Eric TonjesStop for a moment and imagine what the “average” Christian looks like. Who comes to mind? What race and nationality are they? Where do they live and worship? What is their economic situation?
There is a story about missions that still shapes how many Western Christians answer those questions. In that story, the gospel moves from Jerusalem to Europe—especially the United Kingdom—and then to the United States. From there, missionary work is seen primarily as a movement from these “Christian” places to the rest of the “non-Christian” world.
That story was always an oversimplification. Today, however, the reality is dramatically different. Consider the current distribution of Christians around the world, based on data summarized by Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary:
If that chart feel overwhelming, here is a simpler way to think about it. Today, less than one-third of the world’s Christians live in Europe and North America combined. Africa alone is home to nearly as many Christians as those two regions together. And this trend is expected to continue. By 2050, researchers estimate that nearly 80% of the world’s Christians will live in the Global South—Africa, Latin America, and Asia.
So what does the “average” Christian look like? Historian Philip Jenkins offers this picture:
“If you want to think of the average Christian in the world today, then think of, perhaps, a woman living in a village in Nigeria or in a favela (a shantytown in Brazil)—probably somebody who, by typical American standards, is inconceivably poor.”
—Philip Jenkins, The Next Christendom
For some readers, that vision may feel surprising. It does not match the picture some of us imagine. Yet it is also deeply exciting. Scripture’s vision of a people from every tribe, tongue, nation, and language is becoming increasingly visible before our eyes.
Every Sunday, believers gather to worship Jesus in nearly every nation on earth and in hundreds of languages. The Great Commission remains unfinished, but it is no longer a story of Christians in one part of the world reaching everyone else. Today, Christians from every continent are participating in God’s mission together.
This reality has important implications for how we approach missions. At CFCI, we seek to serve in ways that reflect the truly global nature of Christ’s Church.
1. Indigenous Leadership
Our ministry bases are led by Christians from the communities and cultures they serve. While God still calls believers to cross-cultural ministry, we believe that mission work is most effective when it supports what God is already doing through local leaders. Today, 96% of our staff members serve in their own countries and cultural contexts.
2. Cross-Cultural Partnership
At the same time, Jesus continues to call his people across cultural and national boundaries. That is why we serve alongside local believers rather than apart from them. Every part of Christ’s body has gifts, insights, and experiences to offer. As we learn from one another and serve together, the Church is strengthened and God’s kingdom is advanced.
3. Church Partnership
We are committed to strengthening local churches wherever we serve. CFCI exists to magnify the global church. In every ministry context, we seek to come alongside local congregations, helping them grow in faith, witness, and service.
As the reality of global Christianity continues to grow, our calling remains the same: to join God’s mission alongside brothers and sisters from every nation, rejoicing in what he is doing through his Church around the world.
