About the Author(s)


Favour C. Uroko Email symbol
Department of Religion and Cultural Studies, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria

Citation


Uroko, F.C., 2024, ‘Pentecostal church growth in Nigeria amid Roman Catholicism’, African Journal of Pentecostal Studies 1(1), a5. https://doi.org/10.4102/ajops.v1i1.5

Original Research

Pentecostal church growth in Nigeria amid Roman Catholicism

Favour C. Uroko

Received: 16 Dec. 2023; Accepted: 12 Feb. 2024; Published: 29 Mar. 2024

Copyright: © 2024. The Author(s). Licensee: AOSIS.
This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Abstract

Background: The Roman Catholic Church is believed to have the largest membership. However, the recent growth in Pentecostalism tends to show the strategies that have been adopted by Pentecostal churches in drawing members from the Roman Catholic Church in Nigeria. Although literature has been written on the growth of Pentecostalism in Nigeria, scholars are yet to explain how the growth of Pentecostalism has been influenced by the inflow of Roman Catholic members in Nigeria.

Objectives: This article examines how Pentecostal churches draw their membership from the Roman Catholic Church in Nigeria.

Method: This study is a qualitative one, with data obtained from secondary literature. This includes journals, textbooks and gazettes. Discourse analysis was used to analyse the data.

Results: Findings show that some of the factors that have led to this exchange include: (1) signs, wonders and testimonials; (2) casting out of demons; (3) preaching against poverty; (4) allowing one’s potential to grow, among others.

Conclusion: The youth, who seem to be overambitious in exercising their talents, seem comfortable with the model that Pentecostal churches provide for self-exhortation and manifestation. This has sustained the upsurge in the number of youths combining both Roman Catholicism and Pentecostalism in Nigeria.

Contribution: The absence of a focus on the prosperity gospel, exorcism of demons, and the presentation of miraculous signs and wonders through publicly broadcasted testimonies within the Roman Catholic Church were found to provide Pentecostal churches with a distinct advantage in attracting members.

Keywords: Pentecostalism; Roman Catholicism; church growth; African spirituality; Nigeria.

Introduction

In Nigeria, Pentecostalism was received with open arms especially by the youth, who were excited to be called pastors and evangelists. It was in the 1990s that Pentecostalism moved into the public domain to become a global religion and has thus attracted the attention of the media, the generality of Christians and non-Christians, and scholars of religion (Ojo 2018). At this time, Pentecostals in Nigeria were called born-again Christians (Chestnut 1997) or sanctified Christians. In Nigeria, the Pentecostal movement became a way of contextualising African culture that is embedded in spirituality and rituals. No doubt, in different parts of the world, especially in Europe, Nigerian-initiated Pentecostal churches became a social force.

From a historical lens, Christianity came to Nigeria in the 16th century when the Portuguese missionaries introduced Latin Christianity in Benin and Warri (Adamolekun 2012). Some of the founders of Pentecostal movements in Nigeria were recognised as prophets due to their ecstatic style of praying, singing and prophecy. Some of the prophets include Moses Tunolase Orimolade, Joseph Ayodele Babalola, Samuel Bileou Joseph Oshoffa, Josiah Olunowo Oshitelu and Ezekiel Olatidoye Babalola, as well as the present healers such as Prophet Timothy Oluwole Obadare, Pastors William Folorunso Kumuyi, Enoch Adejare Adeboye, and Bishops David Olaniyi Oyedepo, Samson Grace, and Bayo Yusuf (Owoeye 2012).

As a conceptual clarification, Pentecostalism, as defined by Asamoah-Gyadu (2005), is the belief in the experiential presence of the Holy Spirit as part of normal Christian life and worship. A more precise definition was given by Allison (2023).

Pentecostalism is a Spirit-emphasising movement that is characterized by several unique doctrines and practices, including baptism in the Spirit for Christians after conversion, speaking in tongues as evidence of that Spirit-baptism, and the exercise of all the spiritual gifts. These charismata include the ‘sign’ or ‘miraculous’ gifts of word of knowledge, word of wisdom, prophecy, miracles, healings, speaking in tongues, and interpretation of tongues. (p. 1)

In the Nigeria context, the Pentecostals are people who believe more in healing, deliverance and prosperity. Pentecostalism is the practice of healing, exorcism and material possessions. Pentecostal ethics empowered survival through the inoculation of self-control, discipline, initiative, aspiration, mutual self-help, economic thrift practices, spiritual healing ethics of trustworthiness, cleanliness, psychological cleansing from insidious corruption and wholeness through the expulsion of unruly spirit. Moreover, Pentecostal optimism has been a strong weapon in changing the social structure of Christian membership. (Kalu 2008:139). In Nigeria, Pentecostals lay emphasis on the power of the Holy Spirit and personal direct encounter with God that causes profound changes in the life and circumstances of the person who experiences (Owoeye 2012).

