The story of Christ Apostolic Church.

A prayer group in Ijebu-Ode

The story begins with a dream. Daddy Ali, the sexton of the Anglican church in Ijebu-Ode, shared what he had seen with Joseph Sadare (also known as Esinsinade), D. C. Oduga, E. O. Onabanjo and E. O. W. Olukoya, and the men began meeting to pray together.

By 1918 the circle, meeting at St. Saviour's Anglican Church, had drawn in others, among them David Ogunleye Odubanjo and Sophia Odunlami. They came to be called the Precious Stone, or Diamond, Society. The influenza epidemic that followed the First World War deepened their trust in God to heal.

Faith Tabernacle

Staying inside the Anglican fold grew harder. These believers shunned idol worship, drink, betting and riotous celebration; they looked for guidance in visions and dreams; they would not baptise babies; and they trusted God for healing. Church authorities objected, and the members were made to suffer for their stand.

Help came by post from America. Odubanjo exchanged letters with Pastor A. Clark of Faith Tabernacle, a Philadelphia congregation linked with the tract The Sword of the Spirit, and the Ijebu-Ode believers joined that fellowship. Under the Faith Tabernacle name, new branches opened in Nigeria and further afield in West Africa.

Joseph Ayo Babalola's call

Over three days in October 1928, the 9th to the 11th, a voice spoke to Joseph Ayo Babalola, then employed to drive a road roller on the route between Akure and Ilesa. Answering it cost him that job: he resigned, gave a week to fasting, and saw Christ in a vision.

It was Pastor Babatope who brought him into contact with the Faith Tabernacle believers, and in 1929 he went through baptism at the hands of Pastor Esinsinade.

The Great Revival at Oke Ooye, Ilesa

In July 1930, at a meeting at Oke Ooye in Ilesa, revival broke out. The church's traditional account tells of a twelve-year-old boy, Bamiji Ogundipe, being raised from the dead. Word spread across West Africa.

The movement embraced the baptism of the Holy Spirit, visions, prophecy and speaking in tongues. A further revival, led by Prophet Daniel Orekoya, took place at Oke Bola.

The Apostolic Church years

The group next affiliated with the British Apostolic Church, based in Bradford. Visitors from that church arrived on 23 September 1931, and that November seven Nigerians were re-ordained. Pastor George Perfect and Prophet I. Vaughan followed in 1932.

In 1939–40 the partnership broke over divine healing and the use of medicine. The Nigerian leaders — Babalola, D. O. Odubanjo and I. B. Akinyele — kept the main body of the church together.

The name Christ Apostolic Church

For a time the church was known as the Nigerian Apostolic Church, and then the United Apostolic Church. In 1942 Babalola was shown the name it carries today, Christ Apostolic Church.

In May 1943 the church was registered under the Land Perpetual Succession Ordinance as No. 147. The Apostolic Church was registered later, as No. 186.

The Supreme Court judgment

Which church was the original, and which had broken away, was finally settled in Nigeria's highest court. Three justices heard Suit No. SC.223/70: Chief Justice Ademola, with Madarikan and Sowemimo. Their ruling, handed down on 27 April 1972, found that The Apostolic Church was the body that had left, and that Christ Apostolic Church remained the main body.

Having won the case, CAC did not insist on keeping everything; it let go of a large share of the property. Relations between the two churches healed in time: by 1985 they were meeting on brotherly terms, and the history also notes that the Christian Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria was founded.

What the church holds to

CAC takes the Bible, together with divine guidance, as its rule. Prophecy, visions, divine healing, holy living, prayer and fasting, and prayer on the church's prayer mountains are all part of its life. Its motto is “One Fold, One Shepherd” (John 10:16).

Read the Thirteen Tenets of Faith →

Building institutions

As it grew, the church founded colleges, schools and a press to train its ministers and serve its communities.

1. 1946Pastoral Training College, Ibadan
2. 1949School of Prophets and Evangelists, Ilesa
3. 1952Bible Training College, Ede — later moved to Erio Ekiti (1954), Efon Alaye (1958) and Akure (1969), then merged into the CAC Theological Seminary, Ile-Ife (1979)
4. 1955Teachers Training College, Efon Alaye
5. 1959Faith Home, Ede
6. 1960sGrammar and primary schools
7. 1966–67CAC Printing Press
8. 2006Joseph Ayo Babalola University

Vision and mission

Vision: Soul winning and spiritual re-awakening of the world.

Mission: Leading people into the knowledge of God through an in-depth study of the Word of God, prevailing prayers, and spiritual worship.

CACNA carries that work across the United States, Canada and South America. Read CACNA's own story →