Peter Joshua Abutu is married to Joy Abutu. They have four children: Blessing (9); John (7); Uyo and Uya (twins-3).

"I grew up in a Christian home to a Christian parent who served for fifty one years as missionary/Pastor. Although I was part of a Christian family, my father made it clear to all of us that being a Pastor’s child does not confer salvation on anyone. So, at any given opportunity he will insist on personal trust in Christ’s work for salvation. This became so evident in my life as I began to exhibit all manner of sinful actions even though I was already conforming outwardly to religious duties. One day, during one of the Sunday School session, a sense of guilt and horror overwhelmed me. I felt within impending judgment in hell so, I went and spoke to my teacher about it. It was then that I confessed my sins, and put my trust in the Lord Jesus alone for salvation. The teacher subsequently prayed with me. Later, I was baptised by immersion at the age of thirteen.

I have enjoyed a very stable Christian life and have been walking with Christ since then.
I grew up in a Plymouth Brethren Church and thus an Arminian by default. This Church did move especially from the early 90’s from its original evangelical, conservative theological convictions and became heavily Charismatic and to a large extent liberal.

I sensed the call to ministry in the year 2008 in my former denomination and was cleared for pastoral duties and was given a Church. About a year into it I began to have doubt especially as it relates to many unfulfilled specific words of Prophecies, and began questioning some of our unbiblical practices.

By God’s design my path came across some British preachers from the Grace Baptist Mission (GBM) and through them a sound theological training was given me both at European Missionary Fellowship (EMF) and the London Seminary. After my training I went to Zambia in the year 2017 for ministerial internship at Kabwata Baptist Church. After much prayer, I had inward convictions, I was sent back as a missionary to my home country, Nigeria to plant a Biblical Church that stands in the Reformed convictions, and was ordained for it in March 2018. The name of the Church I am planting is Trinity Baptist Church."

Update from Pastor Joshua Abutu (September 2022):

Introduction

Greetings in Jesus’ name. Planting a Reformed Baptist Church in the heart of the capital city of Nigeria can never be a walk in the park. Our dear country Nigeria’s religious landmark is replete with the heavy onslaught of violent Islam in the North, and false gospels and animism in the south. Your prayers, financial support, and fidelity to this work has kept us afloat. The fruits it now bears testify to the worth and worthiness of your unalloyed support. Our thanks to you. May we see more years of partnership in God’s Kingdom, and may the Lord see the harvest of souls for whom he died.

Family

One of the great blessings that God continues to bestow upon me and the work here is the stability at the home front. We have enjoyed stable physical health (though I was ill sometime in March requiring hospitalization) and stability in other areas. Nevertheless, above all, God has been so good to us in many ways. My wife, Joy, is pregnant and expecting a baby in August. She has carried the pregnancy with much grace and endurance. Complains that were not commonplace with the previous pregnancies abound so much more in this one. The doctor keeps assuring us that there are no reasons to worry. We are full of expectation for the incoming baby and trusting that all may go well by God’s grace. John (my son) is graduating from the primary school and will be enrolled into Secondary school in September. Unmi-Blessing (one of my daughters) was saved by the Lord and is preparing for baptism. She is twelve years of age and we are excited that the Lord found her this early. I have a dependent—a daughter to my late elder brother—who lives with us. She too got saved recently and preparing for baptism. She is sixteen years of age and her name is Philomena.

Church Life and Ministry

The church plant, Trinity Baptist Church, has known the workings of the grace of God so far in this year. Membership still stands at fifty-one and I am currently processing about twenty applications. We have no church disciplinary case yet in this year. We have successfully executed two door-to-door evangelistic outreaches during this first half of the year. The most heart-warming testimony in our evangelistic endeavors is the enthusiasm and the participation of our members. They come out in their numbers performing this task. We have hosted three conferences this year:
- Missions Conference in March;
- African Pastors’ Conference in April;
- Mid-Year Bible Conference in June.

