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WAD IMPACT 2025: Discipleship and Membership Retention Conference in Northern Nigeria, Spotlights Strategies for Growing Community of Faith

Posted on Mars 24 2025

WAD IMPACT 2025: Discipleship and Membership Retention Conference in Northern Nigeria, Spotlights Strategies for Growing Community of Faith

[Photo: Cross section of group discussion on the challenges and lack of effective disciple-making in the local churches and possible solutions]
In the words of Pastor Kelvin Onongha, Professor of Missions at Babcock University, “The call to discipleship is the greatest need of the church. It is a lifelong journey of obedience to God; a journey that transforms lives and values, leading to spiritual growth”.

[Photo: Pastor  (Prof.)  Kelvin Onongha during one his presentations at the conference]
On January 22nd to 26th, 2025, more than 500 delegates, including pastors, elders, personal ministries leaders, church clerks, and Sabbath School superintendents drawn from the local missions and conferences across Northern Nigeria attended the Discipleship and Membership Retention Conference organized by the Evangelism/Sabbath School and Personal Ministries Department of the Northern Nigeria Union Conference (NNUC) with the theme: “Deepening Roots, Branching Out.”

[Photo: Cross section of participants at the conference]	[Photo: Cross section of participants listening with keen attention during lectures at the conference]
[Photo: Cross section of participants taking notes during the conference]

Held at the Seventh-day Adventist Jengre Hospital Church in Jengre, Plateau State, the event, as explained by Pastor Munaji Musa, NNUC Evangelism/Sabbath School and Personal Ministries Director, aimed at addressing critical challenges hindering effective discipleship and membership retention in Northern Nigeria.

[Photo: Pastor Munaji Musa - Director Evangelism, Sabbath School & Personal Ministries of NNUC]
“We are experiencing an alarming loss of members after baptism, and many who remain in the church are idle, becoming mere benchwarmers. This conference, which is in accordance with the West-Central Africa Division (WAD) Impact 2025 Initiative, is designed to equip us all to become effective disciple-makers actively engaged in the mission of the church,” Pastor Musa stated.
The conference featured renowned resource persons, including Pastor Kelvin Onongha, Professor of Missions at Babcock University; Pastor Theodore Dickson, Head of the Department of Religious Studies at Babcock University; Pastor Istifanus Ishaya, President of the Seventh-day Adventist Church Northern Nigeria Union Conference; Pastor Vealumun Iorkyaa, Executive Secretary Northern Nigeria Union Conference; Pastor Yohanna Dangana, President of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, Kaduna West Nigeria Conference; and Elder Jacob Gyang Buba, the Gbong Gwom Jos.

[Photo: L-R - Pastor  Professor  Kelvin Onongha and Pastor Dr. Theodore Dickson, Lead Facilitators at the NNUC Discipleship and Membership Retention Conference]	[Photo: NNUC President, Pastor Dr. Istifanus Ishaya during his presentation at the conference]
[Photo: Elder Jacob Gyang Buba during his presentation at the conference]
[Photo: Pastor Vealumun Iorkyaa - NNUC Executive Secretary during his presentation at the DMR Conference]	[Photo: Pastor Dr. Yohanna Musa Dangana during his presentation at the conference]