Many Nigerians belong to the Roman Catholic, Methodist, Anglican, Presbyterian or African Independent Churches. For instance, Nigeria is home to some 29 million Catholics, the 12th largest population of Catholics in the world, and the second largest population of Catholics in Africa (Catholics and Culture n.d.). In 2005, there were an estimated 19 million baptised Catholics in Nigeria (Miss n.d). In Nigeria, the Roman Catholic Church has the highest population when compared to individual churches. Sheen (2022) noted that more than any other church in sub-Saharan Africa, the Nigerian Catholic Church was mostly involved in spreading the gospel throughout the continent. Along with health facilities, its educational institutions from the 1930s to the present are still the best in the country. Its universality and unity, beyond the dichotomy between more than 60 dioceses dispersed around the nation, is a strength unequalled in many social circles.

This study is a qualitative study, with data obtained from secondary literature. Discourse analysis was used to analyse the data. Some of this secondary literature includes journals, textbooks and gazettes. This method enabled the researcher to understand how Pentecostals are able to make use of language in the cultural context of African spirituality. The last decade has witnessed an upsurge in the number of Roman Catholics who attend the programmes of these charismatic Pentecostal churches and those who have completely shifted ecclesial base from Catholicism to Pentecostalism. Although literature has been written on the growth of Pentecostalism in Nigeria (Magbadelo 2004; Ojo 2018; Otasowie 2023; Peter 2023), scholars have yet to explain how the growth of Pentecostalism has been influenced by the inflow of Roman Catholic members in Nigeria. Firstly, this study explains Pentecostalism and Roman Catholicism in Nigeria. Secondly, it explains the reasons for the mass migration of Roman Catholic members to charismatic Pentecostal Churches. Thirdly, the implications of this mass migration were discussed.

Pentecostalism in Nigeria

There are so many Pentecostal churches in Nigeria, and on a monthly basis, new Pentecostal movements are given birth to. This has necessitated the numerous theological colleges existing all over Nigeria. However, historiography of Pentecostalism is important for a better comprehension of the phenomenon under study. It was between 1472 and 1621 that the early missionary activities started in Nigeria. This was spearheaded by the kings of Portugal in the kingdoms of Warri and Benin, among others. These missions failed. The Roman Catholics and Protestants tried to see if their missionary work in Northern Nigeria would be successful. Unfortunately, it also failed. It was the slaves from America and the United Kingdom that led the successful Christian missions in sub-Saharan Africa, pioneered by Bishop Samuel Ajayi Crowther. According to Galadima and Turaki (2001), some of the successful Christian missionary activities include Wesleyan Methodist, 1842; Scottish Presbyterian, 1842; Church Missionary Society, 1844; Southern Baptist Foreign Mission, 1850; Roman Catholic Mission, 1961; Sudan Interior Mission, 1893; Sudan United Mission, 1904; United Missionary Society, 1905; Seventh Day Adventist, 1914; Qua Iboe Mission, 1932; Assembly of God, 1939; African Church Movements, 1888–1925. Galadima and Turaki further revealed that while the Presbyterians, Catholics, and the Qua Iboe Mission pioneered the work in the East, the Church Missionary Society (CMS), Methodists, and Baptists pioneered the work in the West. Beginning in 1842, Christian missions were established in Southern Nigeria by the Wesleyan Methodists in Abeokuta and Badagry, and the Scottish Presbyterians in Cross River.

It was in 1976 that the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) was founded (Enwerem 1995:101–129), and it consists of members of the Roman Catholic Church, the Protestants and the Pentecostals. However, it was in 1985 that the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria was formed. It was during the period that Bishop Benson Idahosa called on Pentecostals to push for political reforms in Nigeria, a clarion call for Pentecostals, and indeed, all Christians, to go into politics. Despite being voluntary, the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria has certain doctrinal guidelines that are available to all churches or groups willing to affiliate with it. These guidelines serve as the core beliefs and doctrines of all Pentecostal churches across the nation, without necessarily placing restrictions on how each congregation may express its own doctrines and beliefs (Okonkwo 2005:2).

