Missionaries are still going to Africa. But for African Christian leaders, it is the West that needs help

Two years ago, Nigerian pastor Jerry Eze arrived in London to lead a prayer conference at Twickenham — the world’s largest rugby stadium — and immediately wondered whether he had picked the wrong place. The event had yet to begin, and the 82,000-seat arena appeared even larger than he had imagined, with rows of empty seats stretching out before him. But as the start time approached, worshippers began to arrive, filling the seats one by one. Soon, the vast stadium was packed — not with rugby fans or concertgoers, but with thousands who came to pray with an African preacher. When Eze stepped onto the stage and faced the crowd, he told CNN he felt a mix of nerves and gratitude — praying he would fulfill what he believed was God’s purpose for him there. Eze reaches a global audience through daily prayer broadcasts on YouTube.