Transnational Migration and the Reverse Mission of Nigerian-led Pentecostal Churches in the U.S.A.: A Case Study of Selected Churches in Metro Atlanta

This research investigates the history, the transnational links, and mission of three Nigerian-led Pentecostal Churches in metropolitan Atlanta in order to discover, describe and analyze the relationship between such global flows and the stated goal of self professed "reverse mission" in Atlanta, Georgia, in the United States of America.;Three Nigerian Indigenous Pentecostal denominations were purposively selected for this study. The three denominations are the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), The Gospel Faith Mission International (GOFAMINT) and The Mountain of Fire and Miracles (MFM). The sample size for this study consisted of three denominations out of which nine churches were selected in Atlanta, and the international headquarters of the three selected denominations in Lagos, Nigeria and the U.S national office of the three denominations. The data for this research was gathered through five months of ethnographic field research in Lagos, Nigeria, and Atlanta, Georgia. The research involves interviews conducted with eighty selected church leaders and members who are engaged in transnational religious practices between Lagos Nigeria and Atlanta, U.S.A. Three theories guided this research work: Social network perspectives, Migration systems theory, and Social movement framing.;This study was able to identify the following emerging themes/patterns. First, the history and patterns in the emergence of these churches reveals that they are started through house fellowships or through evangelistic crusades by mostly by members who migrate to the U.S. A. as students, businessmen and professionals. The study established that there are formal and informal transnational ties and channels of communication. The internet is used by these churches as a tool for transnational communication and networking. The study also found out that there are frequent flow of persons, products, ideas, and money flow between the founding churches in Lagos and the branches in Atlanta, with frequency of flow originating from Nigeria. The flow of persons is mostly at the upper and middle level management of these churches. Furthermore, this research found out these churches are presently in mission to mostly Nigerian/African communities in Atlanta, although they express strong interest in reaching out to other groups beyond the Nigerian community, and are indeed making efforts in this regard. Finality this study establishes that reverse mission is a conception of mission that is still in the process of evolving.;This study concludes with the suggestion that this field of study is just emerging and reverse mission is also evolving as a process. Further research is needed to validate the findings of this research.