Acknowledgements
The journey of the research that produced this book has incorporated several people. My heartfelt thanks go to many individuals and a few organizations.
For their insights, actions, words of advice, and ordinary theologizing, my profound gratitude to all the congregations I observed and worshiped with, as well as those who agreed to be interviewed during my ethnographic study. These ordinary Adventists helped me to understand that both preservation, innovation, and contestation are valid processes in any denomination that has missionary roots.
Deepest appreciation for their guidance, patience, generosity of time, and wisdom: Prof. Dr. Stefan Paas whose foreword appears in this book and Dr. Linda van de Kamp. Both were my promotors at the Vrije Universiteit, the Netherlands, who made sure that what I told them by word of mouth about my findings was translated into writing. They were the best supervisors I have ever had.
For their assistance in bringing this book to fruition, I am grateful to Tessel M. Jonquière and Elizabeth Bento at the Brill office.
For being my family and support system: My lovely wife (Noémie) and children (Chimamanda, Chiedozie and Chinonye) my brothers Kelechi, Uche, and Ikenna, and my wonderful mom, Mary A. Wogu, my in-laws Pastor and Mrs Agbossassa, who waited patiently for the end of this project to proclaim their joy of a particular eschaton.
For their friendship, encouragement, laughter, and insights: Prof. Stefan Höschele, my very good friend who read some drafts of my initial thesis and was willing to write a second foreword to this book. The 2016/2017/2018 Research Seminar Empirical Research in Religion group of The Netherlands School for Advanced Studies in Theology and Religion (NOSTER), Dutch colleagues who encouraged and critiqued my ideas at the onset. Daniel Müller, my Dutch friend whose manner of talking and critique about my work made me believe I could make it. John Okpechi, Robinson Mogusu, Dr. Gabriel Masfa, the Friedensau community, and Dr. Kerstin Maiwald who kept asking and hoping for when the project would come to an end. Those hopes kept me going.
For their editorial work: Jonquil Hole and Dr. Jón H. Stefansson.
For their donation: The Stichting Rustenburg Schouten Wagtendonk established in Baambrugge, Netherlands.
For their support during my ethnographic research and travels: Dr. Olayinka Ifayemi Moses, Dr. Jerry Kwabai, Theo Zijderveld, Lydia Leersum, Pastor, Akinpelu Oluwaseun, and the administration of the Ogun Conference, Dr. Theodore Dickson, Itorobong Etokapkan, Ubong Etokapkan, Solomon Irimiya, and the entire Irimiya family, Gabriel Agbojo, all congregations, and their leaders mentioned in this respect. Finally, to God, the embodiment of lived and grassroots theology, who provided security, wisdom resources for this thesis from the beginning to the end, I am nothing but an instrument of telling the world about the working of the Holy Spirit and the incarnation of Jesus Christ among ordinary churchgoers.