Women in Mission: SIM/ECWA Women in Nigeria 1923–2013

By Lami Rikwe Ibrahim Bakari

In Africa and around the world, the church has been established through the faithful effort of men and women working together for the sake of the gospel. However, failure to acknowledge women’s contributions in evangelism and ministry – or to integrate women’s stories into the history of the church – has led to treating women as secondary within the body of Christ.

Women in Mission explores the powerful legacy of women in SIM (formerly, Sudan Interior Mission) and the Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA), demonstrating that from the beginning women have been active and essential participants in the work of God in Nigeria. Dr. Lami Rikwe Ibrahim Bakari examines various theological and cultural frameworks for understanding the role of women in society before delving into the rich historical reality of women’s involvement in Nigerian church history. This study is a powerful reminder that God’s call to partner in the gospel is not limited by sex, and that it is precisely in recognizing women as primary and active participants in God’s mission – maximizing and not suppressing their giftings –that the kingdom of God is best served.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Langham Monographs
• Release date: Aug 2, 2021
• ISBN: 9781839734953

Book preview

Acknowledgments

I am indebted to Dr. Tite Tienou, my mentor. He patiently and diligently guided me as my thoughts formed and developed; he counseled, affirmed, and (many times) cried with me during my times of pain and distress, which were many. To him, I am extremely grateful. To my second and third readers, Dr. Robert Joseph Priest and Dr. Alice Ott, respectively, I am honored to have sat under them. Their wealth of knowledge was an asset in the writing of this dissertation.

I am deeply appreciative of my immediate past and present program directors: Dr. Harold Netland patiently listened and provided guidance as I discussed the topic and chose my committee; Dr. Craig Ott’s questions and advice were helpful. I cannot forget my program co-coordinator, Dr. Hae-won Kim, a sister and friend. To all the staff of Trinity Evangelical Divinity School from the Academic Doctoral Office, International Students and Scholars office, TAF community, AA Community and the Dean’s office (especially Judy Tetour), I cannot thank you enough.

My profound gratitude goes to my professors, mentors, and senior colleagues: Dr. Peter Chou, Dr. Mel Loucks, Rev. Dr. Barje Maigadi, Dr. Samuel Olarewaju, Dr. George Janvier, Dr. Yusufu Turaki, Dr. Samuel Kunhiyop, Dr. Sunday Agang, Dr. Bulus Galadima, Rev. Dr. and Mrs. Motty.

Pastor Elizabeth Rowan, Dr. Elizabeth Glanville, Mrs. Eva De La Rosa, Mrs. Amina Maigadi, Mrs. Marie Tienou and Dr. Rose Galadima, each individual provided different models of women’s involvement in the mission of the church.

To my friends Ado and Naomi Noma, Bitrus and Monica Audu, Bitrus and Sanatu Sarma, John and Abigail Hunt, Todd and Kathy Glen (my American parents), Mrs. Mary John (my adopted mother), Bala and Grace Usman, Paul and Rahila Yanet, Mama F. Eda, Pastor Emmanuel Jatau, Antony and Tina Rondinelar, Stephen Baba, Kags, Shermal, Michelle, Monique, Becky Juro, Laura (my roommate), Jennifer Aycock, and Isaac and Janet Laudarji for their support in various ways and points in this journey.

I cannot overlook the support of my committed editors and friends: Susan Roy, Nora Lee, Barbara Aulie, Rev. Yakubu B. Bafwash, Dunason L. A. Dangbille, staff of Trinity Success Center, Vivian Doub and the Langham editors, and others too numerous to name. Whether they read every page of this work, a chapter or a part, they did it with a passion and dedication that encouraged me to keep writing. Thank you very much Omega E. Binda for the technical help you gave me.

A special thank you goes to all those that I interviewed and archivists such as Mr. Timothy Gyesbeck, Sue McKinney and Joana Bogunjoko of the SIM International Archive in South Carolina; and also Rev. Paul and Mrs. Mary Eleagwu of ECWA Archive in Jos for their encouragement and support without which this dissertation would not be possible.

To my husband, Rev. Dr. Bakari I. Bunga, thank you for being present throughout the entire process. Our children, Joda Amina with Charles, Zainab Ladidi and Gabriel were my biggest fans. I love you all. Although my parents, brother Jerry and sister Titi did not live to see the end of this study, their prayers were a big part of why I never gave up. To my brothers and sisters, nephews, nieces and all my brothers- and sisters-in-laws, notably my sister Tina with her husband Nanlir Kartim, thank you for a shoulder to lean on when I needed one.

