On the other hand, we still all need each other. Muriu spoke about the absolute importance of building genuine partnerships between Christians across the world. Although Africa is now sending missionaries to the rest of the world, missionaries are still needed in Africa. We all need each other. (1 Corinthians 12:14-27). Muriu stated: "The mission industry of the last 200 years was hugely successful. ... We who come from Africa will always be eternally grateful to your forefathers who sent out their very best, their own sons and daughters, and resourced them to bring the gospel to us."
top of page