Ministry Trip to Nigeria in October 2009

We thought that it would be good to share what God is doing in Nigeria and here is the first part of our report.

Report on Nigeria Ministry from October 1st to 21st 2009

We left Indianapolis on Thursday, Oct 1st and flying through Dulles and Frankfurt arrived in Lagos on Friday, Oct 2nd at 4:45 p.m. We were greeted at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport at Lagos, Nigeria in West Africa by Rev. Dr. Samson Fatokun and his family after exiting the airport. We were driven in his van to his home in Ibadan, about 147 kilometers to the north of Lagos.

Nigeria is a warm beautiful country with an amazing history. It was revealing to travel this long highway with Samson and his family as we dodged potholes, broken down sections, police checkpoints, masses of people and trucks. Apparently the road was more crowded because of a huge evangelical camp meeting taking place between Lagos and Ibadan with something like a million people attending. It took us almost 5 plus hours to navigate our way to his home in Ibadan. Dr. Fatokun has three children, Joy, Peace, and David, and his wife’s name is Christiana. He is an associate pastor at the Christ Landmark Ministry Church at Apete near his home.

On Saturday October 3, 2009, we met pastor Stephen Omegai who is pastor of the Christ Landmark Ministry Church near where Samson lives. He came to greet us and to share his vision of evangelism resulting in new churches being planted and multiplying. He uses a bus to do this evangelism and calls the ministry “Seek and Save.”

Right away was also asked to visit the “All Nations for Jesus Church” right near Samson’s home to share with some of the leaders he is training.

Then on Sunday, October 4, 2009, we started out by a greeting and visit to the Christ Landmark Ministry Church pastored by Rev. Omegai. We were warmly greeted and ask to say a word. Then everyone went outside for a group photo. The Nigerians love to take pictures and to be in a picture. We then went on to the large Christ Landmark Church where we are to be ministering this week for a greeting and short sharing.

We finally arrived at in The Redeemed Evangelical Mission Church pastored by Rev. Khandie, a large church that has planted some 26 daughter churches and is in the process of planting its 27th daughter church and plans to plant a 28th daughter church in November of this year. I spoke with translation into Yoruba on “A Living Church According to Acts 2:37 to 47. I later discovered that the attendance that morning in his church was 464 (so this church really tracks its attendance to know what is going on.) About three came forward in response to an invitation to receive Christ or be baptized. In the evening at 5 p.m. Noreen spoke to about 40 to 50 ladies on living as a godly woman. There was a good response to her teaching.

On Monday October 5th, we left early Monday morning to travel to Irele-ese-odo in the Odon State, Niger Delta and arrived at the Bishop’s Court and met Bishop Akinbuluma, head of the Missionary Diocese of Irele-ese-odo, a good friend of Samson Fatokun from University days. We had a good Nigerian meal and were escorted to the church for a parade leading up to the church accompanied by the Diocese band where we were also greeted by the mayor of the town. We went into the church and then out again to inspect the brigade and back to the church for an official greeting given by a number of people. Our time there finished with a lecture I gave on “Why Do Some Churches Reproduce?”

On Tuesday, October 6th, we continued ministry in the Missionary Diocese of the Anglican Church in Irele-ese-odo with a 9:50 to 10:45 study on Balanced growth – quantity, quality, and structure. Then from 12:00 to 1 p.m. “A Guide Plan for the Planting of Daughter Churches” and then 1 to 2 p.m. “Qualities of an Effective Church Planter” an abridged study. We finished with a final study from 2:30 to 4 p.m. on “Seven Principles for the planting, growth, and multiplication of Churches.” During this time, Noreen did study with ladies on “Six Qualities of a Godly Woman: