Ecclesiastical Impact of The Covid-19 Pandemic in Selected Churches in Oyo State, Nigeria

Abstract

The outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19), which caused untimely deaths and disrupted the social, religious and economic  life of the people, has posed a great challenge to the Christian faith, especially in Nigeria as it affected the physical gathering of Christians  for worship and other ecclesiastical practices. Scholars have focused largely on the religious, social and economic effects of  COVID-19 in Nigeria, but with little attention paid to its ecclesiastical impacts, especially in selected Protestant denominations in Ibadan,  Oyo State, Nigeria. The paper, therefore, discusses the ecclesiastical impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Redeemed Christian  Church of God and Christ Apostolic Church, in Ibadan, Oyo State. The choice of the scope is due to the proximity to the researcher.  Primary data was gotten from key informant interviews of selected respondents from the selected contexts, while secondary data were  gathered from relevant books, journal articles, and newspapers on the subject matter. The data were descriptively analysed. The findings  revealed that attendance in church services decreased tremendously because many members were used to online service, hence, some  become cold spiritually. Besides, believers' social interaction in the church was also affected as some other ecclesiastical practices. The  paper recommends that church leaders should pay attention to discipling members because when members become disciples, they  would grow to spiritual maturity and advance the kingdom of God wherever they find themselves, no matter the situation.