According to the popular adage, it takes a village to raise a child, financing my PhD was no different; it took the whole world. I am grateful for the financial support of family, friends, and organizations, such as the Trinity Merit scholarship and The Waybright International Student Scholarship, also at Trinity. At a time that I almost gave up on my dream, Langham Partnership rescued it. I am very grateful for your financial support and the needed personal interactions with Ian Shaw, Fred Gale and other scholars, Mr. and Mrs. Combii, Riad Kassis, the USA Langham Board 2014, and Grace Community Church of San Francisco. I cannot forget the financial and moral support that I received from my employer, ECWA/EMS. Thank you for the opportunity you gave me to study outside of Nigeria. I am grateful to The Board of Maraba African Life Foundation, ECWA Seminary Church, ECWA English Mister Ali, and Christ Church Lake Forest for your moral and prayer support.

Ultimately, this book is the Lord’s doing through his work of grace and mercy in my life. I have seen his hand open doors of opportunity, provide contacts at just the right moment, and bring encouragement and affirmation when I needed it most. I have sensed his presence throughout the process and am humbly grateful.

Abstract

There is an increased demand for the active involvement of women in God’s mission today more than ever before. The current work demonstrates that SIM/ECWA women have made significant contributions to the mission of SIM/ECWA – contributions that need to be fully recognized and integrated into the larger story of SIM/ECWA church. This study identifies some of the women that made key contributions in SIM/ECWA from 1923–2013 and some of the methods they used in planting and nurturing the church in Northern Nigeria.

Chapter 1 identifies the need to include SIM/ECWA women’s experiences and contributions in the larger story and identity of ECWA. Chapter 2 establishes the need for a socio-cultural and historic-theological frame of mind in understanding and interpreting SIM/ECWA women’s involvement in the mission of the church. It reviews relevant literature of feminist theories; the relationship of men and women in the home, church, and society; the history of evangelical women in mission; and women’s involvement in the mission of God in SIM/ECWA.

Chapter 3 explained the methods employed for data collection and analyses, along with the selection process for sites and population. Chapters 4 and 5 identify some women that made key contributions in the mission of SIM/ECWA – both missionary and native women, respectively. Chapter 6 presents the extent to which SIM/ECWA women were involved in the mission of the church; however, it reveals that SIM/ECWA women’s involvement was often characterized by strong social services and missiological needs. These needs were biblically and theologically motivated. SIM/ECWA women were actively involved in evangelism, church growth, church councils, theological and general education, and medical services. The data also shows that through restructuring and reformation within the ECWA church, the role of native women has gradually diminished to support roles and financial supporters of ministry projects.

Finally, chapter 7 concludes with a summary of the book and some suggestions toward fully recognizing women and their gifts as partners and co-leaders with men as they exercise their gifts for the service of the home, church, and society.

Chapter 1

Introduction

The participation of women in the church challenges the church as never before in light of globalization and world Christianity theories of today; this is especially true in Africa. Ian J. Shaw believes that recognition of the vital role of women served as one of the social-political factors that enhanced the growth of the American missionary enterprise of the late nineteenth century. He acknowledged that certain responsibilities in missions can be properly taken care of only by women – both foreign and native. Charlotte Diggs (the popular Baptist Lottie Moon in China) and Mary Slessor in Nigeria are examples that women can provide high quality services and ministries which contribute to the growth of the church and the blessing of the community if they are given the opportunity.[1] This research examines the contributions of women in the church and to what extent the church has limited women in exercising their ministry gifting.

The church, along with faithful Christians, continues to have great opportunities to make a big difference in the world today as it carries out Christ’s mission to make disciples. Eugene Smith writes that The mission of every Christian, and all Christians, in this generation, is to make Christ and all the truth about him known – with convincing power – to a world that both desires and fears him.[2]

According to Smith, the mission of the church is both inclusive and active. Every Christian serving the world for the sake of Christ does so with a passion that is inspired by God’s spirit and his grace. This is possible only when the inclusive nature of Christ’s mission forms the blue print of the church’s theory and practice of mission.[3] A globalizing world like ours is a world embedded with contradictions and paradoxes. Christian mission in this generation must harness and manage all of its human resources well in order to meet the diverse needs and challenges presented by a global world.

