It is with great sadness that Evangelist Daniel Kolenda and the entire global Christ for All Nations family announce the death of our founder, friend and spiritual father, Reinhard Bonnke.
Evangelist Bonnke passed away peacefully this morning, December 7, 2019, surrounded by his family. A memorial service will be held in the next few weeks. Details will be made available at Cfan.org and on our social media platforms.
Evangelist Bonnke leaves an unparalleled legacy of service to the Kingdom of God. All told, more than 79-million people made Christ their Lord as a result of his ministry. Bonnke is best-known for his Gospel outreach campaigns throughout Africa. He and his team pioneered massevangelism and in the process drew some of the largest live audiences in history. In November of
2000, at a single meeting in Lagos, Nigeria, 1.6 million attendees heard him preach the truth of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. Similar crowds assembled in almost every nation in Africa, and it is no exaggeration to say that his work transformed the spiritual-life of the continent.
The scale of these events made them visible in every sector of African society. And, though the Gospel outreach campaigns were controversial, even dangerous in some environments, Evangelist Bonnke’s persistence and humility engendered favor everywhere God sent him. As former President of Nigeria, Olusegun Obasanjo said, “With the prayer of people like Evangelist Bonnke, Nigeria will succeed.”
He also authored more than 40 books, taught widely throughout the Body of Christ, appeared regularly on Christian programming and inspired countless believers to act in bold faith and live with passion for God. His undeniable influence continues to affect church leaders and congregants around the world. As Brian Houston, Senior Pastor of Hillsong Church, stated, “Over the years, his unwavering passion to win souls for the Kingdom has never ceased to inspire me to connect people to Jesus, their Savior. I love the way salvation resonates in his spirit, whether he’s on a platform speaking to millions or behind the scenes having a chat – Jesus is always on his lips.”
Evangelist Bonnke is survived by his wife, Anni, three adult children and spouses, Kai-Uwe, Gabriele, and Susanne, and eight grandchildren. We share in their grief, even as we celebrate his profound legacy of faith and joyfully anticipate our heavenly reunion.
