Founder and Presiding Pastor of Salvation Ministries, David Ibiyeomie, has urged Christians to place greater emphasis on love and compassion when preaching to Nigerians facing economic hardship.
Ibiyeomie argued that messages focused heavily on the threat of hell may not effectively reach people who are already struggling with severe economic challenges.
The pastor made the remarks during a sermon titled “The Power of Compassion,” delivered on Sunday and monitored by Vanguard.
According to Ibiyeomie, Christians should communicate the message of God’s love and offer hope to people dealing with poverty, rising living costs and other difficulties.
He said Nigerians experiencing hardship may find messages centred exclusively on hell difficult to respond to because many are already struggling to meet basic needs.
Rather than concentrating only on punishment, he urged Christians to demonstrate compassion and assure people that God can transform their circumstances.
Ibiyeomie said the Christian message should make people understand that Jesus Christ loves them despite whatever difficulties they may currently be experiencing.
His comments come amid widespread public discussions about Nigeria’s economic challenges and the impact of rising living costs on households.
The pastor argued that compassion should be central to evangelism, particularly when addressing people who are struggling with issues such as food insecurity, transportation costs and unemployment.
He encouraged Christians to approach evangelism from the perspective of hope and practical empathy rather than relying solely on warnings about eternal punishment.
The remarks have drawn attention because of the pastor’s blunt description of the hardship confronting many Nigerians, with his statement that some Nigerians are “already in hell” referring to the severe conditions they face in their daily lives.
Ibiyeomie’s central message was that Christians should communicate hope, love and compassion to Nigerians while pointing them towards faith in Jesus Christ.