Spurred on by CMS supported training, a pioneer in Sidmouth has been finding new ways to create spaces for conversations about faith.

Our story starts with some residential training for curates (vicars-in-training) in the Diocese of Exeter. Rev Julie Wheeler went along to the training with a growing sense “of something dormant waking up” in her.

This particular residential was being led by Greg Bakker and Tina Hodgett, offering Pioneering Parishes training to provide tools to help congregations to look beyond the church and get out into the parish community. Greg and Tina led the group though sessions exploring how pioneering and parish ministry can go hand in hand. They considered ways to engage with people in their parishes who would not usually connect with a church at all.

The weekend acted as something of a wake-up call for Julie, as she sensed a call to pioneering that had gone to sleep. This wake-up call eventually led her to a six-month pilot role, based at All Saints Church, Sidmouth, exploring missional opportunities on the seafront area.

During a fruitful and encouraging six months Julie spent time on the seafront among locals and visitors. Julie spent time simply being present on the seafront area or the beach, where she could chat to people or offer creative spaces to reflect. Alongside acts of kindness like giving away homemade hearts on Valentine’s day or offering space to light a candle at dusk on New Year’s Eve to say goodbye to the year and remember those who have died, Julie offered a listening space and creative prayer opportunities, told stories of Jesus and even helped someone to re-affirm their baptismal vows in the sea!

Julie explains that she has seen the beach, with its tidal flow of water, act as a “liminal” or in between space where the rules of normal life don’t apply and people can be more open to the Holy Spirit’s invitation to connect. It is a great example of someone going to the edges – literally the edges of the land – meeting people where they are with the kindness, patience and creativity of God.

Julie is now deepening her understanding and practice of pioneering on the CMS Certificate in Pioneer Mission, which is offered as a partnership between CMS and the Anglican Church in the south west of England.

Julie’s pioneering role has been made permanent, a recognition of the quiet and steady fruitfulness of this ministry and the hope that God will continue to meet with visitors and locals through her posture of humble listening, prayer and creativity. Julie was licensed as an associate pioneer priest at the end of July.

She says, “I’m very grateful for the wake-up call that happened through the work of Pioneering Parishes, which has led to such a joyful opportunity to join in with the mission of God.”

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Peru: new approach to church in Lima

iCafe is a church and cultural initiative in Lima with a heart to reach people who don’t feel comfortable in a traditional church setting, particularly artists. Mission partner Anna Sims asks for prayer for the leadership team, of which she is a part, as well as for the church community. Please pray for people to encounter Jesus’ love through Anna and the team.

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UK: AI Conversations Day event

A CMS Conversations Day takes place on 10 November entitled ‘Human, Holy, Artificial: Mission and Pioneering in the Age of AI’ which will be considering pioneering mission in an age of AI. Artificial intelligence is rapidly reshaping the ways we work, learn, communicate and participate in community. For Christian communities, this moment presents more than a set of technological challenges. It is an opportunity to ask deeper questions about mission, vocation, human flourishing and how we are joining in with what the Holy Spirit is doing. Please pray for this event to be a time of much learning and encouragement. (It’s also free to join in person or online!)

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Latin America is often seen as predominantly Christian, but in reality, many people have no connection with church.

A CMS-facilitated network of Christians, Misión Pionera Latinoamérica, brings together pioneers finding creative ways to share the hope of Jesus.

Francisco Aguirre, part this network, explores some of the key elements guiding the team’s pioneering projects

“What wonderful projects for sharing the gospel. Without a doubt, these are things Jesus would do to draw close to people.”

These words are the response of one of those pioneers as she heard the breadth of work others in the network are doing. Luisina, who shares Jesus with people in small villages through a project giving away good quality clothes in Argentina, touches on something essential about pioneering mission: how can the church draw close to people who are no longer drawing close to the church?

