7 - Conclusion

Summary

INCREASE

During the 1980s, Liberian Christianity experienced a remarkable numerical increase. When asked why, almost all church officials replied, ‘Because we teach the truth.’ However, this explanation does not prove adequate, because all kinds of groups, teaching completely different doctrines, were growing simultaneously. Besides the groups considered above, Mormons, Jehovah's Witnesses, Seventh-Day Adventists, Moonies and also nonChristian groups like the Baha'is and Muslims, experienced similar rapid growth.

The Mormons, for example, came to Liberia in July 1987. In 22 months they had established eight branches in Monrovia, had 1,400 members, and attracted 1,153 to their first convention. They were increasing at a rate of 70–110 each month. As one missionary put it: ‘In every other country missionaries have to go around knocking on doors. Not here. Here they come to us.’

The Jehovah's Witnesses began in Liberia in 1947, but in a very small way, and experienced slow growth. In the mid-1980s they began to increase considerably, as is evident from the numbers attending conventions: in 1986 4,000 attended, in 1987 5,852, in 1988 8,600. In 1989 they had 1,835 Witnesses actively preaching.

The Seventh-Day Adventists began in Liberia in 1927, but it was in the latter half of the 1980s that they experienced real growth. In these years they expanded geographically into new counties, and by 1989 had 45 congregations and 10,000 members.