ECWA churches are growing rapidly. Some churches have experienced as much as 400% growth in the last several years.
Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA) is the result of a long history of ministry. In 1893 three missionaries from Canada and the United States set out to take the Gospel to sub-Sahara part of Africa called the Soudan. This effort resulted in the start of Sudan Interior Mission (SIM) now called “Serving In Missions”. Over time, the missionaries from this organization planted many churches in the nation of Nigeria. In the middle of the 20 Century, these churches were nationalized and renamed the Evangelical Church of West Africa (ECWA). The church was renamed “Evangelical Church Winning All.” ECWA is one of the largest Protestant denominations in Nigeria with over 6,000 churches having an adult membership of 2.5 million and over 10 million in total attendance worldwide. In addition, ECWA also sends out 1,600 missionaries to Nigeria and 17 other countries through the Evangelical Missionary Society (EMS) of ECWA), the largest mission organization of any African church.
Throughout Nigeria, but especially in the central regions, ECWA churches are growing rapidly. Some churches have experienced as much as 400% growth in the last several years. Churches in the Northern (traditionally more Islamic) parts of the country are also growing.
Bingham University Karu was stated in 2005 as a way of meeting the soaring need for not only quality, secular education, but education that recognizes and integrates the moral and spiritual values on which the Christian faith is founded which fueled its establishment. ECWA started three Theological Seminaries: ECWA Theological Seminary, Igbaja that started as a School of Prophets in 1918, ECWA Theological Seminary, Kagoro established in 1931, and Jos ECWA Theological Seminary in 1982. There are also eight Bible colleges and fifteen theological training institutes. ECWA’s Medical Department coordinates a wide network which includes four hospitals, a Community Health Program with over 110 health clinics, a Central Pharmacy and the School of Nursing and Midwifery. It is also involved in TV, radio, publications for outreach and discipleship, rural development, urban ministries, and cross-cultural missions.
There has been a serious confrontation between evangelical Christians standing in opposition to the expansion of Sharia law in northern Nigeria by militant Muslims since 1999. The confrontation has radicalized and politicized the Christians. Christians are under attack in Northern Nigeria and are being slaughtered in the thousands by the Islamic Militant. Unfortunately, Nigerian officials are downplaying it, if not outright denying, the religious dimension of what’s happening. Instead, they’re calling this a conflict over resources, in this case, over land. Pray for ECWA and its outreaches.