Pastors in hundreds of churches are now including their wives in ministry, rather than sidelining them, following workshops in their areas.

Male pastors are recognising they can minister more effectively to their congregations when they include their wives, and that ministry is much more than preaching during Sunday services.

Following our pastors and wives workshops in their areas they are also realising they are role models for how to live as a Christian couple, how to father children, manage finances, show Christ’s love to others and lead teams at work.

“They now are convinced that just as they should be preaching about living righteous lives, they also need to role model righteousness. Their congregations look up to them, as do others in their communities,” said international coordinator Tassie Ghata.

One hundred and seventy-four people attended the workshops for COCIN churches in Bwarak and Kabwir Regional Church Councils during September and October last year.

Since the workshops many of the pastors have invited the Jos volunteer teams to share, counsel and test for HIV during their Sunday services.

Participants at both workshops highlighted an issue their congregations are facing – child trafficking. Many children in rural villages are lured away from their families by the offer of better jobs or education and never heard from again.

Some are taken to Nigeria’s cities, other African nations, the United States and Europe where they become house servants, prostitutes and may even be ritualistically sacrificed.

“Grace & Light has partnered with Plateau State Gender Commission to stop child trafficking. During workshops and church visits we call on parents to stop giving their children away and instead commit to being loving parents to them,” said Tassie.

Prayer Requests

Please pray for:

• Pastors and wives in the Bwarak and Kabwir churches to continue in faithfulness to God and be positive role models for Christian living in their congregations and communities
• Continuing invitations from these pastors for first and repeat visits to minister to their congregations
• Other church regional councils will invite Grace & Light to run workshops for pastors and wives in their areas
• Children who have been trafficked, and their parents, that they will find their way home and be accepted by their siblings and extended families.

Successful Voluntary Savings and Accountability Groups are blessing their congregations, church leaders, plus Grace & Light volunteer teams.

Churches with VSAG groups are increasingly partnering with our volunteer teams and inviting them in to minister on Sundays as well as through workshops for women, youth or the whole congregation.

Twenty-five churches in and near Jalingo, Jos and Yola now have VSAG groups, with an average of three groups per church. Most are in Plateau State.

“For us this is a triple blessing,” said international coordinator Tassie Ghata. “We are blessed as an organisation because more churches are accepting Grace & Light as a partner. We’re excited that our ministry is finding a home in these churches.

“Their congregations are doubly blessed because more members are moving out of poverty and able to support themselves financially, as well as contributing to their churches.”

VSAG members are learning how to create small businesses, save money and invest in their futures. They share testimonies of how their lives are changing for the better with families and friends in their communities.

In one church VSAG members have bought 14 benches for people to sit on during services. There was much jubilation and dancing in their church when the benches were delivered.

In another church VSAG members put money together to buy glass for the empty window frames in their building. Now the congregation remains dry and warm during bad weather.

‘We are delighted the Archbishop of Jos, the Most Reverand Ignatius Ayau Kaigama, is encouraging catholic churches in his archdiocese to form VSAG groups as he believes they are a good place to learn how to live well,” said Tassie.

Prayer Requests

Please pray for:

• Leaders and members of the VSAG groups, that they will remain motivated, save regularly and invest their savings wisely to improve their own lives and their communities
• Church leaders will support VSAG groups in their congregations and hold leaders and members accountable for honesty with their finances
• More churches asking Grace & Light to establish VSAG groups in their churches.

The many visitors to our most recent book fair were able to browse through Bibles, commentaries, biographies, other reference books, novels and non-fiction writing over three days in November.

They purchased more than 2,000 books, raising just over £1,000 which has been used to kit out three of the ensuite bedrooms in our almost completed training centre.

These rooms now have beds, storage, lighting, bedding and linens. They are proving popular with guests who stay during conferences; and they’re generating income for our ministry activities.

We still have lots of Christian and non-Christian books at very affordable prices in our Jos charity shop. Do visit when you are in the area.