Across Latin America, more and more people consider themselves “non-religious”, while others have moved away from the church because of experiences of spiritual abuse or exhaustion with religious demands. In some contexts, legalism has reduced the Christian faith to a list of rules, focusing more on human efforts to change than on the transforming work of the Holy Spirit, who makes us more like Jesus. So what can we do?

Not abandoning church

The answer is not to abandon the local church. The church remains fundamental to God’s mission. Rather, in Misión Pionera Latinoamérica (MPL), we ask how the church can step outside its walls and its usual ways of doing things, faithfully taking the gospel of Jesus to people and places where traditional expressions of church struggle to reach.

MPL seeks to make visible, inspire, come alongside and equip pioneering missional initiatives in and from Latin America. We believe pioneering creativity does not mean changing the gospel, but finding new ways of living it out and sharing it that connect with our community, whether that is supporting street-connected children or engaging with questions of faith in a local park.

Growing God’s kingdom

MPL currently has five smaller networks bringing together local pioneers and mission partners in Central America, Peru, Chile, Brazil, and Argentina, Bolivia and Uruguay. This summer we held the fourth Misión Pionera gathering in Honduras from 3–7 August, where pioneers from all the groups had the opportunity to visit two initiatives where the gospel is the driving force behind holistic care for street-connected children and young people.

We also looked to the future, considering how together we can share the hope of Jesus, see new expressions of Christian community emerge and equip others to join in with what God is doing.

Mission together

We do not work in mission alone. As pioneers, we need to walk alongside others who are also responding creatively to what the Holy Spirit is doing outside the church.

There are four pillars that shape the way we develop pioneering mission in Latin America: community, communicate, catalyse and cultivate.

1. Community: persevering together

Hebrews 10:23–25 calls believers to hold firmly to the hope we profess, trusting in God’s faithfulness and encouraging one another to persevere. For pioneers, community is not simply about friendship or networking. Mission can be lonely, especially when we are exploring new ways of sharing the gospel. We need people who encourage us to remain faithful to Jesus and his calling.

At our recent gathering in Honduras, Mildred, who works with prison inmates in Guatemala, commented: “It is hopeful to know we are all walking together in similar challenges.” Anna, who connects with communities through art in Peru, added, “We can mutually support and encourage each other, sharing tears of laughter and tears of sadness.”

After a recent exchange between two groups of pioneers, Gabriela from Peru, who supports people going through grief or pain, reflected: “It was very valuable to bring our experiences together and serve as one team. We encouraged one another and learned from each other. We saw the importance of working together for the kingdom of God.”

2. Communicate: sharing what God is doing

At the end of their first missionary journey, Paul and Barnabas returned to Antioch and shared all that God had done through them (Acts 14:25–28). When we pioneers share our experiences, churches and other pioneers can recognise where God is at work, celebrate it and invite others to take part in his mission. I love to hear of different projects where fellow pioneers have observed the needs of their communities and found creative ways to share Jesus and his love, from painting murals to a Bible study in a public toilet (see page 6).

3. Catalyse: helping pioneering initiatives to develop

Luke 8:1–3 gives us a significant picture. Jesus was proclaiming God’s kingdom, supported by group of women using their own resources. Even in Jesus’ mission, others were invited to participate and make the work possible. To catalyse pioneering initiatives means recognising what God is bringing to life and providing the relationships, resources and support needed to empower it to grow through others, not doing everything ourselves.

4. Cultivate: sharing what we have learned

Paul’s words to Timothy in 2 Timothy 2:1–2 show a vision for multiplying mission: what Timothy had received from Paul was to be entrusted to faithful people who would also be able to teach others. Therefore, cultivating pioneers means much more than giving them tools or skills. It means creating opportunities to learn, grow and equip others.

There are many who long to know Jesus. That is why we pioneers encourage one another, share, support and equip one another, hoping to see new disciples of Jesus who make disciples and new Christian communities where God’s kingdom can become visible. In this way, the gospel can reach people beyond the walls and usual ways of the church.

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If you’re busy doing the day to day work of pioneering mission but feel you’d like more theological credibility then Church Mission Society (CMS) Pioneer Mission Training is for you.

