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The Christian Reformed Church of Nigeria (CRC-N) is a Christian church that was established in 1951 under the name "Ekklisiyar Kristi a Sudan (EKAS) Lardin "Benue" meaning, "The church of Christ in Sudan, Benue region", and known under its current name since 1976. It belongs to the Fellowship of Churches of Christ in Nigeria (Tarayyar Ekklisiyar Kristi a Nigeria, TEKAN) and the World Communion of Reformed Churches.
The Christian Reformed Church, Nigeria (CRC-N) came into being after many years of effort on the part of Sudan United Mission (SUM). In 1904 the SUM under the leadership of Dr. Herman Karl kum sailed to Nigeria together with others as Ambrose H Bateman, John Gunter and J Lowry Maxwell. After, receiving permission by the then British High Commissioner in Northern Nigeria to establish at Wase, the party travelled from Lokoja and arrived at Ibi. From there they moved to Wase. Because of Islamic influence at Wase, the work did not go well. Mr. John Burt traveled to Wukari and there they made the first attempt to establish the mission centre. Dr. Lowry Maxwell went to Wukari from Ibi and preached the gospel there for the first time in 1905. Subsequently, he went to Donga with same message that same year. Consequently, Wukari became a new Mission station. However, the work in Wukari met with poor response and the missionaries moved inland and establish at Donga a new station in 1907. The Church in Donga was constituted as a Church on 17 June 1917. [1] Between 1910 and 1920, several visits were made to Lupwe-Takum area for possible expansion of the gospel. In 1916, Mr. Filibus Ashu Angyu was sent to Takum to become an evangelist there. Thus, indigenous missionaries started work in Takum before white missionaries went there. Rev. Whitman investigated Takum area and recommended that a station be opened at Lupwe. By 1919, Mr. William Nuckle Bristow built a station at Lupwe. In February, 1921, Mr. Whitman and Miss Johanna Veenstra arrived Lupwe from Donga. About this time, there was revival at Wukari and Ibi. A congregation started at Ibi in 1922. The gospel continued to grow due to the indigenous converts, who themselves became evangelists to their people. By 1936 Mr Edgar Smith and Siman Atajiri took the gospel to Nyita. There were converts there and the Chief of Nyita encouraged the people to embrace Christianity. By 1937, Mr Istifanus Audu, Edgar Smith,Musa Chiroma and Habila Adda took the gospel to the Kurmi area. The Ndola,Tigon and Ichen people there embraced the gospel. A station was built in Baissa. The Takum Church sent people like Bulus Kweshi to become an evangelist in Ndoro area in 1942. Also, by 1943, the Takum church sent Mr Daniel Andeyantso to be an evangelist at Ashuku, a Tigon town. Again the Takum church sent Mr Dauda Mbo to Ndaforo. Thus, the gospel took root and grew in Kurmi among the Ndoro, Tiggon and Ichen people. It is worthy to note that all these indigenous workers were not ordained nor were they paid, but of voluntary service.
At the beginning in 1904, the Mission field under consideration was under the SUM British Branch. It was Johanna Veenstra that first came as a Christian Reformed member of the SUM branch from America. Johanna Veenstra linked the Mission field to the Reformed branch during her thirteen years of service. Before her death, she had prepared ground for Christian Reformed Church, North America (CRCNA) takeover of the mission field. The process of taking over began in 1937. By 1939, the SUM. American Committee agreed to recommend the British branch of SUM that the Lupwe field should be given to the CRC. During the Synod of 7 July 1939, it was decided that Lupwe Takum Station should be taken over to become a CRC Mission project. This take-over also included Ibi, Wukari and Donga Stations. Therefore, in 1940 the Christian Reformed Church of America officially took over the Mission Field of the present CRCN.
The indigenous church was formed during its first meeting at IBI on 25 July 1951 under the name "Ekklisiyar Kristi a Sudan (EKAS) Lardin "Benue" meaning, "The church of Christ in Sudan, Benue region" The name of the new church was publicised through conference. The leaders explained the new name to the people and unity was emphasized. The Trustee of the Church was registered by the government of Nigeria, in August 1960. The church therefore became legally constituted autonomous body incorporated under the LAND (PERPETUAL) ACT CAP. 98 in Lagos under the name Ekklisiyar Kristi a Sudan (EKAS) Lardin Benue.
