The North-East Conference of Seventh-Day Adventist Church in Nigeria has inaugurated the Savannah Nigeria Mission Field to take charge of the continued spread of the Gospel of the Second Coming of Jesus Christ in Adamawa, Borno, Gombe, Taraba, and Yobe States.
The new Mission Field, which will have its headquarters in Numan, Adamawa State, where the ceremony took place, is the latest administrative reorganisation, which now sees the defunct North-East Nigeria Conference (NENC) taking a new name, Plateau-Bauchi Nigeria Conference, and retaining its headquarters in Bukuru, Plateau State.
In his charge to the new Mission Field officials and the entire membership, the Northern Nigeria Union Conference President of the Church, Pastor (Dr) Istifanus Ishaya, tasked the new Mission to be up and doing by being on fire for Jesus Christ.
During the consecration of the mission officials, comprising the President, Pastor David Ode Onuah; the Executive Secretary, Pastor Bitrus Nuhu; and the Financial Adviser, Elder Nathan S. Nathan, as well as thirteen other directors and field committee members, Pastor Istifanus reminded them of their duties, which are to mobilise themselves and their members to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ.
According to him, “coming out of the NENC is more of an expansion to reach more people and enter more areas with the gospel in the mission field territory.”
In a sermon titled “You and the Gospel,” with the key text taken from Mark 16:15 during the inaugural ceremony, Pastor Istifanus charged the new mission to stand up and go, for the gospel of the soon return of Jesus Christ must reach every nook and cranny of their territory.
“Our lifestyle is the easiest way to win people over. We are like salt that has to create a taste for people to long for Christ Jesus.
“People will want to see the Bible in your lifestyle. Use your tongue to bless rather than curse. We are saved because we have good news to declare to the people around us. If we don’t, it means we are not saved. The apostles went out because they had a story to tell, and so should we,” Pastor Istifanus emphasised.
He thereafter urged them to make the greatest commission in Matthew 28:19–20, which is ‘to preach, baptise, and teach’, their sole mission in the Savannah Nigeria Mission.
The president of the defunct NENC, Pastor Joshua Ezra Mallum, expressed gladness over the expansion of the church and called on members of the new mission to join hands with their leadership to make exploits for Jesus Christ.
Hamma Bachama, Homun Dr. Daniel Shagah Ismaila, Kpawo-Nomwe, and Gilongo Diya, who were represented by one of his district heads, congratulated the church on the feat and called for prayers for sustained peace in the land.
The two-day colourful event, which was held on April 5 and 6, 2024, witnessed Sabbath worship, commissioning of the temporary secretariat, special prayers, music ministration, admonitions, and lectures, among many other spirit-filled activities.
The Northern Nigeria Union Conference, which used to be one mission, has now grown to have three conferences and three missions (six subunits) under the Union Conference.
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