Students who study with us don’t just work towards a university award; they get so much more!

For pioneers by pioneers

Our courses are specifically designed for pioneers by pioneers. Connect with experienced pioneer practitioners who want to see you flourish and your imagination channelled into action. We approach all our teaching through the lens of mission, understanding its significance and enabling everyone in their pioneering practice.

Everyone has a piece of the wisdom

We know that everyone who studies with us comes with experience, knowledge and a sense of calling. This means that everyone has things to offer as well as learn. Our courses allow that wisdom and experience to be shared – we all learn from one another.

Learn with the global church

We are committed to learning from across the diversity of the church, giving opportunities to hear from speakers from around the world and to learn with others across our diverse streams.

Choosing where to study is a big decision, so meet our team for yourself and find out what makes Church Mission Society Pioneer Mission Training a unique place to learn and grow at our next open day event on Tuesday 3 November, from 7.30pm to 8.30pm (UK time). It’s online so you can attend from anywhere in the world. Book your place now.

If that date and time aren’t convenient for you, find out more about our other open day events. 

And if those dates and times don’t work for you, book a visit us at a time that’s convenient for you via our website.

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AI is rapidly reshaping our world, this Conversation Day will explore what it means to be in pioneering mission in an age of AI.

Artificial intelligence is rapidly reshaping the ways we work, learn, communicate and participate in community. For Christian communities, this moment presents more than a set of technological challenges. It is an opportunity to ask deeper questions about mission, vocation, human flourishing and how we are joining in with what the Holy Spirit is doing.

More about Human, Holy, Artificial:

Mission and Pioneering in the Age of AI

Artificial intelligence is rapidly reshaping the ways we work, learn, communicate and participate in community. For Christian communities, this moment presents more than a set of technological challenges. It is an opportunity to ask deeper questions about mission, vocation, human flourishing and how we are joining in with what the Holy Spirit is doing.

This Conversations Day brings together theologians, scholars, practitioners, pioneers and Christian leaders to explore the emerging landscape of AI through the lens of mission and pioneering. Rather than asking only what AI can do, we will ask what this new technological context means for mission and pioneering.

Through keynote contributions, interdisciplinary conversation and practical engagement, our Conversations Day will explore the opportunities and challenges AI presents for Christian mission.

Keynote speakers

Fr Dr Gabriel Hanganu

Gabriel is an anthropologist and community manager at the Alan Turing Institute in London, the UK’s National Institute for Data Science and Artificial Intelligence. He is also a priest in the Romanian Orthodox Archdiocese of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

Kester Brewin

Kester is an acclaimed writer and speaker. He is associate director at the
Institute for the Future of Work, a research institute exploring how AI and automation technologies are impacting labour markets.

At the heart of the day is a conviction that pioneering is not simply about keeping up with change. It is about cultivating the imagination, courage and discernment to explore new possibilities, experiment with new forms of community and mission, and ask where God might be at work in the midst of profound cultural change which may seem unsettling and even threatening to some.

The conference will therefore create space not simply to respond to developments in AI, but to imagine, discern and begin to try to shape the future. What new forms of mission might emerge? What might pioneering look like? And how can Christian communities bring wisdom, hope and human connection into a world which is increasingly shaped by AI?

Join us for a day of theological imagination, pioneering practice and forward-looking conversations as we explore how Christian communities can not only navigate the age of artificial intelligence, but also thrive in it.

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This event is free. Join us in person or online!

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The post Human, Holy, Artificial: Mission and Pioneering in the Age of AI appeared first on Church Mission Society (CMS).

Church was simply irrelevant to many people in Jane Robins’s Nottinghamshire village – yet last year 11 people were baptised and are now involved in God’s mission.

Here, Jane shares how, equipped by CMS training, she sees God at work and faith growing.