Later the name EKAS was changed to "Ekklisiyar Kristi A Nigeria (EKAN). Political changes took place and Benue found herself in both Benue and Sardauna provinces since Baissa and Serti was located in Sandauna province. The name therefore changed to EKAN Benue and Sardauna (EKAN 4BS.) In 1967, twelve states were created, Takum-Wukari and Donga stations were found in the then Benue Plateau State. Further then in 1976, when additional states were created, the old problem resurfaced as the church found herself to be in the (then) Gongola State and part of Benue State. At this point, the church decided to change her name to reflect that of the Mission which had originally established her, so as to avoid further complication by political changes, the church became known as the "Christian Reformed Church of Nigeria." (CRCN) The leaders of the church used to be called "Chairmen" but now the heads of the denomination are called "Presidents".
CRC-N has over 284 ordained ministers in active service. She has 154 consistories and 19 Regional Church Councils. She has a total of at least 200,000 members across the country. The Church is rooted in Taraba and her neighboring states. There are some consistories and worship centres in urban cities such as Abuja, Lagos, Maiduguri, Zaria, Jos etc. Abuja became in Regional Church Council on 31 October 2009 with eight (8) Local Church Councils- LCC Jos, 17 Oct. 2009; LCC Lagos- 25 Oct. 2009; LCC Abuja at Wumba District- 31ST Oct. 2009; LCC Nyanya- 31 Oct. 2009; LCC Kubwa- 31 Oct 2009; LCC Gwagwalada- 31 Oct. 2009; LCC Kabusa- 31 Oct. 2009;LCC Zaria, 11 July 2014.
The church owns the Veenstra Theological Seminary (VTS) Donga, where most of the pastors are being trained. VTS Donga formed an affiliation with the Taraba State University located in Jalingo on 17th June 2022. Other pastors are trained at the Theological College of Northern Nigeria (TCNN) Bukuru where CRCN is also a co-proprietor alongside other TEKAN churches. Besides VTS, CRCN has 3 Christian Training College (CTC), 8 Secondary Schools, 28 Nursery and Primary Schools.
The church has 5 Boards as Departments for proper control and management. These boards include the following:
It has more than 210,000 members.
The Bible is the infallible Word of God and the Church sees it as its anchor in all its teachings. the Church also take seriously apostolic and the following Reformed Creeds: Apostles Creed, Athanasian Creed, Nicene Creed, Canons of Dort, Heidelberg Catechism and other Reformed Confessions. It has Presbyterian church government with Local Church Council (156 in number) LCCS; classes or Regional Church Council (RCC) (19 RCCs) and Synods or General Church Council (GCC). It belongs to the Fellowship of Churches of Christ in Nigeria (Tarayyar Ekklisiyar Kristi a Nigeria, TEKAN) and the World Communion of Reformed Churches. [2] [3]
The Current Leadership of the Church are : 1. Rev. (Dr) Isaiah Jirapye Magaji: President 2. Rev. Wisdom Emmanuel Surupe: Vice President 3. Rev. Joseph Ahmadu Agbu: General Secretary
The Christian Reformed Church in North America is a Protestant Calvinist Christian denomination in the United States and Canada. Having roots in the Dutch Reformed Church of the Netherlands, the Christian Reformed Church was founded by Dutch immigrants in 1857 and is theologically Calvinist.
Tiv is a Tivoid language spoken in some states in North Central Nigeria, with some speakers in Cameroon. It had over 4.6 million speakers in 2020. The largest population of Tiv speakers are found in Benue state in Nigeria. The language is also widely spoken in some Nigerian states namely, Plateau, Taraba, Nasarawa, Cross River, Adamawa, Kaduna, and Abuja. It is by far the largest of the Tivoid languages, a group of languages belonging to the Southern Bantoid languages.
Tiv are a Tivoid ethnic group. They constitute approximately 2.4% of Nigeria's total population, and number over 5 million individuals throughout Nigeria and Cameroon. The Tiv language is spoken by over 5 million people in Nigeria, with a few speakers in Cameroon. Most of the language's Nigerian speakers are found in Benue, Taraba, Nasarawa, Plateau, Cross rivers, Adamawa, Kaduna, and the Federal Capital Territory Abuja. The language is a branch of Benue–Congo and ultimately of the Niger–Congo phylum. In pre-colonial times, the Fulani ethnic group referred to the Tiv as "Munchi", a term not accepted by Tiv people.
SIM is an international, interdenominational Evangelical Christian mission organization. It was established in 1893 by its three founders, Walter Gowans and Rowland Bingham of Canada and Thomas Kent of the United States.
Tarok is an agrarian society in the hills and on the plains southeast of Plateau State, Middle Belt, Nigeria.
