Returning to Nigeria to Strengthen the Saints
- Rod Page
- 6 hours ago
- 5 min read
A prayer update from One Body Life
“And he went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.”
Acts 15:41
Soon, members of the One Body Life team will return to Nigeria. We are not only going to hold meetings or conduct a series of events. We are returning to people with whom relationships have already begun—to listen, teach, encourage, and strengthen believers who share our desire to nourish God’s people with the gospel of peace in the light of the gospel of grace.
Paul once said to Barnabas, “Let us return and visit the brothers in every city where we proclaimed the word of the Lord, and see how they are” (Acts 15:36). That desire—to return and see how the brothers and sisters are doing and to mutually encourage one another—captures much of the heart behind this trip.
Sharing the gospel of peace
Our first priority is to spread the gospel of peace wherever God gives us an opportunity. In a world frequently shaped by fear, division, accusation, and religious hostility, we believe God’s people need a perspective rooted deeply in grace: positive without being superficial, reasonable without compromising the Truth, and uniting without ignoring meaningful differences. Since “Truth” is who Jesus Christ is, He alone is our common bond of peace! What a blessing to simply preach Christ and Him crucified!
We want to help believers see more clearly what God has accomplished and is doing in Christ and what that means for how we receive one another, learn together, and bear a wonderful witness to the world. (See John 17 for more on that!) Our hope is not merely to deliver information, but to help flood the field with Truth that brings peace, nourishes believers, and unites and strengthens the whole body of Christ.
Making serious biblical education accessible
Our second priority is to meet believers who have a serious desire to grow through learning the Scriptures from a fresh perspective—and invite them to study the gospel of Jesus Christ through the One Body Life Academy. For many African students, the cost of theological education presents a formidable obstacle. We are therefore offering generous scholarships that remove all tuition costs. Participating students in Africa invest only a modest registration fee of approximately US$3.
This is not a lowering of educational expectations. It is an effort to remove a financial barrier so that committed believers can receive substantial teaching, grow in discernment, and become better equipped to serve others. Our end goal is to do what Paul exhorted Timothy to do in…
“What you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, commit to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.”
2 Timothy 2:2 (CSB)
We ask you to pray that God will lead us to men and women who are eager to learn—and who will faithfully share and teach others what they receive—becoming missionaries of the Gospel of Peace!
Building relationships with Christian colleges
An important part of the visit will be developing working relationships with two respected Christian institutions in Nigeria.
UMCA Theological College (UMCATC), Ilorin. UMCATC is planning to incorporate three One Body Life Academy courses into its educational work. We are grateful for this developing relationship and for the possibility of serving students through an established African institution. Learn more about UMCATC.
The Nigerian Baptist Theological Seminary (NBTS), Ogbomoso. We will also work to establish a relationship with NBTS, an institution that has provided theological education since 1898. Its emphasis on biblically based, Christ-centered training relevant to the African context resonates strongly with our desire to equip believers for faithful ministry. Learn more about NBTS.
These conversations are about more than distributing course material. They are opportunities to listen to experienced Christian educators, understand the needs of their students, and explore how our resources can enhance and support their calling. Please pray for humility, wisdom, insight, mutual trust, and clarity as these relationships develop.
Unity Conference in Ibadan, Nigeria — September 2026
Strengthening those already serving
Our third priority is deeply personal: to strengthen members of our own Nigerian team who are already working faithfully. We want to spend time with them, hear about their challenges and opportunities, and encourage them to begin leading classes of their own using the online Academy. Where financial assistance is needed to make those classes possible, we intend to provide it.
Our goal is not to create work that depends indefinitely upon visitors from elsewhere. We want to help equip local believers to teach, lead, and multiply the work within their own relationships and communities.
The precedent in Acts is beautifully direct. Paul and Silas travelled through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the Body of Christ where the Gospel of Grace had already been preached. Strengthening did not mean taking over. It meant returning, encouraging, confirming, and helping believers continue faithfully in their calling. That is the spirit in which we go.
Will you pray with us?
The relationships pictured here remind us that this work is already underway. Seeds have been planted, friendships have begun, believers are already learning, and opportunities are opening. Now we are returning to see how our brothers and sisters are doing—and to discern what God would have us build together. We already know the blueprint—the Lord’s Ekklesia (Matthew 16:18–19); we know the building materials: a mighty foundation and cornerstone, Christ, gold, silver, and precious stones; the Saints! We are one in Christ, and we are praying for a revival of the desire to fulfill the Lord’s desire in John 17…that they may be perfectly one, so the world may know!
Please pray:
That the gospel of peace, understood in the light of God’s infinite grace, will be received with joy, discernment, and commitment.
That God will lead us to serious believers who are ready to study and serve others.
That our existing Nigerian team will be encouraged, strengthened, and equipped to lead local classes.
That the relationships with UMCATC and NBTS will be marked by a commitment to “team up for the Gospel,” in wisdom, humility, and mutual love!
That the proposed use of three Academy courses at UMCATC will serve students well and spread to more Christian schools throughout Africa!
That God will protect everyone involved and guide each conversation and decision.
That this work will remain locally fruitful long after the visit has ended.
We are grateful for every person who stands with us in prayer. As we return to Nigeria, our desire is simple: to serve the Lord faithfully by equipping, encouraging, and nourishing the saints with the Word of Christ. As we do, we will flood this mission field with the fruitful, liberating, and rich message of God’s infinite grace and peace.
Please pray with us—and follow our journey as we prepare to return.
Comments