Nigerians struggling with hunger, high living costs and other economic challenges should be approached with messages of God’s love and compassion rather than warnings about hell, the Founder and Presiding Pastor of Salvation Ministries, David Ibiyeomie, has said.
Ibiyeomie said preaching about hell to people already grappling with severe economic hardship might not effectively win them to Christ.
He spoke on Sunday while delivering a sermon titled, The Power of Compassion.
According to him, Christians should assure people experiencing hardship that God loves them and can transform their circumstances.
He said, “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.
“Just tell them God loves you; He can change your story. Come to Jesus. But if you say, ‘You’ll go to hell,’ the man will say, ‘The suffering wey I dey suffer now, na wetin e be?’”
The pastor argued that messages centred on hell might fail to resonate with people struggling to afford basic necessities.
He added, “That kind of message can’t convert one soul. You go there and say, ‘If you don’t convert to Jesus, you are going to hell.’ The man will say he has not even seen food to eat, he has not bought petrol; already, he is in hell.”
Ibiyeomie urged Christians to make compassion central to their evangelism by telling people that Jesus loves them despite their circumstances and that God can show them mercy.
“Compassion will make you tell them Jesus loves you. In spite of what you’re going through, He will show you His mercy. Compassion is the greatest tool that brings people to Christ. It is from your heart,” he said.
He said God was compassionate and urged Christians to demonstrate the same quality in their dealings with others.
Quoting Psalm 103:8, Ibiyeomie said, “The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in loving devotion.”
He said Christians who had experienced God’s compassion should extend the same kindness and forgiveness to others, regardless of their past mistakes and failures.
Citing Ephesians 4:32, he said, “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”
Ibiyeomie described compassion as one of the strongest expressions of God’s nature, saying it involved more than feeling sorry for people in distress.
According to him, compassion has three elements: seeing a person’s situation, caring about it and taking action.
He also said Christians should not limit acts of compassion to financial assistance, noting that people could be supported through faith and other forms of practical help.
Citing Acts 3:6, the pastor said helping others could also involve exercising faith on their behalf.
He stressed that while financial assistance might sometimes be necessary, genuine compassion goes beyond giving money.
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