The First Synod of the Nigeria Reformed Church (1)

Rev. C. Sonnevelt, Lethbridge, AB

The second week of April this year was a landmark in the history of the Nigeria Reformed Church, the church that came into being as a fruit upon the mission work of our sister denomination in the Netherlands. From April 7 to 10, the Nigerian church met for the first time in a Synodical session. As I had the privilege to attend this first Synod meeting, I will try to tell something about it. This first article is about what led up to that solemn and happy event.

Country in West Africa

Nigeria is a densely populated country located on the west coast of Africa. No one knows for sure how many people are living within its borders, but the total population is estimated at well above 120 million. There are close to 400 tribes or ethnic groups, each with its own language. The official language is English, which should not surprise us, because Nigeria used to be a British colony until it gained independence in 1960. Today the country is a member of the British Commonwealth, just like Canada.

As Nigeria is situated near the equator, its climate is tropical. A comparison with Bolivia can easily be drawn, but Nigeria also has its own characteristics. The so-called dry season is extremely hot while the rainy season raises the level of humidity to oppressive heights. In addition, there is the harmattan, a desert wind blowing between December and February. A climate like this is very favorable for diseases like malaria and is quite demanding on the people, many of whom are living in abject poverty.

Start of mission work

In the early sixties, our church in the Netherlands began to send missionaries to Irian Jaya (today called Papua) and to Nigeria. The Methodist Church of Nigeria needed assistance for their medical and agricultural work among the Igede tribe. The Mission Board responded to that request. In God’s providence, however, the mission field proved to be a stepping stone towards unreached areas. After one of the missionaries had set up a Bible and Agricultural School, he felt compelled to cross the border of the Igede area and to bring the gospel among the Izi tribe. This work, started in 1974, was not under the jurisdiction of the Methodist Church but fell directly under the church in the Netherlands.

By 1981, the year when the first missionary minister arrived, eight little churches had already been established. The Izi people were heathens who had a vague notion of a Supreme Being (called Chileke), but in reality they worshipped lesser gods, practiced magic, and paid much tribute to the spirits of their forefathers. There was much opposition to the customs of the white man, but at the same time sinners were powerfully drawn by the Lord out of darkness into His marvelous light. The church was planted, and the message of death in Adam and life in Christ began to spread throughout the northern part of the Izi land.

Birth of national church

On the eve of 1988, it was felt that the time was ripe for the first congregations to be organized. The Word of God and the three Forms of Unity were accepted as the doctrinal standards of the young church. The Church Order of Dordt was translated into Izi, and the church people were instructed in what the Bible says about the offices. In four of the existing churches elders and deacons were elected. Some of the new office bearers were missionaries, but most of them were Izi people. On April 15, 1988, these brothers were installed during a combined church service on the premises of the Bible College. Five days later, the first Nigerian ministers (Rev. Daniel Mbam and Rev. Kenneth Iziogo) were ordained in the full administration of Word and sacraments. Thus, the birth of a national church on the mission field was a fact. The Lord had done great things, whereof we were glad (Psalm 126).

Meanwhile, an application had been submitted to the Ministry of Internal Affairs with the request to register the Nigeria Reformed Church as a corporate entity. With the growing influence of Muslims in the government quarters, it seemed unlikely that this request would ever be granted. Some of the missionaries suggested therefore that the church affiliate with the Assemblies of God (a U.S.-based Pentecostal church that is very active in Nigeria), but the church people disagreed. “Is there no God in heaven who can hear our feeble prayers?” was their humbling question. They were not disappointed in their childlike trust. Before the end of that same year, a positive answer was received from the authorities in Abuja. From then on, the church was licensed to act as a legal body and to own property.

Daughter becomes sister

A few years later, there was another significant development. The mother church in the Netherlands offered her Nigerian daughter to enter into mutual fellowship as churches. The church in Nigeria accepted this offer with both hands. During the Synodical meetings of the Netherlands Reformed Congregations in Utrecht from 1992-1993, this new relationship was ratified. The daughter church had turned into a sister church. Expressed in the words of our church order, the two denominations established a bond of ecclesiastical correspondence.

As we all know, there is a similar bond between our denomination in North America and the Netherlands. Regarding the bond between the church in the Netherlands and that in Nigeria, however, two exceptions were made: in the first place, it was agreed that the two denominations should not call one another’s ministers; in the second place, Nigerian ministers visiting the Netherlands would only be allowed to preach there if they would do so in the Dutch language. This effectively closed the Dutch pulpits for the Nigerian brothers. It was not until the last Synod held in Utrecht (2007-2008) that this decision was reversed, much to the joy of the Nigerian sister church.

From Classis to Synod

In the years between 1988 and 2008, more congregations were organized in Nigeria. Each of these congregations has the supervision over a number of departments (“branches” comparable to Calgary or Choteau) and a number of preaching centers or evangelistic centers (mission posts comparable to Baldwin). More people joined the church, and more congregations received a minister of their own. As a result of this growth, it was possible to carve out three more Classes, bringing the total number of Classes to four.

Naturally, this led to the situation that a first Synod meeting could be held and should be held, according to the articles of church order. The church in the Netherlands has twelve Classes, four Particular Synods, and one General Synod (held every three years), but the situation in Nigeria more closely resembles that of North America. The Nigerian church is too small to create the intermediate level of Particular Synods. Nevertheless, it was quite a step to be taken—from Classis to Synod!

Delegates and visitors

For the Synodical meeting in April, 2008, each of the four Classes had delegated six office-bearers: three elders and three ministers or pastors. Before someone can become a minister in the Nigerian church, he must first be accepted by the Curatorium of the Theological School and receive proper training. In that sense there is no difference with established practice in the Netherlands or in North America. However, when a Nigerian student has been trained and called, he will first have to serve as a “pastor” (we might also say, as an “exhorter”) and show faithfulness in doctrine, life, and labor before he will be ordained as a minister. The church in Nigeria tries to tread a careful path.

On behalf of the church in the Netherlands, two ministers had been delegated to attend this first Synod: Rev. W. Harinck (member of the Mission Board and member of the Board for Correspondence with Foreign Churches) and Rev. L. Terlouw (member of the Mission Board and minister since 2004). The Nigerian church had also invited their former missionary ministers, Rev. G. Clements (1994-2000) and me (1981-1990), to be present as long-time friends and advisors. Personally, I had been back in Izi four times since our departure in 1990, but this visit was a very special one. Thirty-four years after the beginning of the mission work in Izi and twenty years after the birth of the national church, a Synod was held. I hope to write more about that in the next issue of The Banner of Truth.

(to be continued)

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