The Gbari or Gbagyi are an ethnic group found predominantly in Central Nigeria with an estimated population of 12 million spread in four states, including Abuja, and located in thirty local government areas. It is also the name of their language. Members of the ethnic group speak two dialects. While speakers of the dialects were loosely called Gwari by both the Hausa Fulani and Europeans during pre-colonial Nigeria they prefer to be known as Gbagyi/Gbari. They live in the Niger, the Federal Capital Territory - Abuja, and Kaduna State. They are also found in Nasarawa central Nigeria Area. Gbagyi/Gbari is one of the most populated ethnic groups in the middle belt and indigenous in the Federal Capital Territory of Nigeria. This means Gbagyi people are the bonafide owners of the Nigerian capital city, Abuja.
Theological College of Northern Nigeria (TCNN) is a private, Christian college located in Bukuru, Plateau State, Nigeria.
Jukun are an ethno-linguistic group or ethnic nation in West Africa. The Jukun are traditionally located in Taraba, Benue, Nasarawa, Plateau, Adamawa, Bauchi and Gombe States in Nigeria and parts of northwestern Cameroon. They are descendants of the people of Kwararafa. Most of the tribes in the north central of Nigeria trace their origin to the Jukun people and are related in one way or the other to the Jukuns. Until the coming of both Christianity and Islam, the Jukun people were followers of their own traditional religions. Most of the tribes, Alago, Agatu, Rendere, Goemai in Shendam, and others left Kwararafa when it disintegrated as a result of a power tussle. The Jukuns are divided into two major groups; the Jukun Wanu and Jukun Wapa. The Jukun Wanu are fishermen residing along the banks of the river Benue and Niger where they run through Taraba State, Benue State and Nasarawa State. The Wukari Federation, headed by the Aku Uka of Wukari, is now the main centre of the Jukun people.
The World Communion of Reformed Churches (WCRC) is the largest association of Reformed (Calvinist) churches in the world. It has 230 member denominations in 108 countries, together claiming an estimated 80 million people, thus being the fourth-largest Christian communion in the world after the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox Church, and the Anglican Communion. This ecumenical Christian body was formed in June 2010 by the union of the World Alliance of Reformed Churches (WARC) and the Reformed Ecumenical Council (REC).
Christianity first arrived in Nigeria in the 15th century through Augustinian and Capuchin monks from Portugal. By 2020, it accounted for an estimated 46.18% of the Nigerian population; two-thirds of which are Protestant. According to the Pew Research Center, in 2011, Nigeria had the largest Christian population of any country in Africa, with more than 80 million people in Nigeria belonging to various denominations. Christianity is the majority religion in the southern and central regions in Nigeria.
Johanna Veenstra (1894–1933) was the first missionary of the Christian Reformed Church (CRC) to go to Nigeria.
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The Zaki-Biam massacre was a mass execution of hundreds of unarmed Tiv civilians by the Nigerian Army between 20 and 24 October 2001. The massacre was a surreptitious operation of the Nigerian army to avenge the killing of 19 soldiers, whose mutilated bodies were found on 12 October 2001, near some Tiv villages in Benue State. The massacre took place in villages including Gbeji, Vaase, Anyiin, Iorja, Ugba, Tse-Adoor, Sankera, Kyado and Zaki-Biam.
The Nwonyo Fishing Festival is a festival celebrated by the Ibi people in Taraba State, Nigeria. The lake is located 5 kilometres North of Ibi community, it is an annually celebrated festival where Ibi and its neighboring community comes together to fish and re-unite. The lake is said to be the largest in west Africa as it run 15 kilometres to the Benue River. The name Nwonyo means Hide-out for huge and dangerous aquatic Animals such as Crocodiles, Snakes, Hippopotamus and many more.
Niels Høegh Brønnum was a Danish missionary and physician who served in Northern Nigeria from 1913 to 1950. He is regarded as the founder of the Lutheran Church of Christ in Nigeria, a novel Church in Nigeria that would eventually go on to have its councils run by Nigerian elected councilmen and pastors. Throughout his missionary career, he participated in the construction of the first medical facilities, hospital, biblical schools, secondary schools, and the incorporation of a Christian curriculum in the Adamawa Region. He took the position of Secretary to the Danish mission in 1922 where his influence continued to spread in Nigeria, and was eventually honored by many Nigerian Christian fellows. Brønnum's achievements include translating the Gospel of Mark into the traditional Bacama language and receiving Danish Knighthood in 1950 for 37 years of service to the mission. His evangelistic work was coupled with the medical skills and techniques that he brought to the natives of Northern Nigeria.