Displaying items by tag: discipleship training

Actress and Christian speaker Jen Lilley is calling believers to move beyond a passive faith and rediscover a vibrant, intimate relationship with Jesus. She observes that many people believe in God yet feel spiritually stagnant, settling for routine church attendance rather than a life fully alive in Christ. Lilley believes true renewal comes through deeper commitment, obedience, and freedom found in knowing Jesus personally. Through her podcast and her new devotional book, Wake Up Your Faith: 365 Daily Encounters with Jesus, she invites readers into daily, Spirit-filled encounters that awaken faith and confidence in God’s healing, grace, and faithfulness. Drawing on her own journey from a successful acting career to wholehearted discipleship, Lilley challenges Christians to be bold in prayer and witness. She urges believers to step out in everyday moments, pray for others, and respond to the urgency of the Great Commission. Her message is clear: now is the time to awaken faith, live fully surrendered to Jesus, and actively make disciples.

At the World Evangelical Alliance general assembly in Seoul, researcher Jason Mandryk from Operation World revealed that evangelical Christianity is growing faster in Africa than anywhere else in the world. In 1960 evangelicals comprised 8% of global Christians; today, with around 650 million believers, they exceed 25 percent. Nearly 70% of global Christian growth now occurs in Africa, where vibrant churches thrive amid rapid urbanisation and strong family life. Mandryk noted that while Western growth is modest, Africa, Asia and Latin America are reshaping the face of Christianity. Yet he warned that discipleship, leadership training and moral integrity must remain priorities if this expansion is to mature. David Tarus of the Association of Evangelicals in Africa said 90% of African pastors lack formal theological training, calling for education to reach local communities rather than relying on institutions. Both leaders urged clarity, humility and renewed holiness as the movement’s influence widens. The shift, Mandryk said, shows that the 'future of Christianity' has already arrived - rooted in the Global South. See