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Nigeria is
Africa's most populous and one of its most influential nations.
Though the country is rich in natural resources, most Nigerians
are in economic distress. The public debt per person exceeds the
per capita annual income. About 470 languages are spoken in Nigeria,
with English the official language. The constitution guarantees
religious freedom, but there is a long history of preferential treatment
of Islam and of Muslim persecution of Christians. In 1999, voters
elected as president General Olusegun Obasanjo, who says he committed
his life to Christ while serving a political prison sentence. The first SIM
base in this part of Africa was opened in Nigeria in 1902. We have
worked in more than 30 language groups of Nigeria, and were instrumental
in opening much of the Islamic North to the gospel, largely through
medical ministries. The Evangelical Church of West Africa (ECWA),
growing out of SIM's work, has more than four million people in
more than 5,000 churches. The church is engaged in theological education,
medical ministries, radio, publications for outreach and discipleship,
rural development, urban ministries and cross-cultural missions.
More than 1,375 missionaries from ECWA churches serve with the ECWA
missionary arm (Evangelical Missionary Society--EMS) among unreached
people in Nigeria and other countries. Among Muslims
in the North there are areas of strong resistance to the gospel,
with some states declaring Sharia (Muslim) Law. In the Church, inadequate
teaching and discipling have resulted in doctrinal distortions.
Materialism and power struggles also hinder the impact of the churches.
Second-generation church people are often name-only Christians who
compromise in their morals, join secret societies, and dabble in
traditional fetishism, etc. Indigenous syncretistic groups urgently
need the light of God's Word. The SIM Nigeria
team seeks to be a unified, focused, and prayerful ministry team
that encourages ECWA to fulfil her biblical calling so that each
generation of ECWA Christians will grow as obedient followers of
Jesus, participating in the fulfillment of the Great Commission.
Some SIM missionaries are engaged in evangelism and church planting,
especially in Muslim areas. Other SIMers are working with ECWA in
church leadership development, rural development, publication of
resources, children's and youth ministries, medical programs, technical
assistance, and many types of training. Please pray
for:
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