Ambitious plan to setup 54 national mission associations to track the spread of the gospel in Africa

The unity of purpose fostered by associations has enabled regions like Latin America, through COMIBAM (Ibero-American Mission Cooperation), to maintain comprehensive and up-to-date records on missionary activities, something Africa has yet to fully achieve, noted Stephen Mbogo, Vice Chair of the Africa Mission Association (AMA).

COMIBAM’s 2023 report highlighted significant achievements, including mobilizing 2,750 pastors across 24 Latin American countries for global missions, engaging 850 churches, and involving nearly 1,000 women and youth in missionary efforts.

In contrast, AMA is focused on helping churches across Africa establish mission associations in all 54 countries, up from the current seven. Mbogo, speaking at the Christ Over Asia Africa and Latin America (COALA 2.5) meeting in Busan, South Korea, acknowledged the enormity of the task but emphasized the opportunity it presents to create national associations that can effectively coordinate and support missions.

One major challenge AMA seeks to address is the historical under-representation of Africa’s contributions to global missions. Despite African churches’ extensive missionary activities, these efforts are often overlooked in global mission statistics and reports. Mbogo pointed to the established successes of the Nigeria Mission Association and the Ghana Mission Association, which have been active for 40 and 30 years, respectively, as inspirations for AMA’s efforts.

“Without national associations, missionary efforts remain fragmented,” said Mbogo. He also highlighted the significant impact African churches have made in sending missionaries worldwide, challenging the notion that missions are primarily a Western-led endeavor.

Mbogo underscored the importance of measuring Africa’s missionary progress, noting that without clear data, assessing achievements becomes impossible. Despite challenges such as limited resources, he expressed optimism about the future of Africa-led and Africa-funded missions, emphasizing the potential of Africa’s passionate, committed, and spiritually vibrant youth.

Africa, now home to the largest Christian population globally, presents a unique opportunity to amplify missionary efforts. Discipleship, particularly among youth, is seen as a critical factor in expanding the kingdom of God. AMA is seeking partnerships within the continent to develop impactful strategies, drawing on the expertise of organizations like African Enterprise, where Mbogo serves as CEO.

African Enterprise, operating in 12 countries, focuses on urban missions with a structured approach involving three phases: preparation, proclamation, and preservation. Preparation involves extensive prayer, city mapping, and strategy development over one to two years. Proclamation brings together churches, professional groups, para-church organizations, and government agencies to address specific needs with a missional focus. Preservation ensures new believers are integrated into local churches for discipleship and training.

This holistic approach, dubbed “stratified evangelism,” aims to reach everyone, from top political leaders to street children. African Enterprise’s initiatives include a microfinance institution in Kigali, Rwanda, serving 300,000 members and recognized for excellence, as well as partnerships with medical institutions to provide free healthcare and build clinics in underserved urban areas. Additionally, missions to prisoners and sports outreach programs create meaningful connections for discipleship and evangelism.

Mbogo emphasized the importance of addressing both spiritual and social needs in African missions, trusting that national mission associations will make a transformative impact both spiritually and socio-economically.