How to Do Church Planting Research of a New Area
Profile of Yola-Jimeta Religious & Social Conditions
Information supplied by Peter Bartimawus
Fellow Indigenous Contributors: Ayuba Betso, Jessy Chinjeli,
Gasmis Bambuka, Garko Wilberforce, Maina Wakili, and Fiyau Amawo
Adapted for use by Rev. Dr. Paul J. Fritz
Learning Objectives
1. The students will explain how to do church planting research in a new area.
2. The students will discuss in a short paper how to identify facilitating and hindering forces for church growth and church planting in a new area.
Introduction - The following is an overview designed to assist urban church planters in Yola-Jimeta townships in Gongola State, Nigeria. The information was compiled by eight seminary students of Jos ECWA Theological seminary and the author in preparation for future endeavors to reach people for Christ through an urban church planting project. First, a overview of the representative tribal groups will be furnished along with their accompanying percentages of the 96,000 people inhabiting the Yola-Jimeta metropolis. Second, an approximation of the percentages of Christians, Muslims, and pagans will be offered to guide the strategists in their church planting objectives. Thirdly, a brief religious background of the urban center will be described to give a historical description of the Gongola capital. It is the prayer of the contributors of this paper that the information would be used to extend the kingdom of God in a qualitative and quantitative sense through the future work of urban church planters.
I. Discover the Demographics (The composition of the people groups)-
Fulani 15%
(Primarily located in and around Yola)
Bachama and Bata 10%
(Many claim to be Fulanis)
Kilba & Yungur 10%
(Lutheran Church of Nigeria)
Margi & Higgi 30%
(Lutheran Church of Nigeria)
Tivs & Jukun 5%
(Mixed throughout the town, Christian Reformed Church and traditional religionists)
Yandara & Jenjo 5%
(Mixed throughout the town, but Christian and pagans)
Igbo 4%
(Businessmen)
Yorubas 2%
Hausas 1%
Idomas 1%
Wurkun & Bikwin & Bambukas 5%
Bura 3%
Minor tribes include; Mumuyi, Lunguda, & Kuteb (Mixture of Christians, Muslims & pagans)
II. Find the Percentage of Christians, Muslims, and Pagans
Christians 60%
Muslims 35%
Pagans 5%
III. Discover the Religious Background of Yola-Jimeta
The Churches represented in Yola-Jimeta presently include the Roman Catholic Church, The Lutheran Church, Seraphim and Cheraphim, Apostolic Church (Yoruba mainly), Baptist (Mambilla and Lunguda tribes), ECWA, Redeemed People’s Mission, E.Y.N. (Brethren Church) and the Christian Reformed Church.
IV. Learn the History of Religious Development of Yola-Jimeta
The first mission board to be registered in Yola was the Catholic mission. The second mission to attempt church planting in the area was the SUM, Danish branch, but it failed to gain recognition by the government. When Dr. Bronnum, the SUM pioneer, arrived in 1913, the province was known as Yola. The Emirate of Adauna Madibo was first established in 1840, making it a Muslim stronghold for Usman Dan Fadios Jihad. Dan Fadios had given Adauna Modibo directives to conquer Adaunawa province for Islam in 1804.
Adauna Madibo succeeded in bringing several tribes under his control taking them as slaves. Up to the present these tribes continue to act as servants to the Fulanis. Today, there is great prestige ascribed to the name of Adauna Madibo as the university of Maidugari Yola Campus is named the Adauna Madibo College.
Accounts of the individual tribes that settled in the area are rather difficult to come by, but the above profile of the various tribes is a good representation of the present people groups residing in Yola-Jimeta. Some of the tribes are believed to have come from the Cameroons. Some converts may be the key people to eventually plant churches in Cameroon areas!!!
The Catholic and the Lutheran churches were the first mission efforts to start churches in the Yola-Jimeta area. Nevertheless, both of these movements have been unsuccessful in reaching the Fulanis, who are the power brokers, of the area. However, in a recent government election 12 out of 15 seats were won by Christians, with only one Fulani winning a seat , and two pagans winning seats. Even in the old traditional Muslim city of Yola, a Christian won the government seat. This is one indication, that the Fulanis are loosing control of the politics, commerce, and religious affairs of the urban center. As a result of all the change, the Fulanis not only resist the gospel, but openly oppose it.
Since Jimeta is now the present seat of the government for Gongola state, it attracts many new settlers from the rural areas surrounding the metropolis. ECWA has had the foresight to purchase 4 choice pieces of land in the urban center for future construction of churches. The present immigrants moving into Yola-Jimeta are attaching themselves to residences nearby their tribesmen. This is not only seen in tribal unions, but also through their church affiliations.
