Page 252 - LD215 History of the Church in Africa A4 final

A History of the Church in Africa

Latest statistics indicate there are approximately 4,000 Assemblies
of God churches and preaching points in Malawi. No wonder Mvula and
Lwesya refer to the period from 1979 to the present as the period of
The Raging Fire. Superintendent Chakwera recently stated: “The church
has a 1–1–1 vision!” By this term, he meant that the fellowship has
challenged each church to start one church in one year. All of this is
based on a strong belief in and practice of missio Dei—the mission of
God—to reach the nations in the power of the Holy Spirit!

South Africa
South Africa has played a prominent role in the expansion of the
Christian church in Africa. When I related the testimony of John G.
Lake, I pointed out that Pentecostals came almost directly to South
Africa from the Azusa Street revival in the early twentieth century. It
is interesting to learn that pioneer Pentecostal missionaries formed the
Assemblies of God of South Africa in
approximately 1909, which was five
years before the name was adopted
South Africa played in the Unites States of America. The
a prominent role Apostolic Faith Mission of South
Africa started in 1913.
in the expansion of
the church in Africa. Although the Assemblies of God
of South Africa have suffered several
divisions, recent attempts have
been made at reconciliation. Nicolas
Bhengu, an ordained minister with the Assemblies of God, was a strong
voice for Pentecostalism for many years. He inspired other Pentecostal
evangelists like Reinhard Bonnke. At the time of this writing, the
combined Assemblies of God in South Africa have more than 3,500
churches and preaching points. The potential is enormous!

Independent and Charismatic churches have also had a strong
influence on South Africa. As Hexham and Poewe-Hexham point out:

The growth of African independent churches (AICs) during this
century is one of the truly amazing Christian stories of our time.
Initially these churches reacted against both political and social
discrimination. But they rapidly outgrew the negativity of protest

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