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Saturday 21 2009 Our History



ECWA was established through the mission work of SIM which began in 1893. On December 4, 2005, SIM/ECWA was 112 years old since Rowland Bingham, Thomas Kent, and Walter Gowans in their early twenties, left the comfort of their homes, families businesses in the West and headed to what was called “the Dark Continent”, to preach the Good News. Two of them died within the first year of their mission and Rowland Bingham had to be evacuated back home a couple of times because of Malaria, yet, he did not give up. However, the peak of the fruit of the ministry became a reality when Rev. Titcombe baptized 10 men and 3 women during the first baptismal service in 1909 at Ogga. The SIM churches established were incorporated as ECWA in 1954 with 7 DCCs. Today, the church that was founded through the sacrificial efforts of these saints is the ”Evangelical Church West Africa (ECWA) with 6,000 churches organized into 74 DCCs and 6 million members. Many people have benefited directly or indirectly through the ministries of SIM/ECWA.

Activities/events that have taken place in the past have shaped the life of ECWA in many ways. The major or key activities/events that have shaped the life of ECWA are highlighted below.

1. Missions, Church planting and growth. From the time the first SIM missionaries landed in Nigeria for mission work to the establishment of EMS, there has been a great increase in the number of people reached with the gospel and the number of churches planted. There has also been an increase in better-trained manpower. Stipends were paid to keep the missionaries because the church was not financially equipped to cater for the total welfare of the missionaries. There has been no proper planning to support mission work, and there was no much presence of SIM/ECWA of the South-South and South East geographical zones.

New Life For All contributed significantly to church growth in the 60s through prayer and one-on-one evangelistic strategy.

Political changes created open doors in the emirates for evangelism and church planting.

The fellowship groups were involved in the evangelism, mission and church planting efforts.

ECWA members that were civil servants and other professionals, who went on transfers, contributed to the Church planting efforts in many parts of the country.

Initially, the monthly allowances of the missionaries were promptly paid. Later on, there was the problem of redistribution of support meant for missionaries in the field. This problem has resulted in donors’ apathy and the subsequent drop in the level of support.

2. Education
The primary objective was to train manpower for evangelism and church planting. The teachers were carefully selected.

The takeover of the secular schools by the government had serious adverse effect on ECWA’s drive for secular education in Nigeria. However, ECWA took this as a challenge to establish more schools to replace those taken over.

There has been some levels of growth in theological education. Theological education is on the increase.


3. Medical Work
The primary objective was to use the health centres as a tool for evangelism. This worked very well in many areas. The takeover of some of the centres by the government had serious adverse implications. Some of the staff were not committed while some of the centres taken over by the DCCs were not properly managed mismanaged.

While there is serious decline in primary health care, there is upsurge in secondary healthcare and medical training.

4. Literature/Media
Literature inclusive of African Challenge, Radio ELWA, Film ministry and the bookshops contributed a lot to church planting, discipleship and growth. In recent years, these have declined considerably.


5. Rural Development
It contributed a lot towards church planting through extension programmes as well as towards economic empowerment of the members. The main emphasis was on the rural populace because about 70% of ECWA membership resided in the rural areas. However, this has change due to the prevailing economic/conditions.

The rural aspect is now being handled by POD.

6. Constitutional reviews (about 4 in all).
There had been four constitutional reviews. These reviews affected the administration and structure of ECWA. These reviews led to a stronger inclination towards greater centralization. The church operates a hybrid of the three types of church government (Presbyterian, Congregational and Episcopal). There was an attempt to change the name during the last review of the constitution but this was resisted.

7. Structural and Administrative changes
Constitutional reviews led to structural and administrative changes as mentioned above. Centralization of administration has led to a situation where there is less participation of the laity in the decision-making process in ECWA and yet they constitute the majority. Women participation in the leadership of ECWA is minimal.

8. Political changes
These are external factors that impinge on ECWA. Take over of schools, taxation, import policies, devaluation of the currency, high interest and unemployment rates, deliberate refusal to grant C of O for church projects, lack of access to state owned media, gradual increase in the power of regulatory bodies are to mention but a few.

Some activities that impacted positively on ECWA include: opening of the emirates to the gospel, posting/transfers of staff in the armed forces such as the Police, Army, NYSC and return of some church institutions by the government.

9. Spiritual renewal
This includes introduction of musical instruments during worship, all night prayers, and deliverance ministries. Some of these have been influenced by the Pentecostal movement in Nigeria. ECWA faces the challenge of clarifying and maintaining ECWA identity in all of these. The introduction of ECWA English and ECWA Hausa Local Congregations also poses quite some challenges. While the former seems to cherish Hymn books and older songs, the latter seems to focus more on choruses some of which have little or no sound theological basis.
















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I'm glad to be a part of the work Thomas Kent and friends started.