Scattered To be gathered - Ministry to Migrants
By John Idoko
()
About this ebook
God is hastening the return of Christ. He is doing that by
making the proclamation of the gospel to people that
hitherto
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Scattered To be gathered - Ministry to Migrants - John Idoko
DEDICATION
––––––––
To God who is orchestrating global events and accelerating
human movements- moving people out of their locations
into other places where they can easily access the gospel-in
His commitment to accomplish the Great Commission.
To all migrants scattered in the Christian South to be
gathered intothe kingdom of God.
To all those already gathered, and those who are yet to be
gathered.
To all those serving as gathering agents in one way or the
other and in diverse circumstances.
To churches, ministries and groups who understand the
times and are adapting themselves to missions without borders.
FIRST FOREWORD
God is hastening the return of Christ. He is doing that by
making the proclamation of the gospel to people that
hitherto have been locked up in regions that were
considered closed to the Gospel. How is God doing this? He is
doing this by allowing cataclysms all over the world that are
causing massive movement of people from those spots to
other parts of the world. Few years ago, movement of
refugees from some parts of the Middle East to Europe
became a global problem. Migration of people (for whatever
reasons) has become a present day phenomenon that we
cannot avoid talking about. Even in missions missiologists
have come out with a new buzz word: Diaspora missiology
.
This is a new way of thinking. Unreached people can be
reached not only in their home lands but also everywhere
else because many of the unreached people are already
Diaspora people.
Here in Nigeria, people are also moving massively from
the Northwest, North central and Northeast to the South in
large numbers. Most of these people are not migrating as
refugees, though some are. The majority are moving
because of normal human migrations. This movement of
northern people to the South did not start today; it has been
there for ages. Maybe we are just awakening to this reality or
it is that the momentum has greatly increased in recent time. Those who have reflected on this phenomenon
have given several reasons. There are those who attribute
this increase to the high poverty level of the northern region
forcing the people to migrate in search of greener pasture.
Some have said that the encroachment of the desert into
some parts of the North has made life very difficult for
people there. They have no choice other than to migrate to
other places. There are also those who have insisted that this
mass movement of northern people to the South is not just
for economic reason. There is a religious agenda attached to
it. The proponents of this view argue that in classical Islam,
migrations and assimilation are strategies for Islamization.
Therefore, the northern people who are migrating to the
South (the majority of migrants are Muslims) are doing that
with the sole purpose of Islamizing the South, particularly
the Southeast and South-South regions. Yet, another group
has observed that because of the rise of Islamic insurgency
and fundamentalism in the Northeast which has spread to
other parts of the northern region, there is a high degree of
insecurity and threat to life. This has caused the increase in
the mass movement of people from the North to the South.
It is difficult to go by one explanation; the reasons for the
movement are multi-faceted and intertwined depending on
howwe understand Islam and its agenda.
Whatever the reasons, the Church in Nigeria and in the
South in particular has a case at hand to deal with. This
migration is reshaping the face and demography of the
Southeast, South-South and Southwest regions. It has
created a new people group that is increasing in numbers
day by day, and is being assimilated into southern
communities. If Islamization is the agenda of the migrants,
then they have already succeeded in the formation of
northern-lslamic-religion colonies in every city and village in
the southern region which have become springboards for a
deeper incursion into every structure of the southern
people and culture that no one can stop at this point. This is
whatindigenizinga religion really is.
The growth of these diaspora communities should
reshape our missiology in Nigeria so that we respond
appropriately. If the North has become insecure for
missionary activities, God has brought the people to our
door post. He wants us to seize the opportunity to engage
them here and now!
This is not what the traditional mission groups alone can
do, and they should not attempt to do it alone. God has
placed these diaspora unreached people groups around the
local churches. It is the local churches that should
take the lead in engaging them. But I know that
most of the local churches in these regions are not aware,
––––––––
mobilized or equipped to engage in ministry to these people.
So the church needs information, training and coaching.