In my journey as a pioneer, I’ve learned that our skill is often our ability to adapt and make the most of what we have. I think of Moses in Exodus 4 – given a fearsome commission by God, he is anxious. God, who could have given him any miraculous help, simply asked Moses what he had in his hand: a staff. This provided the means to rescue a nation and perform signs and wonders in God’s name. The simplest thing, with God’s blessing, becomes a powerful force.

Unexpected direction

No one expected me to lead a church. Raised a Jehovah’s Witness, I spent 25 years away before personal trauma drew me to the Anglican church. Driven to active ministry, I became a licensed reader in 2014, breaking traditional moulds. In 2016, my diocese recommended I train with CMS as an ordained pioneer. Despite ordination no longer being possible under a new bishop, I found my home among fellow pioneers at CMS and persevered.

Frustrating beginnings

Full of enthusiasm after training, I began my ministry as a lay pioneer. I established a successful church plant in a social club in a nearby parish, but it was closed by a new incumbent and I was back to square one. I came back to working with what I had and began to think more about where people were, what was important to them and who were the “influencers” in my village of Ruddington.

I realised there wasn’t any animosity towards the church, simply a view that it was totally irrelevant. An affluent, leafy village full of amenities, little deprivation, with many valuable community groups; why would God need to be part of it?

From disinterest to dear friends

I became a parish councillor because that seemed an obvious way for me to pioneer God’s message by joining the influencers. Through this, church, council and the village partnership group have increasingly worked together for the good of the village. The church is now seen as “one of us”.

I believe success is more than numbers, but at the Christmas services last year, over 1,100 people came through the church doors, up from 300 two years ago. People see it as “us and ours”.

Andrew, the vicar of St Peter’s, Ruddington, is now referred to as “our Andrew” by people he meets, whether they have a faith or not. He regularly walks around the monthly village market, talking to people, listening to their stories. At a recent village event, thanks were given to “our dear friends at St Peter’s” – a massive shift from the disinterest a few years ago.

Planting again

With a hardworking team, I started and now lead a second church plant, Framework Church, which runs from a coffee shop. It is a relaxed and informal community, accessible to people moving on from the Alpha course, or who find church intimidating. It has seen as many as 40 people attending and continues to develop its own unique style: distinct from, yet part of, St Peter’s.

Although primarily a missional enterprise, we have found that discipleship among the leaders has grown too. We’re currently using [CMS Britain hub director] Jonny Baker’s book Fringe Dweller, and the whole team love exploring the pioneer thinking that formed so much of my equipping at CMS. Our incumbent has commented that this plant has been one of the greatest motivators of change and growth within the church.

Pioneering Alpha

You might think there is not much pioneering in running Alpha, but there can be! I follow my inclination to relax things: a welcome time, glass of wine and chat to start.

We allow room for where the discussion takes us. WhatsApp groups for each course have been transformational to form relationships on this road people travel together. Last year saw 11 adult baptisms following the course, with everyone now involved regularly in mission.

Two of those baptised are prison wardens, working in one of the toughest prisons in the region. One has established a weekly prayer group at the prison, which currently has about 20 members including both staff and inmates.

The other warden looks after pregnant women prisoners and regularly speaks of her faith while offering comfort. God is alive and well in this prison!

Another baptism candidate came to faith after a 20-year gap. She had given up a baby for adoption in her youth and had carried guilt ever since, believing that Jesus could never forgive her. She is now truly free, experiencing a wonderful deliverance from her guilt during the Alpha Holy Spirit day, realising how truly loved she is. She certainly is a new creation.

This year sees us planning something totally new for our church – Family Alpha. Last year, three people were unable to finish the course because of childcare issues, so I thought, why don’t we make a course for them? We are now well into planning a multi-generational approach that caters for every age, with pizza, kids’ activities and teaching for the whole family, with over 30 people signed up.

Family pioneering

One of the most unexpected results from Alpha involved my youngest daughter, Liz. She was scathing that her mum had become a “Jesus nut”, had trained to become a pioneer (whatever that means!) and was now running Alpha. Liz decided to see who was brainwashing her mum, so signed up to show these people just how false it all was.

