Street Jamz: Pastor Chris Okafor hit streets to win souls for Christ

It is an innovation he hopes to sustain. Yes! The unique style of hitting the streets unannounced to bring the message of salvation to the people, using the tool of music and dance.

Dr Chris Okafor, the founder and senior pastor of the Grace Nation Church International, the very popular prophetic, healing and deliverance ministry based in Ojodu-Berger, Lagos, never fails to tell anyone who cares to listen that he has been mandated by God to win a billion souls before he rounds off his assignment on earth.

That is why he continues to traverse the globe regularly in over two decades of active ministry, doing everything in his power to fulfill that mandate.

He would also tell you that he has achieved enormous success, organising crusades, conferences and conventions everywhere the Spirit of God leads, whether in Nigeria or in far-flung destinations across the world.

“In over two decades of active ministry, I am glad to say that we have be mightily helped by God to add value to the work of the kingdom with millions of souls being won in Nigeria and across different countries of the world,” he says.

“Millions have not only turned to Jesus Christ, their lives have been given a meaning in many different ways. Testimonies of how people encountered breakthroughs in their careers, marriages, academics, businesses, personal lives and so on, abound everywhere we go,” he adds.

These uncommon achievements, he says, have not come without sweat and blood. According to him, hundreds of millions of Naira keep being spent to prosecute these evangelistic missions.

He is, however, consoled by the fact that such huge sacrifices in time, energy and resources have yielded bountiful dividends.

And, as he is a man who is always led by the Holy Spirit, an idea to create something different in terms of the new way to win souls to God’s kingdom suddenly hit him, recently.

That is how, three weeks ago, he came up with the “Praise Jamz” series –  mini-crusades powered by music and dance that holds in different locations, particularly busy bus stops in Lagos – to draw people to Jesus.

And it has come with outstanding success with many souls won.

“The Praise Jamz series are like mini-crusades which we have held in different places in Lagos in recent weeks to attract, excite and win people to God through Jesus. The idea is to use soul-lifting praise and worship to draw people to their maker,” Dr Okafor says.

The unique aspects of the events include music, dance, comedy, games, singing and dancing competition.

The event which has held in Ojodu-Berger and Akute in the last two Saturdays enters its third week with another explosive encounter at the Alagbole Bus Stop on March 22, 2025, beginning from 4pm prompt.

Big names like Akpororo, the famed comedian, MC Ceejay, in-house comedian, BiscuitBone and the whole cast of the Grace Nation Church’s choir known as the ‘Streams of Grace’ have headlined the last two events, and will also be on hand to minister on this occasion.

And no session of the Praise Jamz ends without the man of God himself, usually referred to as the ‘Generational Prophet,’ prophesying and ministering to hundreds of congregants who find the time to attend.