V. Learn the Backgrounds of Potentially Receptive People
Apart from Yola which is predominantly Fulani, the rest of Jimeta town is a combination of people from various backgrounds. However, it is important to note that these tribal immigrants do not have close homogeneous resident connections. This may account for the fact that there are many nominal Christians in Yola-Jimeta who are yet to commit themselves to a particular church. Rather, the homogenous groups are scattered throughout the metropolis in search of cheap housing. Still, it is the belief, that birds of a feather will still flock together, if choice sites are strategically placed that will service the majority of each people group.
The middle and upper class workers are mostly found in the government resident areas. These people live in the modern buildings with up to date amenities furnished by the state government along the Yola road. The G.R.A. are known as Karewa and Bekaji facilities. There is also the state’s low-cost housing units in the town. Perhaps, a better way to reach this class of people with the gospel is through organizing neighborhood prayer meetings. The best time to meet with family heads would be after working hours. In these areas, English could serve as the medium of communication.
Unlike Jimeta, Yola is predominantly Fulani and a better way of communication is through Fulfude. In fact, the linga franca of most governmental offices is Fulfude not Hausa or English. Using fulfude will give one credibility in their message and persona. Similarly, an evangelist should dress like a Hausa man with a babban riga for respectability with the people.
Up to the present, the Fulanis and the tribes that identify themselves with them, practice purdah. Purdah is a Muslim practice of keeping one’s wife at home and not allowing her to go out except to purchase her material needs for the family. The Evangelists should employ women to visit with the Muslim women in their homes if the women will have any chance of being reached for Christ. Under the purdah system, women and children may not make any decision for Christ, unless a family head is present, This complicates the conversion of families, so it is advised that the family head be contacted first, at least for cultural effectiveness of communications.
VI. Learn Hindrances to Conversion
Becoming a Christian for most Fulanis is seen as a betrayal of one self, religion, family, culture, tradition, and identity. For a Fulani who becomes a Christian, all his belongings must be confiscated along with his wife and children and his life will be in danger. Since, this social spirit dominates the Yola-Jimeta area, the personal approach of friendship evangelism over a long period of time is advised rather than public crusades. Any overt attempt to proselytize Muslims is seen, particularly now, as a hostile act and could stir up violent reactions in light of last year’s Kafanchan church burning incident. Evangelism must be done through neighborhood prayer meetings.
VII. Make Suggestions to the Church Leaders on How To Best Reach Their Town For Christ
Jimeta, on the other hand, is much more open since it is the seat of the government and contains a wide background of different people groups. The wide representation of tribal groups do not allow any one tribe to dominate, so there is a fair spirit of toleration for new religious groups to express themselves. The following could be several suggestive points to consider in evangelizing the Yola-Jimeta township;
1. Use Fulfude as the language of the area
2. Dress appropriately for credibility and respect
3. The use of women evangelists to evangelize the Muslim women in their residences
4. Recognition of no dominating Christian or pagan tribal group
5. The diminishing power of ward heads over the people and their ideas
6. Neighborhood evangelism and personal evangelism of Muslims
7. Target particular people groups in the government housing areas
8. Acquire land in strategic areas of the city
9. Contact the Christian Association of Nigeria to take care of the political contacts and override any opposition that may come from Muslim leaders in their effort to thwart the advance of the gospel
10. Contact local evangelists who could give you tips for church planting.
11. Work through Pastor Abel Kantoma, an experienced church planter for ECWA, in disseminating the information and the strategies for planting churches in the urban center.
12. Use indigenes like Ayuba Betso, Fiyau Amawo, Gasmis Bambuka, Garko Wilberforce, Maina Wakili, and Peter Bartimawus to plan specific strategies in advancing the gospel throughout the city through surveys, seminars, and outreaches. ``Da dan gari, ake cin gari.’’
13. Have Hausa and Fulfude tracts printed and used in the evangelization of Yola-Jimeta. Printing your locally made tracts goes a long ways toward establishing your credibility and effectiveness.
14. Evangelism should be limited to the gate of a pious Muslim’s household for the men. Seek to win the Muslims Malams to Christ. Their followers will generally respect the opinions of their Malams.
15. Prayer and dependence on the Holy Spirit should be the mainstay of the effort to plant church and see people won for Christ
VIII. Do a Follow-up Report After the Survey and Evangelization of Yola-Jimeta from July through September of 1988
1. Thanks to the Lord’s intervention, two new ECWA churches were started. Much of the credit goes to Pastor Abel Kantoma, the local overseer of Jimeta L.C.C.. Abel gave direction, cultural cues, and a sense of permanence for the converts that assured them that they would receive assistance in beginning new churches.
2. Even though several denominations may be hindering the progress of your church, the Lord will overcome barriers for the purchasing of land and the establishing of a seed families’ Bible study and prayer meeting. Jesus said, ``Everything you ask in prayer believing you shall receive!’’