On week one, Liz was bowled over by the food. Then after the discussion, a voice I could not believe belonged to my daughter suddenly poured forth her worries about my granddaughter. A team member suggested we pray for her. Instead of “not likely” there was a heartfelt “yes please”. She was completely overcome by the Holy Spirit, in floods of tears and joined in the discussion later about God as if he was the best friend she had known for years. The story doesn’t end there: Liz is now a vicar running a benefice of six churches and, I suspect, a fledgling pioneer herself!

A long road

It’s taken me over 10 years to get the pioneer message into mainstream thinking in my church context – this is a journey for the long haul, and I have learned not to give up, to believe in the impossible, listen to God and wait for his timing. Key to building bridges with the rest of my church and community has been finding the language they speak and learning to talk in ways they understand. Now, both my vicar and an 83-year-old ministry colleague enthuse about the pioneer thinking in Jonny Baker’s book Fringe Dweller – and we’re all finding life at the edges.

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We have been involved with and exhibited at Greenbelt for some years and 2026 was no different! We had a great time connecting with friends old and new this August bank holiday, for the last time at Boughton.

The team had a great time meeting visitors and hearing their stories, joys, questions, and challenges. We were in a superb location which meant a steady flow of visitors through the days.

Our exhibition space was based on the book Fringe Dweller by Jonny Baker and David Cotterill. We had postcards of the striking artwork from the book to give away.

We also invited visitors to the stand the add their thoughts, reflections and answers to the questions we had displayed on the walls of our exhibition space. We had some great answers and really thoughtful contributions.

Jonny and David led a very popular seminar on a reflection from the book in the shelter venue. If you missed the chance to sign up for the Fringe Dweller emails, you’re not too late – you can sign up here.

If we met you there and you’ve been thinking about studying with us, please do take a look at our Prospectus. We’ll be announcing our open days soon so make sure you’re the first to hear by contacting us.

As Greenbelt is taking a breather in 2027, we’d love to hear about which festivals, conferences and events you’ll be going to next year so we can see you there. Please do drop an email to Jayne.runacres@churchmissionsociety.org to let us know.

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On Saturday 17 October 2026, we will be gathering with other pioneers to celebrate stories of hope, explore theology that sustains, and share practical wisdom for mission at the edges during the Multiply Pioneer Mission conference.

Tickets are just £15 and are on sale now.

This is your chance to spend time with others who are called to pioneer new worshipping communities in creative ways.

Together, we will look with hope to what God is doing on the margins, encourage those already stepping out in faith, and take up the call to reach new people in new and renewed ways with the love of Christ.

During the event there will be an opportunity to hear from leaders and teachers including our own Harvey Kwiyani, African Christianity Programme Lead and Acts 11 Centre Lead, and Jonny Baker, Britain Hub mission director at Church Mission Society. Bishop Mike Harrison, Phil Hoyle and Sally Mann will also be speaking.

Multiply Pioneer Mission is hosted by a new collaboration of Baptist, Methodist, Anglican organisations, including CMS, Fresh Expressions UK, CCX, the Methodist Church UK and Everyone Everywhere, united by a vision to see healthy churches planted and multiplied across the nation.

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Gain practical tools to understand God’s plan for you right now and become more confidently, authentically you.

Understanding your purpose and God’s plans for your life can help you become you but it’s also hard to know how to figure it out.

This webinar will give you practical ideas on getting started.

You will learn to recognise what the Holy Spirit is bubbling up in you then get to grips with tools you can use to discern what this means, plus how to get started.

You’ll hear stories of people who have joined in with what the Holy Spirit is doing and the process become more confidently and authentically themselves.

Speakers

Jonny Baker

Jonny is Britain Hub mission director at Church Mission Society.

He specialises in gospel and culture and applying creativity to worship.

He is author of The Pioneer Gift, Pioneering Spirituality, Alternative Worship and Curating Worship and has been networking with mission leaders and catalysing mission training for the last decade and more.

