August 30, 2026 | Port Harcourt, Rivers State
Category: Religion & Society
Source: SUNTV Global Channel
Pastor David Ibiyeomie has sparked reactions following his remarks on the approach Christians should adopt when preaching to Nigerians and seeking to win souls for Christ.
Speaking about the effectiveness of preaching messages centred on hell, the pastor argued that many Nigerians are already facing severe economic and social hardships, making such warnings less effective in persuading people to accept Christ.
According to Ibiyeomie, Nigerians need messages that offer hope, love and the possibility of transformation rather than messages that focus primarily on further suffering.
“You can imagine preaching hell to Nigerians. They are already in hell. There’s no way you preach hell to Nigerians and anybody will be born again,” he said.
The pastor instead encouraged Christian ministers to emphasise God’s love and the possibility of a transformed life through faith in Jesus Christ.
“Just tell them God loves you. He can change your story. Then the man says, ‘Eh ehn,’ then you say, ‘Come to Jesus,’” he stated.
Ibiyeomie further argued that repeatedly warning Nigerians about hell could fail to achieve the desired effect because many people already perceive their present struggles as extremely difficult.
He explained that when people are already experiencing significant hardship, telling them that they could face further suffering in hell may not necessarily persuade them to embrace Christianity.
“But if you say you go to hell, the man will say, ‘Ah! The suffering, the suffering we are suffering now, what is it? Already the suffering is what?’ So that kind of message can’t convert one soul,” he said.
The remarks have generated discussions about the most effective approaches to evangelism in a country where many citizens continue to grapple with economic challenges and other social pressures.
SUNTV GLOBAL CHANNEL
News • Sports • Entertainment
Reporting the News. Connecting the People.
