Seventh Day Church of God Inc.

Our Core Vision

The Salvation Of The Souls of Men Through The Preaching of The Gospel

“For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost” Luke 19:10

Our Mission Is Evangelism

“Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost…”
Matthew 28:19

…….

Our History

 Jesus Christ is the author and foundation of our faith.  He laid the foundation of the church through the New Testament Apostles and the Old Testament Prophets.   And the foundation of Seventh Day Church of God Nigeria was through the human instruments God used to establishment the church. The history of how the church was established started with Frank Akokwu Dickey from Omoku.  He embraced Christianity during the early period of advent of Christianity in the West Coast of Africa to Ogbaland. 

Frank A. Dickey, as we were told, started his Christian life in the early 1900 as a member of Anglican Church.     He was an organist, and grew in the church to the position of Sunday School Teacher.  At that time, he was also working as a Grade II Court Clerk.  He received a ‘call from God’ in 1917 that the right day of worship is the Sabbath day, not Sunday.     Frank A. Dickey had a dream, God showed him two things (1) a beautiful building filled with money and (2) another building with a table and a Bible placed on top of it.  God asked him to choose either of them.  He immediately chose the building with a table and Bible. 

Without hesitation, he heeded to the call of God to worship Him on the Sabbath Day.     He abounded his Sunday faith.  Opened the first Sabbath Church at Omoku.  He started the church in his house, where he worshipped God with his immediate family.  Frank A. Dickey started evangelical work of God, preaching his new founded faith – the Sabbath Day worship.  The church began to grow in power, miracles and healing of the sick.     The action of Frank A. Dickey in changing from Sunday to Sabbath Day worship looked strange and surprise to people who knew him very well, and how active he was in the “Sunday faith” before God gave him mandate to worship Him on the Sabbath.    

Frank A. Dickey resigned his appointment as a Court Clerk.  He started palm produce business along the Imo River.  The hand of the Almighty God was in the business. It prospered greatly.  He established a trading camp at Kpukpuko on the Imo tributary near Azumini.  It was there he built the first ‘worship hut’ and named it “Sabbath Keepers Church”.  The numerical strength of the church grew and the church became powerful and prosperous because of miracles, prophesy and divine healing.    

Later, the name of the church was changed from ‘Sabbath Keepers church’ to Seventh Day Native Church (SDNC).  In the year 1919, the church was officially granted operation permit by the Colonial Masters.  It continued its evangelical work, accompanied with ‘spiritual gifts’, and expanded to many areas, especially the then Ahoada, Owerri and Calaba Provinces of the former Easter Region of Nigeria, now called South-South and south-East Geo-Political zones.      Frank A. Dickey and Gerogewill W. Chinwah  History had it that the same period Frank A. Dickey had an inspiration of God to open a Sabbath Church at Omoku, God also called Georgewill W. Chinwah of Obagi for the same purpose. 

It is a historical fact that as early as 1918, there were two Sunday denominations at Obagi community.  Georgewill W. Chinwah was the leading member in one of those churches with his in-law Moses Ahia, Mark Ahia and others.  They established their worship centre at Idu-Obosiukwu, which at that time was called ‘Obagi Waterside’.     The other Sunday worship group had Daniel Esheke, James Ile, Johnson E. Akor, Igilar Okira and others.  Their worship centre was at Obagi.  It happened, according to history, that ‘Religious Tracks’ were seen dropping down from the sky to the front door of Georgewill W. Chinwah’s residence.  The headline of the tracts was ‘Seventh Day Sabbath’ with Bible quotations from Exodus 20:3-17 and Isaiah 58:13-14.     G. W. Chinwah who had Western Education before the event occurred, read the tract, saw the truth in it and immediately accepted to worship God on the Sabbath.  He convinced the members of his church to change their day of worship from Sunday to Saturday in the light of the message from God.  They accepted.  He also carried that same message to the other Sunday church at Obagi.     In company of Mark Ahia from Obagi, G. W. Chinwah took a copy of the tract to Prophet F. A. Akokwu, who already has started Sabbath Worship at Omoku.  G. W. Chinwah reached a consensus with F. A. Dickey to worship in the same church. 

