A church, church building or church house is a building used for Christian worship services and other Christian religious activities. The earliest identified Christian church is a house church founded between 233 and 256. From the 11th through the 14th centuries, there was a wave of church construction in Western Europe.
Sometimes, the word church is used by analogy for the buildings of other religions. Church is also used to describe the Christian religious community as a whole, or a body or an assembly of Christian believers around the world.
In traditional Christian architecture, the plan view of a church often forms a Christian cross; the center aisle and seating representing the vertical beam with the bema and altar forming the horizontal. Towers or domes may inspire contemplation of the heavens.
Modern churches have a variety of architectural styles and layouts. Some buildings designed for other purposes have been converted to churches, while many original church buildings have been put to other uses.
Without furtherado Auchijeffblog have gathered below the top 10 biggest churches in Nigeria.
Top 10 Most populated Churches in Nigeria
1. REDEEMED CHRISTIAN CHURCH OF GOD (RCCG)
The Redeemed Christian Church of God is a Pentecostal megachurch and denomination founded in Lagos, Nigeria. The General overseer is Enoch Adeboye, ordained in 1981. The church in Lagos has an average church attendance of 100,000.
The RCCG was started by late Rev Josiah Akindayomi in 1952, then as a fellowship known as Egbe Ogo-Oluwa (Glory of God) with 12 men and later metamorphosed into RCCG. When Akindayomi died on the 2 November 1980 at 71 years, Pastor E. A. Adeboye was consecrated as the General Overseer of RCCG on the 21 January 1981.
Enoch Adeboye was a lecturer in mathematics at the University of Lagos, Nigeria, as at the time he joined the church in 1973. The RCCG website outlines its beliefs in the Bible and the Holy Trinity, that the Devil exists, that God formed man in his image, in repentance, in cleansing from sins by God’s grace, in sanctification, water baptism, Holy Spirit baptism, restitution and that God can heal without medicine by His divine intervention e.g. through prayer. Pastor Enoch Adeboye, has ordained 17,763 new ministers. In the breakdown, 2,231 are full-time Pastors, 4,726 are Assistant Pastors.
2. LIVING FAITH CHURCH WORLDWIDE (WINNERS CHAPEL)
Living Faith Church Worldwide is an Evangelical charismatic Christian denomination and a megachurch. The headquarters is located in Ota, Nigeria. The organization has since become a global network of churches with over 6 million members in 147 countries.
David Olaniyi Oyedepo is a Nigerian preacher, Christian author, businessman, architect and the founder of the Living Faith Church Worldwide, and presiding Bishop of the Faith Tabernacle in Ota, Ogun State, Nigeria. The church is also known as Winners’ Chapel International. David Olatunji Abioye is a Nigerian Christian author and preacher, the First Vice President of the Living Faith Church Worldwide.
What is the 12 pillars of living faith church?
1) FAITH. 2) THE WORD. 3) THE SUPERNATURAL. 4) PRAISE. 5) THE HOLY SPIRIT. 6) PROSPERITY. 7) VISION. 8) PRAYER. 9) HEALING. 10) WISDOM. 11) CONSECRATION. 12) SUCCESS.
The Scriptures: The Living Faith Church believes the “Bible as the inspired word of God, the product of Holy men of old who spoke and wrote as they were moved by the Holy Spirit”. The Godhead: “Our God is one but manifested in three persons, the father, the son and the Holy Spirit being co-equal”.
Oyedepo’s headquarters, “Canaanland”, is a 10,500-acre (4250-hectare) campus in Ota, outside the commercial capital Lagos. It comprises a university, two halls of accommodation, restaurants and a church seating 50,000 people, with a total overflow capacity of five times that.
3. MOUNTAIN OF FIRE AND MIRACLE MINISTRIES (MFM)
The Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries is a Pentecostal denomination founded in Yaba, Lagos, Lagos State, Nigeria in 1989, now with churches in several countries. It was founded by Daniel Kolawole Olukoya.
Pastor Olukoya’s ministry started when he gave his life to Christ in secondary school. This led to him eventually establishing the Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries (MFM) in 1989. The founder of the CAC church, the late Apostle Joseph Ayodele Babalola is regarded as one of his spiritual mentors. He revealed that God gave him vision to start MFM when he was living in a one-bedroom rented apartment.
