I am just back from the United Kingdom, where I was doing some work on next year’s International Congress on Preaching, which will be held August 8-10 in Cambridge, England. Learn more at www.icop2017.com. Working on this event reminds me that God is doing so much beyond the borders of the United States. Particularly in Africa, Asia and South America, millions of people are coming to faith in Christ even as North America and Europe continue their march to secularity.
As Krish Kandiah wrote just last year: “The Church has seen dramatic and explosive growth in Asia, Africa and South America. The growth of the African Church in particular is jaw-dropping. In 1900 there were fewer than 9 million Christians in Africa. Now there are more than 541 million. In the last 15 years alone, the Church in Africa has seen a 51 per cent increase, which works out on average at around 33,000 people either becoming Christians or being born into Christian families each day in Africa alone.” [Read the full article]
It is a reminder that even when we may not see growth close to home, God is still at work in His world. And it is a reminder that we Western Christians have much to learn from our brothers and sisters elsewhere in the world.
Header image adapted from Priests Celebrating Mass" (CC BY-NC 2.0) by Travel Aficionado
Michael Duduit is founding Dean of the College of Christian Studies and the Clamp Divinity School at Anderson University. He also serves as Professor of Christian Ministry. He is the founder and still serves as Executive Editor of Preaching magazine, one of the nation’s premier publications for pastors. His email newsletter, Preaching Now, is read each week by more than 40,000 pastors and church leaders in the U.S. and around the world. He is founder and director of the National Conference on Preaching and the International Congress on Preaching. He has been a pastor and associate pastor, has served a number of churches as interim pastor, and speaks regularly for churches, colleges and conferences. He is author and editor of several books, including the Handbook of Contemporary Preaching, Joy in Ministry: Messages from Second Corinthians, Preaching with Power: Dynamic Insights from Twenty Top Communicators and Communicate With Power.