In his welcome remark, Pastor Istifanus Ishaya, the president of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Northern Nigeria said: “It is truly an honour to gather with distinguished group of pastors, church leaders and ministry workers dedicated to the vital mission of deepening discipleship practices and enhancing member retention within our congregations”.
“Deepening Roots, Branching out, underscores our commitment to not only nurturing a strong spiritual foundation among our members but also expanding our reach and impact as a community of faith.
“Deepening roots create stability for future growth. As a church, branching out reflects the resources to build a sustainable community of faith who are not just Christians but active disciple makers”, Pastor Ishaya added.
In his goodwill message, Pastor Emmanuel Kra, the WAD Evangelism/Sabbath School and Personal Ministries Director prayed for a more united and dynamic church in Northern Nigeria.
The five-day event covered a range of critical topics, including but not limited to following: The Biblical Foundations of Discipleship, Challenges in Membership Retention; Discipleship Models and Approaches; Developing a Discipleship Culture in Local Church and the challenges of Pentecostalism, Animism, Politics, and Islam on Adventist Missions in Nigeria.
In relation to Matthew 28:19-20, Pastor Kelvin Onongha, in his presentation on ‘The Biblical Foundation of Discipleship’, reinforced the idea that discipleship fosters holistic community transformation.
“The essence of discipleship is to create a community that helps people mature in Christ Jesus. Discipleship brings God into every sphere of our lives, with results evident in the home, church, and community. Effective discipleship eliminates social vices while fostering a God-fearing society.
“Discipleship exists to restore the image of God that was destroyed by sin and through discipleship reflect the image of God to others as well as repopulate heaven with the human family,” Pastor Onongha said.
Pastor Theodore Dickson, on his part, spoke on the importance of developing a discipleship culture in the local church, noting that all church programs should aimed at equipping members to be disciple-makers.
“We must model our lives after Jesus Christ, the chief disciple. When we recognize that without Christ we can do nothing, we develop the desire to be like Him, and as we live according to His will, we become instruments for discipling others through Bible study, prayer, worship and ministry in the church and mission to others.
“A life that is yielded to Christ is the greatest asset and tool for discipleship and retention of members. When our lives are poured out and we become tools for Christ, we recognize the huge sacrifice Christ made on the cross on our behalf then we can go all out in bringing others to the kingdom of God”, Pastor Dickson affirmed.
On strengthening Sabbath School as a discipleship hub, he said: “A well-structured Sabbath School promotes action units, which birth house fellowships. These, in turn, lead to Branch Sabbath Schools that integrate new converts through Bible study, fellowship, and community engagement.”
The Head of the Department of Religious Studies, Babcock University, urged church leaders to take these messages home and apply them, ensuring that members become 21st-century disciples who could transform Northern Nigeria for Christ.
In his presentation entitled “The dynamics of politics and Islam in Adventist missions in Nigeria”, Elder Jacob Gyang Buba, highlighted the importance of nurturing strong relationships with government authorities.
“As a church, we must build corporate relationships with government institutions at all levels. We must not shy away from engaging with society,” Elder Buba urged.
The Gbong Gwom Jos also called for more strategic planning in church development, particularly in local congregations.
“The local church is the foundation of the faith community. There is an urgent need to strengthen and maintain our local churches while investing in education to disciple young people,” he added.
On the Challenge of Membership Retention in Seventh-day Adventist Church: The Role of Secretariat, Pastor Vealumun Iorkyaa, Executive Secretary of the Northern Nigeria Union Conference, said: “Statistically, most members who leave the church do so not because of doctrinal issues but due to relational challenges. Engagement is crucial—when people feel involved, they are less likely to leave. So as we bring these things to the knowledge of the people, some of the myths surrounding the people disappearing after coming to the church would have been solved.”
Pastor Iorkyaa, urged church leaders and members to be mindful of their influence and not to allow their lifestyle drive people away from the faith.
Pastor Yohanna Dangana, President of the Kaduna West Nigeria Conference, had earlier in his presentation challenged church leaders to empower members to utilize their spiritual gifts.
Quoting Ellen White, he said: “The greatest cause of our spiritual feebleness as a people is the lack of real faith in spiritual gifts.”
Pastor Dangana, described spiritual gifts as divine abilities given by the Holy Spirit for the well-being of the body of Christ and encouraged members to embrace their roles in the mission of the church.
The conference posited that strategic discipleship program takes into consideration the total needs of the persons coming into the church as it equally proffered a holistic approach including worship, witnessing, total member participation, total ministry involvement and church renewal (making dry bones live) as practical steps to improve discipleship and membership retention in the local churches.
Other strategies advocated to deepening the community of faith across the churches in  Northern Nigeria included acts of generosity, prayer, meditation, small-group Bible study, fellowship, mentorship; training, caring, sharing, and loving correction.
The Discipleship and Membership Retention conference was quite enriching as some of the participants shared their experiences.
Angela Nathaniel, a delegate from Abuja West Nigeria Mission of Seventh-day Adventist church said: “My orientation has changed at the end of this conference. I have  make up a decision not to come to church late; I have make up a decision to check on members that I have not seen in church or in any church events. I have taken a lot of decisions to take active participation in God’s work”.
Another participant, Elder Joseph Attah Danjuma from Plateau-Bauchi Nigeria Conference described the event as “a wake-up call.”
His words: “This program has been enriching. It has revived my commitment to being a witness, a disciple, and an active participant in reaching my neighbors and community for Christ.”
While the conference resonated with many inspirations on the topical issues discussed, it also featured devotional sessions, prayers for the delegates and backslidden members as well as group discussions on disciple-making challenges at the local church level and possible solutions.
In Northern Nigeria, it bears saying that the fields are white, the harvest waiting, who will bear the sheaves away?

[Photo: Resources persons  in a group photograph with the cross section of the participants during the conference]
It is hoped that the delegates and church leaders will not merely reflect on the insights gained but intentionally implement them, fostering a thriving discipleship culture where every member will not only be actively engaged to win one but also keep one for God’s kingdom.

 Report by: Ezinwa Alozie
Communication Director, Northern Nigeria Union Conference of Seventh-day Adventist Church