Sam Eyoboka
13 July 2008
FOR four days, Rev. John Deby Edukugho and members of his Jesus Christ Power World Evangelistic Ministry were in Dakar, Senegal for a gospel crusade. His ministry which is involved principally in evangelistic campaigns to win souls for the Kingdom of God is in the forefront of evangelism in Africa and that was what took them to Senegal. Reports from that part of the world, say it was a very wonderful experience knowing the fact that Senegal is purely an Islamic country which naturally puts some restrictions on the tremendous Christian group. "We had the favour of God and the people were receptive and co-operative just as government officials were co-operative and the gospel was preached without any harassment from any quarters," Edukugho stated "many Senegaleses heard the gospel of salvation preached rightly to them with numerous miracles, signs and wonders following and they were saved. Many unbelievers gave their lives to Christ and they said that the last time such a tremendous thing has happened was when German televangelist, Reinhard Bonnke visited the country in 1995. In the following interview with Sam Eyoboka, a former politician, Evangelist Edukugho fielded questions on the church, roads and several knotty issues.
Why Senegal?
Senegal in the sense that our primary location of calling, focus is Africa. We have the facts that about 600 million Africans are unsaved and we also found out that the gospel has not gone far much especially in French-speaking countries. So, we have been concentrating our efforts on in the French-speaking nations of Africa. Senegal is one of the principal French-speaking countries in the continent.
How much does it cost your ministry to organise a crusade outside the country?
Soul winning crusades especially at continental level is a very capital intensive venture. It involves money, but when it comes to the issue of winning a soul for Christ, we don't try to equate money with a soul. Eternity and eternal life cannot be equated or measured in monetary terms. So, we don't say we are spending certain amounts of millions for campaigns and what is the value related to a soul. The soul of a man cannot be compared with billions of dollars. We give everything we have-grace, finances, strength, anointing as the Holy Spirit makes it available to bring people to His Kingdom at all cost.
Who sponsors your crusades?
So far, we have very committed partners, Christian partners. Christians who have come to maturity in faith and understanding to know that the real mandate that Jesus Christ gave to us was that we should go and preach the Cross, of eternal life to all nations and win souls into the kingdom. So, they appreciate the Word of God in that essence and realise that it is beneficial to invest in soul winning. So, we have very few Christians who have caught the vision, the revelation and have known that it is more profitable for them to get involved in soul winning, and since then they have come to partner with our ministry, to commit their finances to help us in the getting this campaign through. Still, I do not believe that evangelism has been pursued passionately in the Church. The Church is not too keen on evangelism, instead they are keen on membership drive.
There are two things-soul winning is different from membership drive. What you find commonplace is one Christian relocating his membership to another church; but if you are looking for sinners who are in need of salvation, they are outside the church. You will find out that the Church no longer has concern for soul winnings but they are only interested in membership. That is why you see in most churches they reduce evangelism to committee or departmental level-it's not their priority. Most Christians don't have that understanding on what they need to do to invest actually in soul winning.
In Europe and America, they understand what evangelism and mission stand for. That's why you find most churches in America and Europe sponsor Evangelist Bonnke and Rev. Benny Hinn and others. The responsibility of any Christian is soul winning, evangelism. You find that the Americans and Europeans are doing so well in terms of fulfilling this mission mandate that Christ gave to the Church. The African Church leaders are so much interested in building their empires, getting members, than seek for those who are lost.
Crusades are always an opportunity for some pastors to fight among themselves over money and not the souls.
Do you also experience such demean-ing occurrences at your crusa-des abroad?
Of course! We have the same problem. Every evangelist will tell you this is a common problem in Africa. Church leaders fight us. They are not interested in the souls. Basically, when they want to come and associate with you in any crusade, the first thing they ask is how much you're bringing. I've been to many African nations and the story is the same which means that the African Church is yet to get the revelation. They don't have the hunger for souls. A man who has hunger for souls doesn't fight over money. Benny Hinn is coming with his money to say; get your people together, I am coming to use my money to join hands with you to win souls in your territory for your own church... We are saying okay, how much are you bringing? How much are we going to make from the money you are bringing? If you look at this, you will recognise that there's a problem in the Church among church leaders. Eighty per cent of church leaders in Africa are not kingdom-minded. They are people just interested in material things. So, why should an evangelist who is supposed to be supported and helped by the church face such humiliation from the church as if he is a politician. It is an African problem. In Europe and America, the Church tries to assist the evangelist, but in Africa the story is different.
Is it peculiar to Pentecostal churches or it cuts across?
You will find out that most of us who are in the field doing the work of evangelism, are Pentecostal though in most cases we say we would deal with the Body of Christ. They are the most agitative people. They are the most troublesome people who think they know too much in the Body of Christ.
How does the Church get out of this mess?
One, is prayer. Secondly, the Church belongs to God, the Holy Spirit will also do His own cleansing. And again, let those church leaders who are Kingdom-minded, who have the fear of God, stand by the truth. They should show good example by reproducing themselves in other people.
In all your years of crusades in different parts of Africa, how will you say these crusades have affected the individual nations?
Crusades are essentially means of sensitising the Church to come together and do business. So, the first thing is where the Church responds and says we are ready, you have succeeded in sensitising them to incline to evangelism and soul winning. Evangelism is purely a Holy Spirit business. It's just God looking for a toll to reach out to those He is going to draw to Himself.
Be the first to Write a Comment!
Copyright © 2008 Vanguard. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). To contact the copyright holder directly for corrections — or for permission to republish or make other authorized use of this material, click here.
AllAfrica aggregates and indexes content from over 125 African news organizations, plus more than 200 other sources, who are responsible for their own reporting and views. Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica.
