The Qua Iboe Church
The Church came into being as a result of the pioneering work of Samuel Bill from Northern Ireland who responded to a call for someone to take the Gospel to people who had never heard of Jesus Christ. In 1887 he arrived at Ibeno at the mouth of the Qua Iboe River, hence the name of the Church and Fellowship and planted the first church. Growth was slow but steady in spite of many hardships, illness, death, forrest tracks, hazardous river journeys and at times hostile tribes.
However difficult these obstacles to the spread of the Gospel fresh fields were opened among the Igala and Bassa people and then to the staunchly Muslim city of Kano in the extreme north. Today the Church has over 1,000 congregations throughout the country varying in size from about 50-100 inthe village areas to 1,000+ in the major towns. It is evangelical in its outlook and holds firmly to the historic truths of the Christian faith. Although the missionary emphasis in the Church is only now developing they have begun to accept responsibility for reaching out cross-culturally to those from differing tribes.
Challenges
The Challenge before the Church and Fellowship is still as daunting as ever.
Theological Education
With so many churches needing
trained leadership, we work together in theological
education to help meet this need. The Samuel Bill
Theological College (SBTC) is the primary training
institute with nearly 100 students while the Peter
Achimugu College of Theology (PACT) at Ankpa trains about
50 men. More recently the QIC Bible College at
Oloko near Aba has commenced with an initial intake of 20
students. Expatriate lecturers join qualified
Nigerians in teaching a curriculum suited to their
particular needs and culture.
Church Planting
This type of work still has high priority in both Church and Fellowship and we are constantly seeking ways to increase our effectiveness and pull our resources to bring the Gospel to villages and towns where there is no evangelical witness to Jesus Christ.
Medical Work
The medical ministry is centred on the two Church hospitals at Ekpene Obom and the Holley Memorial Hospital, Ochadamu. Both provide a range of medical services and are recognised for their expertise in the treatment of leprosy. These, along with local clinics, provide opportunities to show love and compassion for needy people in the context of a Christian hospital where many over the years have heard of the Saviour and come to faith inHim.
The Needs Today
Although there are some restrictions on sending workers to Nigeria, because of the Quota system, we can send those who qualify under these arrangements. Among these personnel needs doctors and theological tutors are always required while youth workers, primary teachers, literature workers, nurses/midwives for rural and community health clinics among others are also needed.
Nigeria is a diverse country with a population in excess of 100 million people and 426 tribal languages. Set in the context of Africa it is often referred to as 'the giant of Africa'. It is a land of rich natural resouces with tremendous potential for a successful industrial economy. Through the work of early missionaries and traders Nigeria was exposed to the Gospel and to European business. It became a British colony and ruled by them until Independence in October 1960.
Since then it has gone through periods of democracy and more recently of military governments with every effort being made to retain the unity of the Federation of States numbering 12 shortly after Independence to 36 today. Although the educational curriculum is taught through English 3 of the main tribal languages, Hausa in the north, Yoruba in the south west and Igbo in the south east are used in market trading and the village life.