Authors
Samuel Mba Onwuka, PhD
Department of Religious Studies/Philosophy,
Faculty of Humanities, Abia State University, Uturu,
Nigeria
+2348062584440, samuel.mba@absu.edu.ng
Iheoma, Kennedy Chimezie
Department of Religious Studies/Philosophy,
Faculty of Humanities, Abia State University, Uturu,
Nigeria
Abstract
In the study of Missions, local churches are referred to as
either “sending churches” or ‘receiving churches.”
Sending churches are the home country churches which
send and support missionaries, receiving churches are
the churches planted on the field as a result of
missionary work. The missionary’s job is not complete
until there is a viable local church established which is
able to grow and reproduce itself. In reaching this point,
effective missionaries follow the Biblical pattern which is threefold; first, evangelism; second, training disciples;
third, establishing the leadership and forming a new
local church. The new church is the receiving church.
This study focuses on the historical role of the Seventhday Adventist local church missions in the Ngwa
community by evaluating their impacts, challenges, and
influence on the growth of Christianity and community
development in the region.
Through a historical evaluation of the evangelistic
activities of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in the
Ngwa community of Abia State, the research
investigates how the local churches have contributed to
evangelistic outreach, education, healthcare, social
transformation, and spiritual development within the
Ngwa society from the inception of Adventism in the
area to this present time. Using the historical research
method, data were gathered from archival materials,
church records, journals, and relevant literature on
Adventist missions in southeast Nigeria. The study
reveals that the local church has played a vital role in the
missionary expansion through grass root evangelistic
efforts, establishment of basic schools and health
institutions, community outreach programs, youth
development, and moral instructions. In addition, the
study reveals that indigenous leadership shaped the
contextualization of evangelistic strategies, and activities
which encouraged total membership participations
hence, the growth and sustainability of Adventist
missions in the Ngwa community. The study
recommended the local church as the primary agency for
Christian mission and community transformation. The study concludes and maintains that local church
participation, leadership training, and contextual mission
involvement will improve the impact of Adventist
mission in the region. This investigation subsidizes
wider discourse on the history of church mission and the
significant role being played by the indigenous local
churches in modern day Christian mission in Nigeria.
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