Reinhard Bonnke was a German-American Pentecostal evangelist best known for his decades of missionary work in Africa. Starting in 1967, he dedicated his life to spreading the gospel across the continent.
1922: Healing of August Bonnke
Reinhard Bonnke's paternal grandfather, August Bonnke, experienced a healing from an unknown ailment by evangelist Luis Graf in 1922.
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April 1940: Birth of Reinhard Bonnke
Reinhard Bonnke was born in April 1940 in Königsberg, East Prussia, Germany.
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April 1940: Birth of Reinhard Bonnke
Reinhard Bonnke was born in April 1940 in Königsberg, East Prussia, Germany. His father, Hermann Bonnke, was an army logistics officer.
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1945: Death of August Bonnke
August Bonnke, Reinhard's grandfather, died during the evacuation of East Prussia in 1945.
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1964: Marriage of Reinhard and Anni Bonnke
Reinhard Bonnke married Anni Suelze in 1964. They had met at a gospel music festival and eventually fell in love.
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1967: Bonnke Begins Ministry in Africa
Reinhard Bonnke began his missionary work in Africa in 1967.
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1967: Bonnke's Early Ministry in Africa
Upon arriving in South Africa in 1967, Bonnke faced the apartheid system, which he opposed, leading to conflict with his supervising minister. He later assumed leadership of three churches in Lesotho but started anew due to unbiblical practices within the congregations.
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1974: Founding of Christ for all Nations (CfaN)
Reinhard Bonnke established the mission organization Christ for all Nations (CfaN) in 1974 in Johannesburg, South Africa.
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1984: Construction of Large Tent for Crusades
In 1984, Reinhard Bonnke commissioned the construction of a large tent with a seating capacity of 34,000, intended to accommodate crowds at his crusades. Unfortunately, it was destroyed by a windstorm before its first major use.
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1986: CfaN Headquarters Relocated
In 1986, CfaN's headquarters was moved to Frankfurt, Germany, to distance the organization from South Africa's apartheid policies.
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1986: Single Use of the Large Tent
The large tent commissioned in 1984 was only used once, in Harare, Zimbabwe, in 1986.
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1991: Riots in Kano During Bonnke's Visit
During Bonnke's 1991 visit to Kano, Nigeria, riots erupted as Muslims protested against alleged remarks he made about Islam in Kaduna. The riots resulted in violence against Christians, church burnings, and several deaths.
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2000: Bonnke's Return to Nigeria
After being banned from Nigeria due to the 1991 riots, Bonnke was invited back by the newly elected President Olusegun Obasanjo in 2000 and held a crusade in Benin City.
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2000: Bonnke's Crusades in Nigeria After 2000
Following his return to Nigeria in 2000, Bonnke held numerous crusades that saw high conversion rates.
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2000: CfaN's Largest Crusade in Lagos
In 2000, CfaN held its largest crusade to date in Lagos, Nigeria, attracting an estimated six million attendees.
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February 2001: Bonnke's Record-Breaking Attendances
In February 2001, journalist Corrie Cutrer reported in Christianity Today that Bonnke's recent events in Nigeria had drawn record-breaking crowds.
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November 2017: Bonnke's Farewell Gospel Crusade
Reinhard Bonnke held his "farewell gospel crusade" in Lagos, Nigeria, in November 2017.
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2017: Bonnke's Final International Crusade
Reinhard Bonnke held his last international crusade in Lagos, Nigeria, in 2017.
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December 2019: Death of Reinhard Bonnke
Reinhard Bonnke passed away in December 2019.
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December 2019: Death of Reinhard Bonnke
Reinhard Bonnke passed away in December 2019. In the preceding month, he had shared about undergoing femur surgery.
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2019: Bonnke's Planned Appearance at G12 Africa Conference
Reinhard Bonnke was scheduled to headline the G12 Africa Conference in Pretoria, South Africa, in 2019.
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