History of the Baptists in Dahomey-Benin (1970 - 2010)

The Baptist Church is a Christian church that emerged from the reforms of the 16th and 17th centuries in Europe and is therefore over 400 years old. Born in England it has spread to America and throughout the world. It began timidly at the beginning of the 20th century in Dahomey now Benin by Yoruba immigrants from Nigeria. The Baptist work was strengthened by the arrival of American missionaries in 1970. But it was the collaboration begun in 1989 by simple dedicated members of the group and later by local pastors that assured the missionaries of support in spreading the Baptist witness. This was not easy in an already crowded religious landscape with the presence of endogenous religion Islam Roman Catholicism Methodist Protestantism and many other denominations. The new Church therefore had the obligation to organize itself well to provide itself with adequate means to use the most attractive methods to establish itself. But like all foreign religions it provokes a cultural shock that leads to conflicts. Thus in order to assert itself in the country Baptistry must proceed to inculturation and restructuring.