Evangelism and the Quest for Peace in the Southern Nigeria Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church in nigeria: A Case Study of Jalingo District 2003-2013

Abstract

This research is a case study conducted in Jalingo District of the United Methodist Church in the Southern Nigeria Annual Conference. The researcher observed that, the church became a full annual conference in 1992. The period was followed by a rapid growth of the church between 1992 and 2002, that rapid growth was due to an intensification of the ministry of evangelism ensued by church planting which led to the need for the creation of an addition annual conference. However, for another period of ten years (2003- 2013) the church experienced conflict which led to having three annual conferences: The Northern, the Central and the Southern Annual Conferences. This research focused on eight local churches in the Jalingo District of the Southern Nigeria Annual Conference. Participant observation, questionnaires and documents were used to collect data. Quantitative and qualitative methods were used in analyzing the data. The purposive sampling procedure was helpful in distributing the research instruments in order to get the primary and secondary data from the participants. The research has revealed that there is a breakdown in relationships among members of the United Methodist Church in the Southern Nigeria Annual Conference, leading to lack of peace and harmony this permeated into every strata of the church’s life. Research has shown that peace is supposed to be an evangelistic objective which must bring transformation in the life of the church. There is emphasis on revival, preaching and teaching, as well as counselling to those who have been affected in this conflict, so that normal relationship may be restored. This dissertation is divided into five chapters. The first chapter is the introduction to the study, the second chapter deals with the review of related literature, the third chapter deals with the methodology of the study, the fourth chapter deals with the presentation, interpretation, discussion and analysis of the data and the fifth chapter deals with the summary, conclusion and recommendations. The researcher suggests some recommendations, stressing that peace is an evangelistic objective of the church; for it to bring about forgiveness and reconciliation, thereby bringing healing to the body of Jesus Christ so that evangelism will in turn flourish.