PLATEAU BAPTIST CONFERENCE
CHRIST OUR HOPE
CHRIST OUR HOPE
CHRIST OUR HOPE
From Amsterdam's Reformation fires to Jos' red soil — a sacred journey spanning four centuries of divine faithfulness.
A visual journey through four centuries of Baptist witness, sacrifice, and growth.
John Smyth and Thomas Helwys establish believer's baptism and separation of church and state, laying foundation for Baptist identity.
Roger Williams founds the first Baptist church in Providence, Rhode Island, emphasizing religious freedom.
Rev. Thomas Jefferson Bowen arrives in Badagry, Yoruba land, beginning Baptist missionary work in Nigeria.
First Baptist Church Ijaye established, marking the birth of organized Baptist work in Nigeria.
Yoruba traders from Ogbomoso establish Baptist church in Jos, beginning Northern Nigeria expansion.
Association created to coordinate Baptist work among Yoruba traders in Northern Nigeria.
First Baptist Church, Kaduna hosts inauguration with theme "Go and Teach All Nations".
Inaugurated with 8 associations, 192 delegates at the launch of what would become PBC.
Fulfilling Rev'd Dr. Joshua Ola Oyekan's 1988 vision, the conference receives its current name.
Befitting conference secretariat constructed, retired pastors fellowship inaugurated, and legacy continues.
Plateau Baptist Conference launches a fully modernized digital platform to preserve history, strengthen communication, and expand global reach through technology and media ministry.
The Baptist story begins amidst the 16th-century Reformation fires in Amsterdam, where Anglican priest John Smyth and Thomas Helwys broke from the Church of England over foundational issues.
Rejecting infant baptism, state church connection, and ecclesiastical hierarchy, Smyth and Helwys advocated for believer's baptism by immersion, separation of church and state, and congregational worship based solely on Scripture.
In 1608/1609, Smyth baptized himself and his followers by immersion, creating a distinct identity from the Church of England. The Anglican community called them "re-baptizers" or Anabaptists, a name that evolved into "Baptists."
Following Helwys' martyrdom in prison (1616), Roger Williams fled England in 1631 to avoid imprisonment for his separatist views. In 1638, he founded the first Baptist church in America in Providence, Rhode Island.
Williams' emphasis on religious freedom and fair dealings with Native Americans influenced the principles later enshrined in the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.
Baptist work in Africa began with Black British Baptist ex-soldiers from Canada arriving in Sierra Leone in 1792. By 1822, Lott Carrey and six formerly enslaved people from the United States founded a Baptist church in Monrovia, Liberia.
West Indies Baptist Mission began work in Equatorial Guinea in 1843, setting the stage for the Nigerian mission that would begin seven years later.
The mustard seed of Baptist work in Nigeria was planted by Rev. Thomas Jefferson Bowen, sent by the Southern Baptist Convention of America in 1850.
After his proposal was approved in January 1849, Bowen left America on December 17, 1849, with associates Henry C. Goodale and Robert F. Hill. They arrived in Monrovia, Liberia on February 8, 1850, and Bowen proceeded alone to Badagry, arriving August 5, 1850.
Unable to reach his desired destination of Igboho, Bowen spent a year and a half in Abeokuta studying Yoruba language, which culminated in his publication of a Grammar and Dictionary of Yoruba Language.
In May 1852, Bowen reached Ijaye where King Kurumi offered land for the first mission station. Here, Bowen planted the first Baptist church in Nigeria in 1852.
After only six years in Nigeria, Bowen's determination and sacrifice formed the foundation for Baptist work that would expand across the nation.
The first indigenous Baptist church, Ebenezer Baptist Church Lagos, was established in 1888. Moses Ladejo Stone became the first Nigerian pastor ordained in 1880.
Yoruba Baptist Association, the first Baptist association in Nigeria, was formed in 1914, marking the transition to indigenous leadership and organization.
Baptist work in Northern Nigeria was pioneered not by foreign missionaries but by itinerant Yoruba traders, especially those from Ogbomoso, whose migration patterns naturally established churches along their trade routes.
Fleeing ethnic wars, heavy taxation, and seeking economic opportunities, Ogbomoso traders moved northward, clustering in towns like Jos, which they called their "second home."
On October 10, 1911, they established the Baptist church in Jos. Other churches followed in Jebba (1957), Zungeru (February 26, 1916), and Kaduna (1942).
Formed to enable Yoruba traders in the north to meet quarterly to discuss Baptist work and their welfare, this association played a crucial role in organizing and expanding Baptist presence.
The association also strategized on reaching and converting indigenous northerners, leading to the establishment of many indigenous churches.
By 1957, 16 associations had been recognized in the Northern Region, creating the need for a more formal organizational structure to coordinate the growing work.
This grassroots growth set the stage for the creation of the Northern Baptist Conference in 1958.
From the Northern Baptist Conference to Benue/Plateau Baptist Conference, through Central Baptist Conference, and finally to Plateau Baptist Conference—a journey of growth, division, and refinement.
With 16 associations recognized in the Northern Region, the request for a Northern Baptist Conference was approved at the annual convention in Abeokuta in 1957. The conference was officially inaugurated January 8-11, 1958, at First Baptist Church, Kaduna.