Beyond these, the church in the south will need to change
her attitude towards the migrant northern Muslimsand non¬
Muslims, and develop a strategic focus on them.
Calvary Ministries (CAPRO) as a mission agency was born
in the North and was given a special vision to make disciples
among the core northern Muslim people. This vision has
kept CAPRO focusing her ministry on the north for more than
four decades now. With the changing face of the world and
the rise of Islamic fundamentalism in the north, it became
apparent that God was asking us to change our tactics of
engagement. We sawthe Boko Haram ravagingthe locations
we were engaging and it became too difficult to continue to
engage such places. But the people we were trying to reach
have been moving away from their native locations to the
south, so we decided to carry out a survey of where they are
found in the south. The survey opened our eyes to see
firsthand that the people we were trying to reach in the
North and the doors of ministry there which were closing up
very fast were found in the south in large numbers. The
surveyfound among many things the following:
1. It was not that the northern people were beginning
to move to the south but that they have actually
moved, have their colonies all over the Southeast,
South-South and Southwest, and there was hardly
any community that they were not there. They have
integrated into the communities and were well
accepted bythe people, actively intermarryingthere,
have their own areas and leadership and political
structures in place, and actively expanding.
2. In the face of the growth of Hausa/Fulani
communities and the indigenization of the Islamic
culture that was taking place, most local churches
were not aware or were just indifferent. Some
churches did not even realize that it was their
responsibility to reach out to these people. So there
was no strong effort to engage them. Some churches
were having such engagement as a dream but there
was no action to actualize it.
CAPRO leadership decided to respond immediately. A
four point strategy was developed for practical action in
facing this mission field that is now open to us.
1. Carry out massive sensitization of the local churches
in the Christian South to help them to be aware of the
mission field at their door step and to mobilize them
for engagement.
2. Mobilize the churches in the Middle-Belt and the North
(like ECWA, COCIN, EYN, LCCN, ERCC, HEKAN, Baptist
and others) to send their workers to the Christian South
to make disciples and plant Hausa-speaking churches
amongthe diaspora people.
3. Develop a training package on outreach to the
Muslims for the churches interested in reaching the
diaspora Muslims. Also to develop strategic
partnership with churches that will enable us to
coach their members in outreach to Muslims and
provide tools for such.
4. Place workers in strategic locations in the Christian
South to make disciples among the diaspora
northern people to serve as prototype for churches
who will want to reach them.
CAPRO has been pursuing this vision for the past five
years. We have run several trainings for different churches.
We have realized that the need for practical training
materials is a very serious need here. We have also come to
believe that the local churches in these regions are poised to
engage the diaspora northern people if they are given
practical training materials. I believe it is with this in mind
thatthe author ofthis practical book has painstakingly taken
his time to put together this beautiful work. It is in my view a
practical training manual and also a handbook
for practitioners who are already in the field.
It will refresh them and spur them to serious reflection on
the tactics they are using in their work. Bible Schools will also
find this book very useful in preparing their students for
practical ministry among Muslims.
––––––––
I thank God for giving grace to our brother to put this
book together. We together yearn to see the multiplication
of disciples among Muslims and non-Muslim migrants. May
this effort stir the church in the south to practical action
since the mission field is now in our orbits.
May Jesus be the desire of the migrants and may they
find Him who is the Straight Way; for He is the Way, the Truth
and the Life.
Jah Pah
Training Officer and Church Planting Coach
SECOND FOREWORD
THIS IS BREAKING NEWS! There is a global phenomenon
going on NOW. Hitherto, people unreached with the gospel,
were caged in closed nations by intolerant repressive
governments. They were stifled by religious decrees and
brainwashed by decades of teachings and doctrines of
fanatical bigots. These precious souls are presently being
scattered to be gathered, by divine order.
You would agree with me, that no title or name could be
more apt for the description of any work or experience about
this phenomenon than, SCATTERED TO BE GATHERED.
