Nigeria Mission Trip – June 2024
Ibadan Bible Conference
God continues to do great things in Lagos and surrounding towns and villages in Nigeria. The FirstLove Ministries mission team was greatly blessed over the ten days of ministry to see the growth of the church, church plants in Lekki, Ipaja and Abeokuta, and the hunger for gospel truth in Ibadan in the Oyo state. The harvest it truly plentiful, and the laborers are few. Please pray the Lord of the Harvest will send out His laborers into the harvest!
ARRIVAL AND CONFERENCES AT SOVERIGN GRACE BIBLE CHURCH
The FirstLove team consisting of Pastor Joe Jacowitz, Pastor Austin Huggins, Frank Maxson, and Tom Smith along with his wife Margaret, arrived June 4 and 5 in Lagos and settled into an apartment complex only a few minutes’ walk from the church. God provided excellent accommodations, hospitality and care by the members of Sovereign Grace Bible Church (SGBC) throughout our stay.
FirstLove Pastor’s Conference
On Friday, the Lagos FirstLove Pastor’s Conference was held at SGBC in Lagos with the theme of A Faithful Ministry. About 100 pastors were in attendance to hear messages on being faithful to God’s calling as a pastor: Faithful in Secret, Faithful in God’s House, Faithful in God’s Word, and Faithful to the End. FirstLove gave away 300 locally printed books in Lagos to those in attendance. The question-and-answer time indicated a need for additional training and sound theological literature for the pastors in Nigeria. Planning for a 3-day intensive training program for pastors is already being planned in late October 2024 before the fall Lagos Bible Conference.
Mid-year Bible Conference
SGBC and FirstLove Ministries hosted a one-day mid-year conference on Saturday, with the theme of The Truth of God’s Word on Heresies. False teaching concerning the character of God, the person of Christ, and the inerrancy and sufficiency of scripture abound throughout the land of Nigeria. The FirstLove team addressed some of these heresies to the 160 in attendance. 350 free books, provided by FirstLove, were given to the attendees. So much more teaching needs to be done to confront these and other heresies being promulgated throughout Nigeria, Africa and the entire world. Pray that God would raise up an army to “earnestly contend for the faith” in these days of darkness.
MINISTRY IN LOCAL CHURCHES
On the Lord’s Day on June 9 and June 16, the team was able to minister at SGBC, and church plants in Lekki and Ipaja. Pastor Eleazar C. Maduka is currently shepherding Sovereign Grace Lekki Church on a trial basis to determine if God is calling to him to pastor this church in Lekki. Pastor Oghenerukevwe Idenedo (Pastor Ruke) is shepherding the Christ Bible Church in Ipaja. It was a great blessing to preach, teach, and fellowship with these dear saints in these churches. We are thankful for the sacrifice of these men and their families in working to plant churches and continue to minister to their local flock. With the inflation rate in Nigeria currently at an annual rate of over 33%, many families are struggling to provide basic needs. Pray for these pastors and their congregations.
RADIO MINISTRY
For three evenings we had the opportunity to host two-hour live radio broadcasts on Super 92.7 FM, a local family radio station which broadcasts over the air and on social media throughout Nigeria. Along with our Nigerian brothers, the team discussed local issues on what is the true gospel, qualifications of church leaders, and marriage and the family. Questions were taken live on the air. The radio station host worked well with us, as she asked questions and interacted with the team to address the issues Nigerians are facing every day. It was a tremendous success with a great response from the listeners! The team also had the opportunity to host a one-hour radio show in Ibadan, on a local government owned station Premier 93.5 FM. Tremendous doors are open to expand radio ministry throughout Nigeria to proclaim His truth!
MEETING WITH PASTOR INTERNS AND MISSIONS CONFERENCE
On Tuesday, Pastor Joe and Pastor Austin met with the pastoral interns for training an encouragement. These interns are working with the elders of SGBC to received theological and practical training in preparation for the ministry. On Wednesday, the first SGBC mission conference was held. What a blessing to hear about local church plants and pray with the church that God would continue to raise up pastors and laborers for additional church plants throughout Nigeria, Africa, and around the world.