In his claim on the nature of the church’s mission, Smith expounded upon John 20:19–23. He claimed that it is Christ who gives mission to the Christian. He writes, Participating in Christian mission means being sent as Christ was sent.[4] He adds, Truly to be sent by Christ is to be sent not only to the kind of circumstances he knew, but in the kind of power he knew.[5] He goes even further to explain that

the central task to which every Christian is sent – even as Christ was sent – is to aid in the process that Christ began in this meeting with the disciples [John 20:19–23]. He turned a group of frightened individuals to a worshipping congregation and gave it power to make known to men the forgiveness and retention of sins. In helping make possible the creation and spread of such groups of Christians in our time, we will find our place in the mission of Christ.[6]

Anyone that wants to be an active witness for Christ must be accompanied by the power that first transforms them into what God wants human beings to be, then allows them to exhibit or express the qualities that God wants to see in the world. A Hausa adage says, If anyone said that they will give you a shirt, look at what they are wearing.[7] This implies that if Christians are to be agents of change, they must express change from their own lives personally and as communities without holding back or discriminating. Bosch notes that Jesus’s mission is one of dissolving alienation and breaking down walls of hostility, of crossing boundaries between individuals and groups."[8] He continues that Jesus’s lifestyle and mission consistently challenged the normative attitudes, practices, and structures, which tended to arbitrarily exclude certain categories of people.[9] The author notes that the random exclusion of people due to their gender or ethnic background was contrary to the mission of Christ and the conviction of the early Christian community.

Bosch seems to imply that the call to go and make disciples places everyone who follows Christ and enters into his service as equal disciples of Christ, and they need to be treated so. He writes,

The ordinary members of the first Christian communities cannot appropriate the term disciple to themselves unless they are also willing to be enlisted in Jesus’ fellowship of service to the world. The entry point for all alike is receiving forgiveness and accepting the reality of God’s reign: this determines the whole life of the disciple and the community to which he or she belongs.[10]

Bosch observed that receiving forgiveness and accepting the reality of God’s reign determines the life of the followers of Christ and their community. Both the individual and the community are expected and are endowed with capabilities for service. However, Pluddemann observed that the role of women in ministry has often been a controversial topic. But while others debated, women since the first century have proclaimed the Gospel through selfless devotion on the mission field. And for the past century, thousands have done so through SIM.[11] According to Pluddemann these women

made enormous contributions to God’s kingdom in roles as diverse as evangelists, church planters, educators, nurses, doctors, linguists, secretaries, midwives, writers, and anthropologists, to name but a few. In the course of their service, they have braved Amazon rain forests, tramped African jungles, and faced hostile mobs on the Indian subcontinent. And often they’ve served as the only missionary in a town. Many carried out these formidable tasks while managing the duties of being a mother and wife. Others elected to forego marriage to serve as single women.[12]

Throughout the history of the church, on every continent, women have participated in God’s mission and their involvement needs further examination. This rings especially true with the involvement of African women. This dissertation re-examines the role of African women in mission by exploring ways that SIM/ECWA[13] women contributed to mission work from 1923–2013. A proper understanding of the various ways women contributed to the mission of SIM/ECWA provides a great resource for empowering ECWA women for strategic involvement in the global mission of the church today.

The ECWA Theological Commission Report (2013) indicates that many ECWA stakeholders blame Pentecostalism and Feminist Theology for women’s desire for leading roles and ordination in the ECWA church – even equating these movements to the gay/lesbian crises of this century.[14] ECWA women’s desire for full involvement in the church is equated to the outright disobedience to the Scripture seen in gays/lesbians. This comparison demonstrates the lack of attention given to evangelical women’s contributions over the centuries. The researcher’s knowledge of the percentage of ECWA women actually seeking ordination is limited, as the commission did not indicate such a number. There are people, however, asking whether women can or cannot occupy positions of power and influence in church ministry. Can they ultimately contribute in the decisions that shape the church?

This question of women’s power and influence in the church often shifts too quickly to the idea of ordination; this focus can distract from the necessary discussions regarding how the church can encourage and empower women to occupy positions of power and influence without fear of control and intimidation. Church policy and politics may seek to stereotype women to certain roles; however, when the church sees giftedness it should not ignore it. But more often than not, such giftedness lacks the space to flourish because of unnecessary fear of control and intimidation directed toward the woman by church men. The issue of women’s involvement in mission continues to challenge the church today as never before. This issue is not unique to SIM/ECWA. During the great missionary era of the late nineteenth and mid-twentieth centuries, women missionaries played significant roles in planting and growing churches in foreign lands, yet at home they were considered just women.