Prayer Requests

Please pray for:

• People who purchased books, that they will enjoy reading and God will speak with them through the books
• People staying in our training centre will feel welcome, safe and secure; then recommend the centre to their congregations and work places
• Funds to complete kitting out all the bedrooms so we can generate more income for ministry in churches and schools.

Churches in Jos are opening their doors to Grace & Light since the team has hosted workshops for local pastors and their wives.

Church visits trebled in November following workshops during September and October in Bwarak and Kabwir, both on the plateau.

“During the workshops we encourage pastors to share the gospel of grace and love from their pulpits. Some are doing so,” said international coordinator Tassie Ghata.

“Others want us to come and share this message as they feel when we talk their congregations are more likely to listen. They say our message brings revival in their churches.”

Our message is new to congregations in Nigeria. During counselling afterwards people often say that they thought being a good Christian just means going to church on Sundays and that God is not concerned about their behaviours on the other six days.

“One woman even shared that she had been using a faith healer to charm her husband. Now she understands that she can talk to God directly about him,” Tassie said.

In church after church teenagers share that they are lazy at home because their parents do everything for them. Our message helps them understand their responsibilities at home as children of their parents and children of God.

Seven volunteer teams were active between July and December visiting 48 churches in total, sharing the gospel of righteousness with 16,018 people and testing 1,468 for HIV. Of those who tested, just four were positive. 

The majority (97.5%) chose to be open about their status; many joined voluntary savings and accountability groups where these are available in their churches. Significant numbers rededicated their lives to Christ (2,253 people) or made a first commitment (156 people).

The active teams in the second half of 2025 were Gombe, Jalingo, Jos, Mangu, Obudu, Yola and Zing. Jalingo, Mangu and Obudu teams have been less active in the final months of the year due to insurgency in their areas.

Grace & Light now has a You Tube channel – Grace and Light International Ministries - where you can watch talks in churches. Do subscribe to our channel.

Prayer Requests

Please pray for:

• Bwarak and Kabwir churches where revival is happening; that God will be with the church leaders giving wisdom as they lead their congregations into deeper relationships with God
• People who made first commitments or rededicated themselves to God; that he will continue to reveal himself to them, pour his love into their lives and take them into deeper relationship with himself
• Team leaders and members in the Jalingo, Mangu and Obudu teams, that they will be able to visit churches in their areas to share the gospel, test and establish Voluntary Savings and Accountancy Groups

Heightened insecurity across much of Nigeria shut secondary schools in the final term last year, meaning fewer ministry visits for our volunteer teams.

Many schools closed early in November and now, at the beginning of 2026, teachers are focused on catching up on the syllabus for last term before starting this term’s topics.

Feedback from the schools our teams have been able to visit highlights that our message is having an impact with students. 

“Teachers say girls and boys are arriving at school on time, they are respecting rather than bullying each other and their teachers, studying hard rather than stealing answers and no longer lying;” said international coordinator Tassie Ghata.

“We see the same changes when we visit. Students are now in clean clothes and care about their appearance. They tell us things have improved at home, they have stopped cheating, lying and bullying each other. They are studying hard and treating their teachers with respect.”

In the second half of 2025 the Jos and Yola teams visited nine secondary schools, sharing the gospel of social righteousness with 1,296 students and testing 348 for HIV/AIDS. None of these students were HIV positive.

In total, 388 students rededicated their lives to God and another 133 made first commitments to him.

The Jalingo volunteer team, usually actively visiting schools, was unable to do so in the second half of 2025 because of insurgency.

Prayer Requests

Please pray for:

• Teachers will be able to catch up on the syllabus while ensuring their students understand the topics and enjoy their lessons
• Students who have missed out on schooling will settle back into their classes, behave respectfully to teachers and have positive attitudes towards learning
• Jalingo team is able to organise school visits during this new term at many secondary schools in their area
• Head teachers invite the Jalingo, Jos and Yola teams back into their schools for repeat visits and new schools invite our teams in for the first time also.