Celebrating Primate Henry Ndukuba's Impact on Christian Youth

Sixty-five years is not just a personal achievement. For the Primate of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), Henry Chukwudum Ndukuba, it marks a lifetime of dedicated service to God, spreading the Gospel, and strengthening the Anglican Communion.

As he celebrates his 65th birthday, people are honoring him not only for his years of faithful ministry but also for his visionary leadership focused on evangelism, discipleship, biblical faithfulness, and raising a new generation of Christian leaders.

Since he became Primate in 2020, Most Rev. Ndukuba has pushed for evangelism, discipleship, mission, and sticking to biblical teachings as core parts of his leadership.

One initiative that stands out is the Joshua Generation International Youth Conference (JGIYC). This conference is set up to nurture spiritually strong young Christians and get them ready for leadership roles in the Church, their communities, and society.

In an interview with Advent Cable Network Nigeria (ACNN TV) on 25 March 2022 to mark his second anniversary in office, the Primate shared that the initiative came from a concern about more young people moving away from active Christian life. He recognizes this issue but believes that God is raising a new generation ready to embrace obedience, holiness, and a strong commitment to His Word.

With years of experience in children’s and youth ministries, he noticed that divisions among Anglican youth and children’s groups had made it hard to work together. Groups like the Sunday School Movement (SSM), Anglican Children’s Ministry (ACM), Anglican Youth Fellowship (AYF), Anglican Students’ Fellowship, and the Evangelical Fellowship in the Anglican Communion (EFAC) often worked separately. The Joshua Generation vision aims to bring these groups together for a common purpose, helping to prepare young believers to lead in the Church, family, and nation.

The vision is based on the biblical stories of Joshua and Caleb, who showed strong faith in God. While others doubted God’s promises, Joshua and Caleb stayed faithful, trusted His word, and entered the Promised Land. Primate Ndukuba believes today’s Church should raise young Christians with the same courage and conviction to face modern challenges while staying true to biblical truth.

Beyond Nigeria, this initiative shows a larger global missionary vision. The Primate has said it is a mission both to young people and with young people, reaching beyond the Church of Nigeria to the broader Anglican Communion and the global Christian community. He feels God has positioned the Church of Nigeria to inspire young believers worldwide for evangelism, discipleship, and mission as the return of Jesus Christ approaches, while urging the Church to focus on righteousness and faithful service rather than just prosperity teachings.

The impact has been huge. According to the Primate, since the first conference in April 2021, over 20,000 young people have given their lives to Christ, and more than 10,000 have signed up for missionary work. Many have completed training through the Church of Nigeria Missionary Society (CNMS) and are getting ready for mission fields. This shows the conference’s emphasis on raising committed disciples, evangelists, missionaries, and future Church leaders.

As Most Rev. Ndukuba celebrates his 65th birthday, many in the Anglican Communion see the Joshua Generation vision as one of his lasting gifts to Christianity. His leadership shows that the Church's best investment is not just in buildings but in people, especially young believers. Their faith and commitment will shape the Church's future. Through this vision, he continues to inspire a worldwide youth movement to proclaim the Gospel, strengthen the Church, and secure Christianity's future for generations.