Page 253 - LD215 History of the Church in Africa A4 final

The Twentieth Century and Beyond

to develop rich theologies that emphasize healing and the gifts of
the Holy Spirit. As G. C. Ooshuisen has rightly pointed out, AICs
today are rapidly becoming the church of South Africa. (230)

South Africa has so many resources. As the church catches the vision
for missions, Africa and the nations of this world will feel the impact.

Angola and Mozambique

The Portuguese speaking countries of Angola and Mozambique
represent some of the fastest growth on the African continent today.
While these countries suffered horribly from civil wars, Pentecost has
come in a powerful way. The New International Dictionary of Pentecostal
and Charismatic Movements states that by 2003 Angola claims over two
million Pentecostals/Charismatics. Presently, Angola reports about 2,500
Assemblies of God churches and preaching points, and Mozambique
reports about 2,000. Since the number of people converted to Christ
increases daily, training represents a major challenge. Hundreds of
workers need to be trained because Spirit-filled, biblically trained pastors,
evangelists, and missionaries are the only hope of these countries. Plans
are underway to implement a strategy of providing training centers.

Democratic Republic of the Congo

The last but not least of the examples of Pentecostal churches I
will list is the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Spirit-filled
missionaries arrived in the Congo as early as 1914–15. Missionary
W. F. P. Burton and others formed the Congo Evangelistic Mission. J.
Blakeney represented the Assemblies of God in Northeast Congo as
early as 1921.

Isiro, formerly known as Paulis, became the center from which other
stations were established. Although missionary J. W. Tucker was killed
in Paulis during the Simba uprising in 1964, today the church in the DRC
reports 1,684 churches and preaching points.

The Democratic Republic of Congo is an enormous country in size,
and a separate Assemblies of God church exists in Kinshasa. Jacques
Vernaud, a Swiss missionary working with the Assemblies of God,
has been instrumental in planting and pastoring one of the largest
Pentecostal churches on the continent. His wife, Johanna, a nurse,

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