Pentecostal churches in Nigeria have done a lot in bringing social services to the people. There are universities and secondary schools established by Pentecostal churches. Pentecostal churches have also succeeded in building boreholes, repairing spoilt roads, providing sanctuary for displaced people and empowering youth. It is commendable that Pentecostal churches have made invaluable impacts on the lives of the people. According to Akanbi (2017), Pentecostal churches have contributed to the economy by giving money to start-ups, collaborating with microfinance institutions to offer loans for business ventures, distributing food to underprivileged areas, and helping young people find work in the community. Omotayo (2017) states that the Pentecostals also utilise internet and communication technology tools to a great extent in the propagation of the gospel.

The Roman Catholic Church in Nigeria

There have been various attempts to bring Roman Catholicism to Nigeria. Unfortunately, these missions failed. The Portuguese mission in the various missions between 1472 and 1621 failed to establish the Roman Catholic Church in Nigeria. Thus, the 15th century laid the foundation for Roman Catholicism in Nigeria. Thereafter, the Spanish and Italian Capuchin missions, which took place between 1622 and 1717, failed to materialise (Imokhai 1982).

It was in the 19th century that Roman Catholicism started in Nigeria. It was the Society of African Mission that spearheaded the mission (Nossiter 2013). During the mission, one of the priests of the Society for African Mission of Lyon, known as Fr. Francis Borghero, celebrated the First Mass in Lagos in 1863. It was in 1870 that a vicariate was established in Benin. It was in Western Nigeria that the first mass took place. The next place his mission took him was northern Nigeria. Eastern Nigeria was left out, until the Congregation of the Holy Spirit (CHS) started their mission to Eastern Nigeria, otherwise known as Igbo land. Thereafter, Fr. Joseph Lutz of the Congregation of the Holy Spirit came to Onitsha in 1885. In 1920, there were many Roman Catholic missions in Igboland. Furthermore, in 1950, there was the establishment of a Roman Catholic Archdiocese in Kaduna, Lagos and Onitsha.

Membership strategies of Pentecostal churches

The Pentecostals have adopted strategies which have helped them in getting members from other denominations specifically the Roman Catholic Church. They are listed below.

Signs, wonders and testimonies

Signs and wonders include miraculous healing and the performing of miracles with the help of the supernatural. When someone gives their testimony, they are saying that God has done something spectacular in their life. Pentecostal churches are known to perform many signs and wonders. People are said to be healed of their sicknesses or any physical disability. In fact, there have been cases where it is alleged that the dead were raised in some of these Pentecostal churches. People who are healed usually go around giving testimony to their friends, neighbours and business associates. Friends and neighbours also tend to come to the same church whenever they discover they may be having the same problem. This tends to attract Roman Catholics to these churches. According to Okeke (2023), some of these testimonies were published in the churches’ publications, magazines and newsletters, while others were made during Sunday services and weekly programmes.

Casting out demons

The process of casting out demons is something that the Pentecostal arm has succeeded in using to get more membership from the Roman Catholic Church. Pentecostals believe that it is demons that bring bad luck or make someone misbehave. Thus, parents usually bring their children or close associates to the church for the casting out of demons. It is through this casting out of demons that members are made to believe that God can change any situation or any human being. When a madman is healed of his illness, people become amazed, and people who know him as a mad person tend to locate the pastor or church that has cast out the demon of madness from the person. According to Kalu (2002), the deliverance from the power of darkness has solved the power question in African cosmology to which earlier mission Christianity had no answer. The earlier missionaries had laid emphasis on Nigerians abandoning traditional cultures, but the Pentecostals have been able to admit that there are demons in Africa that deliverance can only decimate. This is what the African man wants to be free from. African traditional religion has often claimed that the power of evil forces to manoeuvre is the sole preserve of traditional religion. Most times, it is the Pentecostal churches that do the casting out and binding of demons and other evil spirits. The casting out of demons and evil spirits is one of the ways that some of these Pentecostal churches send a signal to other denominations, like the Roman Catholics, that God is with them and a confirmation that they are men and women sent by God. It was also on this basis that Ayegboyin (2006) noted that the new Pentecostal churches are growing at a fantastic rate in Nigeria and abroad due to their ability to domesticate the culture of ‘dealing with demons’. Demons in Africa are often feared by some Christians due to the perception that they have enormous power. In fact, the Roman Catholic Church does not go much into exorcism, but the Pentecostal church took over this role of casting out demons, which the African people want to be delivered from. In African cosmology, there is a general idea that wicked spirits, who are the causes of all misfortunes and failures, saturate everywhere. Thus, deliverance from these malevolent spirits is sought by most Nigerians, of which the Roman Catholics comprise a great percentage. Thus, because the Pentecostal church offers the needed solution, people are set to come and fellowship with them so that they, too, could be delivered from evil spirits.

