In today’s digital age, many churches leverage social media and widespread coverage to enhance their global visibility. Led by young pastors, some of these churches have expanded their physical and virtual audiences, gaining significant popularity online. Faith Ajayi looks at some of these influential young pastors making waves in the digital realm.
Jerry Eze
Jerry Eze is the lead pastor of Streams of Joy International with over sixteen branches spread across Africa, Canada, the United States of America, United Kingdom, since its inception in 2013. He is also the convener of the largest online prayer meeting, New Season Prophetic Prayers and Declarations popularly known as NSPPD which he started during the Covid-19 period on YouTube and other social media platforms.
He is said to be one of the youngest and richest pastors in Nigeria with over 1.2 million followers on Instagram.ool Go Nine Point Top, Chelsea Maintain Form In EPL
The impact of his media presence has reached global levels as a renowned global institution such as CNN amongst many others has rated Pastor Eze’s YouTube channel as number 1 in the world with factual statistics and as the second most viewed ministry in the world. NSPPD is also ranked as the most-watched live channel in Nigeria (Leading in all parameters: Daily, weekly and monthly) and as the channel with the most live viewers in Nigeria, amongst many others.
Before going into ministry, he worked with the World Bank project on HIV/AIDS and the United Nations Population Fund as a Communications Specialist. In an interview with Sunday PUNCH, he noted the reason why he left his job with the UN. He said, “I realised that there could not be any higher calling than the call of God on one’s life. So, I came to the reality that purpose would always trump any human satisfaction at any time. It was extremely compelling to fulfil the desire of God for my life. When I weighed what I wanted and what God wanted me to do, I realised that destiny was much more important than what I wanted to do for myself. I left the secular job to do the work of God. Meanwhile, at the time nothing was exciting about it (the job). I knew I had a mandate to fulfil for a generation waiting to hear my voice.”
Eze is married to Eno, a lady he met seventeen years ago. He made this known via his social media when celebrating his wife’s birthday in February 2024 in a now-deleted post. He wrote “To the little girl I met at 17 who has blossomed into a virtuous woman. To the young Christian, I knew who has grown to become a fireful vessel in the hands of God. To the shy girl I met who has grown to be a pillar of confidence and boldness.
“Who would not love a woman like you? Onye Oma m from way back, a million words cannot describe all that I have in my heart but on this special day of yours, I pray may history be kind to you. May posterity remember you with joy. Our children – biological and spiritual all over the world will call you blessed.”
The couple is blessed with two children Samara and Jerry (a girl and a boy).
Femi Lazarus
With over 1.3 million followers on Instagram, Femi Lazarus is the lead pastor of Sphere of Light Church and the Principal of the International School of Ministry; a platform through which he has trained ministers from more than thirty nations.
Lazarus founded Sphere of Light Church in June 2018 with branches in Osun State, Kwara State, Rivers State, Abuja, the United Kingdom with its headquarters in Ibadan, Oyo State. The church which began at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ife, Osun State in 2014 was then known as the ‘Friends of the Word’ ministry.
He also founded Femi Lazarus Ministries Ecumenical, popularly known as FLAME, which includes other institutions like the Campus on Fire Conference, International School of Ministry and Flame Radio.
Lazarus continues to impact lives through other platforms like the ‘School on the Street,’ which he founded to impact the lives of people and was recognized for his contributions. In January 2020, he received an award at the Royal Awards and Leadership Summit Ceremony hosted by the Ooni of Ife Foundation.
In his bid to raise Godly people, he hosts a free mentoring program and conducts a weekly online bible study on telegram. He authored a book titled ‘The Final Move of God’.
Lazarus is a Public Health practitioner by training from Obafemi Awolowo University. He is married to Miracle popularly known as Pastor Mimie who is a public speaker, writer, and a certified relationship, marriage and love coach. Their marriage is blessed with two children.
Jimmy Odukoya:
Oluwajimy Odukoya is the son of the late clergy, Taiwo and his wife Bimbo Odukoya. Jimmy is the lead pastor of Fountain of Life Church, Lagos. He has an active social media presence of over 571 thousand followers on his verified Instagram page. He started his acting career in the entertainment industry in 2016 with ‘Baby Shower’. He acted in the movie, ‘Woman King’ in 2022. Although well-known as an actor, he was officially ordained in September 2023 and later took over as the Lead Pastor of the church after the death of his father.
