‘We’ve Seen … God Walk Mightily’: How Hope Prevails when Christians are Caught in Conflicts

The north of Nigeria, the most populous nation in Africa, is regarded as the most dangerous region for Christians.

Although conflict is hard, the result of conflict is simple, Wayne Craig said: Jesus wins. 

“I find it difficult to comprehend why these individuals believe that introducing death, destruction, anger, evil and hopelessness won’t ultimately lead people toward God and the hope of our savior, Jesus Christ,” said Craig, who is Africa director for TWR-related men’s ministry Every Man A Warrior (EMAW). 

At TWR, we’ve begun a years-long focus we’re calling “Hope Within Reach.” Our purpose is to show how God is using this media ministry to bring the hope found only through Jesus within reach of people even in the most difficult situations and places.  

We’re looking this quarter especially at places of conflict, beginning this month with the African nation of Nigeria. Although the insiders we talked to for this report pointed out that sources of conflict in Nigeria aren’t just about religious preference, it’s also true, according to data from the Open Doors website, that more Christians are killed for their faith in Nigeria than in any other country. 

‘We need to go’ 

Pastor Mark Hezekiah Mukan serves Jesus in the heart of the conflict. Mukan, who is chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria in his region, officiated at the mass burial of 51 Christians on April 14, 2025. They had been killed the day before in a Palm Sunday attack attributed to Fulani herdsmen. The attack occurred in the village of Zikke in the Plateau State, which is where Mukan lives and is considered part of Nigeria’s “Middle Belt.” But Mukan often travels to the North of Nigeria, the most Muslim-dominated part of the country and the most dangerous region for Christians. 

After that burial service, “I said to my wife, ‘You know what? We need to go up to the Northeast,’” Mukan related in an interview. “We took the gospel to the Fulani brethren up there in Yola (a city in Adamwa State).”  

Mukan finds media to be a key factor in evangelism among the Fulani, who are a nomadic people group. He brings them audio Bibles in the Fulfulde language that they speak.  

“Please relate to TWR our love [for] their concern,” he said, adding, “Send more radios … Thank them for standing by us.” 
 

Seeing God at Work 

An official with the Nigeria Evangelical Missions Association (NEMA), said he sees God at work amid conflict. A NEMA unit visits Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps to provide relief materials, pray with victims and provide encouragement. 

“We’ve seen the Lord God walk mightily among people in the camps,” the NEMA spokesman said. “You see people starting to ask questions [about the traditional religion]. ... And there’s been a mass exodus of people from the other side to Christianity.”  

Another byproduct of the attacks is unity among believers, Mukan said. In the Plateau State where he lives there are few IDPs because Christians are taking care of one another.  

“I’ve seen in one room where there … used to be one person in one room or two in one, now you have about five,” he said. “It’s rainy season, so the little spinach, the little okra that is coming up in the field, when they have that and have a little corn flour, they just put things together, and they are content.”  

Denominational differences have been set aside, Mukan said. 

That unity stems from the prayers of believers in Nigeria and throughout the world, he said.  

“The Lord is working,” Mukan said. “They kill us; we give them Jesus. … I know that the devil will not win while we’re alive.” 

Sources: Email interview with Wayne Craig; online interviews with Pastor Mark Mukan of the Christian Association of Nigeria and Pastor Bolarinwa Oluwole of the Nigeria Evangelical Missions Association; Open Doors website.