By Vincent Matinde, Christian Daily International. (Photo: Oyemike Princewill/Unsplash)
Christian leaders across Africa gathered in Johannesburg, South Africa for a meeting that aimed to affirm the narrative of global missions and position the African church as a sending force for the gospel.
The conference held on Feb. 16., brought 100 leaders from 33 African countries together under a common purpose: to equip and mobilize African believers to share the Christian faith both on the continent and around the world.
Organized by the International Mission Board, the “Together: Africa to the Nations,” conference focused on a vision that moves beyond seeing Africa as merely a field for mission work. Instead, it celebrated the continent’s growing role as a source of missionaries and mission influence globally.
For decades, Christian mission efforts were largely shaped and funded by Western organizations, sending workers into different parts of the world. But leaders who spoke at the conference emphasized that the African church has undergone significant growth in recent decades and is increasingly ready to take on a larger role in global outreach.
The gathering was notable for its emphasis on African leadership. Rather than being led primarily by Western voices, the conference put African pastors and mission leaders at the center of discussions. This choice reflected a shift toward local ownership of mission strategy.
“Christ belongs to all people. He belongs to the whole world. I know that we agree with this truth, and we embrace it, but we have come together this week to emphasize a second parallel truth,” Jeff Gunn, Senior Ambassador for U.S. and Global Relations at the International Mission Board said during the conference.
“His great commission also belongs to all nations. That means that it’s not merely the privilege and the duty of select persons to carry the Gospel. That privilege and duty belongs to African believers, to Asian believers, to Latin American believers. In short, all of the Church has the responsibility to take all of the Gospel to all of the world,” he added.