Earlyface

Religion is said to be beliefs people have in God or deities. In the world, Nigerian churches are force to reckon on religious matters.

Churches in Nigeria and their founders have, through deliverance services, evangelism, sermons, out reaches and crusades,  brought liberations and solutions to many across the world. This some have adjudged to have aided the Nigerian economy.

Newsmath examines some churches in Nigeria and their founders.

These are list of some churches and their Founders.  It also contains the year of establishment, founder and the current general Overseer.


1. Christ Apostolic Church

Christ Apostolic Church (CAC) is the first Aladura Pentecostal church present in Nigeria and other countries. It has come into existence in the first half of the 20th century, in the then-British empire. It was formally established in 1941 after a split from the Apostolic Church which the original Aladura organization (Faith Tabernacle) had invited to Nigeria. Its growth was led by Joseph Ayo Babalola, a road construction driver who became its founder.

♦ Born : April 25, 1904
                Odo-Owa, Oke-Afa LGA Kwara State, Nigeria

♦ Died :July 26, 1959 (aged 55)
               Ede, Osun State,  southwestern, Nigeria


2.  The Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG)

RCCG was founded in 1952 by Rev. Josiah Olufemi Akindayomi (1909–1980) after he had been involved in several other churches. Pastor Akindayomi then chose Enoch Adeboye, a lecturer in mathematics at the University of Lagos, who joined the church in 1973. Adeboye initially became one of the interpreters translating Akindayomi’s sermons from Yoruba to English. He was ordained a pastor of the church in 1975, and his appointment as leader of the church was formalized by the posthumous reading of Akindayomi’s sealed pronouncement.

♦  Governance : Enoch Adeboye, General Overseer (1981–Date)



3. Living Faith Church Worldwide

Living Faith Church Worldwide (also known as Winners Chapel) is a megachurch and a Christian denomination founded by Bishop David Oyedepo in 1981. The organization has since become a global network of churches with congregations in 49 countries.

The beginnings of the church can be traced back to May 1981 when Oyedepo claims to have had an 18-hour vision from God. In this vision God spoke to him saying, “Now the hour has come to liberate the world from all oppressions of the devil, through the preaching of the Word of faith; and I am sending you to undertake this task”. Two years later the church was formed with four members.

♦ Born : September 27, 1954 (age 61)
                Omu Aran, Kwara State, Nigeria

 

4. Christ Embassy

Christ Embassy also known as Believers’ LoveWorld Incorporated, is a megachurch and a Christian denomination founded by pastor Chris Oyakhilome in 1990. The Church has since become a global network of churches with congregations in many countries, with millions of members. The headquarters of Lagos has over 40 000 members. The ministry was founded in Pastor Chris’ university. There are several major programs with thousands to millions of people in attendance.

Chris Oyakhilome began by leading a prayer group at the University of Edo State, while studying architecture.  The church’s foundation dates back to 1990 in Lagos. The denomination has churches in many countries. It counts 1 million members. The headquarters of Lagos has 40 000 members.
 ♦ Born: December 7, 1961 (age 54)



5. Deeper Christian Life Ministry

Deeper Christian Life Ministry (also known as Deeper Life Bible Church)is anon-denominational Christian Church with its international headquarters,Deeper Life Bible Church Lagos
in Lagos, Nigeria. It is overseen by the General Superintendent of Deeper Life Bible Church, Pastor William Folorunso Kumuyi. It is a Holiness-Pentecostal church.In 1973, while serving as a Mathematics Lecturer at the University of Lagos, W.F. Kumuyi started a Bible study group with 15 university students who had come to him requesting training in the Scriptures. The church started as the Deeper Christian Life Ministry.
William Folorunso Kumuyi,  was a former Anglican who joined the Apostolic Faith Church after being his baptism.In 1975, he was expelled from the church for preaching without credentials. He continued his independent ministry, which in 1982 became the Deeper Life Bible Church. By the early 1980s that small group had grown to several thousand, at which time Deeper Life Bible Church was formally established.
 ♦ born : 6 June 1941(age 75)
                 Erin-Ijesha, Osun State, Nigeria


6. Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries

The Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries(MFM) is a Pentecostal organisation founded in Yaba, Lagos, Lagos State, Nigeria in 1989, now with churches in several English-speaking and non-English speaking countries. It was founded by Dr. Daniel Kolawole Olukoya (DKO).  Mountain Of Fire And Miracles Ministries was founded by Daniel Kolawole Olukoya at a prayer meeting in 1989 in his living room.

The prayer group purchased a large site at an abandoned slum near the University of Lagos, and converted it into the International Headquarters of the Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries of which Olukoya is the General Overseer. The first service there was on April 24, 1994.

♦ Born : 15th July
                 Akure, Ondo State

 

7.  The Lord’s Chosen Charismatic Revival Movement

The Lord’s Chosen Charismatic Revival Movement (popularly called Lord’s Chosen) is a Nigerian Christian megachurch founded by Lazarus Muoka. The church which has its headquarters located along the Oshodi-Apapa Expressway in Surulere local government area of Lagos State started with a few people and went on to experience rapid growth with over 300,000 branches all over the world. In 1994, Lazarus Muoka claimed to have had a vision from God instructing him to leave his former church to form what is now known as The Lord’s Chosen Charismatic Revival Movement. The church which was founded on 23 December 2002 commenced service on 24 December 2002 with a few pioneer members in a rented apartment at Ilasamaja, a town in Mushin, Lagos

Due to the increase in new converts in a short period, the church was moved to its present location in Ijeshatedo on a sixty plot of land which can contain over 30,000 members in a service.

♦Born : Mgbidi in Imo State

 

8. The Synagogue, Church of All Nations (SCOAN)

Temitope Balogun Joshua (born June 12, 1963), commonly referred to as T. B. Joshua, is a Nigerian prophet and televangelist. He is the leader and founder of The Synagogue, Church of All Nations (SCOAN), a religious organisation that runs the
Emmanuel TV
television station from Lagos, Nigeria.

Joshua wrote that in a heavenly vision he had received divine anointing and a covenant from God to start his ministry.Following this, Joshua founded the ministry organisation The Synagogue, Church of All Nations (SCOAN) with only a handful of members. According to the organisation, more than 15,000 members attend its weekly Sunday service; visitors from outside Nigeria are accommodated in the accommodation blocks constructed at the church

♦Born :  June 12, 1963 (age 53)
                Arigidi, Nigeria


9.Celestial Church of Christ

The Celestial Church of Christ is an African Initiated Church founded by the Rev.
Samuel Biléhou Joseph Oshoffa on 29 September 1947 in Porto-Novo,Benin.Mainly located in Africa and in the Afro-descendant communities in the world, particularly in Benin and Nigeria.

The movement was founded by Samuel Joseph Bilewu Oschoffa, a former carpenter born in Dahomey (now Benin) in 1909. Raised as Protestant(Methodism), he had a divine revelation on 27 May 1947, during a solar eclipse, in a forest where he was lost. He felt called to pray, to heal the sick and raise the dead and founded his church in September 1947. Having appointed himself prophet, Reverend, pastor and founder, he occupied the highest office of the movement he had just founded.

♦ Born: 19 May 1909
               Porto-Novo, Benin

♦ Died:  1985
               Lagos, Nigeria


10. Eternal Sacred Order of the Cherubim and Seraphim

The Eternal Sacred Order of the Cherubim and Seraphim is the first African initiated church
established in 1925 by Moses Orimolade Tunolase. The church was born out of the Anglican
 church community among the Yoruba people in Western Nigeria.

♦Born: c1879   
               Ayibiri in Ondo State of Nigeria.
♦Died: October 19, 1933

Source: newsmath