Missionaries from Africa: The Incorporation of African Immigrants into American Protestant Churches

Team Members/Contributors

Henry Brinton Fairfax Presbyterian Church Contact Me

About this sabbatical grant for pastoral leaders discontinued

For years, American missionaries took the Gospel to Africa; now, African immigrants are sharing the Good News in American Protestant churches. These newcomers are missionaries from Africa, and their mission field is the United States. They are excited about the Gospel, enthusiastic about bringing friends to church, and interested in introducing Americas to African church life. My project will look for answers to two questions: 1) How can African immigrants be incorporated fully into the American church? 2) How can American church members incorporate African styles of worship and fellowship into the life of the church? The challenge is true ‘incorporation’; uniting into one body. Through readings, observations and interviews, I will be examining leadership styles that encourage the exploration of new cultures, studying churches that are successfully incorporating African immigrants, and searching for ways to introduce African elements into the life of the American church. My goal is to discover ways for entire congregations to grow in faith and understanding, and to see Africans and Americans as part of the same Body of Christ.

Image Title Year Type Contributor(s) Other Info
  Finding Room in God's House: Immigrants Are Filling the Pews-and Changing America's Churches 1997 Newspaper Article Henry Brinton
March 16, 1997 C1
  Chicago Church Reaches Africans: Dancing, Drumbeats Enliven Worship 1997 Magazine Article Henry Brinton
Balancing Acts: Obligation, Liberation, and Contemporary Christian conflicts 2006 Book Henry Brinton