In the first chapter of his recently released book, The Future of the Global Church, Patrick Johnstone discusses nine global challenges. These are issues that are likely to impact our world during the upcoming decades. In the population section he covers the problems caused by continued growth in Africa and the Muslim world and the problems caused by population decline in Europe. He also talks about migration, urbanization, etc. Each of these issues have implications for Anda Leadership, but the section I find most pertinent is titled, Economy.
Johnstone notes that before the Industrial Revolution living standards around the world were generally uniform. That is, everyone was pretty much at the same level. However, that changed in a big way and now there are enormous disparities between the rich and the poor. Generally the richest countries created wealth through capitalism moderated by the moral and ethical standards of Christianity.
Johnstone foresees growing discontentment in the poor countries. Not only will the people in those countries become increasingly unwilling to passively mire in poverty, but as their populations escalate, space, water, and other resources will become increasingly strained. Eruptions of conflict will probably spill beyond their borders and into the rest of the world.
Johnstone challenges Christians to consider what we can do to prevent global instability. Anda Leadership is our attempt at a response. If we can help entrepreneurs in the poor countries reverse the cycle of poverty and build a positive economic future, many of these feared eventualities will be resolved.
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