MFM doctrine teaches members about dealing with ancestral spirits and the existence of hidden evil and spiritual forces against progress toward the fulfilment of one’s “destiny”, resulting in a theology that promotes practices dominated by prayer points to free individuals from those hidden bondage. Among structures located within the camp is an auditorium capable of holding 100,000 members during special occasions.
4. DUNAMIS INTERNATIONAL GOSPEL CENTRE
Dunamis International Gospel Centre, is a church headquarted in Abuja, Nigeria, with Dr. Paul and Dr. Becky Enenche, as the senior pastors.
Paul Eneche is the founder and senior pastor of Dunamis International Gospel Center, a church he founded in 1996. Established on November 10, 1996, the church had its inaugural Sunday service at the Abuja Centre for Arts and Culture (First Floor) Area 10.
Our Mission is to preach the gospel to the souls in Long sight, Manchester, Greater Manchester and beyond. To nurture and disciple new converts and establish them in the faith. To equip the saints for the work of the ministry. The auditorium has sitting capacity of 100,000. The church auditorium is located in Abuja Nigeria. The Glory Sanctuary Dome auditorium upon completion, was regarded as the largest church auditorium in the world.
5. WORD OF LIFE BIBLE CHURCH
Word of Life Bible Church is a Pentecostal Christian megachurch located in Warri, Delta, Nigeria. It is one of the largest congregations in Nigeria, averaging about 30,000 attendees per week. The church now has congregations in over 70 locations worldwide.
Word of Life Fellowship is an international evangelistic Christian ministry. The headquarters is in Schroon Lake, New York, in the United States.Word of Life Bible Church started on November 15, 1987, by Ayo Oritsejafor and his first wife, Stella, inside a warehouse in Plot 12, Enerhen, Uvwie, central district of Delta.
Pastor Ayo was a Church of God Mission International pastor, under the leadership of Archbishop B.A. Idahosa, but after receiving a mandate from God, he founded Word of Life Bible Church as a Bible believing church for all who seek God. In 1982, Ayo and Stella created and hosted a television program, called the Hour of Deliverance, which later became the church’s television broadcast which could be seen in many parts of the world.
Word of Life Bible Church believes that the Holy Bible consisting of 66 books is the inspired, authoritative and infallible word of God and center its teachings on this belief. The church also holds in account the belief in the Trinity, From the commands found in the Bible, the church believe, The church is known for its Word of Life, Faith and Deliverance based teaching.
6. DEEPER LIFE BIBLE CHURCH
Deeper Christian Life Ministry also known as Deeper Life Bible Church is a Pentecostal Christian denomination with its international headquarters, Deeper Life Bible Church Lagos, in Gbagada, Lagos. It is overseen by the General Superintendent of Deeper Life Bible Church, Pastor William Folorunso Kumuyi.
The founder is William Folorunso Kumuyi and his the General Superintendent of the Deeper Christian Life Ministry situated at Gbagada, Lagos, Nigeria. He is the author of several Christian books and devotionals.
In 1973, while serving as a mathematics lecturer at the University of Lagos, W.F. Kumuyi started a Bible study group with 15 university students who had come to him requesting training in the Scriptures. The church started as the Deeper Christian Life Ministry. W.F. Kumuyi was a former Anglican who joined the Apostolic Faith Church after being baptised.
In 1975, he was expelled from the church for preaching without credentials. He continued his independent ministry, which in 1982 became the Deeper Life Bible Church. By the early 1980s that small group had grown to several thousand, at which time Deeper Life Bible Church was formally established.
7. CHRIST EMBASSY (BELIEVERS LOVE WORLD)
Christ Embassy, also known as LoveWorld Incorporated or Believers’ Loveworld, is a megachurch and Christian denomination founded by Pastor Chris Oyakhilome in 1987. The Church, with headquarters in Lagos, Nigeria, has since become a global network of churches with congregations in many countries and has approximately 13,000,000 followers all over the world.
The Church has ministries in Canada, Nigeria, South Africa, the United States and the United Kingdom. The church has 145 branches in five continents.