In a report, he noted that although God had called him into ministry, he had no plan of quitting as an actor. “When I started, people said I couldn’t be a pastor and an actor together. They said the church and the world wouldn’t accept me. If God sends you somewhere, he will clear the path for you. I was there for six years in an industry that is hard to break into. From Nollywood, I moved to Hollywood. God has shown that with him, nothing is impossible. Now, he has asked me to do this (Be a pastor). Whether it’s production, behind the scenes, or in front of the camera, God will figure it out. Although I’m focused on the church now, that doesn’t mean I cannot act. Once an actor, always an actor.”
However, after Jimmy was ordained, there was a controversy about his physical appearance contradicting his role as a Lead Pastor and whether he was the right person for the office.
Addressing the controversy in an interview with BBC Pidgin, he said “God has called me into this new season of my life. All my focus is on the church. This new position is a big responsibility. As for my dreads, most people don’t know I can back up everything I do with scripture. As a pastor, I can tell you that God told Samson in the Bible not to cut his hair, which means long hair is never a bad thing. If you also say the pastor is keeping a beard, I can tell you that the Bible says that when Jesus was tortured, they pulled hair from his face.
“If you say I am putting on earrings, I can tell you that when the children of Israel left Egypt and wanted to make a golden calf, they collected jewellery, earrings and rings from their sons and daughters. You should not use your personal opinion to judge me. A personal opinion is different from saying something is sinful.
“Anybody can do what they want. In 2009, I was ordained as a minister and I became a pastor in 2012. I was the lead pastor of the youth church until 2021.” He added.
Since he resumed as the lead pastor, he has been seen not only as a celebrated man of God but also for his philanthropic contribution to members within and outside the church. He is known for raising finance to support people even during church service.
Beyond his ministry and entertainment career, Jimmy is also a motivational speaker, dancer, and fitness enthusiast. He has demonstrated a wide range of interests.
In 2013, Jimmy married Oluwakemi Odukoya (nee Banjoko) in London and their marriage is blessed with children.
Emmanuel Iren
Emmanuel Iren is another force on social media with over 769 thousand followers on Instagram. He is the founder and the lead pastor of Celebration Church International in Ikeja, Lagos with branches in Lekki, Abuja, River State, Oyo State, and Canada.
For a boy with a history in church, Iren served as a pastor at the Redeemed Christian Church of God for nine years, which he noted to have an indelible impact on his life. He started from being a drummer boy to representing his zone at Sunday school bible quizzes and at the age of 13, he preached his first ever sermon on a Sunday morning at Teens Week for his then RCCG branch.
In 2011, Iren obtained a Bachelor’s Degree in building technology from Covenant University, Ota, Ogun state and a Master’s in business administration from the University of Lagos. While in school, it was said that he received his ministerial calling and began a fellowship known as Triumphal Youth Fellowship, which he inaugurated at the young age of 22, on November 11, 2012, and in 2014, the fellowship grew under him to become a church renamed the Celebration Church International.
Along with overseeing the Celebration Church International, Iren also oversees an interdenominational bible training school called ‘Manifest Bible Course’ and a daily devotion platform, ‘Triumph30 Devotional’.
As a man of many passions, he is also involved in gospel music and is known as a singer, principal songwriter and the founder of a Christian record label, ‘Outburst Music Group’. He first released his debut album, ‘Kerygma’ in December 2017 and has continued to minister in songs, featuring other gospel artists over the years including his recent song, Agalliao featuring Nathaniel Bassey.
He also authored a book titled ‘Leading Seeks You’.
Like some pastors, he, in 2023 was awarded an Honorary Doctorate Degree from Myles University, Benin Republic, as a recognition of his efforts and contributions to society. In April 2020, he was also recognised by the YNaija Church 100 as one of the 100 people who has made a great impact on the body of Christ.
Iren is married to his heartthrob, Laju and their marriage is blessed with four children; Ruby-Grace, Nadia, Nasara, and Kairo Iren. Iren got married to his wife in November 2014 at the age of 24.