Preaching against poverty

There is poverty in Nigeria, and the only thing that most Nigerians want to hear is how to come out of the poverty situation. When it comes to issues of needs and wants, denominationalism is kept aside. Pentecostal churches in Nigeria have often, in their homilies, emphasised the power of God in changing someone from a state of poverty to a state of plenty. Roman Catholics, who are part of the poor population, want a change in their status. Pentecostal churches often tell their members that God will change their situation for the better within the shortest possible time. They also emphasised that any power that is stopping them from prospering will be destroyed. This is what the Pentecostal churches have used to draw more membership from other denominations, especially denominationalism. It was on this premise that Ojo (1988) noted that the presentation of charismatic movements and Pentecostal churches is in a manner acceptable and relevant to Nigerians, and the Pentecostal churches’ adaptation to the situation in Nigeria is a central factor in their rapid growth and success.

Social gospel evangelism

Pentecostal churches in Nigeria are known to be involved in caring for widows, the physically challenged and the poor in their midst. These people, who have no hope or means of survival, have their hope renewed when they find their way into some of the Pentecostal churches in Nigeria. Sometimes it is the motivational church messages or financial assistance they receive. There have been situations where sewing machines are distributed to widows and physically challenged individuals are assisted with cash. Some Roman Catholic members, upon hearing of some of these kinds of gestures, usually temporarily leave their church to some of these Pentecostal churches for assistance with their physical and psychological needs.

Allowing one’s potential to grow

Pentecostal churches in Nigeria seem to allow the youths to exercise their leadership talents compared to the opportunities granted to the youths in Roman Catholic churches. The Roman Catholic Church demands more spiritual maturity and training before one is allowed to covet any leadership post, which is different from the model in Pentecostal churches, where one is made a leader with or without any spiritual maturity or training. Nigerian youth want a platform where they can show that gift and talent without close monitoring from church leadership, and the Pentecostal churches in Nigeria offer such a platform. Thus, Adesoji (2016) noted that the increased privileges for leaders, leadership visibility and leadership style of Pentecostal churches have tended to encourage denominations to adopt that model for the growth of their churches. Most youth feel that when they go to these Pentecostal churches, they are easily made pastors and church coordinators, with people calling them ‘daddies’ or spiritual mentors. Pentecostal churches also allow the youth to engage in spiritual ecstasy in any form they wish. These have attracted many Roman Catholics to Pentecostal churches.

Increased number of schools owned by Pentecostals

There are so many schools owned by Pentecostal churches in Nigeria. They include primary, secondary and even universities. Some of the students who attend these schools are Roman Catholic. In these schools, these children from Roman Catholic homes are taught Pentecostal doctrines, ethos and culture. When these children become adults, they refuse to follow their parents to church; instead, they join a Pentecostal church if they wish. Thus, a long period of indoctrination sustains the steady migration of children from Roman Catholic homes to Pentecostal churches. Currently, the Pentecostal churches in Nigeria have the highest number of Christian universities, with 13 constitutions (54.167%) (Adedibu, 2018). It was the missionaries who used the introduction of Western education as a strategy for conversion, hence their establishment of primary and secondary schools in different parts of Nigeria. Unfortunately, in some of these primary and secondary schools owned by Pentecostal churches, the school fees are beyond the reach of the church members, and it is children from Roman Catholic families with richer parents who end up attending these primary and secondary schools owned by Pentecostal churches (Oluigbo et al. 2016).

Easy accessibility to Pentecostal churches

There is the spread of Pentecostal churches in Nigeria. There is hardly any street in Nigeria where one cannot find a Pentecostal church or another. This is observable in mostly urban centres in Nigeria. Thus, because of the distance from the Roman Catholic Church, some of her members decide to join the nearby Pentecostal church for fellowship. When they may have attended church for some time, they become acclimatised to the way of life of the Pentecostal church and doubt the authenticity of the doctrine of the Roman Catholic Church of which they were a part.

