It has been humbling to hear and read what prominent leaders of today–women and men, on the African continent and in the diaspora, African and non-African, in the academy and mission practitioners, vocational ministers and marketplace leaders–say about ‘Africa to the Rest.’ We are delighted to bring you some of these in a three-part series.
“I tell you how much the book has blessed me, and how much I hope to see it placed in the hands of as many believers as possible—both in Africa and all over the world. I carefully read and marked it with appreciation for the quality of the presentation, but more importantly because of the timely message it brings. I am particularly interested in how the Lord will enable you to get students all over Africa to pause and absorb what He is saying through Sam and Yaw. This has been one of the most meaningful reading experiences I have had in recent times.”
Mutua Mahiaini
International President, The Navigators
“The collaboration between these two men models the kind of partnership across organizations and regions, that will be key to seizing today’s opportunities and forging solutions to today’s challenges. Their combined knowledge, experience and passion have produced an annal for the history of Christianity that comes not a moment too soon.” (From foreword)
Dr. Joshua Bogunjoko
International Director, Serving in Mission (SIM)
“I have often wrestled with the sense of responsibility being bestowed upon Africa in view of its increasing numerical emergence as the centre for Evangelicalism and Christianity at large. In this inspiring, well-researched, groundbreaking scholarly epic that celebrates and repositions Africa’s past and present place in the world’s missionary enterprise, Yaw and Sam, with an African scholarly prose, face this imperative and challenge and go beyond Africa’s accolades to call upon its church to arise out of its historical and present ‘margins’ to discover, develop and deploy its numerical force to the Rest! Our African church, institutions, theological/mission schools and agencies in adopting this book as a core read will, as I was, be provoked, freshly stirred and equipped for the ensuing massive mission mobilization. May we so aptly be charged by these missionary prophetic voices to not miss or mess God’s grand missionary stage!” Stephen Mbogo, PhD
CEO, African Enterprise
Regional Director for English, Portuguese & Spanish-speaking Africa, the Lausanne Movement
“Perbi and Ngugi have given us a startling and stirring overview of Africans in missions. As the director of a mission agency that seeks, among other things, to promote and mobilize Africans into cross-cultural missions, I am familiar and sympathetic to the themes they share. But this book goes far beyond my knowledge and understanding, it undermines my presumptions, and hammers away at my ethnocentrism and (false) notions of Western superiority. The book is balanced: Perbi and Ngugi also do not hesitate to point out the strengths and weaknesses of African Christians and churches, but in calling out both Western superiority and African weaknesses, they speak the truth in love, and affirm what is good and Christ-honoring, wherever it is found. The mission is the Lord’s mission, all glory is His, and He uses whomever He pleases! The book is not just theoretical and philosophical, it is also a practical manual for Africans, African churches, African mission agencies, and for “the rest,” including for myself and the agency I lead. I will recommend this book to AIM missionaries, and especially to African brothers and sisters, who will benefit greatly from a careful reading.”
Luke Herrin
International Director of Africa Inland Mission
“Marshalling hard-to-refute evidential data, compelling statistical projections, and persuasive arguments, Perbi and Ngugi (themselves history-makers) offer us not only the why and the what but also the how to transform Africa’s Christian demographic ascendancy to global Kingdom advance. This book takes you from inspiration, discussion, and ends with prayer – it offers information for transformation, and ultimately action. A must-read for all interested in the future of Christianity!”
The Rev. Dr. Casely B. Essamuah
Secretary, Global Christian Forum
“While acknowledging the polycentric nature of mission today (from everywhere to everywhere) Perbi and Ngugi chart out a bold vision for Africans to engage in mission. Soon to be over half of all Protestants worldwide, this book comes at a strategic time, not just for Africans, but for Christians everywhere. The authors expertly tie the long history of Christianity in Africa with its current and future strategic role in mission. Highly recommended!”
Prof. Todd M. Johnson, PhD
Co-director, Center for the Study of Global Christianity, Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary
“When important things occur but are not named or written down the risk is always that they will become as if they had not happened.” “Can anything good come out of Africa?” I really, really love this book. I literally woke up at 4am to continue reading it. What I love most is the approach from Past Participation to Present Potential, and highlighting Persistent Problems standing in the way. The testimonies in Chapter two (Passionate Praise), confirm it’s truly time for “Africa to the Rest.”
Mary Ngechu
Group Managing Director, Line Plast Group, Kenya
Read part 2 of 3 here: https://africatotherest.com/what-prominent-leaders-say-about-africa-to-the-rest-part-2-of-3/
