Compiled by Catherine Male
Evangelicalism is spreading at what one researcher described as an “explosive” rate across Africa, delegates heard at the World Evangelical Alliance (WEA) General Assembly in Seoul.
Jason Mandryk, a Christian researcher with Operation World, told the opening session on October 27, 2025 that while evangelical growth in Western nations has been modest, the Church in Africa is expanding rapidly and reshaping global Christianity.
He noted that evangelicals made up only eight per cent of the global Church in 1960 but now account for over 25 per cent. The total number of evangelicals worldwide is estimated to be between 600 and 650 million. Mandryk described the African evangelical church as “vibrant and fast-growing”, with nearly 70 per cent of global Christian growth now happening on the continent. “The future of Christianity is already here, and it has been here for 45 years,” he said, adding that the perception of Christianity as a “white man’s religion” is fading fast.
However, he warned that the movement must now prioritise discipleship and leadership development, urging believers to explain their faith “with clarity and confidence” despite recent scandals.
Dr David Tarus, of the Association of Evangelicals in Africa, emphasised the urgent need to expand access to theological education, revealing that 90 per cent of pastors in Africa lack formal training. He urged the Church to “take theological education to the local church and communities”, citing his father, who planted numerous churches with only informal training, as an example of the leadership model sustaining African Christianity.
