Why Ethiopia?
The Gospel Coalition recently ran an article about how "by 2050, Africa will be home to more than a billion Christians, by far the largest concentration on the planet." Current estimates are that over 1.3 billion people live in Africa making it the second most populous continent on earth.
Africa has a rapidly growing population. Researchers who study fertility state that a country needs around 2.1 children per woman for the population will remain stable. A fertility rate below 2.1 and the population is decreasing (the US is around 1.7). A rate of more than 4 or 5 children per woman will produce rapid population growth. Africa is expected to triple in size to over 3 billion people by 2100.
In his article for the Gospel Coalition, Philip Jenkins, answers the questions of what this means for Christianity this way. "I believe the trends will indeed accelerate the decline of faith in Western societies. But I want to stress another component of these current trends that has received far less attention in media reports: some parts of the world will retain high rates of both fertility and faith in the coming decades. Those regions will increasingly be the global centers of Christianity. Above all, this means Africa"
So what does this mean for Ethiopia? In 1900 Ethiopia had around 12 million people. Today, Ethiopia is the second-most populous nation in Africa and the 12th most-populous nation on earth with 110 million people. By 2050 Ethiopia is predicted to be the sixth most populous nation with 180 million people and over 100 million Christians. The Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa is called the heart of Africa and known as the political capital of Africa because it hosts the headquarters of the African Union (AU), the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), several regional headquarters for other agencies of the United Nations, 115 embassies, and numerous non-governmental organizations and international corporations. Ethiopia has a unique impact upon all of Africa!
The International Evangelical Church (IEC) is across the street from the African Union and has more than 60 nations represented in worship. The elder leadership is made up of men from several different nations. IEC is an “interdenominational church with a unique history, as well as a specialized calling and ministry to and among both the expatriate communities of Addis Ababa and the English-speaking and internationalized Ethiopian community.” IEC is a “community of disciples making disciples, for the glory of God." Our hope and prayer is that God would be glorified He as raises up His people in Ethiopia, Africa, and to the ends of the earth.