Faith Christian Church
Reaching the unreached people
of the Ijaw Tribe
Vision For 2008
Dear Friends and Supporters of Nigeria-Ijaw Mission,
Today we are standing at a crossroad in the success of our church-planting ministry among the unreached people of the Ijaws. The first plateau of success has been attained, with results that surpassed our expectations. And as is the case with all successful servants of God, we are now being asked to step forward into an even greater challenge, and multiply the accomplishments of the recent years.
Our Progress:
2002 - 2007
We began in 2002 by joining Rev. Wilson Okotie and High Impact Christian Center (HICC), in his breakthrough mission to the Ijaws of the Niger Delta. He had, by the special grace of God, established 2 small churches and trained a handful of young Ijaw Pastors. After visiting the Egbema Kingdom of the Ijaws, receiving a welcome and invitation to plant churches, by the King, the Lord directed me to form Nigeria-Ijaw Mission (NIM) and assist Wilson in this great endeavor. The Ijaws are approximately 15 million strong, divided into several kingdoms located in the Niger River Delta. Officially an unreached people group, the Ijaws have historically been impenetrable, despite several failed missionary efforts. WilsonÕs small successful breakthrough was about to become the first significant true self-sustaining indigenous church planting movement among the Ijaw people. That is where NIM comes into play.
From 2002 to 2007 HICC and NIM have worked together to bring the total of established Ijaw churches to 9. These are planted in 9 different villages and towns in the Egbema Kingdom (approximately 1 million people) and are led by HICC Ijaw Pastors that we have reached through evangelism, raised up and trained for the ministry. NIM has not only financed the training and support of these Pastors and their families, but we have built 9 church & Parsonage facilities in all 9 location. In addition, immediately following the completion of construction, we have set up each PastorÕs family with a $500 business start-up, making them self-sufficient and removing them from salaried support. This way we can keep move our funding forward to support the training of new Pastors.
Rev. Okotie is presently planning a new Ijaw Outreach HICC Headquarters Church in the city of Sapele, on the Benin River. This is the closest city to the villages of the Egbema Kingdom, as well as being situated between Egbema and two other large Ijaw Kingdoms. Having a HICC Headquarters located there will give us a great logistical advantage in directing ministry and missions outreaches into the villages.
Besides our Pastor Training and Church Planting, we are in the process of educating 4 of our PastorsÕ wives, to become certified Teachers, and are planning the opening of the first accredited school in Egbema Kingdom.
We are also investigating the requirements and drawing up plans to open a Health Center or Clinic. This would be the first in the Egbema Kingdom, servicing approximately 1 million people.
Our New Goal:
Planting 11 MORE Churches
The impact of this self-sustaining church-planting movement has led to a cry for the Gospel and mission church plants, from throughout the region. As a result, the following 11 communities are begging for the Gospel to be preached and a church planted in their midst:
á Awanba Village
á Torlofa Village
á Opia Village
á Agide Village
á Adagbarasa Village
á Yabekaragbene Village
á Torukubuagbene Village
á Itagbene Village
á Asigborodor Village
á Gbeokoda Village
á Koko Village
We presently have a small group of Ijaw men, applying for minister training. This number will increase dramatically when we begin to penetrate into the new villages.
The financial commitment required to take a man through discipleship and pastoral, then sustain his family during the church planting months and ultimately establish him in his own self-sustaining business, is approximately $2,000. Then add to that the $6,000 for building a church and parsonage.
In summary, we are entering new villages without any church, holding crusades, gaining converts, planting a church, training a Pastor, and delivering the community a full active, mission-minded congregation, with a self-supporting Pastor, and no more financial support, all within a period of approximately 2 years. ThatÕs $8,000 over 2 years to produce a fully self-sustaining congregation in a community previously unreached. These churches average memberships of between 100 to 200 members, or more, in that period of time. THAT is fruit.
Our Needs:
Church PlantingÉ
Taking on this challenge is the same as when we began 5 years ago:
á Pastor Training and support is $70 a month
á A church and Parsonage is $6,000
á It takes approximately 2 years and $8,000 to bring a new church-plant to self-sustaining completion
We have been faithful with a little, resulting in 9 complete churches built in 5 years. Now the Lord is simply adding to our mission, and we believe He will increase our provision to fulfill it.
We are very grateful for those who have been our faithful supporters of the mission, up to the present. You have made it possible for us to be faithful with the goals God has given us. I hope that you will rejoice in the accomplishments that your giving has afforded, and be encouraged to continue to invest in the expansion of this mission.
We invite new supporters to consider the uniqueness of the success of this ministry. Among all the worthy mission causes, there are those that involve the actual expansion of ChristÕs Kingdom, into the unreached territories of the world, that still await the Light of the Gospel. The strides of HICC and NIM have been difficult but steady and solid. Like pioneers, settling an untamed land, without infrastructure or development, we are entering regions that are not only unreached with the Gospel, they are undeveloped by any modern standards. Without electricity, potable water, medical services, education, roadways, or modern communication, our work is very difficult and tedious. Immediately upon the reception of the Gospel, we are faced with the glaring needs of these remote communities. Yet God is establishing His perfect order: Gospel first and provision follows. We are not a relief agency, but we are agents of the Kingdom of God, the tip of the spear, if you will. We welcome your hands joining with ours, in the form of financial support and prayers, to enter this accelerated pace of church planting and growth.
Missions Trip & CrusadesÉ
At the end of this year we will be returning to IjawLand with our team, to conduct crusades, minister training, church dedication, and minister to our Ijaw churches. This is a grueling, intense trip, with a jam packed itinerary and difficult travel conditions. We hold crusades every day in different villages, as well as minister training and basic ministry to the people. We cannot look to our hosts to support our visit and must pay for all the expenses of our ministry there. We truly minister at our own expense, taking nothing but the most basic hospitality. All help with financing our trip is greatly appreciated, as a share in this ministry.
For a report of our most recent trip to IjawLand visit our website and click on our Summer 2007 Update.
Contributions:
To make a Donation to NIM simply click on the button above and follow the prompts. Or you may make out a check and mail it to:
NIM
PO Box 8564
Clearwater, FL 33765
You may designate your contributions to any of the following if you so desire. Or simply allow your donations to go where they are most needed:
á Church-Planting & Ijaw Minister Training
á January 2008 Missions trip (travel/accommodations in & out of country, all ministry and crusade expenses)
á Establishing Our First Ijaw School (primary & secondary education)
á Establishing A Health Center/Clinic
Simply click the ÒMake a DonationÓ button and write your designation in the field marked ÒPlease put towardsÉÓ.
Thank you for your continued prayers and support of NIM and the wonderful efforts of HICC in the mission to the Ijaws of the Niger Delta!
Sincerely Yours In Christ,