A Definition of Mission

At this point, it is appropriate to define the term mission before going further. The word mission has undergone many changes throughout the years. In different places and times, different aspects of the total concept of mission, ministry, and evangelism have been referred to as mission.[15] Bosch observes that mission is the creative use of biblical traditions, truth about life, and the teachings of Jesus to meet new situations.[16] Writing in the same vein, Chris Wright believes our mission (if it is biblically informed and validated) means our committed participation as God’s people at God’s invitation and command, in God’s own mission within the history of God’s world for the redemption of God’s creation.[17] He objects to such definitions of mission that view mission solely as human endeavors of various kinds[18] or limits mission only to the sending.[19] He notes that it excludes from our inventory of relevant resources many other aspects of biblical teaching that directly or indirectly affect our understanding of God’s mission and the practice of our own.[20] The above scholars perceive mission as everything the church is sent into the world to do. It must be guided and rooted in the word of God. The whole content and history of the Bible provides the picture of mission, not just isolated passages. Bosch points out that our own mission is motivated by compassion, passion, God’s mission, and the history of God’s dealing with human beings.[21] Ultimately, the mission of the church, as the mission of Jesus, involves being sent into the world – to love, to serve, to preach, to teach, to heal, to save, to free.[22]

Mission has its origin in the heart of God. God is the fountain of love. There is mission, because God loves people.[23] Mission, then, is the instrument by which the love of God is expressed to God’s creation, anywhere and everywhere, and by all means. Viewing mission from this inclusive and generous perspective, the church can embrace both evangelism and social/physical service to humanity as two necessary tools of expressing the good news. This helps to minimize the alienation that people (as individuals or groups) and their gifts have experienced over the years – especially African women. In light of the foregoing definition of mission, can women – African women in particular – be perceived in active and primary roles with some modicum of power and influence in this mission endeavor?

Scholars such as Shehu, Zandstra, Oduyoye, Schmidt, and Robert, observe that many mission programs suffer because of the controversies surrounding the involvement of women in the ministry of the church.[24] Relegating women and their contributions to the background negates the church’s claim of the new life and equality of all believers as seen in Galatians 3:28.[25] Letty Russell observed that the church needs to find ways that women and men can work together as partners – each contributing his or her best to the expansion of God’s kingdom on earth.[26]

It is appropriate here to observe that historically African women have held rights that the church has often overlooked. Anthropologists such as Paul Bohannan and James Gibbs hold that African women possess important legal, political, religious, and social status which should not be overlooked.[27] (Due to the diversity and multi-cultural nature of the African continent, one should add the more descriptive term in many African communities rather than using the general term African women.) In many parts of Africa, women have charted paths towards a status as equals, as shown by their contributions in times of instability and war.[28] Throughout history, many African women have used great skill to successfully bridge their influence within the public and the private spheres. Their roles in the private sphere (the home and family) did not seem to adversely affect their roles in the public arena (service to their communities) when given the opportunity to perform.[29]

Many African communities used family responsibility either for men or women as a measurement for public responsibility. For such societies (as the Rigwe), it was acceptable for a woman to fill the role of a man, and she would even receive praise for doing so. In fact, many communities in North Central Africa survived colonialism due to women fulfilling typically male roles. When men were taken from the farms and homes into the mines and other colonial services, women rose up and took charge of homes, towns, and city affairs.[30] Nnamah-Okoye further claims that the Abba’s Women’s Riot of 1929 is considered one of the key factors that motivated the African search for independence.[31] Was the Abba Women’s Riot felt elsewhere in Africa other than Nigeria? This is a valid question; however, Bohannan notes that where there are Kings, there are Queen mothers . . . at the basis of every secret cult of men there are women.[32] Essentially, the impact of women on men (whether seen or unseen) cannot be denied. Bohannan further explains that initiation is a ritualized teaching to the initiates that women must stand behind and support men . . . African men ritualise rather than deny their basic dependence on women.[33] While religious rituals gave African men a step ahead of women, men knew that in reality they were not independent of women. This was demonstrated by Gani Ziti of Zembe in Miango, my father.

Gani was a noble and just man in his community. He served as the priest of Dodo, the community religious cult. He later left Zembe for Jos in 1968, but never lost his honor as a community leader, husband, father, or civil servant. One Saturday morning after his two wives left for their places of business, he made a surprising revelation to his children. Usually when he was not at work, he spent his mornings and early afternoons with his children and later his grandchildren. He said, I am grateful for your mothers. If it were not because of them, how would I take care of you? The oldest of the children present was a researcher and already graduated from Bible college. She was sure the mothers would be happy to hear this from their husband. She prompted, Tell them. He responded, Wai!, which signifies difficulty. The researcher probed a little further, Why? He said, "If I tell them,