Explosive Growth Drives Adventist Church in Africa

Andrew McChesney

“The Holy Spirit is moving in a powerful way in Africa as the Seventh-day Adventist Church experiences explosive growth that is giving members extraordinary opportunities to witness,” General Conference president Ted N. C. Wilson said after a whirlwind tour of eight countries.

Wilson, whose trip included visits with heads of state and tribal royalty, praised the faithfulness of church members and said Africa serves as an example of what the Holy Spirit can do worldwide.

“God is doing something amazing in Africa,” Wilson said. “We praise His name for the enormous growth and influence our members are now having on society because of their sheer numbers and faithful witness.”

The three-and-a-half-week visit started in Zambia, which has 1.2 million Adventists and, in 2015, was the first African country to reach 1 million members. Worldwide, the Adventist Church has 21.9 million members, according to the church’s Office of Archives, Statistics, and Research.

After Zambia, Wilson visited Kenya, Tanzania, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. He wrapped up the trip with stops in

South Africa, Eswatini (formerly Swaziland), Lesotho, and Namibia.

Along the way, Wilson, accompanied by his wife, Nancy, visited Adventist hospitals, universities, schools, media organizations, and supporting ministries, and preached to crowds numbering in the thousands in packed stadiums and halls.

“We had wonderful meetings with our church members, who are on fire for TMI, ‘I Will Go,’ and evangelism,” Wilson said. TMI, or Total Member Involvement, and “I Will Go” are world church initiatives that challenge every church member to share their hope in Jesus’ soon coming with someone else.

Wilson also offered spiritual encouragement in one-on-one talks with such African leaders as Zambian president Hakainde Hichilema, an Adventist; Kenyan president William Samoei Ruto; and Democratic Republic of the Congo president Félix Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo.

Other dignitaries he met included Lubosi Imwiko II, a Zambian tribal king whose predecessor gave land to the church where Yuka Adventist Hospital now stands; Mangosuthu Buthelezi, 94-year-old prince of the Zulu Kingdom in South Africa whose mother was an Adventist; members of the Eswatini royal family, a number of whom are Adventists; the vice president of Namibia; the deputy prime minister of Lesotho and two national lawmakers who are Adventists; and a Kenyan governor and a group of national lawmakers who are Adventists.

Blasious Ruguri, president of the East-Central Africa Division, whose territory includes Kenya, Tanzania, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, said he was especially moved by the meetings with the presidents of Kenya and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

“It was a great blessing for both of them,” said Ruguri, who attended the meetings. “Pastor Wilson shared a number of things with them, including the closeness of the coming of the Lord Jesus as seen by the signs we all can see clearly.”

According to Ruguri, “members felt highly energized when the world leader read scriptures and quotes from the Spirit of Prophecy showing the important place they occupy in the drive to finish God’s work.”

Gideon Reyneke, executive secretary of the Southern Africa-Indian Ocean Division, described the impact of Wilson’s visit as “huge” on the division, whose territory includes South Africa, Eswatini, Lesotho, and Namibia.

“People saw and experienced that they are a significant part of the remnant family of God across the world in the Seventh-day Adventist Church,” he said.

Addressing church members everywhere, Wilson added, “The end of time is upon us, and the Holy Spirit is moving in a powerful way. Jesus is coming! Get involved!”