Hence, Obagi, under the leadership of Georgewill Chinwah was the second community in Ogbaland where Seventh Day Native Church (SDNC) was built.     It is imperative to note that at this time, G. W., Chinwah gained employment and was working at the Colonial Office in Lagos.  In spite of that Chinwah initiated several moves and wrote series of letter to bring together the Sunday denominations at Obagi.  Initially, the letters for unity was not accepted.  But gradually, and with the evangelical work of F. A. Akokwu, it was at last accepted.  The third church was at Erema before it spread to other communities like Ogbogu, Oboburu, Itu, Ibewa, Obiyebe, Akabuka to mention but a few.     First General Conference of the church  A lot of things transpired in Seventh Day Native church between 1919 to 1927.  The church attained a remarkable growth in its evangelical work.  The church held her first General Conference at Omoku in 1927.  F. A. Dickey was ordained Bishop of the church.    

On 12th March, 1927, D. W. Ikonne from Amauzu Obette Ngwa was employed by Bishop Dickey as a local church teacher in Seventh Day Native church situated in East Central of the former Eastern Region of Nigeria, now called South-East Geo-political zone.  Others employed with him were D. A. Amarahobu from Obagi, Shadrach Ohaji from Idu-Ogba, etc.

– (Culled from the Seventh Day Church of God History Book, page 1,2 : 2019)

The Seventh Day Church of God Doctrines and Beliefs are based on the Holy Bible – the teaching of Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ – the foundation which He laid for His New Testament Church through the early Apostles and the Prophets of old.  You are welcome as co-labourers in our effort to preaching the “Gospel of the Kingdom of God” to the world.

SDCG

Our Beliefs

1.       We believe in God the Father, God the Son Jesus Christ and the Holy Ghost; also the Oneness of the three person of the Godhead (Matthew 28:19; 3:16,17; I John 5:7; Colossians 2:2; John 1:1-3; John 14:16,17)

2.       We believe that the Holy Bible is sufficient for the salvation of man (I Peter 1:21; John 20:30,31)

3.       We believe that the Ten Commandments of God is the eternal and unchangeable law for all mankind; and is different from the ceremonial Law which was abolished (Exodus 20:3-17; Romans 13:8-10; I Timothy 1:5; Hebrews 9:1-10)

4.       We believe that the Seventh Day of the week is the Sabbath Day (Rest Day) (Exodus 20:8; Ezekiel 20:12,20; Isaiah 66:22,23)

5.       We believe that Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit through Satan`s temptation and thereby sinned and fell from their state of righteousness (Genesis 3; Romans 3:9-12,23; 6:23)

6.        We believe that Satan is the Enemy of God and man (Genesis 3; Isaiah 14:12-19; Ezekiel 28:12-19; Revelation 12:3,4; 20:1-15; Nahum 1:9)

7.        We believe that the natural man is mortal and subject to death, but in Christ a saved man has eternal life (Roman 2:7; I Corinthians 15:53; 1 Timothy 6:16; 1:17; 2 Timothy 1:10; John 3:16; I John 5:11,12; II Corinthians 5:17)

8.       We believe that man is unconscious in death (Ezekiel 18:4; Ecclesiastes 12:7)

9.       We believe in the ordinance of baptism by immersion in water and the baptism of the Holy Ghost Matthew 3:11,16; 28:19; Mark 16:16; Acts 8:37-41; John 3:5)

10.   We believe that atonement is the reconciliation of God and man by the incarnation and death of Christ; and that without it no man can have salvation (Leviticus 16:20-34; Romans 5:11)

11.   We believe that the LORD`s Supper instituted by Christ just before His death is a memorial of His death and must be continually observed (I Corinthians 11:23-29; Matthew 26:26-30; Mark 14:23-26; Luke 22:19-29)

12.   We believe that the gift of prophecy and all the other gifts of the Holy Spirit given by God for the work of the ministry should be in the church until the end of the world; that none of the gifts should be despised or discouraged (Acts 1:8; I Corinthians 14:39,40; 12:1-11; I Thessalonians 5:20; Revelations 19:10)

13.    We believe that prayer is a divine communication and appointment with God which carries enormous power; and that public, family and secret prayers are all important (Isaiah 6:7; Matthew 21:13; Daniel 6:17-22; Matthews 6:9-13; Luke 6:12; Acts 10:30,31; 12:5; 16:13; Philippians 4:6; James 1:5-8; 5:13-16; Proverbs 2;8,9)

14.    We believe in divine healing. However, there is no authority in the Bible to judge Christians who use medicine, as medical discoveries and cure are the extension of God`s goodness to man (Matthew 4;23-25; 10:5-8; Mark 16:17-20; Exodus 15:26; Acts 3:1-11; 14:8-11; I Corinthians 12:1-11; Revelation 14:12)

