The Establishment and Socio-Religious Impact of Living Faith Church Goshen in Auta-Balefi, Karu L.G.A. of Nasarawa State, Nigeria

The rise of Pentecostal Christianity in Nigeria represents one of the most significant religious transformations in modern African history. Among the leading movements that shaped this development is the Living Faith Church Worldwide, popularly known as Winners’ Chapel. This study investigates the establishment and socio-religious impact of the Living Faith Church Goshen in Auta-Balefi, Karu Local Government Area of Nasarawa State, Nigeria. Drawing on historical, oral, and documentary sources, the paper situates the church’s emergence within the broader trajectory of Nigerian Pentecostal expansion from the late twentieth century onward. It explores how the establishment of the Goshen branch reflects not only the theological vision of its founder, Bishop David Oyedepo, but also the transformation of Auta-Balefi from a rural settlement into a vibrant religious and socio-economic hub. The study argues that Living Faith Church Goshen functions as both a spiritual and developmental institution—providing education, employment, and infrastructure while reinforcing faith-based social order. Its establishment is thus examined as part of the larger narrative of Pentecostal modernity and community-building in postcolonial Nigeria. The paper concludes that the Goshen project exemplifies the convergence of faith, modernization, and nation-building in contemporary African Christianity.