GCOWE '95: Nigerian Model
During the 1989 National Consultation on the Evangelization of Nigeria by the year 2000, participants resolved as follows:
"We are committed to taking the gospel to every unreached people - so that every person in Nigeria could have a relevant opportunity to respond to the gospel of Jesus Christ."
"We accept the challenge to take the gospel to the underprivileged parts of Africa and the world in terms of resources, manpower, and mission efforts or possibilities. To this end, every denomination or ministry is encouraged to be mission-minded and missionary-sending."
These were translated into a national goal of ensuring that at least 75% of the Nigerian population should have had opportunity to hear the gospel and declared their allegiance to Christ by the year 2000.
A number of plans emerged from the denominations and ministries towards the realization of this goal.
Annual review and strategic planning sessions have been held since 1989 to ensure that the plans are in course and that the goals set are pursued.
Results:
Significant among the outcomes of the above national initiative is the fact that there have been seventy (70) new entries into fifty (50) unreached people groups within and outside Nigeria between 1989 and 1994. Thirty five (35) of these unreached people groups fall within the 10/40 window.
Missionaries from Nigerian Churches and Mission Agencies also account for one third of the estimated 12,829 protestant missionaries from Africa. The Nigeria Evangelical Missions Association has 36 mission agencies and denominational mission boards.
Altogether, missionaries from Nigeria are working in about 30 countries within Africa and other continents, mostly in the 10/40 window.
1000 Action-Plans
At the 1994 consultation on the Evangelization of Nigeria by the year 2000, the "1000 Action-Plans" adopted. Using the various resource networks and task forces as units, "1000 actions" were identified as necessary, if we are to achieve our AD2000 goal.
The "actions" were distributed to the various resource networks and task forces. Each action depicted a particular step that could be taken to achieve the specific objectives of the resource networks and the general goal of the church. The actions focus on the unreached people groups.
Churches and organisations are now encouraged to adopt one or more of the "action-plans" as their quota in the accomplishment of the national goal.
Adoption and implementation of these "action-plans" are being coordinated and monitored by the AD2000 National Task Force.
Future Expectations
It is our sincere hope that by the time these "action-plans" are all adopted and strictly implemented, we shall have attained our goal of "a church for every people group in Nigeria and the gospel to every Nigerian," in addition to contributing up to one third of the projected 10,000 missionaries expected to be raised in Africa by the year 2000.
- Article source: http://www.ad2000.org/gcowe95/ezem.html