15.   We believe that tithe or one-tenth of man`s net income belongs to God and it is holy to God (Malachi 3:8-10; Genesis 14:18-20; 28:22; Matthew 23:23; Exodus 36:3-7; I Corinthians 16:1-3; II Corinthians 9:7)

16.   We believe that charity (Christian love) should be practiced in the Church of God and to all men; and that the gifts of the Holy Spirit are nothing without it (John 13:34,35; Colossians 3:14; I Timothy 2:22; I Peter 4:8; II Peter 4:7; I Corinthians 8:1; 13:1-3)

17.   We believe that marriage was instituted by God in Eden between a man and a woman (Genesis 2:21-24; 16:3-9; 23:29; Exodus 21:21,22; Deuteronomy 21:15-17; Number 12:11; II Samuel 12:8,9; Matthew 19:3,12; Mark 6:3; John 19:25; 5:46-47)

18.   We believe that church and state are two different bodies and should remain distinct that one should be allowed to worship one`s God according to the dictate of one`s conscience (John 18:36; Matthew 22:21)

19.   We believe that God is the Creator and Supreme Ruler of the universe; and that a man cannot be a true child of God without rendering due respect to the earthly governments He has ordained (I Peter 2:13-17; Romans 13:1-8; Titus 3:1,2; Matthew 22:21)

20.   We believe that we should practice temperance which means abstinence from that which is harmful; and moderate use of that which is good should always be practiced as is taught in the Holy Bible (I Corinthians 3:6-19; II Corinthians 6:16; II Peter 1:4-8; Galatians 5:22,23; Leviticus 10:9; Proverbs 20:1)

21.   We believe that we do not need to abstain from eating meat (I Timothy 4:1-5; Romans 14:1-23; Colossians 2:16)

22.   We believe in the grace of God: which is the unmerited favour of God and free pardon given to all Christians (Titus 2:11; Hebrews 10:26-31; Romans 6:1,2; Proverbs 3:34)

23.   We believe that faith and implicit obedience to God go together in our walk with God (Hebrew 11:1-6; James 2:26; Romans 3:31; 14:23; Revelations 14:12; Hebrews 11:1-40)

24.   We believe that the advent message of the three angels in Revelation 14:6-10 is the summary and culmination of the gospel foretold by Christ in Matthew 24:14 (Revelation 14:12; 13:1-18; 15:1-4)

25.   We believe that the Judgment Day is not only one day but is a period of time from 1844 A.D. and ending at the day of final destruction of sin and sinners, and restitution of all things (Daniel 8:14, 26-27)

26.   We believe in the Second coming of Christ (John 14:1-3; Matthew 24:1-51; 25:31-43; Acts 1-9-11; I Thessalonians 4:15-18; II Thessalonians 2:8; Jeremiah 4:27; Luke 21:25-36; Revelation 1:7)

27.   We believe in the two distinct Resurrections: one is “the Resurrection of life” at the beginning of the millennium, and the second is the “the Resurrection of damnation” at the end of the millennium (John 5:28-29; Hebrew 11:35; Revelation 20:1-5)

28.   We believe that between the second coming of Christ and the third coming which will mark between the beginning of the New Heaven and the New Earth, there will be a millennium, a period of one thousand years when Satan will be bound (Revelation 20:1-5; Jeremiah 25:33; 4:23-27; I Thessalonians 4:15-18; I Peter 3:10-13).

29.   We believe that the punishment of the wicked or sinner will be everlasting death (Romans 6:23; I Corinthians 6:1-3; Revelations 20:1-15; 14:10; Daniel 7:10, 26,27; I John 2:1; Malachi 4:3; II Peter 3:10-13)

30.   We believe that the Bible teaches of a New Heaven and a New Earth to come (Isaiah 66:22,23; 58:14; Matthew 5:5; Revelation 5:10; 21:1; Daniel 7:27; II Peter 3:10-13)

31.   We believe that there will be a New Jerusalem, the Glorious capital of the New Heaven and the New Earth according to Christ`s promise to His disciples in John 14:1-3 (Revelation 21; 22; I Corinthians 2:9; Hebrews 11:10; Isaiah 66:22,23; II Peter 3:10-13)

32.   We believe that revelation is progressive and further lights or new truths in line with God`s Word should be accepted.