Though this is breaking news, it is not without
precedent. God in His wisdom made it impossible for there
to be harvest without precious seeds being scattered.
There is no doubt in my mind, that the writing of this
book is divinely inspired. I believe that God has used John
Idoko to break this news to us. However, the question is:
0What next?0 Of course God does not give us breaking news
to entertain us, but to recruit us for the needful.
The passion and burden of the author is palpable. The
author is not just breaking this news with clinical
detachment. He is obviously a first responder that has a
firsthand experience of the magnitude of the harvest.
His clarion call is heart-felt and sincere. Anyone that
takes our Lord's command to go out and make disciples
seriously should heed this clarion call. I dare to say that all
Christian leaders will find this book a treasure of inestimable
value.
––––––––
I pray and sincerely hope that as we read this book, our
eyes shall be anointed with divine eye salve to see the
multitudes scattered around us.
As we see the scattered, we must gatherthem in. For that
reason, and that reason alone, has the Lord given us this
breaking news and opened our eyes to see the scattered
through His servant, John Idoko.
Pastor Sonny O. Wogu
––––––––
THIRD FOREWORD
I count it a privilege to be asked to write a foreword for
this timely book. For Christians to engage Muslims in the
diaspora is an emergency; but as with every emergency,
guidelines are imperative. With no guidelines, those who
recognize the emergency may yet do nothing for fear of
making matters worse, or they may do things anyhow in a
trial and errorfashion.
I have found this book both sound and replete with
helpful guidelines. Some of these guidelines I have known
before now, and some my eyes are being opened to. Both
categories are for every one of us to use, and as an individual
I have purposed to use all. In the measure I have had courage
to apply them, God has shown me they are effective.
We must remember that the labor of bringing people
into the kingdom involves cultivating, sowing and
harvesting.
Do you not say, 'There are yet four months, and then
comes the harvest'? Look, I tell you, lift up your
eyes, and see that the fields are white for harvest.
Already the one who reaps is receiving wages
and gathering fruit for eternal life, so that sower
and reaper may rejoice together. For here
the saying holds true, 'One sows and another reaps.'
I sent you to reap that for which you did not labor.
Others have labored, and you have entered into
theirlabor. (John 4:35-38)
Not all are reaping immediately; and labor in cultivating
is often scary, hard, and unattractive. Yet it is imperative for
the harvest. May we use this book and show ourselves those
laborers who both sow and reap in the harvest fields of God
among the migrant Muslims and non-Muslims in diaspora.
Muslims are deeply loved of God; Christ Jesus hung on the
Cross and died for each of them as well as for each of us, to
bring us both to God our Father in His kingdom.
Rev. Dr. Ifeanyichukwu Onah.
Chapel of Pentecost,
Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Enugu.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
––––––––
First and foremost, I am thankful that you are reading this
book. Hopefully, it will move your mind from a certain state
of inertia into a definite motion... in a definite direction... at a
definite time...for a definite task... in a definite place...
accomplishing a definite aspect of the diaspora ministry...
fulfilling a definite purpose in the kingdom of God in a
definite life... at a definite moment... and at a definite pace...
in a definite process.
This work is a labor for, and of, my fellow workers and
partners in the Diaspora Ministry. Though widely dispersed
in the field, yet connected in vision and mission. Each one of
them encourages and inspires me a lot through silent labors
for the sake of the scattered tribes. You are all uniquely
wonderful people, serving God's purpose in silent ways
without ostentation. Yes, I may not mention your names
here, butyou are known where it matters.
Thanks to my wife who has been my closest companion
as we journey together in life and ministry. Many times we
slugged it through rough terrains by faith even when we
cannot see all the details through the fog. I thank her
for carefully taking time to edit and constructively
critique some of the issues raised in this book.
I also give 'high five' to our children who in their own little
ways have made commitments to make God proud, as much
as they know how. You are all wonderful pillars...
Anene read the first draft of this book, made corrections
and useful suggestions. Her keen eyes spotted some errors in details in ways I did not see. In her usual cheerful manner,
she gladly did the proof -reading of the whole book after it
was edited. Thank you very much.
