ABEOKUTA– Emmanuel Baptist Church, Ita-Iyalode in Abeokuta, the Ogun state capital has celebrated its 40 years anniversary.
Reeling out activities to mark the anniversary on Monday, Senior Pastor, Reverend Williams Ojo explained that the anniversary was deliberately designed to give back to society while celebrating four decades of God’s faithfulness.
Rev. Ojo added that a series of community-focused outreach programmes aimed at deepening its social impact and strengthening its commitment to evangelism and humanitarian service is being slated for the week long event.
He reteraited that the church’s 40-year journey has been anchored on spiritual growth, community development, and service to humanity, noting that the anniversary celebration reflects these core values.
“This celebration is not just about our church. It is about touching lives, meeting needs, and reinforcing our calling to serve the community”, he said
He revealed that Emmanuel Baptist Church has consistently embraced outreach as an integral part of its ministry since its founding on December 15, 1985.
Reverend Ojo described the anniversary as an opportunity to reaffirm the church’s mission of discipleship, youth and family development, mission work, and social responsibility, stressing that faith must translate into positive impact on society.
The senior Pastor also acknowledged the family of the late Baba Ayorinde for donating the land on which the church’s permanent site stands, describing the gesture as pivotal to the church’s growth and ability to serve the community effectively.
Also speaking, the Chairman of the Anniversary Planning Committee, Elder Tunji Akoni, said the theme of the celebration, “Celebrating God’s Continual Presence with His People” (Joshua 1:1–9), underscores the church’s long-standing commitment to thanksgiving, evangelism and community outreach.
He recalled the church’s humble beginnings and noted that Emmanuel Baptist Church has since planted several daughter churches within Abeokuta and beyond, including in the Republic of Benin, as part of its evangelistic mandate.
Akoni explained that activities lined up for the anniversary blend spiritual renewal with social engagement. These include mission outreach to Imala Odo, tract evangelism, health talks, a Jesus market, novelty matches, revival meetings, and other programmes designed to positively impact both members and residents of the host community.
According to him, the celebration will also feature an anniversary service, Christmas carol, visits to traditional institutions and a grand finale thanksgiving service, expected to attract church leaders, traditional rulers, community stakeholders and members of the public.
He added that the anniversary would also witness the launch of an N100 million Church Growth Fund to support mission work, infrastructure development, and other programmes that will enhance the church’s capacity to serve society.
“The essence of this celebration is service—service to God and service to humanity,” Akoni said, inviting the public to participate in the various outreach activities marking the milestone.
The week-long celebration is scheduled to be held from Friday, December 12 to Sunday, December 21, 2025.
