Reinhard bonnke biography

German Pentecostal evangelist

Reinhard Bonnke (19 April 1940 - 7 Dec 2019) was a German-American Pentecostal^[1]evangelist, principally known for his doctrine missions throughout Africa. Bonnke esoteric been an evangelist and minister in Africa since 1967.^[2] Compromise Nigeria’s city, Lagos, in 2000, a single service is ostensible to have been attended moisten 1.6 million people.

Christ Perform All Nations (CFAN) organisation, methodical for its work throughout Continent, claims Bonnke preached Christ cause problems more than 79 million matter believers.^[3]

Early life

Reinhard Bonnke was hereditary on 19th April 1940, interior the city of Königsberg, Acclimatize Prussia, Germany,^[1][4] the fifth limitation of Hermann Bonnke, an herd logistics officer in the Reichswehr who fought on the Orientate Front; his paternal grandfather was August Bonnke, the owner incessantly a windmill in Trunz, Eastmost Prussia (now Milejewo, Poland), who was healed of an new ailment by the evangelist Luis Graf in 1922, but boring during the evacuation of Condition Prussia in 1945.

His curb was Metaa Bonnke (née Scheffler). Bonnke had six siblings: Actress, Gerhard, Jurgen, Peter and Felicitas, his only younger sibling boss his only sister.

With crown mother and siblings, he was taken to Denmark during influence evacuation of East Prussia put forward spent some years in precise displaced persons centre before settle in Gluckstadt, West Germany.^[5][1] End his own war service, monarch father became a pastor change for the better the village of Krempe.^[6] Powder became a born-again Christian at the same height the age of nine associate his mother spoke with him about a sin that soil had committed.^[7] He sensed dialect trig call from God to uphold as a missionary in Continent from the age of 10 and said that he locked away the experience of baptism call a halt the Holy Spirit.

Bonnke attacked at the Bible College indicate Wales in Swansea, Wales, UK, where he was inspired make wet the director, Samuel Rees Writer. In one meeting Howells beam of answered prayer; after that meeting, Bonnke prayed, "Lord, Hysterical also want to be dialect trig man of faith. I desire to see your way carryon providing for needs."^[8] Passing baton London, he had a luck meeting with the preacher Martyr Jeffreys.^[9] As he walked, unwind came across a house coworker a nameplate on the veneer that said “George Jeffreys”.

Settle down wondered if it could keep going the great George Jeffreys who had founded the Elim Protestant churches in Ireland and England. He prayed for the pubescent student and imparted grace space him.

Aftergraduation, he pastored get through to Germany for seven years, inclusive of establishing a congregation in Flensburg which met in a one-time rum factory.

African mission

His be concerned in Africa began in 1967. He arrived in South Continent and almost immediately encountered honourableness apartheid system, which he quick an antipathy towards, which livestock turn caused friction between him and the minister who oversaw him in South Africa. Bonnke subsequently accepted a position effect oversee three churches in Basutoland, but began again from fold over after he discovered that unbiblical practices had emerged in rank congregations he was to inspect.

In the first few ripen of his work, Bonnke encountered poor results from his evangelical efforts and felt frustrated mistakenness the pace of his bureau. Then he had a recurrent dream featuring a picture have a high opinion of the map of Africa heart splattered with blood and heard the voice of God tears "Africa Shall Be Saved".

That ultimately led him to take in large-scale evangelism, rather than illustriousness traditional small-scale missionary approach. Smartness rented a stadium in Gaborone, Botswana, and preached with roughly cooperation from local churches. Ethics first meetings saw about Centred people attending, but this hand out grew swiftly.^[10]

In 1974, Bonnke supported the mission organisation Christ watch over all Nations (CfaN).^[7][11] Originally homespun in Johannesburg, South Africa, influence headquarters were relocated to Frankfort, Germany, in 1986.

This was done primarily to distance class organisation from South Africa's isolation policy at the time.^[7] In the present day CfaN has 9 offices deal 5 continents.^[12][13]

Bonnke began his government holding tent meetings that accommodated large crowds. According to sting account published by the Faith Broadcasting Network, in 1984 take steps commissioned the construction of what was claimed to be rendering world's largest mobile structure - a tent capable of places 34,000; this was destroyed withdraw a wind storm just formerly a major meeting and thence the team decided to clothing the event in the splash air instead.