He teaches theological reflection, mission and worship modules.

Natalie Burfitt

Natalie is part of the pioneer training team at CMS. She is ordained in the Church of England and based in Gloucestershire.

She also works for a Diocese of Gloucester partner organization called Sportily. This offers sport, exercise and movement based activities, getting people moving more, building healthy communities and creating opportunities to explore Christian faith.

She has experienced long journeys of discernment and knows first hand ‘the gift of not fitting in’!

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This webinar is free. Just book you place via eventbrite:

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The post Be You: finding your way as God calls appeared first on Church Mission Society (CMS).

God is using the church in DR Congo to bring healing, reconciliation and lasting transformation to wounded communities. 

For over three decades, the district of Kibumba in the eastern DR Congo has been severely affected by armed conflict, forced displacement and deep trauma. Yet amid the shadows of war, a movement of spiritual restoration and practical aid is proving that fear will not have the final word. At the heart of this renewal is Rev Innocent Kwitonda and the ministry of St John’s Church, Buvira, where he is vicar.

Conversion and calling 

Rev Innocent’s commitment to the people of the Kibumba district comes from an intimate understanding of their pain. When he was just two years old, his father – a church pastor – was kidnapped during an outbreak of local violence. His family never recovered the body, and looters stripped their home of almost everything they owned.

By age nine, Innocent faced another crisis when he was sent home from school because his family could not afford the school fees.

“When I arrived home my mother was sick, I went into her room and I found an old Bible that my father used in his ministry,” Innocent recalls. “There and then, I made a personal oath with God: ‘Lord Jesus Christ… help me to study and when I grow up I will serve you faithfully and proclaim you in all nations.'”

The next day, God performed a miracle and a woman provided the money for his school fees. That answer to prayer sparked a lifelong calling. Innocent rose through Sunday school volunteering and leadership to graduate with distinction from the Lake Kivu Christian Centre. Since then, he has trained nearly 2,000 lay pastors across North Kivu, led 25 Portable Bible Schools and helped to plant six new churches. 

A church for others

For more than 30 years the population of the Kibumba region, north of DR Congo’s capital city Goma, have lived in a state of displacement, seeking refuge in Internally Displaced People (IDP) camps around Goma. “I was born in this area, and my life story is closely connected to the suffering and resilience of its people,” says Innocent. 

In response to this prolonged humanitarian crisis, St John’s Buvira chose to embody a church that walks alongside the suffering people. As thousands fled their homes, St John’s transformed into a sanctuary, welcoming war-displaced households and providing clean water, temporary shelter and essential supplies.

For Innocent, practical aid and the gospel are inseparable. The parish did not just offer physical relief; it offered spiritual hope to families who had lost everything. He quotes the teachings of Dietrich Bonhoeffer who describes a ‘Church for others,’ insisting that “the Church is only the Church when it exists for others.” 

Three new churches

After the M23 had taken Goma, a period of comparative peace allowed displaced families to return home and the community of Kibumba issued a plea to the parish of Buvira. Acknowledging how the church had stood by them during their suffering, residents asked for a permanent church presence to help them rebuild their lives, teach resilience and heal from war.

Since 2025, St John’s has planted three new churches in Kibumba that are growing steadily in both spiritual depth and community impact. These churches emphasise resilience, love, reconciliation and holistic ministry through their work in the communities around them.   

Women who suffered sexual violence and harassment are gradually rediscovering hope and dignity through biblical teaching, pastoral care and supportive fellowship. Children, who are especially vulnerable to the psychological effects of war, participate in trauma-healing sessions, educational activities and structured play that contribute to their emotional restoration.

Now studying for an MA in African Christianity with CMS while serving as the vicar of St John’s, Rev Innocent remains grounded in his core mission.

“Through all these experiences, we firmly believe that the Lord alone is the healer of broken souls,” says Innocent. “He heals the broken-hearted, and binds up their wounds (Psalm 147:3) and the Church remains his chosen instrument to bring healing, reconciliation and lasting transformation to wounded communities.”

