Pastor S.A. Olajugba
By "Gbenga Bankole
"If you are really mindful of God's purpose for your calling as a Prophet, Prophetess, Evangelist and Church Planter in the 21st century, you must decode that the world has gone beyond the usual way you know of evangelism," the Superintendent of Maiduguri Districts' Coordinating Council (DCC), Pastor S.A. Olajugba said.
Pastor Olajugba stated this while ministering on the topic "Strategic Evangelism Today" at 2023 Conference of all Evangelists, Planters, Prophets and Prophetesses CAC Babalola Memorial Miracle Camp, Ikeji-Arakeji, Osun state.
He noted that the concept of evangelism had called and is still calling the attention of Christians to propagate the gospel today, as the end of the world is fast approaching and there is still a lot to do.
The Cleric further said that over the years, many different forms of evangelism have been employed by various groups to spread the gospel around the world in different geographical location, adding that today, new strategies are arising following the trend of new technology in other to compliment early strategic approaches of propagating the gospel.
Explaining the strategic approaches to evangelism in today's world, Pastor Olajugba stated 'open-air crusade' as one of them, emphasizing that this approach to evangelism is characterized by speaking about Jesus Christ in public places, generally to crowds of people at a time in a specific location, taking the example from CAC World Evangelical Outreach.
Another strategic approach to evangelism in today's world, according to him is "trickle-down evangelism", explaining that it primarily concerned with converting high-ranking members of a society, in order to use their influence to capture others, adding that this approach has really contributed to the gospel propagation in the society today even in Christ Apostolic Church, example is the first President of our great Mission, Oba I.B. Akinyele.
Other strategic approach to evangelism are explained below:
#. Door-to-door evangelism: In the account book of Luke, Jesus sent out His disciples to evangelize people, they were paired in twos and began to evangelize homes, ministering salvation to people with signs and wonders (Luke 10:1-12).
#. Lifestyle Evangelism: This approach to evangelism implies that a person or group demonstrating their faith through actions in the hope that people around them will be impressed with how God affects that person's life, and become a Christian. Lifestyle evangelism has really contributed to the growth of evangelism.
#. Friendship Evangelism: This is very similar to lifestyle evangelism. Friendship evangelism is an approach to evangelism involving believers developing relationships with people in order to tell them about Jesus Christ.
#. Children Evangelism: Children evangelism is primarily based on catch them young principle. It focuses on targeting children, any faith which delighted indeed on this has really saved the faith.
#. Creative Evangelism: This approach involves using creative arts such as music, visual art, drama, film, object to present agospel message.
#.Tracts: This is another means of presenting the gospel to the people. It is a short presentation of the Gospel in few pages, printed on small pieces of paper and shared to people in a targeted area. Televangelism: Televangelism approach is a means of presenting a gospel message through Television.
#. Radio evangelism: This has really contributed to the growth of evangelism. Radio evangelism is a means of presenting the gospel to the people and it captures more people at a time for Christ.
#. Internet evangelism: Internet evangelism is a means by which the gospel is being presented on Internet and this may include a website presenting apologetics about biblical inerrancy social media church services, someone discussing their faith in a chat room, evangelical messages or advertisements on the home pages.
#. Evangelism Using Application on Phones or Laptops: Application on phones or Laptops is a new technology designed for use, all what you need to do is to download them e.g Facebook, Telegram, Instagram, WhatsApp, Zoom, YouTube etc.
# Phone Evangelism: This approach to evangelism involves using phones to contact people in order to spread the gospel to them. Many testimonies have been established through this means. What are you doing with your phones?
#. Personal Evangelism: This approach practically focuses on you presenting the gospel to the targeted person one-on-one without prejudice but you must apply wisdom. Personal evangelism has been proven to be the most effective method of evangelism. Peter, the Apostle of Jesus Christ, was a product of personal evangelism.
Pastor Olajugba concluded that, "it is time to develop ourselves, improve more on our strategy as we take up the challenge to preach Jesus to this dying world for salvation. No excuses for you as we are more advantageous, exposed and technologically oriented compared to the past era of our fathers. Many people are downcast and encounter failures daily in their lives. Such people have already given up on God, as they have lost hope of a better future. These set of people need Jesus for salvation."