Michael Orokpo who has 255 thousand followers on Instagram was born on March 1, 1981 (43 years). He is the founder and President of Encounter Jesus Ministries International in Abuja, Nigeria, founded on November 11, 2021. He also runs an online mentoring program on Facebook with over 77.3 thousand members in a private group.
He holds a bachelor’s degree in Pure Chemistry, a master’s in Physical Chemistry and a doctorate in Chemistry all from Benue State University of Agriculture, Makurdi, Benue State.
He is known as one of the fiery preachers with a message of revival and deliverance. Although he started his ministerial work at a young age, he was officially ordained a pastor on May 24, 2019, and has continued to impact lives through the gospel.
Orokpo has said in several interviews that his mentor is the founder of Remnant Christian Ministry, pastor Arome Osayi and that he served under him before he started his ministry.
In an interview with Leke, the son of the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, Orokpo noted that he was caught in some controversial situations in his previous ministry, and has learned more useful lessons during difficult times than when he was having a good time.
He said, “Where I was serving a lot of controversies came up. People told a lot of lies against me. I had to go and beg the authorities about four times. I pleaded and begged but things boomerang. I became so bitter against the people around me. I sowed seed and respected all people but they wanted me to go down. I began to wonder, is this a church? Is this the house of God?”
But, in the midst of it, he remained committed to ministry so much that he still ministered a day after his brother’s death.
Orokpo is married to his lovely wife, Osenaga Umobuarie. They got married traditionally on April 23, 2021, and had their white wedding on April 24, 2021, at Assemblies of God Church, Ugbowo, Benin City. The couple gave birth to a baby boy on February 7, 2022.
Daniel Olawande
Daniel Olawande is an ordained minister in the Redeemed Christian Church of God, and the Lead Pastor at the Afternoon Church, RCCG Living Seed Church, Ikorodu.
Other offices he occupies include serving as the RCCG Youth Evangelist and the current National Youth President, of the RCCG. P Daniels as he is fondly called coordinates the National Youth Representative Council and is a National Executive of the Pastor’s Seed Family, where he serves as the National Representative for Region 26 Ikorodu Lagos.
He is also the President of Inspired Team International and the Director of the Flaming Network.
He is a youth development advocate who is passionate about raising young people who will fulfil their purpose and impact the kingdom of God. As a result of this, he makes use of several platforms to awaken the youth and cause a revival. Olawande is the founder and principal of Flaming College, a mentorship platform to raise, build and equip people for all-around effectiveness.
He is the President of the Flaming Youth Empowerment Initiative, an NGO with a mandate of empowering the next generation and becoming a beacon of hope.
Olawande founded the Young Minister Retreat Global, in 2017; a 72-hour end-of-the-year meeting designed for young believers and ministers across the world with the vision of raising burning kingdom giants across several denominations.
He is also the host of the annual Awakening the Giants Within conference for campuses with the vision of raising 360-degree leaders. Alongside, he is the convener of the Youth Aflame Conference, a conference for young Christian professionals.
In terms of education, Olawande holds a BSc. in Biology Education, M.Sc. in Educational Psychology, and a Post Graduate Diploma in Theology. He also participated in the basic and advanced courses at Daystar Leadership Academy. He is certified by the World Creativity and Intelligence Team at Miami University, Oxford, Ohio, and an alumnus of the Texas Bible Institute, U.S.A.
As a result of his global impact on the body of Christ in terms of youth development, management and empowerment, Olawade was awarded an honorary doctorate of Leadership and Management from Irgib Africa University, Republic of Benin.
In addition, he was also listed as one of the 100 guardians of faith in Nigeria (2020) and a Special Marshal in the Federal Road Safety Corps.
Not only is he an internationally sought-after speaker at churches, conventions and conferences, he is also a songwriter and music minister with a debut album titled ‘The Outpouring’. Olawande also acts and has authored different best sellers and transformational books like Fire Tonic and Burden Capsules amongst several others.
He is happily married to Oluwanifemi Olawande and they are blessed with two daughters.