Christian Oyakhilome also known as Pastor Chris who was born on the 7 of December 1963 is the founder and president of LoveWorld Incorporated, also known as Christ Embassy, based in Lagos, Nigeria. The church started with a prayer group led by Chris Oyakhilome, at Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, while he was studying architecture in 1987. The church celebrated its 30th anniversary in November 2017.
The church has approximately 13,000,000 followers worldwide. Several other ministries around the world participate in its programs and conferences like the International Pastors and Partners Conference (IPPC) which holds every November in Lagos, Nigeria; the International Cell Leaders’ Conference (ICLC) which holds in the middle of the year; the International School of Ministry; the Healing School, etc.
8. THE APOSTOLIC CHURCH (TAC)
The Apostolic Church is a Christian denomination and Pentecostal movement that emerged from the Welsh Revival of 1904–1905. Although the movement began in the United Kingdom, the largest national Apostolic Church is now the Apostolic Church Nigeria.
The Apostolic Church views the Scriptures as the supreme authority and understands them to be the inerrant Word of God. The soteriology of the Apostolic Church is neither uniformly Reformed nor Arminian. Emphasis is placed on the penal substitutionary atonement and the Reformation understanding of justification by grace alone.
The Church has taught both unconditional election and the possibility of grace, suggesting a position closer to that of Lutheran theology. They believe that the Worship of One God. Jesus Christ being Messiah and the expressed image of the Invisible God.
The utter depravity of human nature, the necessity for repentance and regeneration, and the eternal doom of the finally impenitent. The National Temple is the worship Centre at the convention ground of The Apostolic Church Nigeria located in Olorunda-Ketu, Lagos State. It has 100,000 capacity seats.
9. HOUSE ON THE ROCK
House on the Rock is a prominent multi-ethnic Christian Church headquartered in Lagos, Nigeria. House on the Rock was founded by Paul Adefarasin in 1994, It is well known for its annual musical concert, The Experience (World’s Largest Gospel Concert), which features both local and international gospel musicians.
Paul Adefarasin serves as Founder and President of the foundation.Pastor Paul Adefarasin speaks on fire at House on the Rock building in Abuja. The Senior Pastor of all House on the Rock Churches, Paul Adefarasin, has spoken for the first time, after the fire outbreak in the Abuja branch of the church.
The Rock Cathedral also known as the Millennium Temple is located in Ikate-Elegushi, Lekki, Lagos and houses the global headquarters of House On The Rock and The Rock Foundation.
Construction of the facility started in 2003, and now accommodates installations for religious and social functions, including worship, education, healthcare, community development, reformation training, recreation and social rehabilitation. Paul Adefarasin has been quoted saying that the idea behind the cathedral is to provide a “one-stop centre for Christians looking for materials and goods of every kind.” He has been able to set up House on The Rock Church and his ministry has blossomed over the years to over 35 branches with about 50,000 worshippers spread across Nigeria and abroad.
10. FULL LIFE CHRISTIAN CENTRE
Full Life Christian Centre, also known as Full Life Church, is a Pentecostal Christian denomination and megachurch with headquarters in Uyo, the capital city of Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. Founded by Reverend Ntia.
Ntia in June 2000, the church is adjudged one of the largest congregations in South South Nigeria, with an average weekly attendance of 10,000 meeting in the Church’s largest worship facility Noah’s Ark Auditorium. Ntia I. Ntia is the senior pastor. He pastors the church alongside his wife, Pastor Ukamaka Ntia and many other pastors. Full Life Christian Centre, also known as Full Life Foundation, was founded by rev. Ntia I Ntia, in June 2000 when he moved to Uyo from Enugu.
In 2008, Reverend Ntia announced that the church had acquired yet another property on Nsikak Eduok Avenue. This is where a 4000-seater auditorium — named ‘Noah’s Ark Auditorium’ — was built.The church started two services in Noah’s Ark Auditorium on Sundays in order to accommodate the teeming number of worshippers. Within a year, the number of services increased to three.
Today, the Noah’s Ark Auditorium is the biggest church auditorium in Akwa Ibom and currently has a seating capacity of 10,000.
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