Africa stands at a pivotal point in its history – the choices we make now will influence our continent’s future and shape the wider world. It’s time to tell a new story about Africa, one created by the agency and voices of all African citizens. It’s time to reimagine and grow a movement for change. It’s time to act courageously on strategic shifts that bring us closer to the reality of shalom across Africa. This is our Kairos Moment.
Read through the chapters below
01 The African century
What stories will be told of the 21st century? Will we recognise them for their familiar, well-worn paths; or for the courageous, life-giving choices that we made?
This is the African century. What we decide to do will leave its mark on history, and it begins with understanding where we are now.
READ CHAPTER 1
02 A Joseph kairos – a decade to build foundations for the African century
This is a kairos moment for the continent. A critical moment of opportunity for action to bring change. We have to act now to pioneer an Abundant African economy that will be good for both people and the environment. If we miss this moment it will have serious consequences for generations to come.
READ CHAPTER 2
03 An African story for the African century
Africa has over 3,000 ethnic groups speaking more than 2,100 diverse languages and living in varied lands from the evocative plains of the savannah to ice-tipped mountains, sandy deserts and tropical rainforests. Yet in that diversity we are united by our oral traditions.
Africa is a continent of storytellers. Yet there are only a few single stories being told.
In 2009 literary giant Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie gave what has become one of the top 25 most shared TED talks in history. In it she expounds the danger of a single story: a story that shows a people as one thing, over and over, “until that is what they become”.
READ CHAPTER 3
04 A new story – Abundant Africa
An Abundant Africa narrative dares to dream of creating an economy and civilisation based on the values of relationship, freedom and social innovation, rather than the dominant global civilisation based on profit, control and technological progress. This story moves beyond the extractive dream of Africa Rising and the doomed chaos of Africa Failing. It points to a cohort of dreamers who, like Joseph, are able to clearly hear the voice of God, believe in their own agency, and effectively execute a vision to build systems and institutions that can implement their dreams. This narrative will benefit the people and natural environment of Africa, and the rest of the world.
This narrative is built upon Jesus’ promise of shalom.
READ CHAPTER 4
05 What could an Abundant Africa movement look like?
Looking at history, it is clear that the tides often turn because of the emergence of a movement for change, united around common stories and values. The scale of change we need for an Abundant African economy requires not just policy shifts but the wholesale transformation of lifestyles, institutions and systems.
READ CHAPTER 5
06 Practical steps to grow the movement
To grow the movements essential to build an Abundant African economy practical mechanisms need to be identified to ensure effective collaboration. This should be both within movements and with other key stakeholders. Many new movements are leaderless and organised via social media. They should not be controlled, but rather connected and encouraged. When grassroots organisations, regional networks, analysts and the media come together, the impact will be far greater than when groups work alone. The church in particular has an important role to play in equipping, empowering, catalysing and convening this movement for change. To do this it needs to build its own capacity to organise, as well as serve others in the broader Abundant Africa movement.
READ CHAPTER 6
– Consecrating ourselves to God
– Gathering intelligence
– Connecting relationships and building peace
– New organisational wineskins for new wine
– Resourcing
Developing unifying narratives
– A new collective identity
– A common vision for an Abundant Africa
– Preparing prophetic voices
– Messaging Platforms
– Advocacy and activism
– Clear demands and a concrete plan
– Culture of review and measurement
07 Seven shifts for an Abundant Africa
Successful movements drive change across what society expects, what the law allows and what the economy incentivises. We seek to bring change to social norms, legislation and its enforcement, and the flows of money across our continent. We believe that seven strategic shifts are needed to take Africa closer to the reality of shalom.
READ CHAPTER 7
08 Call to action
This is the invitation: to listen together, to share our stories, to organise our movements and act to see shifts towards shalom.
We have never been this way before. Our beloved African continent is facing a Joseph kairos moment that will define the lives of our descendants for generations to come. We have a limited 10-year timeframe to sow seeds and build strong foundations, but together we can define the outcomes of the coming African century.