Kingsley Okonkwo:
He is the senior pastor of the David’s Christian Centre in Lagos with over 1.1 million followers on Instagram and over 514 subscribers on YouTube.
He is popularly known as a relationship coach and has authored several books on marriage and relationships.
He was born in Lagos into the royal family of King Rowland Okonkwo and Rosannah Okonkwo of the Obowo Kingdom in Imo state. He initially founded David’s Christian Centre as a Youth Fellowship in 1996 which later became a church in early 2000. That same year, he founded a monthly relationship seminar called ‘Love, Dating and Sex’ to help individuals and families build healthy and successful relationships. However, in 2005, after his marriage on September 3, the seminar was renamed, ‘Love, Dating and Marriage’.
To impact the world outside the church circle, Okonkwo founded Heart and Mind Consulting Services in January 1999 to help individuals and businesses build healthy relationships in the workplace and at home. He also hosts seminars, training and conferences to equip coaches across continents with invaluable relationship coaching content.
Aside from this, he also hosts annual seminars like ‘Manual’, which is an only-women conference aimed to help women understand what men want in a relationship; ‘Man up’, an all-men mentorship program; ‘Together Forever’, an annual conference for married couples and ‘International Family Life Practitioners Conference’, a conference for family life practitioners, coaches, counsellors and pastors.
He is a member of the Forbes Business Council, an invite-only community that brings together accomplished executives and entrepreneurs from different industries. He is also a member of the American Association of Christian Counselors among others.
He bagged a Diploma in Biblical counselling from the Light University, and an advanced diploma in Marriage and Family life coaching amongst others.
He was conferred an honourary doctorate in Transformational Leadership, from Myles Leadership University, Benin Republic, on September 9, 2022, for his contribution in the areas of youth development, leadership, mentorship, and philanthropy.
He has other interests aside from being a speaker. He has authored several best-selling books on relationships and marriage and has been featured in some movies like the award-winning movie, Twelve Forty-Five by the Winlos.
He is married to Mildred Chijide, and their union is blessed with three children. In his leisure, he plays tennis and football, watches movies when he can, rides a power bike and travels around the world while still preaching the gospel.
Bolaji Idowu
Pastor Bolaji Idowu who has over 910 thousand followers on Instagram, is the Lead Pastor of Harvesters International Christian Centre, in Lagos State; a church he founded in December 2003 during his undergraduate days at the University of Lagos, where he studied accounting. His church has branches in five different locations; Gbagada, Ikeja, Anthony, Lekki in Lagos State; and one in Abuja.
He is seen as the pastor for the youth not just because of the large number of youths who attend his church but also because of his liberal approach to Christianity. In December 2023, Pastor Idowu came under fire after he invited popular Afrobeat singer, Spyro, to perform in one of his church programs. This was after a flier of Spyro’s picture and other celebrities including Daniel Effiong, Bisola Ayeola, Dorathy Bachor, Sharon Ooja, Uzor Arukwe, Adeh Gbolahan, and Kenneth Ophopho, was posted on social media.
This sparked mixed reactions as some thought that he was attempting to mix worldly practices with Christianity and he was the topic of discussion online during that period.
His preaching touches on areas of business process regeneration, kingdom finance, as well as creation and implementation of ideas.
As a public speaker, he has spoken in different programs including the Daystar Leadership Academy. He is also the chancellor of the Harvesters Spiritual Development College and the Harvesters Business School.
He also has an early morning online prayer called Next Level Prayers and has an average of two hundred thousand attendees daily. The NLP has grown to a level where it is hosted in international countries such as Canada, the United States of America and London.
Pastor Idowu is also known for his philanthropic work. His church coordinates the Harvesters Skill Acquisition Programme, held every quarter, since 2017 with over 10,000 persons who have been successfully trained with hundreds becoming employers of labour.
Not only does he give, but he also encourages people via his social media platform to give. In a recent report, he donated a total of 10 million worth of relief items including mattresses, clothes, shoes, bags, and baby cots, among other things through Harvesters Africa Empowerment Foundation. These donations were dispersed to communities affected by the massacre in Plateau State. He went on to say “Let your hearts of compassion be opened because people are suffering and going through a lot. Take your time and think of how to be a blessing in this time”.
