A Review On The HALLELUJAH CHALLENGE

Good morning,

Land is inelastic and in some quarters legislated. The population of the earth is rapidly growing. Space is fast becoming one of the most important needs of man. The internet is elastic, bandwidth can be increased to accommodate millions and billions of people effortlessly. Our new earth where the comfort of space is and is cheap too, is the internet.

I offer my best services in one of finest churches in the city of Port Harcourt, building her "e-Church". When I first joined the team, I noticed they were referred to as "online department", a name I didn't feel comfortable with. I think a name is a critical part of a brand and her first direction, reaction and approach is tied to what ideas the name conjures at first mention. As against "online department" , I choose to see an e-Church. This new idea changed our entire concept and approach to the membership online. Let me spare you the details. In a few days Mr Nia'Bari Fakae and a few of us would be launching a program call the "Smart Church". If the prophesy of taking the Gospel to every Nation of the earth must be fulfilled, we must know how and through what medium and how to engage such medium.

In the recent times there has been a rave, a concert of worship raised by worship leader and Pastor, Nathaniel Bassey. My study show that that rave is the latest single concert to have been held by a single individual in the Nigerian space. A few things I like us to note about the person of Pastor Nath as he is fondly called. He is a musician, a professional by the books and in practice, he is a man of excellence and with all of this exudes power and it shows with evidence the proof of God on his inside. He has the balance.

The Hallelujah challenge has recorded countless miracles and is still birthing miracles. No other time have Christians in secular spaces found such freedom to worship but now. Christians in the secular spaces have been ladened with serious criticism for their practice, so bad that a lot of them find it challenging being in Church as the expression of disdain towards them from other believers cannot be hidden.

The Hallelujah challenge has seen celebrities, the likes of Adesuwa Etomi, Chidinma, Don jazzy, Uche Jumbo, Rita Dominic, Genevieve, Funke Akindele, Adekunle Gold, Toke Makinwa, Waje, Kemi Adetiba, , Woli Arole, and Ubi Franklin etc worship from the comfort of their homes and the security of their device screens without fear of prejudice and judgement from the Church. This too is a miracle. That we have a church of over Fifty thousand scattered all over the world, converge on the social media platforms instagram, focused in worship without criticism.

Need I say, the Church must consciously begin to engage the use of new media. If Nathaniel Bassey can practically raise a "Mega Church " of Fifty thousand people worshiping at the oddest hour of the day, 12midnight, it shows that really, the fields are ripe and people are sincerely seeking to have Jesus.

New media is beyond the fun place. It is now our new reality and to have the biggest influence, and faster, we must engage at that level.

I think that other Christian entertainers should plug into this program and see that it doesn't die.

This is the best movement made by any entertainer in Africa but more beautiful is the power, the testimonies, those brought to Christ and the liberation to worship without prejudice.

Thank you Pastor Nath for all you represent. This Generation will forever be thankful.

Olumati, Isaiah C
Principal, Mirus Empire