–– Paul Schlehlein

The audio version of this article is available here: YouTube, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify.

What would happen if foreign funds to African churches suddenly stopped? Suppose that tomorrow God shut off the massive monetary pipeline flowing from the West to the pastors and Christian workers on the Dark Continent? Would the church sink or swim?

The immediate consequences would be severe because wealthy nations have pumped billions of dollars into Africa for decades. It has become a way of life. None of the top 30 foreign aid contributors come from Africa, though six of the top fifteen recipients of foreign aid are African nations. In 2017, the United States gave $34 billion in foreign aid, including $1 billion to Ethiopia, $887 million to South Sudan and $600 million to South Africa. 

Wealthy foreign nations have failed to learn that foreign aid will never help a country if the conditions for economic growth do not exist. This is why the cycle of giving never ends. Sadly, wealthy churches have not learned this lesson either. Though the numbers are not as high as foreign aid, churches from the West drive millions of dollars into African churches to support their pastors and ministries.