It was an occasion of joy to have received the ministries of both Pastor Conrad Mbewe and Mwindula Mbewe separately in two of these conferences. Recently, a woman who took the evangelistic letter dropped at her gate came to Church. Another Pastor from A Charismatic Church came under a conviction after listening to Pastor Conrad Mbewe during the African Pastors’ Conference, regular meeting now happens between us. In all of these conferences and efforts, we distributed over five hundred free books to participants. The inner life of the congregation is strengthened by weekly observance of the Lord’s Supper, weekly Bible Study and Prayer meeting, quarterly week of prayer and fasting, corporate consecutive Bible reading, among other means of grace. There is a weekly adult Sunday school for an hour. The covenanted member meets once in every quarter and have done so three times this year.                                                    

Internship

The internship program of the church continues to wax stronger. There are four pastoral interns being trained for mission work. Brother Eleazar will finish by the end of 2023. Brother Fred will be finishing next year April and might be heading to another city in the Northern region of Nigeria. Brother confidence will finish by His grace next year in the month of May and will be planting a Reformed Baptist Church in a city in the South-South geo-political region of Nigeria. Brother Damilare will be finishing in the year 2025.

Preaching/Teaching

I am currently preaching through the book of Acts after a long journey through the book of John in the morning service, and Jude in the afternoon service every Lord’s Day. Bro Eleazar preaches one Sunday every month, both in the morning and evening service. He is preaching through the book of 1 John in the morning and is preaching through a series from the beatitudes. In our Tuesday Bible Studies, we are going through the 1689 Second London Baptist Confession of Faith and currently at chapter 16.

Other Ministries

Children
We have a very functional Children ministry covering preschoolers to teenagers. It is a blessing to see it flourish with the blessings of new teachers.

Men and Women
The men meet once every month for a time of Bible Study and breakfast. This has indeed bonded our men and has enriched their spiritual life. The women also meet once in a month to read a book together and strengthen their faith.

Campus Fellowship
The students of the University of Abuja now have a weekly Bible Study on the campus every Wednesday.

Upcoming Events

1. Leadership training and selections.
2. Two more conferences before the end of 2023.
3. Pastor Abutu will travel to four Northern Nigeria cities between now and August ending,
to set up grounds for African Pastors’ Conferences next year.

Thanksgiving

1. Souls have come into the Kingdom. Notable was one middle-aged man whom God saved from Roman Catholicism. Over a year ago he was always violent toward his wife over her faith in Christ; he came to see me over this matter. I remember asking him to give her three months and that he should follow his family to Church consistently over that period. He continued to come and hear the gospel preached and has been consistent for the past year. He came three weeks ago teary: God has saved him.
2. Success that we have recorded in all of our conferences and evangelistic meetings.
3. Safety mercies for Pastor Conrad Mbewe and Mwindula Mbewe.
4. Provisions for our Pastoral interns in their accommodations and stipends.
5. One of the interns, Brother Eleazar Maduka, got married in the month of May to Sister Tomiisin.

Prayer Needs

1. That we may continue to be a Biblical local church, holding forth the word of life faithfully in all areas. We need courage and boldness.
2. That more souls may come to the kingdom under our ministry.
3. That the rest of our conferences this year receive favor from God both in the planning, supplies, and execution.
4. That we may be helped to put up a modular building on our piece of land.
5. Pray for my wife, Joy, as we trust God for safe delivery.
6. There is great economic difficulty in Nigeria owing to poor government policy on fuel subsidy. Pray for God’s intervention in the lives of our many worshippers who now find it difficult to come to Church because of high cost of transportation and food.
7. Pray that the Gospel may flourish under the new administration that has just come in.
8. We are making an in-road to the core Islamic Northern Nigeria. Pray that the Lord will grand us wisdom, open doors, and support towards all the logistical needs.

Conclusion

I can go on and on recounting and reporting the great works of God among his people. This is just but a brief summary of all that is happening among us daily and all of the time.