Professor Egodi Uchendu checked through the opening
pages, amended the title, and made useful suggestions,
particularly in the style of citation/documentation/referen-
cing. God bless you. Prof, for the inspirations you give.
I am deeply indebted to Ruth Veltkamp, who was a long¬
time teacherin Nigeria, for editingthe book. Besides serving
as editor, she has always been very encouraging to me over
the years that we have known each other. While editing the
book, she wrote a note to me saying, "I am really enjoying
working on this book. It is a treasure house of wisdom that is
much needed at this time." Grateful thanks to you, Ruth, for
your labors overthis book.
Above all else, I am very thankful to the Lord for the
strength, insight, grace and speed He gave me to finish the
writing of this book. In reality, He is the One who has written
the book through me because of His concern for the
ingathering of the scattered tribes into His kingdom. One
early morning while the book was being written. He woke
me up and said, "Finish your book quickly. Many people are
waiting for the book to know what to do." As an unprofitable
servant, I am fulfilled that I have done what is my duty to do.
Let him who read learn what to do (in one way or the other)
and run with it while yet it is day.
––––––––
INTRODUCTION
Migrations, Missions & Diaspora Ministry
The Unreached People around Us
"So the Lord scattered them from there over
all the earth" From there the Lord scattered
them over the face of the whole earth."
Genesis 11:8-9. [Over the face of the
whole Christian South] (Emphasis mine)
This book is part of the changing tune of the beating of
the missions drum in our land. When the beating of the drum
changes, a wise and attentive dancer changes dance steps as
well. The tune of the drum dictates the dance. No one dances
correctly if his dancing steps are in discordance with the
rhythm of the music.
In this book, analogically, God is the Drummer. Missions
is the drum. Crises are the drumstick in the hand of God.
Christians, missionaries and all believers alike are the
dancers. Migrations and missions are the current tunes
being beaten on the drum, not only in our country, but
globally. The mission field that has suddenly moved on to our
door steps is the dancing field. The clouds of witnesses
above, comprising men and women, who have gone ahead
of us, are the spectators watching how we dance. And Christ
Himself watches from the grand stand. How we
dance as individuals, as churches, as mission agencies to
the tune of migrations is being watched keenly from above.
Whosoever dances or does not dance is being observed and
noted. Whoever dance steps are discordantly out of tune is
being watched. However we dance, we are all dancing,
heading towards the grandstand finish.
––––––––
The burden in this book is about Diaspora ministry or
Diaspora missions. The unreached tribes in the far remote
parts of the earth have moved, and are still moving, close to
us. In rapid response to this sudden influx of northern tribes
into the Christian South, CAPRO, in 2013, set up a pioneering
church planting field among these heterogeneous migrant
northern tribes in a Christianized environment. This advance
charts a new pioneering path in our missions to the
unreached-reaching the unreached in a reached setting. This
is what we call Diaspora ministry. It is ministry to scattered
northern tribes in diaspora, away from their home states, in
the Christian South. It is a complement to, not a substitute
for, CAPRO's traditional approach of sending missionaries to
the unreached people of the North, and to the ends of the
earth. It is a consideration of how we can get to the
unreached peoples over there while simultaneously working
to reach them over here.
Diaspora ministry itself is not a new phenomenon. It has
always been, very biblical, yet we have not been focusing on
it in our missionary experience. But current global events of
crises, leading to increased migrations which are bringing
unreached people groups close to us, are making us to tow
that path now. We are becoming attentive to God's rhythm
and dancing in accord with what's trending in God's
schemes.
These are some of the things you will be meeting in
this book.
––––––––
For the purpose of this book, I have configured Nigeria
into two distinct religious parts: the Islamic North (green
portion on the map) and the Christian South (the yellow
part).
