Both the need and potential of Africa mission is almost beyond comprehension. How should we as Christians respond to this? As Oswald Chambers said: "We tend to use prayer as a last resort, but God wants it to be our first line of defense. We pray when there's nothing else we can do, but God wants us to pray before we do anything at all." The first response as Christians should be prayer. Then where do we start?
The Lausanne EPSA Leadership Consultation in July 2015 identified ten priorities to focus on in Africa moving towards 2050. This is a great place to start for anyone with a heart to pray for Africa mission in the next three decades:
1. Intentionally mentoring younger African leaders to develop a missional world perspective.
2. Leveraging the current increasing urbanisation in Africa through influencing leaders and city missions.
3. Proclaiming the uniqueness of Christ amidst religious extremism, syncretism, and pluralism.
4. Building on previous mission efforts to evangelise Africa's Unreached People Groups.
5. Using technological media in missions to equip and mobilise the young Christian population.
6. Developing a theology of Christian suffering, authentic spirituality, responsible stewardship and biblical sexuality that are integral to moral education and discipleship.
7. Strategically engaging and equipping the African Diaspora for pro-active evangelism and world missions within their specific global context.
8. Protecting vulnerable women, children and youth, and empowering them for involvement in church life and missions.
9. Nurturing the significant relationships within the Lausanne Movement towards strategic partnerships for evangelism, societal transformation, and global mission.
10. Developing a contextual Cape Town Commitment Study Guide to resource Christian leaders to engage with the key issues of the mission of the church in the African context.
