Pastor David Ibiyeomie, founder of Salvation Ministries, has urged Christians to rethink the way they approach evangelism in Nigeria, arguing that messages focused heavily on hell and condemnation may not resonate with people already battling severe hardship.
The cleric made the observation while speaking on compassion during a sermon, where he emphasised the need for Christians to communicate God’s love and mercy to people facing difficult circumstances. He argued that evangelism should go beyond warnings about eternal punishment and demonstrate genuine concern for the struggles people are experiencing in their everyday lives.
Ibiyeomie said the economic and social difficulties confronting many Nigerians could make messages centred on hell particularly difficult for them to relate to. According to him, people dealing with hunger and other forms of hardship may already feel as though they are living through extreme suffering.
“You can imagine preaching hell to Nigerians; they are already in hell. There is no way you will preach hell to Nigerians and anybody will be born again,” he said.
Rather than beginning with condemnation, the pastor encouraged Christians to communicate the message that God loves people and is concerned about their circumstances. He said believers should reassure those going through difficult periods that God can show them mercy and bring about positive changes in their lives.
For Ibiyeomie, compassion provides a more effective foundation for reaching people because it allows Christians to recognise the realities confronting those they are trying to evangelise. He said believers should not approach people only as potential converts but should also acknowledge their struggles and demonstrate genuine care.
“Compassion will make you tell them, ‘Jesus loves you.’ In spite of what you’re going through, He will show you His mercy,” he said.
The pastor explained that compassion should not be reduced to sympathy or an emotional reaction to another person’s difficulties. He described it as an active concern that involves understanding what people are going through and responding to their needs with genuine care.
His message placed practical kindness alongside preaching as an important part of Christian witness. According to the cleric, believers can demonstrate the message they proclaim by showing concern for people and responding to their difficulties rather than simply speaking to them about religious consequences.
Ibiyeomie also encouraged Christians to allow compassion to shape their relationships with others. He urged believers to demonstrate kindness, forgiveness and sincere concern, describing these qualities as ways of reflecting God’s nature.
The comments came against the backdrop of his broader teaching on compassion and its role in winning people to Christianity. Rather than relying principally on fear of punishment, he advocated an approach that highlights love, mercy and the possibility of transformation.
The pastor’s argument was that evangelism must take into account the realities of the people being addressed. Where individuals are already experiencing hunger and hardship, he suggested, preaching about another form of suffering may not necessarily persuade them to embrace the Christian faith.
He consequently called on Christians to make compassion an integral part of their efforts to reach people, particularly those struggling with difficult circumstances. Such an approach, he said, involves telling people that they are loved while also showing concern for what they are experiencing.
Ibiyeomie further stressed that the responsibility of believers extends beyond words. By demonstrating kindness, forgiveness and practical concern, Christians can reflect the values of their faith in their dealings with other people.
His message therefore presented compassion as both a Christian virtue and an evangelistic tool, with believers encouraged to combine their preaching with genuine concern for the people they seek to reach.
The Salvation Ministries founder maintained that the Christian message should communicate hope to people facing hardship. For Nigerians dealing with difficult living conditions, he argued, an emphasis on God’s love and mercy may provide a more relatable starting point for evangelism than messages focused predominantly on hell and condemnation.
He urged Christians to recognise people’s struggles, care about their circumstances and demonstrate that care through their actions, stressing that genuine compassion should be visible in the way believers treat others.
The central message of the sermon was that winning people to Christianity should involve more than warning them about punishment. According to Ibiyeomie, believers should demonstrate God’s love through compassion, kindness, forgiveness and practical concern while encouraging people to believe that their circumstances can change.
Ibiyeomie: Nigerians Are Already Suffering, Preaching Hell Won’t Win Them to Christ
