The African Church today stands as a giant in global Christianity; numerically strong, spiritually vibrant, and strategically placed. Yet, in light of God’s global mission, a sobering question remains: is Africa channelling this strength towards the salvation of the nations, especially the unreached?

While I served as a mission pastor in a thriving Pentecostal church, I wasn’t aware of global missions, unreached people groups or the 10/40 Window. We were driven by evangelism, discipleship and church expansion, not the intentional sending to the nations. This story mirrors many African charismatic churches today. We are evangelistic but not missional, deeply passionate about growth; yet, largely unaware of the unfinished global task.

Jesus’s command in Matthew 28:18–20, often called the Great Commission, was not just to make converts, but to “make disciples of all nations [ethne].” Sadly, many churches in Africa have not yet embraced this mandate with the urgency and structure it deserves. The Church has the potential – the resources of men, money, manpower, and marketplace expertise – but there must be intentionality in mobilizing and deploying them.

The Great Collaboration

At Mission Enablers Africa, we have witnessed firsthand the power of mission mobilization within churches. By engaging church leaders, organizing grassroots mobilization programmes, and facilitating first-level training, we’ve seen interest and passion for missions grow exponentially. Without mobilization, the Church will remain an inactive giant asleep to her global responsibility.

It’s time for the African Church to arise.

A crucial need exists for trust and deep partnerships between churches and mission organizations. There must be clearly defined structures, joint strategic planning and shared ownership of God’s mission. Churches must open their pulpits and platforms to missionaries, featuring mission talks and field stories at conferences and gatherings. Likewise, mission agencies must not think they can fulfil the mandate apart from the local church simply because they receive donor funds from the West. The missing link between the Great Commission and the Great Completion is the Great Collaboration. Dr. Yaw Perbi rightly captures this: “Africa’s massive Christian population today must move from being a mission field to a missionary force – from Africa to the rest of the world.”

Africa arise!

We cannot keep praying “Lord, send labourers,” while ignoring the vast youth population in the African Church. If discipled and sent, they could be the labour force that finishes the task in our generation (Matt. 9:37–38). Paul reminds us in Romans 10:14–15, “How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? … And how can anyone preach unless they are sent?”

This is our collective task as churches, agencies, leaders, and believers across Africa. It’s time for the African Church to arise not just as recipients of the gospel, but as senders, mobilizers, and disciple-makers to the ends of the earth.

In this issue of AfriGO, Reuben Kachala shares his experiences as a mission mobilizer and Mamy Rasolofondrainibe examines the African Church’s immense potential as a sending continent. Read the stories of two church leaders in Ghana and Burkina Faso who are leading their congregations in advancing the Great Commission. Enjoy this issue of AfriGO and share with others.