In a bold move to attract new converts, Pastor Aderemi Dabiri of a Celestial Church of Christ branch in Lagos has given reason for inviting popular Fuji musician Alabi Pasuma and controversial singer Portable to an upcoming vigil programme.
Defending his decision, the cleric in a video clip obtained by Parallel Facts explained that this unconventional approach had been successful in reaching out to individuals who might otherwise be resistant to traditional evangelism.
The Cleric stated, “It is not our first time inviting guest artistes. We have been doing it without a problem and I can give you a series of instances. We cannot go where they sell palm wine or alcoholic drinks and ask them to accept Jesus Christ. If I don’t apply wisdom, they will hit a bottle on my head. That was why I thought of a way to bring them into the church.
“I also noticed that there are some notorious boys who cause trouble in the community, disturbing the authorities and engaging in cultism. I wondered how can we draw their attention so that they would have a change of heart. We have gone to places where they are and they ended up beating us. Most of the members of my church are new converts and it was through that pattern that I converted them.”
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The pastor expressed a preference for secular musicians over some gospel ministers, citing issues of disrespect within the latter group.
“Some gospel ministers are rude. If you talk to some of them, they respond rudely, but the day I called Pasuma, he sounded respectful on the phone and also agreed with my stance,” he disclosed.
He further praised Pasuma for his respectful response and agreement with the church’s approach.
Responding to concerns raised by a task force team regarding controversy surrounding the event, Dabiri asserted that he had no plans to cancel the invitation.
However, he did acknowledge the need to address potential excesses, particularly from Portable.
He said, “We will tell Portable not to dye his hair and he should not sing vulgar songs but to sing gospel music. We will also caution him not to dress inappropriately or climb the speakers.
“We will also warn him not to allow his boys to smoke here. We have invited close to 30 military personnel to man the event.”
Additionally, he revealed arrangements to have around 30 military personnel present to maintain order.
Despite potential backlash, Dabiri called on the Celestial Church Worldwide to support his vision, emphasising that his unique style of evangelism aimed to make a lasting impact and bring recognition to the church. #Portable