Apostle Ivan Parker, President of the Apostolic Church in the United Kingdom, shares his insights on the global growth of the Apostolic Church, particularly in Africa. He sat down with ADEOLA OGUNLADE at the recently concluded Apostolic Church Africa Leaders’ Conference held in Lagos, Nigeria, where the theme was ‘Building the Church with God’s Word.’ In this interview, Parker discusses the church’s growth, the significance of Nigeria and Africa in the Apostolic Church movement, and the challenges the UK church faces, including the rise of liberal views on controversial issues such as homosexuality.
Your time here in Nigeria has been quite an experience. What’s your overall impression of the Nigerian Church, or the African Church as a whole?
My impression-So, as a little boy, I grew up in the Apostolic Church, and I heard many stories of the Apostolic Church here in Nigeria. Nigeria is a mission field from the United Kingdom, and we were told how it had grown and flourished. So, I have waited a long time. I’m an old man now. I am happy to get here for the first time, to come to Nigeria and to see with my own eyes. You hear reports, but to come and see with my own eyes how blessed we are as a movement of churches around the world, to have such a strong church in Nigeria.
Having traveled to various countries across Africa and listened to the diverse experiences and challenges shared by speakers at this conference, how would you describe the growth and influence of the African Church, particularly the Apostolic Church movement, across the continent?
Nigeria is one of many nations that I visited in Africa. When I travel to Apostolic Churches in whatever nation, I know I am with my family. We are a unique movement, and it doesn’t make us any more special than any other movement. We are not anymore, and we are not any less.
We are who we are by the grace of God. But we know we are family. In a way, we are looking to really capitalise on that sense of family, to really strengthen the bonds, and to see what that looks like for us missionaries. It’s very important for us. Today, we live in a global space, not just in villages or towns or cities, even countries. Particularly, Nigeria and Ghana are now global. So, together with the other nations around the world, 115 nations around the world have Apostolic Churches. That is increasing every year because of that global reach. We believe we can ramp that up and do it with more reach and influence together. Together, we are stronger.
Reflecting on the history of the Apostolic Church in Nigeria, what is your perspective on how the church has grown and flourished, especially now that it is independent from the UK church?
We are in its family. Nigeria’s success is our success. Our success is their success. There is no us and them. It’s just us. We are family. So, if you take our passion to bell the globe with the gospel and the vision of the Apostolic Church. Just in Nigeria alone, in the first 50 years, we sent 40 different missionaries to this nation. So, you can imagine that it is not just human resources. That is financial resource, prayer, so much. We have given our best. And it is true that in the UK, we are small in comparison. But I believe that God is no man’s debtor. And we didn’t just throw our money into the wind. We invested it wisely. And we have seen a great return, and to see this flourishing church here and in other nations around the world. The Apostolic Church in the United Kingdom is now blessed by other nations coming to the UK. And our churches are growing, in terms of people coming to the UK and joining our churches from other apostolic nations. But also, there is a move of God, which you may not have heard of, called the Quiet Revival, now in the UK. And it has been for about two years. We have a very negative media towards the church in the UK. It has very pro-liberal and anti-Christian values. And so, they will tell you that the church is in decline. Now, it is true that some elements of the church are in decline, most especially the established church. The established church seems to have lost its way, in terms of its understanding of biblical principles that they have now shifted from. And it is going to cost them dearly. But evangelical and Pentecostal churches are all growing, particularly Pentecostal churches. In fact, the Pentecostal church, you know, is the fastest-growing movement in the world. Just to give you some perspective on the Apostolic Church. In 1916, when our forefathers met together, they were a handful of people in a room that came together. Because God had brought them together, God spoke. They listened. And they stepped in. They had small resources, little experience but with great passion and a vision that God had given them. And that spread right across the world. And that was in a little place in Wales. Not far from where I live. Very small, little village. And it’s there. You see, God takes small things. And he can do incredible things. Like loaves and fishes. And so, for us as a nation. We may feel like little loaves and fishes. But he can multiply us very quickly. And we just know that God wants to do something special.
You must have heard about Father Sydney Elton who came to Nigeria as a missionary with the Apostolic Church and left the movement?
Yes, and he wasn’t the only one—several fathers also separated during the Latter Rain Movement. But honestly, there isn’t much difference between us. Most times, when we see separations and splits like that, it’s often because we lack the maturity to hold on to one another. The Lead Coordinator of The Apostolic Church, Africa, Apostle Dr. Aaron Ami-Narh warned about these divisions, and rightly so, because they are dangerous.
We sometimes love the idea of being dynamic and relational, but if we neglect accountability, that becomes risky. In our family of churches, we are not only highly relational and dynamic, but also deeply accountable to one another. That accountability safeguards everyone. The Apostolic Church remains a safe place to belong.
The UK church faces challenges with liberal ideologies, particularly on controversial issues like homosexuality. How does the Apostolic Church navigate this?
The United Kingdom has changed its laws and is quite explicit on these issues. As evangelical churches, we are part of the Evangelical Alliance—a network with some of the finest legal minds, communicators, and strategists who influence government. While we haven’t been able to prevent certain legislation, there are safeguards in place—thanks to the work of the Evangelical Alliance—that protect our position as Bible-believing churches. But we are not there to protect the rights of the church. We are there to proclaim the gospel. We are not trying to defend. We are trying to promote. And although we will do what we can to stand against these things, our main job is to just keep telling people about Jesus and to model the life of Christ in the individual and in the body of Christ. That is way more attractive. Even now, today, I talked to you about the quiet revival. Young people are coming in droves to the church.
Because they know there is no authenticity in what is being promoted by the government. Many of them are confused, anxious, and struggling with identity and so when they come to church and encounter Christ, all those things are put right. They become children of the living God. When they become Christians, they find authenticity, purpose, and destiny. And so that isn’t anything about us as individuals. That is about our God doing what he’s doing. It’s a sovereign move of God, the quiet revival. Not just in the apostolic church. But in so many evangelical and Pentecostal churches right across the UK.
The issue of homosexuality is a big topic, particularly in the UK. What is the Apostolic Church stance on this, and how do you handle such sensitive issues within the church community?
The Bible is clear. Yes, so we are not condemning people. We are all sinners. We are condemning the sin. We have to be really clear. Lots of people who lack maturity as Christians, they tend to want to come against something, want to come against Islam, and want to come against gay people. Listen, we are called to promote the gospel. We are called to love as Jesus loved. Not to condemn but to share the truth. It’s the truth that sets people free, not just any old truth. It’s the truth you know. And we need to know the truth. The way and the life and his name is Jesus Christ.