The Three- Selfs: Assessing Selected Baptist Women Fellowships in Somolu Local Government Area towards Self-Propagating, Self-Supporting and Self-Governing in Church Growth

Abstract

The study examines the activities of the Baptist women Mission through the lens of the three-self principles: self propagating, self supporting and self governing. Using the historical approach to obtain foundation while semi-structured interviews with 10 women leaders, findings revealed that the women’s fellowship, door-to-door evangelism, revival programmes reflect self propagation; the fund raising for church projects, welfare, schoolsupport reflect self- support; and the management of finances, planning programmes, and partnership with others in the community portray self- governance. The study argues that the policy of the three- self has contributed to measurable growth in membership, baptism rate, and community engagement within the selected Baptist churches in Somolu Local Government Area of Lagos State. It concludes that the three-self principle provides a useful framework for evaluating women’s agency in Nigerian Baptist churches and guiding leadership practices that foster indigenous church development.