Ecstatic worship

The Pentecostal church believes in ecstatic worship and praise. During worship and praise, there is yelling, crying, shouting, raising of chairs, blowing of a whistle and shouting of ‘ride on’ from the crowd. The above-named features are rarely seen in Roman Catholic settings, where silence and orderliness are more pronounced than engagement in ecstatic worship. The style of worship of Pentecostal churches gives members the opportunity to express their grievances, regrets, appeals or appreciation of God. Thus, Roman Catholic members who may not have the opportunity to cry loudly to God in the church feel comfortable remaining in the Pentecostal church, where they could pour out their minds to God through lamentations or appreciate God through ecstatic worship.

Social media

Pentecostal churches have been making good use of social media in propagating their worship services. Some of the most used social media sites are Facebook, YouTube and WhatsApp. Some of these Pentecostal churches also have their church services on satellite channels. The Roman Catholic members have access to these resources; some of them may decide to listen to the pastor for some minutes, and within that minute they are subdued by the message of the pastor. The next thing they do is locate the branch of the church closest to them or even pick up the contact number of the video they have watched. Some Roman Catholics have succeeded in donating thousands of naira to the buying of instruments in some of these Pentecostal churches, and some of them have even built branches for some of these churches, especially if their problems have been solved.

Marriage

There is an increase in the number of Roman Catholics who are getting married to Pentecostals. This happens when the man is a Roman Catholic, and the woman is a Pentecostal. The man tends to easily change his church from Roman Catholic to Pentecostal. It is a little more difficult for a Pentecostal man to migrate to Roman Catholicism based on marriage to a Roman Catholic girl. But it is very easy for Roman Catholic men to change to Pentecostalism.

Spiritual growth

Some Roman Catholic members feel that there are various activities aimed at improving their spiritual lives that can only be found in Pentecostal churches. This is because Pentecostal churches have time for prayers and fasting, which is rarely allowed in the Roman Catholic Church. Pentecostal churches offer platforms for many hours of Bible study, which some Roman Catholics feel comfortable with. Some Roman Catholic members believe that tough spiritual and physical times require much prayer, fasting, and Bible reading, which can only be found in the Pentecostal churches.

Conclusion

Pentecostal churches have used diverse strategies to win the hearts of other denominations. These strategies have assisted them in gaining more membership compared to Roman Catholicism in Nigeria. It was discovered that the lack of emphasis on the prosperity gospel, the casting out of demons, and showing of signs and wonders through publicly aired testimonies by the Roman Catholic Church gave the Pentecostal churches a leverage point for membership. The Pentecostal churches seem to be multiplying on a day-to-day basis on every street and shacks in Nigeria. The youth, who seem to be overambitious in exercising their talents, seem comfortable with the model that Pentecostal churches provide for self-exhortation and manifestation, hence, the increase in the number of youths combining both Roman Catholicism and Pentecostalism in Nigeria. The social atmosphere that the Pentecostal church provides has helped to shift some of the youth’s eyes away from engaging in social vices such as crime, rape, drug use, and human trafficking, among others. Nevertheless, the Roman Catholic Church in Nigeria is beginning to adopt ways of surviving in the theological storm. This has necessitated the formation of Pentecostal gatherings such as the adoration crusade organised by some Reverend Fathers of the Roman Catholic Church. Some of these adoration crusades are believed to bring the spiritual awakening needed by Roman Catholics. As part of the recommendations, there is a need for Nigerians to be sensitised that the adoption of these strategies by Pentecostal churches has increased the number of those who have been duped, abused, and rendered homeless by the pastors of these churches. Nigerians should be careful about which Pentecostal church they go to avoid getting into more physical and spiritual challenges. Also, there is a need for Nigerians to understand that giving is voluntary. Notwithstanding how sugarcoated some of these Pentecostal churches may be in their preaching, Nigerians should be careful not to fall prey to the dubious pastors that have succeeded in opening churches in different parts of Nigeria.

Acknowledgements

I appreciate all who contributed to the success of this research.

Competing interests

The author declares that no financial or personal relationships inappropriately influenced the writing of this article.

Author’s contributions

F.C.U., the sole author of this research article.

Ethical considerations

This article followed all ethical standards for research without direct contact with human or animal subjects.

Funding information

This research received no specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sectors.

Data availability

Data sharing is not applicable to this article as no new data were created or analysed in this study.

Disclaimer

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of any affiliated agency of the author.

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