The 13th General Assembly of Association of Evangelicals in Africa (AEA) was held in Nairobi, Kenya from 21st to 23rd May 2025, which was hosted by the Evangelical Alliance of Kenya (EAK) with the theme – ‘Unity for the Transformation of Africa’, drew leaders from national evangelical fellowships, churches, and global partner organizations.
The Assembly’s theme, ‘Unity for the Transformation of Africa,’ resonated throughout the event as a call to surpass the denominational, linguistic, and political divides. Dr. Master Matlhaope, AEA General Secretary, emphasized the need for unity between evangelicals and Pentecostals, “We are one family of believers, born again by the same Spirit. We must reject any attempts to divide us.” He also shared a statistic in the inaugural ceremony at the International Christian Center (ICC), that Africa is home to 200 million Pentecostals and 198 million evangelicals, highlighting the growing significance of the evangelical movement. He urged leaders to reflect this collective strength in public engagement, mission, and unity across the continent’s 54 countries (with 51 already having AEA alliances).
The Executive Chair of the World Evangelical Alliance (WEA) and the outgoing president of AEA, Dr. Goodwill Shana, gave the inaugural message, describing the General Assembly as a “kairos moment” for the Church in Africa. A time of spiritual reflection and strategic repositioning is how he described. He reminded the delegates that Kenya’s leadership is critical to continental unity and encouraged stronger collaboration among national alliances. He will also lead the WEA in the upcoming General Assembly.
Rev. Samuel Chiang and Dr. Peirong Lin of the WEA leading as the Deputy Secretaries, participated in the General Assembly, sharing updates on the upcoming WEA General Assembly to be held in Seoul, Korea in October 2025. They encouraged members of AEA to register and be part of the global evangelical movement.
Dr. Peirong Lin also joined Rev. Esme Bowers, Director of Church Engagements, WEA, in a powerful panel discussion on “Women in Leadership: Breaking Barriers and Advancing Representation in the African Church,” a session that sparked deep reflection and meaningful dialogue.
In a well-received session, Dr. Janet Epp Buckingham, Director of the WEA Geneva Office to the United Nations, presented on WEA’s global advocacy efforts. She shared practical insights into defending religious freedom, engaging governments with both truth and grace, and equipping national alliances to speak with a unified evangelical voice on moral and social issues. Her talk resonated with many, prompting vibrant discussion and several follow-up questions from the floor.
The Assembly also commemorated 50 years of the Evangelical Alliance of Kenya (EAK).
Rev. Kepha Nyandega, EAK General Secretary, reflected on the journey by sharing, that is was all God’s faithfulness towards the alliance.
A key moment during the Assembly was the election of new AEA leadership. Rev. Dr. Jean Libom Li Likeng from Cameroon, who was the previous Vice-President was elected as AEA President, succeeding Rev. Dr. Goodwill Shana from Zimbabwe after an eight-year term. Bishop Never Mparutsa from Zimbabwe was elected as the new Vice-President.
Participants were urged to envision and commit to an Africa where unity fuels transformation, and where the Church speaks prophetically to the continent’s key challenges like poverty, injustice, tribalism, and corruption. The AEA reaffirmed its long-term plan, “Vision 2066”, focused on strengthening national alliances, advancing social transformation, and ensuring full evangelical representation in all 54 African countries.
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