OUR HISTORY
The seed of what is known today as Ogbomoso Baptist Conference was planted in 1855 when Revd. T. J. Bowen, an American Baptist Missionary of the Southern Baptist Convention, USA, started his Missionary work in Ogbomoso, Nigeria. The seed he planted grew and bore fruits. Baptist Churches multiplied within Ogbomoso Township and districts. The indigenes of Ogbomoso embraced Christianity with zeal and enthusiasm. They took Christianity of Baptist persuasion to neighbouring towns and villages. Traders among them took the gospel to neighbouring cities and nations. Most major Baptist
Churches in Northern Nigeria were pioneered by Ogbomoso indigenes. The same is done in some West African countries such as Ghana.
Ogbomoso churches were part of the churches that formed the first Baptist Association in Nigeria in 1914, namely, the Yoruba Baptist Association. The Yoruba Baptist Association metamorphosed to the Nigerian Baptist Convention few years after. The rapid growth of Baptist Mission Work in Ogbomoso and districts led to its becoming an Association. The first Ogbomoso Baptist Association was inaugurated on the 23rd October, 1926. It comprised of Churches within the township and outstations. Such as Ede, Ido, Iwoye, Iragberi, Ara, Ejigbo, Olla, Isoko, Ifon, Osogbo, Iree, Ikirun, Ada, Igbajo, Iresi, Ila, Ijagbo, Ajase, Ojoku, Ikotun, Omu, Ipee, Offa, Ajaawa, Okelerin (now First Baptist Church, Ogbomoso), Ijeru, Saja, Masifa, Ori Oke, Ayegun, Baptist College, Baptist Hospital and Seminary. Creation of States by the Federal Government of Nigeria has located some of these outstations in three states: Oyo, Osun and Kwara.
Growth led to the emergence of new Associations within the Ogbomoso Baptist Association. These were Ogbomoso Baptist Association, Igbomina Baptist Association in present Kwara Baptist Conference (September 23, 1928); Zion and Bethel Baptist Associations in present Osun Baptist Conference. These Associations were part of the Western Conference when it was formed in 1972. They were also part of the Oyo East Baptist Conference when the Western Conference disintegrated due to February 3, 1976 State creation by the Federal Military Government of the Late General Muritala Mohammed. The Western Conference broke into Ondo, Ogun, Oyo East and Oyo West Baptist Conferences. The Oyo East Conference was inaugurated at the First Baptist Church, Okelerin, Ogbomoso, on October 15, 1977.
The Creation of Osun State by the Federal Government of Nigeria in 1991 led to the emergence of the Osun Baptist Conference from Oyo East Baptist Conference in 1993. With the exits of Osun, only the churches within Ogbomoso and district remain as Oyo East Baptist Conference. During the Annual Session of the Conference at Oja Oba Baptist Church, Ogbomoso, a motion was moved and it carried that the Conference changes its name from Oyo East Baptist Conference to Ogbomoso Baptist Conference. This has remained the status quo till date.
OUR PRINCIPLES
The Ogbomoso Baptist Conference adheres to the principles of the Nigerian Baptist Convention in matters of faith, doctrine, ordinance, adherence to the teaching of our Lord Jesus Christ as recorded in the New Testament. We fully accept that the Scriptures of Old and New Testaments were given by inspiration of God and that they are the only sufficient, certain and authoritative rule for all saving knowledge, faith and obedience.
We recognize the risen Lord, Jesus Christ, the incarnate Son of God and our Savior as the Head of His Church and the New Testament teachings as the sole authority in all matters pertaining to faith and practice. Each local church under the guidance of the Holy Spirit has the liberty to interpret the teachings of the Holy Bible and administer its law and responsibilities within our Baptist Historic Faith.
Baptism is the immersion in water of a believer in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit to show forth in solemn and beautiful emblem of one's faith in the crucified, buried and risen Savior. It is a prerequisite of the privileges of church membership and the Lord's Supper.
The Lord's Supper is a sacred memorial meal in which the members of the church by the use of the elements such as bread and wine commemorate together the atoning love of Christ. It is the duty of every disciple to bear personal witness to the gospel of Jesus Christ and to take part in evangelization of the world. The Conference recognizes the autonomy of every local Baptist Church cooperating with the Conference under the leadership of the Holy Spirit. The Conference recognizes monogamy as the ideal state of family life according to the New Testament. The Conference places on record its adherence thereto. No known polygamist shall be allowed membership in our churches, to hold any office in the church, to serve as a lay preacher, or to participate in the ordinances of Baptism and the Lord's Supper.
Realizing that membership in a secret cult and the taking of oath of membership in such society are both contrary to the teaching of the New Testament, this Conference declares unequivocally that any member in a church cooperating with the Conference who is known to be a member in a secret society (foreign or indigenous), shall not be allowed to hold membership in any of our churches, to hold any office in the church, association and conference, to serve as a lay-preacher, to participate in ordinances of Baptism and the Lord's Supper or to be given Christian burial by any of the Conference churches. Any defaulting member or church shall be liable to suspension until the offender repents.
Each participating church shall be expected to be faithful to the conference in matters of evangelism and financial obligations.
OUR AIMS AND OBJECTIVES
(a) To strengthen and extend Baptist witnessing and activities within the Conference Area and wherever opportunities may be found.
(b) To strengthen and assist within available resources of the Conference any young or needy Baptist Church in the Conference Area.
(c) To cooperate with other Christian bodies within the Conference Area in as much as such cooperation will be in line with the Nigerian Baptist Convention beliefs and practices.
(d) To encourage existing organizations of the Nigerian Baptist Convention within the Conference and assist in the establishment of similar other organizations as circumstances may require within the Conference Area. Emphasis shall be on such organizations that promote evangelism and spiritual growth within the Conference.
(e) To encourage and assist cooperating Churches and Associations in the establishment of institutions that will help in soul winning and training in Baptist ideas such as Schools, Medical institutions and Youth camps.
(f) To embark on any commercial project that will not be contrary to our Christian beliefs, whenever there is an opportunity to do so.
