The Senior Pastor of Great Commission Bible Church Lagos, Rev Olu Johnson, believes the current insurgency has positive takeaways for Nigeria. He spoke with Sunday Oguntola
When was the last time you were on a crusade outreach?
The last time was in 2012, I think.
Why is that, considering you were called to be an evangelist?
We had to stop because the church building project was starting then. Crusades take a lot of funds and you cannot raise money then. You spend quite a lot to organise crusades but we needed to concentrate on the building project.
However, we held some little outreaches here and there since then. Now that the church building is completed, we are going back to the field.
When will that be?
We should hold one in October in Yewa. We are considering Ilaro and Iboro before we spread to other parts.
People say crusades have a way of slowing down evangelists. What has been your experience as a church leader?
Well, I will say yes and no because one has to be driven by vision. I agree coping with both can be tough but then that is where organisation comes to play.
I am a called evangelist. I started a church because God told me to have a base. He said every soldier has a barrack where they are trained and sent forth for impact. So, we run an evangelical church but what I have been able to do is to run both independently.
I have a crew and a team independent of the church. The church runs on its own. We have pastors and administrators running the church. So, one has been able to keep the balance and focus.
How has it been, raising funds for outreaches, considering it’s always easier for people to pay tithes and offering?
Let me say firstly that my crusades are not funded by the church. The church sometimes offer assistance but the bulk of our supporters is outside the church. Some of them are even general overseers, who believe in what I am doing. Some of them are captains of industries who believe in my ministry.
My experience basically is that when God is involved, funding is never an issue. Some of the people we evangelised have turned around to support us. So, when God touches people, it becomes easier.
Apart from once or twice that we raised offering for our outreaches, we have ensured the church stays out of funding. The reason is crusade expenses are always huge. If you put it on a church, you will kill that church. That church has its commitments and financial needs too. It has to look after members and provide their needs.
You support churches looking after members?
Of course, I do. You see many destitute, orphans and less-privileged in the church. You have to support them; you can’t pretend not seeing them. There are widows, widowers and needy in church you must raise and teach to fish.
The church tries to support and even establishes small scale businesses for needy members. We offer educational supports and scholarships too.
Then, that is besides operational costs and overheads of the church as well as the needs to upgrade infrastructure. So, you can’t put crusade expenses on the same church again considering all these heavy commitments.
But if churches don’t support evangelism, what else do they exist for?
What I am saying is that holding crusades is not the only way to evangelise. Churches must evangelise but it can’t be by crusades alone. Some are on TV and radio and evangelise. But if you are into crusades like I am, it’s not advisable to put the costs on the church.
Many believe if churches are heavy on welfare, it can breed dependence and attract too many needy people. What do you say on this?
Well, those who say that might not have thought too deeply. I believe that God supplies the needs of the people. If God sees that a church has to cater for more needs, he will provide more resources. Then, we should not limit welfare to money alone.
Some people only need counselling, not handouts. Some unemployed graduates have gadgets like plasma and washing machines in their rooms. But they have what they can dispose of to start businesses; such people don’t need money but direction.
So, you don’t just throw money at people. You need to know what they need. A jobless man does not need an AC or plasma TV. If he sells those things, he can start a business until he upgrades.
Churches who don’t want to help should remember that the poor will always be in the land and he who lends to the poor lends to the Lord. I remember some of our members came in destitute with bathroom slippers. Today, they are up there and even helping the less privileged. So, we don’t know who can help out tomorrow. We have to overlook the dependence culture and empower people to move up.
It’s over a month since the Chibok girls were abducted without a trace. What does that say about the nation?
With what we have seen on the terrorism challenge, I think I won’t pass judgment at all. I think God is using this insurgency to reveal the real Nigeria. He is bringing us to the point where all our hidden agendas are now being exposed. God is purging us. You know when we came together, there was no negotiation.
Now, we have to make up our mind whether we want to remain together again. Many hidden things have been exposed by the insurgency. For example, we see that some of our military authorities have been compromised. There are infiltrators in their rank.
Also, some elements in the north are now learning to tolerate others. Muslims and Christians are coming together to fight a common enemy. Before, one group was happy the attacks were on the other but now no one is spared. Now, we run to mosques and churches for shelter.
We are learning to relate with love among one another, even though it is happening with much pains for us. After this Boko Haram issues are gone, I believe we will work better together. Nobody will kill anyone again in the name of defending one’s faith.
I feel that Nigeria will be stronger for it. I am sorry for these girls and I believe that God will bring them back. We have learnt a lesson through this insurgency; that we must love each other by force. Muslims must love Christians and vice versa. We have to respect the faith of the other person. If you want someone to follow your faith, your good works and deeds will convince him. You don’t have to force or impose it on him.
So, God could be using Boko Haram to purge us?
You see God is not the author of evil but sometimes He allows it for His purpose. Boko Haram is a devilish agenda but God can use that intention to better the country. I believe God loves Nigeria so much.
Can we ever get out of it?
My brother, we are already getting out of it. Boko Haram will become history in no time. We are seeing its end already. You see how villagers rose up and defended themselves against the insurgents. We are ready and everyone is ready to phase them out. Everyone is speaking against Boko Haram and we will get them out soonest.
