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‘Church Growth Is Not About Numbers’: Bishop Smith Champions Training for Small Churches

Concerned about the leadership challenges confronting independent and grassroots churches, Bishop James G. Smith, a veteran missionary with nearly three decades of international experience, is stepping up efforts to strengthen smaller congregations through ministerial training, mentorship and leadership development.

Smith, founder of Life and Power Global Ministry, Liberia, and owner of St. James Revival Assemblies, said the initiative was designed to equip church leaders with the spiritual knowledge, administrative skills and institutional capacity required to build sustainable ministries, regardless of their congregation’s size.

He made this known at a two-day ministers’ conference organised by his ministry on October 23 and 24, 2026, at Foursquare Gospel Church, Iba Housing Estate, Lagos.

The conference, tagged “Strength for the Journey of Ministry,” with the theme “Raising Strong and Effective Church,” brought together pastors, bishops, church leaders and ministers for spiritual enrichment, leadership development and capacity-building.

Smith disclosed that the initiative attracted representatives of about 68 churches and ministries, while the event report documented 64 participants.

Explaining the motivation behind the programme, the cleric said many independent and grassroots churches struggle with inadequate mentorship, weak administrative structures and limited access to the resources available to larger denominations.

Originally from Delta State, Smith spent 11 years pastoring in Nigeria before relocating to Liberia for missionary work about 29 years ago. His ministry has since focused on church planting, evangelism, leadership development and training ministers, with plans to extend the initiative to more countries.

He expressed concern that smaller congregations sometimes struggle to retain their members and maintain their identity, particularly when larger churches establish a presence in their communities.

However, he argued that the true strength of a church should not be determined by its numerical strength, physical structures or financial resources, but by the spiritual maturity of its members, the quality of its leadership and its commitment to evangelism.

“We are all working for one God, one purpose, one kingdom. All of the churches, whether a small church, grassroots church or giant church, we are all doing the same thing,” he said.

Smith therefore called for greater cooperation among Christian leaders, insisting that the growth of the Church required collective commitment rather than competition among congregations.

Discipleship, the foundation of sustainable growth

A central message of the conference was the need for churches to move beyond attracting worshippers to deliberately nurturing spiritually mature believers capable of sustaining their ministries.

Smith maintained that bringing people into the church was only the beginning of the responsibility of Christian leadership, stressing that members must receive proper biblical instruction, mentorship and practical guidance to enable them to contribute meaningfully to the growth of their congregations.

Drawing lessons from the ministry of Jesus Christ and His disciples, he urged pastors to invest in developing committed believers who could reproduce the values and teachings of Christianity across generations.

“If you have three members, and you disciple them, you have a church. If you have 20 members, and the 20 members are properly discipled, they can turn the city upside down,” he said.

He warned that large congregations without effective discipleship programmes risk producing spiritually immature members who could easily become vulnerable to misleading teachings.

The cleric also advocated functional leadership structures and administrative systems that would ensure continuity in church operations, even when the presiding pastor was unavailable.

Accountability, integrity in church administration

On church administration, Smith stressed the importance of transparency, integrity and accountability, particularly in the management of financial contributions and other resources.

He said church leaders must ensure that donations made for specific projects were used for their intended purposes, while members should be adequately informed about how church funds were managed.

“If the people give their money for a particular purpose, that purpose should be achieved,” he emphasised.

He equally urged ministers to demonstrate discipline in time management, programme coordination and their relationships with members, noting that effective leadership required both spiritual commitment and sound administrative practices.

Beyond administration, Smith highlighted the importance of prayer, evangelism, biblical teaching, fasting and spiritual preparedness in equipping ministers for the challenges of contemporary society.

Speaking on “The Necessity of Power in the Last Days,” he referenced Ephesians 6:10 and 2 Corinthians 10:3, encouraging ministers to remain spiritually grounded and steadfast in confronting the challenges of their calling.

He emphasised the need for a consistent relationship with God through prayer and the study of His Word, while cautioning against elevating personal convictions, traditions and preferences into doctrines unsupported by Scripture.

The bishop also reminded ministers that their physical well-being was important to effective service, urging them to get adequate rest and seek medical attention whenever necessary.

Christian leaders, ministers endorse initiative

The conference attracted several Christian leaders, including Rev. Dr. Mike Adeleke, PFN Chairman of Ojo Province; Bishop Vincent Paye Bagnoon; Apostle Veronica Ujah; Apostle Dr. Eddo Sylvanus of Foursquare Gospel Church, Iba Housing Estate; Pastor Iboro Promise Freedom; Bishop Kingsley Azuka of City of Priests Mega Church; Bishop-Elect James Esuku; and international gospel artist Praise Eddo.

Other ministers and church workers also participated in the programme.

Smith expressed appreciation to the host pastor, Apostle Dr. Eddo Sylvanus, for providing the venue and supporting the conference, as well as the facilitators and participants whose contributions enriched the sessions.

Speaking with journalists, Apostle Mrs. Dorcas Okonye Azuka of City of Priests Mega Church commended the initiative and encouraged female ministers to maintain humility in their homes and create sufficient time for their families.

She stressed the need for women in ministry to strike a healthy balance between their spiritual responsibilities and family commitments.

Similarly, Bishop-Elect James Esuku addressed concerns about transactional approaches to Christianity and perceptions that the power of God was diminishing.

He maintained that God’s ways remained unchanged, urging Christians to develop personal relationships with Him rather than allow the misconduct of some individuals to undermine their faith.

Expanding the grassroots ministry network

Smith also expressed concern about religious teachings that promise quick success without adequately emphasising discipline, diligence, repentance and commitment to God’s Kingdom.

Reflecting on his return to Nigeria after years of missionary service abroad, he called for balanced Christian teachings that promote spiritual maturity, responsible living and genuine commitment to faith.

He particularly urged Nigerian youths to deepen their relationship with God and participate actively in church activities.

The Lagos conference, he explained, was part of a broader effort to reach grassroots churches and ministers across different locations.

According to him, the initiative had earlier taken him to Bayelsa and Port Harcourt in 2026, while another ministers’ conference was being planned for Lekki, Lagos, in March 2027.

The long-term ambition, he said, was to establish a network of ministers who could share knowledge, exchange experiences, strengthen their congregations and collectively contribute to the development of Christianity.

For Smith, the campaign goes beyond organising religious gatherings. It is an effort to build a stronger foundation for grassroots Christianity through properly trained ministers, accountable leadership, sustainable administrative structures and effective discipleship.

His central message is that the future strength of the Church will depend less on the size of its congregations and more on the quality, spiritual maturity, integrity and preparedness of the people leading and sustaining them.

Bishop James Smith at the middle, with Officials of PFN IBA estate,at the Ministers conference in Lagos, Nigeria.