A CONTEMPORARY APPRAISAL OF CHURCH PLANTING IN NIGERIA: ISSUES AND PROSPECTS

ABSTRACT: This study examines church planting in Nigeria: issues and prospects. Specifically, the study examines the issues and prospects of church planting in Nigeria, determines the merits and demerits of massive church planting in Nigeria and examines the factors encouraging the proliferation of churches in Nigeria. The study employed the survey descriptive research design. A total of 32 responses were validated from the survey. From the responses obtained and analysed, the findings revealed that massive church planting improves the moral lifestyle of Christians. Furthermore, the study also reveals that Nigeria’s increase in population is not a major reason for excessive proliferation of churches in Nigeria. The study recommends that just as not every strategy can work in every context in this modern day, not every strategy can be effectively used by every church planter. Every church planter must be able to determine the best-suited strategy per context and offer more significant opportunities for fulfilling the Great Commission. More so, the study also recommends that this assignment is strictly at God’s terms for anyone who has been called into a relationship and particularly the church or assembly put together by him for his purpose. That is why the biblical principles established by the apostles and early church through the help of the Holy Spirit become the standard and guide to achieve the Great Commission.