Opportunity for Blessing: Gwarimpa Abuja in Nigeria
We have great financial wealth in America that can translate to spiritual wealth in other places...
I am coming out of The United Methodist Church, which collects hundreds of millions of dollars and sends them in thousands of directions every year. By putting money into the offering plate, I was supporting hundreds of ministries around the developing world. However, I rarely felt connected to these ministries in a personal sense. Nor was there an effective way to help laity to experience the reward of materially blessing a church across the world.
Since I have left the UMC, I and my church need to be more intentional about how we use the material blessings we have to be of service to less privileged people around the world. That means building relationships with people who do not look and talk like us, building trust and accountability, exercising solidarity and common identity. Even though we just spent a large sum of money to disaffiliate from the UMC, we are not excused from care for the poor.
I have a podcast called PlainSpoken, on which I often conduct interviews. Several months ago, I did a series with African United Methodists, seeking to understand how it is that they generally see American United Methodists and the issues we present. Of those interviewed, I particularly enjoyed my time with Absalom Nuhu of the UMC of Nigeria. Here is that conversation, if you’re interested to get a sense for who he is:
Absalom is a young man of deep faith. He speaks with warmth and confidence on matters of holiness and righteousness. Absalom gave me comfort that even if Americans fail to maintain the biblical standards of the Christian faith, he and others in his conference will maintain the tradition once entrusted to the saints. As I continued to need help understanding the African context, I maintained contact with Absalom. A friendship naturally developed.
Absalom serves in the capitol city of Abuja, which is in the North of Nigeria. He was commissioned to plant a church in 2017 with just twenty members in the beginning, which is today called Gwarimpa Abuja. Over the course of only a couple of years, he was able to gain a church building and fill it with about 500 worshipers on an average Sunday. As the leadership class of Abuja is older, richer, and Muslim, his members are majority young and poor. They are not of the privileged mainline class; they are salt of the earth laborers.
On August 4, 2022, Absalom’s church was bulldozed in the middle of the night by the local government under the auspices of the Federal Capital Development Authority, which is hostile to Christianity. They demolished three other churches at that time, but not mosques. There is no way to seek redress against the government. The local Muslims in that area are delighted to be rid of the Christian building.
Though Absalom and his congregation worshiped on the grounds of the demolished building briefly, it was ultimately unsustainable to stay in that hostile area. Without a roof over their heads, they were slowly shrinking in the size of the assembly they were seeing. God saw fit to supply them with land donated for their use at a place called the Papal Lands, which is owned and managed by the Christian Association of Nigeria. This area is not quite so vulnerable as their previous location, as it is undeveloped land, rather than coveted urban real estate. They worshiped for a few weeks among the cashew trees.
I’m sure there is something romantic about worshiping out in nature, but this is hard on a community. A fellowship needs a building for multiple obvious reasons. Given that there was no compensation from the government, nor significant insurance money, and considering the general poverty of his church, the construction of a new permanent building was not a serious option. A tent was finally secured and erected. The assembly was temporarily protected from the elements.
But it was not to last. A tropical storm soon came in March of this year and completely demolished the tent. Absalom, forlorn, sent me messages on WhatsApp with pictures of the destruction. They are now back to worshiping outdoors under the cashew trees. This is not good.
Given the regularity of extreme weather in Northern Nigeria, it is not a wise plan to continue spending money on facilities that will easily be destroyed. A long term facility is needed. If Christianity is going to continue to grow in Abuja, they need to be underwritten by those who can afford to give. In America, despite being awash in money, we cannot fill our pews. Meanwhile, in Abuja, Absalom and his church are optimistic about filling a new building with 700-800 people soon after completion of a new building.
I don’t know how many of you follow developments in Nigeria. This one of the places in our world in which Christian martyrs are regularly made. Boko Haram, ISIS, and ISIL have all been influential in this region. Muslim Fulani herdsman regularly raid Christian villages in the middle of the night, murdering many in their sleep, burning down their houses, kidnapping survivors or turning them out into the wilderness. The government does little to nothing in response. In Nigeria, the church is not a social club; it is a countercultural body that risks life and limb to serve Christ.
Nigeria is also the most populous nation on the African continent. It would be in the long term Christian interest to have a strong presence in Africa’s densest population centers in such a place. It is a tumultuous time in a tumultuous place. However, we know there are true believers there who need support, and we can afford to do so. It would wound my conscience if I did not give in order to support it.
The church in Abuja has been taking regular collections for this project. Thus far, they have already raised the equivalent of $1,200, which has been spent on beginning construction costs. And despite all of these setbacks, they are still able to muster 400 worshipers on an average Sunday. I am serious about this effort. I have been collaborating with others who are passionate about this. This is going to happen.
Of course, and I mean this, the most important way to care for one another is to pray for one another. I do hope you will pray for Absalom and his flock at Gwarimpa Abuja. May they continue on in strength and trust in the Lord.
I will make sure to follow up this post with pictures and a report on the new building when it comes to completion. Thank you for the support you offer!
If you would like to give, click this link: https://tithe.ly/give?c=2198808 . Make sure to select “Church Construction in Abuja, Nigeria” in the top-right portion of the dialogue box.
If you would rather not pay the 2.9% processing fee to donate, you can mail a check to: PO Box 129, Nowata, OK 74048. Put “Abuja Church” in the memo line.
I hope to put together a video with a good deal more footage. However, I do not currently have the time to compile everything. Meanwhile, the need is great. I thought it better to go ahead and publish this, rather than keep Absalom’s community on hold any longer. Thank you for any support you can lend!
A NOTE ON THE METHOD OF RAISING & MOVING FUNDS - The way to get money through the proper channels is to wire it to the Treasurer of the The United Methodist Church in Nigeria, Jacob Tahiru Bambur. Funds will be collected and disbursed as we stipulate, with Bambur accounting for all funds. Nowata Methodist Church (NMC) will collect the funds and pay the fee to wire the money to Nigeria. NMC will keep records of donors so as to issue tax statements at the end of the year. While gofundme and other resources are built for such a thing, our current online giving provider for the church provides the same service for the same processing fee. It makes more sense to stay with them rather than open a new account.
Your decision and the reason are well known to us in Africa. It's a Godly one and we love you so much in Nigeria. Nuhu is a young man with a perfect and right attitude to maintain a Godly kind of worship. He has my support and I encourage the church to give home their best.
Apst. Iyk Okorie