The Islamic North comprises all the northern states
where the dominant religion is Islam. But that is not to say
that all the states are Islamic. In fact, there is no state or
region in the North that is 100% Muslims. In all those states,
there are thousands of indigenous northern Christians. But
to make the point clearer, I have chosen to use the 'Islamic
North,' out of which these migrations are taking place.
The Christian South is that whole bloc of the South
comprising Southeast, South-south and Southwest, where
the dominant religion is Christianity. Just as is the case with
the Islamic North, no states or regions of the Christian South
are entirely Christian. There are thousands of indigenous
Muslims all over the South. It is into this Christian South that
these migrants are pouring.
The Middle-Belt is sandwiched between the Islamic
North and the Christian South. It is the bridge between the
two regions. Largely Christian, it is a hub of its own
uniqueness into which these migrations from the Islamic
––––––––
North are also pouring. The Middle-Belt is spiritually
and politically polyandry in nature, being an area of contest.
In politics and religion, it is, in most cases, married to the two
distinct blocks of the North and the South. Although this
book focuses on the Christian South and how Diaspora
ministry can be carried out there, the principles are
applicable to the Middle-Belt as well, and even to any part of
theglobewhere Diaspora peopleexist.
Succinctly put, the Islamic North is the donor of
migrants while the Christian South is the recipient. This
simplification helps us understand clearly the issues at stake.
The Diaspora Tribes
The diaspora tribes are northern Muslim and non¬
Muslim tribes that have moved out of their native lands in
the Islamic North (and beyond) to live in our orbits in the
Christian South. They include Hausas, Fulanis, Kanuris,
Shuwa Arabs, Ganaganas, Bolewas, Bachamas, Zabarmawas,
and more. A unique mission field has come close to us. From
New Artisan in Enugu, Presidential Hotel and the abattoir
(popularly called Slaughter) in Port-Harcourt to Elele, Sabo in
Yaba, Berger in Lagos, Marina in Eket to Benin Hausa market
and Anguwan Mangoro settlement in Benin-City, they have
formed their own unique identity and communities all over
the Christian South.
––––––––
––––––––
The majority of these migrants are involved in subaltern
jobs like mai guard work, trading, keke taxi-ing, nail-cutting,
street begging, well digging, firewood choppers, cattle
herding, and other menial work. They are very amorphous
and diasporic in nature, meaning that the majority of them,
particularly the young men, have no permanent location.
They have their two legs in the two worlds of the Islamic
North and the Christian South. They are always circulating
around from one state to the other in the Christian South
and back in the North. At a particular season, the rainy
season, several return home to farm. At other times they
return home to harvest. And when harvest is done and the
extreme dry season sets in, they migrate to the South. And in
between, times of Eid celebrations take many back home
too. All these, and much more, make them uniquely
unreached peoples. Consequently, engaging them with the
gospel has its own uniquechallengesand peculiarities.
The majority of them come out of rural backgrounds; so
they come with rural (or Arewa) mindsets into urban areas.
Somehow, they are developing complex rurban mindsets (a
mixture of rural, Arewanized minds in urban settings).
Gradually they absorb urbanized and Christianized
influences, while solidly retaining the Arewanized, resistant
Islamic mindset. In dealing with them, it is important to
understand this.
––––––––
Scattered to Be Gathered-An Emergency
––––––––
The advent of Boko Haram insurgency in Nigeria is changing
the face of missions in Nigeria. In fact, global demography is
changing fast in all countries of the world today due to one
crisis or the other that are causing people to move from one
end of the earth to the other.
