Evangelicalism has been spreading at what one researcher described as an “explosive” rate across Africa, delegates at the World Evangelical Alliance (WEA) General Assembly in Seoul heard this week.

Jason Mandryk, a Christian researcher with Operation World, told the opening session on Monday that while evangelical growth in Western nations had been “modest”, the Church in Africa was expanding rapidly and transforming global Christianity.

He explained that evangelicals made up only eight per cent of the global body of Christ in 1960, but today account for over 25 per cent. The total number of evangelicals worldwide was estimated to be between 600 and 650 million.

Describing African evangelical churches as “vibrant” and “quickly growing”, Mandryk said nearly 70 per cent of all Christian growth globally was now happening in Africa.

“The future of Christianity is already here, and it has already been here for 45 years” he said, adding that the idea of Christianity as a “white man’s religion” was “rapidly shrinking in the rearview mirror”.

He warned, however, that the movement must now focus on discipleship and leadership development, urging evangelicals to explain their beliefs “with clarity and confidence” despite reputational damage caused by recent scandals.

Dr David Tarus, of the Association of Evangelicals in Africa, also spoke of the urgent need to expand access to theological education, revealing that 90 per cent of pastors on the continent lacked formal training.

He said the Church must “take theological education to the local church and communities”, citing his own father, who had planted many churches with only informal training as an example of the kind of leadership the African Church depended on.

Mr Mandryk concluded that global evangelicalism was at a defining moment: “We are many, we are increasing… but discipleship has to be among our very top priorities”.