Will Growth of Christianity in Africa Offset Loses in Europe and U.S.

It's a fact, Christianity is growing in Africa. Another fact, the fastest growing religion in Africa is not Christianity, it is Islam. 

That is just one of the interesting aspects of Africa that make it hard to predict the future of its religions. The reason both religions are growing is its high birth rate. Perhaps adding to both religion and birth rate are lower literacy rates in most countries. 

Methodists learned that by bringing the countries of Africa into the corporation as full voting participants the role of U.S. values was reduced and those of a different culture rose. It seems clear the spin off conservative Methodist denomination, World Methodist Church, will see a strong influence from Africa. Some African countries have a death penalty for homosexuality. My guess is the "World Methodist Church" ultimately will be an African church and its older members in the U.S. will die off.

Fertility was what drove up Christian numbers for centuries in the U.S. It has raised Christian numbers in African countries as well. The birth rate in Africa, while much higher than that of the U.S. and Europe, has been falling for several years. It falls about 1 1/2% per year. If this continues it will affect adversely Christian numbers. 

In addition, I've read young people in Africa are trending away from religion. The U.S. and Europe were hit by lower birth rates and declining numbers of young people staying with the faith. While predicting the future is a dicey business, it could well be Africa will experience the same thing some years from now.

Islam will not necessarily reap benefits from a slower Christian growth. Islam, too, is having trouble keeping young people in the faith. 

In summary, all the chest beating of Christian denominations about their growth in Africa may well be an embarrassment some years from now.