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In April this year, Dr Harvey Kwiyani, African Christianity Programme Lead for CMS Pioneer Mission Training and Director of the Acts 11 Project, travelled to Jamaica to attend the African Forum on Religion & Government (AFReG).

by Harvey Kwiyani

30 July 2026

AFReG emerged roughly two decades ago as an effort to bring together African Christian leaders, government officials, business leaders, educators, and civil society actors around a shared vision for the transformation of Africa grounded in what is described as “God-centred values.”

From the beginning, AFReG sought to move beyond narrowly ecclesial concerns toward broader engagement with public life, governance, economics, leadership, and social transformation. Subsequent gatherings in Kenya, Zambia, and Ghana gradually expanded the movement’s Pan-African vision while strengthening relationships between church leaders, policymakers, and African diasporic communities.

The 2026 conference was the fifth event and brought together around 100 participants, representing 10 African countries alongside a strong Global African presence from the UK, the Caribbean, South America, and North America.

The fifth gathering, held in Montego Bay, Jamaica, marked a particularly significant development by foregrounding the relationship between continental Africa and the African diaspora within the framework of the African Union’s “Sixth Region” vision. Under the theme “Building Bridges: A Call for Pan-African Unity and Transformation,” AFReG 5 brought together leaders from Africa, the Caribbean, Europe, and the Americas to explore questions of identity, governance, leadership, economic development, historical trauma, reconciliation, and the role of the church in public life.

What especially impressed me was AFReG’s refusal to separate spiritual renewal from social transformation. The conference treated trauma, mental health, governance, economics, education, technology, and theological decolonisation as deeply interconnected realities. There was a persistent insistence that prayer and spirituality must lead to ethical leadership, institution-building, economic imagination, and collective action. Discussions on healing explored the long shadow of slavery and colonialism not only psychologically but spiritually and culturally, while conversations on AI, leadership, education, and the African Union’s “Sixth Region” framework challenged participants to imagine new forms of African agency and global collaboration.

The range and calibre of speakers reflected the ambition of the gathering. Among them were the former President of Nigeria, President Olusegun Obasanjo, Dr Macaulay Kalu, (Director of the Sixth Region of Africa), Mrs Tsitsi Masiyiwa, (Zimbabwean philanthropist and Executive Director of the Higher Life Foundation), Professor Anna Bailey of Binghamton University, and Dr Lisa Pal, Head of Racial Justice Priority in the Diocese of London. Together, they framed a conversation that moved across public life, economics, diaspora identity, and the moral responsibilities of leadership.

My presentation was delivered in collaboration with Professor Stephen-Dione Jennings of the University of the West Indies. I argued for the need to decolonise not only African theology and missiology, but also the wider expressions of Christianity across both the continent and the Global African world. Professor Jennings offered a historically grounded account of the development of Christianity in Jamaica, providing a rich contextual frame for our shared concerns. Our contributions were mutually reinforcing and resonated closely with the work of Anna Bailey and Lisa Pal on fostering dialogue between Africans and the African diaspora. There was a clear convergence among us that any meaningful outcome from the conference will require intentional, sustained collaboration between us all, both in Africa and in its diasporas.

By the end of the conference, it was clear that AFReG is attempting something much larger than hosting inspirational events. It is helping cultivate a Global African Christian imagination capable of reconnecting fragmented histories, healing wounded identities, and mobilising Africans and members of the diaspora as architects of their own future rather than passive recipients of external agendas.

What I encountered in Jamaica left me deeply hopeful. There was a seriousness to the conversations, a willingness to think beyond inherited limitations, and a growing recognition that African Christianity has entered a new historical moment. The church in Africa and across Global Africa is no longer simply responding to agendas set elsewhere. Increasingly, it is beginning to ask its own questions, recover its own memory, and imagine its own future.

You can read more about Harvey’s trip here and here.

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