The founder and presiding pastor of Salvation Ministries, David Ibiyeomie, has said Nigerians facing severe economic hardship are “already in hell,” urging Christians to preach God’s love and compassion rather than relying primarily on warnings about eternal damnation.
Ibiyeomie said messages focused on hell might not resonate with people struggling to afford food, fuel and other basic necessities amid the country’s economic challenges.
The pastor spoke on Sunday while delivering a sermon titled, The Power of Compassion.
“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.
Ibiyeomie urged Christians to instead assure people experiencing hardship that God loves them and can transform their circumstances.
“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?’” he said.
He argued that someone struggling to meet basic needs might find little relevance in a warning about future suffering when they are already experiencing severe hardship.
“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,” he added.
The pastor therefore called on Christians to make compassion central to their evangelism by assuring people that Jesus loves them and that God can intervene in their circumstances.
“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.
Ibiyeomie urged Christians to emulate God’s compassionate nature in their dealings with others, particularly people experiencing difficult circumstances.
Quoting Psalm 103:8, he said, “The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in loving devotion.”
He further urged Christians who had experienced God’s compassion to extend kindness, mercy and forgiveness to others, regardless of their past mistakes or failures.
Citing Ephesians 4:32, he said, “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”
The pastor described compassion as a strong expression of God’s nature, stressing that it involves more than merely feeling sorry for people in distress.
According to him, genuine compassion has three key elements: recognising a person’s situation, caring about it and taking action to provide help.
Ibiyeomie also cautioned Christians against limiting compassion to financial assistance, saying people could be supported through prayer, faith and other practical interventions.
Citing Acts 3:6, he said helping others could also involve exercising faith on their behalf.
He stressed that while financial assistance could sometimes be necessary, genuine compassion should go beyond giving money to people in need.
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