The inauguration theme was "Go and Teach All Nations" (Matthew 28:19-20), with Rev. E.O. Akingbala as chairman and Rev. A.H. Dyson Jnr as conference secretary.
As the Northern Baptist Conference grew, the Nigerian Baptist Convention approved its division into three conferences in 1977. Benue/Plateau Baptist Conference was inaugurated on August 31, 1978, with 8 associations and 192 delegates.
Rev. Kasuwa T. Zamani led the inauguration service, and Rev. A. A. Auta preached from John 15:1-18 on "Going Forth, Bearing Fruits"—the first conference theme.
In 1989, instead of creating a separate Plateau Baptist Conference as requested by Rev'd Dr. Joshua Ola Oyekan in 1988, the name was changed to Central Baptist Conference.
The conference gave birth to Plateau South Baptist Conference in 1997 and United Baptist Conference in 2001, demonstrating both growth and the need for more localized administration.
Rev'd Dr. K. K. Saleh observed that "Central Baptist Conference" could be misinterpreted as representing only the central zone of Plateau State. He proposed "Plateau Baptist Conference" to better reflect the geographical coverage.
The name was unanimously approved at the November 2018 annual session and ratified by the Nigerian Baptist Convention in April 2019—fulfilling Rev'd Dr. Oyekan's 1988 vision after 31 years.
Under the leadership of Rev. Dr. Koeleh K. Saleh, Plateau Baptist Conference has experienced unprecedented growth, development, and institutional establishment.
Plateau Baptist Academy was established in 2018 with boarding facilities, registered for WAEC, NECO, and as a JAMB Center. The academy includes classrooms, exam halls, laboratories, and offices.
Baptist College of Theology, Jos, founded in 1991 as a pastoral school, is now owned by the Nigerian Baptist Convention and provides theological education for pastors and church leaders.
Land was acquired between 2018-2021 for strategic development. A block-molding machine was purchased in 2018 for construction projects.
A befitting conference secretariat was constructed in 2025 with access roads, providing a centralized hub for conference activities and ministries.
Retired Pastors' Fellowship was inaugurated in July 2025 to honor and support those who have served.
Monarchs Fellowship began in February 2025, engaging traditional rulers in the mission of the church.
Social Ministry was established in 2020, and a retirement welfare scheme for pastors and members was created in 2021.
Professor Jane Ande initiated the Plateau Baptist Conference Strategic Action Plan, applying SWOT and SMART analysis to achieve organizational goals.
The conference grew from 8 associations at establishment to 20 associations, with significant growth across Plateau, Benue, Nasarawa, and FCT.
Tap each era to explore our sacred history
The Baptist story begins amidst the 16th-century Reformation fires in Amsterdam, where Anglican priest John Smyth and Thomas Helwys broke from the Church of England over foundational issues.
Rejecting infant baptism, state church connection, and ecclesiastical hierarchy, they advocated for believer's baptism by immersion, separation of church and state, and congregational worship based solely on Scripture.
Following Helwys' martyrdom, Roger Williams founded the first Baptist church in America in 1638, influencing religious freedom principles later enshrined in the U.S. Constitution.
The mustard seed of Baptist work in Nigeria was planted by Rev. Thomas Jefferson Bowen, sent by the Southern Baptist Convention of America in 1850.
Arriving in Badagry on August 5, 1850, Bowen spent a year and a half in Abeokuta studying Yoruba language before establishing the first mission station at Ijaye in 1852, where he planted the first Baptist church in Nigeria.
The first indigenous Baptist church (Ebenezer Lagos) was established in 1888, and Moses Ladejo Stone became the first Nigerian pastor ordained in 1880.
Baptist work in Northern Nigeria was pioneered by itinerant Yoruba traders, especially those from Ogbomoso, whose migration patterns naturally established churches along their trade routes.
On October 10, 1911, they established the Baptist church in Jos. Other churches followed in Jebba (1957), Zungeru (1916), and Kaduna (1942).
The Yoruba Baptist Association was formed in 1944 to coordinate Baptist work among traders in the north, leading to the establishment of many indigenous churches.
The Northern Baptist Conference was inaugurated January 8-11, 1958, at First Baptist Church, Kaduna, with 16 associations.
Benue/Plateau Baptist Conference was inaugurated on August 31, 1978, with 8 associations and 192 delegates.
After name changes to Central Baptist Conference (1989) and spin-offs creating Plateau South (1997) and United Baptist Conferences (2001), the conference was finally renamed Plateau Baptist Conference in November 2018, ratified in April 2019—fulfilling Rev'd Dr. Joshua Ola Oyekan's 1988 vision after 31 years.
Under Rev. Dr. Koeleh K. Saleh's presidency, PBC has experienced unprecedented growth and development.
Plateau Baptist Academy was established in 2018 with boarding facilities, registered for WAEC, NECO, and JAMB.
Land was acquired (2018-2021), a block-molding machine purchased (2018), and a befitting conference secretariat constructed (2025).
Retired Pastors' Fellowship (July 2025), Monarchs Fellowship (February 2025), Social Ministry (2020), and a retirement welfare scheme (2021) were established.
Professor Jane Ande initiated the Strategic Action Plan, and the conference grew from 8 to 20 associations.