Many northern Muslim and non-Muslim groups are
migrating on a daily basis into the Christian South. They have
their own mission for these migrations. But whatever be
their mission, God seems to be scattering them from the
Islamic North so they can be gathered unto Him in the
Christian South by the Church. It is God's attempt to help
Christians in the South to fulfill the Great Commission to the
unreached tribes now within their environments. He scatters
them from over THERE to be gathered into His kingdom
HERE. It is not because He is incapacitated in harvesting
them to Himself in their native lands, but because barriers of
religion, culture, geography, politics and government
policies have made it difficult for them to hear the gospel
clearly and unhindered in their native land. Since these
are the same reasons why many Christians do
not dare to reach into their Northern communities,
the Lord, being the Lord of the harvest, is orchestrating
events, even ugly events, and driving them close
to us in Christianized atmospheres. Here, in such a
––––––––
benign atmosphere, they can be touched by prayers, be
exposed to the gospel and to Christian influences, thereby,
we hope, neutralizing their Islamic stances. Certainly, all
cannot be gathered, but surely, as surely as God is God and
the Lord of the harvest, some of them will be gathered into
His kingdom as He worksthrough us.
There are those who are scattered to be gathered; some
who are scattered to gather, and those who need to
intentionally scatter themselves to go gather the scattered.
And yet still, are those into whose communities the
scattered comes. These ones serve as host communities to
all the different categories of the scattered. While playing
host to the scattered, they also must arise to serve, as
designated by God, to gather the scattered.
The influx of these migrants out of the Islamic North into
the Christian South seems to have created 'an emergency'
for the Church in the Christian South to handle. Many a
Christian in many a church does not know howto handle the
raiding party
that has suddenly flooded our
neighborhood. The lifestyle of those being scattered
confuses those to whom they are scattered. And many who
should be gathering the scattered are confused, many times
overwhelmed by prejudice, losing sight of God's purpose in
all of these internal migrations.
––––––––
This book is written to help give some clues as to how to go
about dealing with this 'emergency' so that those to be
gathered will be gathered, and those who are gathered will
be finely processed into fruitful disciples.
If you are a northern migrant, Muslim or non-Muslim,
reading this book, there is a reason why God has brought you
into the Christian South. Some of you may have even come
with a jihad mindset. But there is a 'greater jihad' which the
Lord God your creator is waging in the invisible realm so that
true peace can enter into your soul. You can enter into
peace with God.
No one ever knows true peace in his heart
if the Prince of Peace, which is Jesus, is absent in his heart.
For non-Muslims, or nominal Christians, it is not enough to
be called 'Peter', 'Michael', 'Joshua', or any of the other
Christian names. It is also not enough that you claim to be a
member of LCCN, COCIN, ECWA, EYN, or a baptismal card
holderof any church denomination. The truth of the matter
is that if you don't have Christ, you have no life. Period! A
baptismal or church membership card can't take you to
heaven. God may have brought you here to the South so that
you may experience true salvation in His Son, Jesus Christ.
So I counsel all migrants in the Christian South that as
you circulate round looking for green pasture, God's eyes are
on you, searching you out for salvation so that you
may obtain the 'green card' of heaven. He has scattered
you out of the North so He can gather you unto salvation.
May you be among those who will be gathered, and who, in
turn, will join the band of gatherers.
Very Close Yet Far Away (Mark 12:34):
The Diaspora peoples are now in our neighborhood, on
our campuses, in our markets. They serve as security guards
in many homes, estates, companies, schools, even in some
of our churches. Their communities, Ama Hausas or Hausa
quarters have sprung up, or have taken root everywhere in
the South.
They feed our parties and our funerals, naming
ceremonies, and marriages with beef. We buy and enjoy
their beef, but look away from their souls. We abandon our
local dwarf goats and buy their tall, lanky Sokoto gudali
specie, but we don't pause to consider the true spiritual
state of the people from whom we buy those things. Their
beef and other foodstuffs are close to us to buy, to feed our
stomachs, but we do not nourish our hearts sufficient
enough with kingdom thoughts about their salvation. We
buy their rams and goats to do thanksgiving in churches,
yearly harvests (bazaars), yet look away from laboring for
their salvation. Some even wish them dead! We are not
doinggood!
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How can we feast on their animals, and do nothing about
their salvation? As a priest/pastor, have any of your
church members ever brought a ram, a goat or a cow for
thanksgiving? Do you eat of the meat of such animals? Every