If the mission of the church is to cultivate missional individuals who not only receive information from the pulpit but also carry the good news to unreached corners of the world, there needs to be intentional messaging. Therefore, it is inherent in the DNA of The Church of the Nazarene to create Christlike disciples.
Repetition becomes the most effective tool for those sharing the Gospel with those who have not heard it. It allows the message to sink in, enabling people to internalise it. As followers of the Doctrine of Holiness, they recognise the importance of echoing this message not only in sermons but also in the communities they serve and in the global community where God sends them to make His name known. This echoes the core principle that it is, therefore, the DNA of The Church of the Nazarene to create Christlike disciples.
Examining the statistical report (Annual Pastors Report) from 2008-2018, it becomes evident that the Africa Region has not excelled in imprinting its DNA into the population of Nazarenes on the continent. In 2018, five thousand two hunderd and sixty eight (5268) churches in Africa reported teaching the Doctrine of Holiness. During that period, the statistics report showed that there were 4656 organised churches and 3973 not-yet-organised churches. Theoretically, these numbers suggest that, on average, the Doctrine of Holiness, the identity of The Church of the Nazarene, was at least taught in every organised church on the continent. Combining organised and not-yet-organised churches, this statistic shows that some congregations (approx. 39%) may not have been taught the doctrine of Holiness during this period.
What is the impact of these statistics? The DNA of the church supports the structure of the organisation, defining it as a missional church. This impact is reflected in World Evangelism Fund (WEF) contributions. While some churches in the region participate in WEF giving, over 75.86% do not. In 2017, 17.67% participated below their goal, and only 6.47% met their goal. These percentages are alarming, prompting them to question the type of church they are building in Africa. In 2018, the Regional Statistics of Africa’s WEF contribution to WEF was 56,47% of the expected WEF contribution (based on the churches total income and the WEF contributions calculated at 5,5% of the churches income).
Despite the drop in WEF contributions, the region recorded a membership increase of 7.3% compared to 2017, with the planting of 75 new churches. However, as The Church of the Nazarene in Africa, they cannot stress enough the importance of contributions from local churches to their global mission of sharing the Good News of life in Jesus Christ and spreading the message of scriptural holiness.
Moving forward, it is crucial for local churches to encourage the teaching of the doctrine of holiness to their congregations—a missional doctrine that allows the congregation to participate in the Missio Dei, enabling the global church to reach areas that have not yet heard this good news.
