Originally published in Christian Daily International

Pastor Rick Warren addressed the General Assembly of the Association of Evangelicals in Africa last week, urging African Evangelical leaders to take the lead in fulfilling the global mission of the Church.

He appeared on screen via livestream as he addressed participants of the Assembly in Nairobi, Kenya. Speaking from California to representatives from African nations, Warren highlighted Africa’s vital importance to the future of Christianity and called on its churches to step forward in global leadership.

“There are more Christians in Africa than there are people in the United States,” Warren said. “Africa is now the most Christian continent on Earth, with over 430 million believers. The Church in Africa must lead the rest of us.”

As the founder of Saddleback Church in California, which has sent missionaries to every country in the world, Warren shared his vision for Finishing The Task, a global initiative aimed at completing the Great Commission by the Church’s 2 000th anniversary in 2033.

He noted how, over the past century, the center of Christianity has shifted from the global North to the global South. “One hundred years ago, 95 percent of all Christians lived in Europe and North America. Today, 95 percent live in Africa, Latin America and southern Asia.”

Warren emphasised that the future of the Church can be summed up in three words: “Southern, urban and young.” He added, “Half of the world is under 30 years of age. If we’re going to reach the world with the Gospel, we must reach young people in the global South and in the world’s cities.”

He also highlighted the growing influence of African Christian leaders worldwide. “The largest churches in the United Kingdom, Paris and Moscow are all led by African pastors,” he said. “You are not just the future — you are the present.”

A major focus of Warren’s message was the empowerment of local churches. He recounted how Saddleback Church mobilized its members to carry out the “P.E.A.C.E. Plan” in every country. “Our goal was to prove that churches — not just mission agencies — can do this,” he said.

P.E.A.C.E. — a five-part approach rooted in the ministry of Jesus: proclaiming the Gospel, equipping leaders, assisting the poor, caring for the sick, and educating the next generation — the model has since been adopted by thousands of churches worldwide.

Warren stressed that previous efforts to fulfill the Great Commission have often failed because they were usually initiated by a few individuals from the West and rarely involved churches in the Global South or local congregations. “Of 700 previous plans to complete the Great Commission, not one succeeded. And not one included the whole Church,” he said.

“I believe with all my heart that God has called the Church of Africa to lead. The task is urgent. And Africa is ready.” he said

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