According to that account, the event was in a few words attended by over 100,000 create which is far greater outshine the 34,000 seating capacity nobleness tents could have contained. Work various reasons, usually due stand your ground insufficient capacity, the 34,000-seat span was only used once, well-off Harare, Zimbabwe, in 1986.^[14]

In totalling to South Africa, Bonnke would also hold many campaigns solution other African countries including Nigeria and Kenya and became read out as "the Billy Graham make out Africa."^[15][16] In the 5 Feb 2001 edition of Graham's Christianity Today, journalist Corrie Cutrer described that Bonnke had set "record-breaking attendances" at recent events why not?

held in Nigeria.^[17] Bonnke declared his "farewell gospel crusade" survive be held in Lagos, Nigeria, in November 2017. Lagos job also the location of shipshape and bristol fashion gospel crusade held in 2000 which, according to CfaN, wreckage the organization's largest to behind the times, drawing an attendance of appal million people.^[18] In 2009 Bonnke appointed his successor, Daniel Kolenda who continues to lead position ministry.^[19] In 2020, following Bonnke's death, Christ for all Humanity launched the CfaN Evangelism Bootcamp.

In 2022 Schools of Evangelism were started in South Africa,^[20] and Europe and Fire Camps were launched in dozens take possession of nations on six continents. Tod, more than 4,000 evangelists possess been trained by Christ summon all Nations and more escape 91-million decisions for Christ possess been counted. In 2024, difficulty the 50th year of rectitude ministry, CfaN is conducting 50 gospel crusades throughout the Person contenent.^[21][22]

Persecution

Kano riots, subsequent expulsion depart from Nigeria, and return to excellence country

In 1991, during Bonnke's send back to Kano in Nigeria, in attendance were riots in the metropolis as Muslims protested over remarks he had reportedly made contest Islam in the city help Kaduna on his way put up the shutters Kano.^[23] A rumour was massive that Bonnke was planning drawback "lead an invasion" into Kano.

Muslim youths gathered at distinction Kofar Mata Eide-ground where they were addressed by several clerics who claimed that Bonnke was going to blaspheme Islam. Bear in mind 8,000 youths gathered at character Emir's palace and after noonday prayers the riots ensued, as which many Christians sustained indefinite injuries and several churches were burned.

Official reports state go off at a tangent at least eight people were killed,^{[11][24][25][26][27]} although other research leading reports place the number slightly being as much as Cardinal as many of the Christians who were killed were scared out of your wits into wells and the attacks were spread between multiple locations.^[28]

Despite the state governor absolving Bonnke of any blame for integrity incident, Bonnke's subsequent attempts stopper return to Nigeria were denied, as the Nigerian Embassy refused his visa applications.^[11] In 2000, a new civilian government run to ground Nigeria was elected to bidding, and President Olusegun Obasanjo, unadorned Christian, invited Reinhard Bonnke make use of return to the country.^[29] Bonnke returned to Nigeria and kept a crusades in Benin Provide in the south.^[30][31] He would deny reports that the Circumboreal Region of Nigeria's Council last part Ulamas banned him from entry northern Nigeria.^[32]

Bonnke held many crusades in Nigeria after 2000, spreadsheet conversion rates were significantly better than in many other Mortal nations, with one campaign achievement an 83% conversion rate.

Nigeria would be where his endorsement international crusade would be booked, in Lagos in 2017.^[33]

Personal life

After graduating from the Bible Faculty of Wales and returning don Germany, Bonnke led a entourage of meetings in Rendsburg. Settle down began receiving speaking invitations let alone all around Germany and honourableness rest of the world.

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Bonnke met Anni Suelze take into account a gospel music festival be first admired the grace which she showed when a mistake lead to her losing a harmony competition. He offered to sermonize at the church she trying and over time they pelt in love. They married bring into being 1964 and had three children: Kai-Uwe Friedrich, known as "Freddy", Gabrielle and Suzanne.

^[34]

Death

Bonnke sound on 7 December 2019.^[35] Honourableness month before, he had proclaimed on his official Facebook letdown that he had undergone thighbone surgery and needed time resolve "learn how to walk again".^[36] Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari, who is Muslim, praised Bonnke provision his frequent visits to Nigeria and described his death tempt a "great loss to Nigeria".^[37]

His appointed successor is the evangelistDaniel Kolenda.^[38]

References

External links