ABEOKUTA MISSION STATION VISIT
Pastor Joe Jacowitz left for the return trip to the United States on Wednesday June 12. The rest of the team (Austin, Frank and Tom along with Pastor Osinachi from SGBC) traveled on Thursday to Abeokuta to visit Pastor Otu Oluwagbemiga working to plant Grace Reformed Baptist Church. With the help of Pastor Otu and pastoral intern Sola Abraham, Austin and Frank were able to preach in the open air in the village of Itoku, a very dark place filled with superstition. The gospel was presented and translated into the Yoruba language. Another local tribal leader has asked for the gospel to be presented in their village – may the light of the gospel shine forth in these villages!
CONFERENCES IN IBADAN
After ministering in Abeokuta and the local village of Itoku, the team boarded a train for Ibadan. With the help of some good drivers, we traveled directly from the train station to the Premier 93.5 FM radio station and arrived in time to host the one-hour show. We picked up some food at the local grocery store and arrived late that night at our accommodation at the University of Ibadan Hotel to prepare for the upcoming conferences.
Ibadan Pastors Conference
On Friday, the Ibadan FirstLove Pastor’s Conference was held at the Baptist Services Center on the University of Ibadan campus. Over 300 pastors packed the facility to hear messages on the conference theme – What it Means to Preach Christ. The question-and-answer session was profitable, and clearly showed that additional teaching and training of Pastors on essential doctrines, such as the Trinity and the Person and Work of Christ, is needed. Baptist pastors from the northern state of Osun asked for the team to train pastors in their area and offered to help with future conference planning. A “pastor pack” of books was distributed to the attendees.
Ibadan Bible Conference
On Friday evening, the Ibadan Bible Conference began with the Theme of the Person and Work of Christ. Over 200 in attendance heard messages on the Person of Christ, and the Humility, Sufferings and Death of Christ. On Saturday morning, the Bible conference continued at the Chapel of the Resurrection, a larger venue with more than 370 in attendance. Messages continued with the theme of the Person and Work of Christ: Christ as the Head of the Church, Christ as the Good and Gentile Shepherd, and Christ the Returning King. After another Q&A period, over 950 books were distributed to the attendees.
WOMENS MINISTRY
While the men went north to Abeokuta and Ibadan to hold conferences, Margaret Smith met with the women at SGBC Lagos on Saturday for a one-day conference, Q&A, and of course, fellowship. Approximately 100 women and children were in attendance coming from SGBC and sister churches in Lekki and Ipaja. Topics covered at the morning meeting included “Women as Servants” and “What is a Titus 2 Woman”. The afternoon meeting was filled with Q&A. Questions were asked about women having careers, women as “managers” in the home, and how expectations are different for women in Nigeria versus the United States.
FINAL FAREWELL
After our Monday meeting on June 17 to discuss the lessons learned during the 10-days of ministry and start planning for the next trip in the Fall 2024, we said our farewells. The rest of the team left for the return trip on United States on Tuesday and arrived safely home on Wednesday. We thank God for His provision and help throughout the trip. All glory be to His Name!
GREAT BLESSINGS AND OPPORTUNITY ABOUND IN NIGERIA
Overall, the trip was a great blessing as we observed how God is working in Lagos, Abeokuta, Ibadan, and the surrounding areas of Nigeria. There is much work to be done. Please pray for SGBC and all the labors, pastor training, missionary outreach, and church plants that are underway.
Pray with us as we continue to support the work in Nigeria
- Awakening of lethargic church members
- Funds for the SGBC building project and removal of obstacles for construction permits
- Training of men for the ministry and funds for church plants
- Need for additional pastoral training
- Refuting false doctrine and false teaching
- Expansion of radio outreach ministry
“I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom. Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.” (2 Timothy 4: 1-4)
