history of new estate baptist church, surulere
New Estate Baptist Church is the Center for Extra-Ordinary Miracles. A Church focused on missions and evangelism and equipping her members to be faithful disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ. The Church’s vision is to be a congregation of vibrant worshippers, inspired by the word of God, empowered by His Spirit, zealous for His coming, and reaching out to the whole world with the Gospel of Christ.
In 1960, a new housing estate development was embarked on by the Lagos Executive Development Board (LEDB) in Surulere, otherwise known then as New Lagos, to resettle displaced people from Lagos Island. Following this development, the City Mission Committee of the then Lagos Baptist Association conducted a study for the sitting of an English-speaking Baptist Church in the new community to cater for the non-Yoruba speaking population among the settlers.
Yaba Baptist Church volunteered to take on this daunting challenge, therefore, a small band of members from the Church sowed the seed for the new church with its first service conducted on Sunday February 12, 1961 by 10am in a classroom at Obele Odan Municipal Primary School.
On Sunday March 5, 1961, the new ‘preaching station’ (Church) formally assumed the name of NEW ESTATE BAPTIST CHURCH, signalling the full commencement of the journey of the Church to glory, with its first leader, Deacon Olabode Feyijinmi, taking charge of the Church until August 11, 1961 when Deacon Folorunso Bamijoko, appointed by Yaba Baptist Church, took over as the substantive leader of the Church.
The Church since its inception has enjoyed the ministries of four full time Pastors, namely; late Rev Daniel Omare Ugbonyen, late Rev Dr. Emannuel O. Bolarinwa, Rev Dr. S. Olusola Aworinde, and Rev. Dr. Amos Achi Kunat, who is presently in charge of the Church. This does not include deacons of the church who served as pastors in acting capacity at different times when the need arose.
Six decades after, it has become one of the leading lights in Christiandom, in the Nigerian Baptist Convention, Lagos East Baptist Conference, Evangel Baptist Association, and Surulere community.
As a growing concern, NEBC has been a pacesetting evangelical church from its early days. Many Christians of immense influence in different spheres of our national life; from business to academia, politics, various professions and even Church ministries have been part of the NEBC family and benefitted from the ministry of the Church. The Church has been a centre of excellence in leadership development, Christian service, and Discipleship.
NEBC has been very prolific in planting Churches within Lagos State and across the country as well as assisting in mission work both in and outside the shores of Nigeria. Hundreds of former members of NEBC are pastors and leaders in different Baptist churches and other denominations in Nigeria and across the globe.
The motto of NEBC is CHRIST FOR THE WHOLE WORLD. Therefore, until this gospel is preached to the whole world and every tribe and tongue has heard it there is no slowing down. It is our strong determination to extend the ministry of NEBC to every state in Nigeria and the FCT through strategic Church planting beginning at every state capital.
So far, we have directly planted Churches in about eight states including the FCT. Some of these Churches have in turn continued to plant new ones stretching to other states in the country, with a network of about 165 Churches which make up what we call the New Estate Baptist Family Churches. To God be all the glory.
New Estate Baptist Church Surulere operates a multi pastoral ministry with a Pastor of the Church supported by ministers to handle the various aspects of the Church life.