Pastor Dolapo Lawal, Lead Pastor of Zoehousehold Global, has identified false salvation as one of the major problems facing the church and the present generation, warning that many people attend church without experiencing genuine salvation.
Lawal disclosed this during a sermon that has gone viral on social media, where he called on churches to focus on preaching the true Gospel and making genuine disciples of Jesus Christ rather than merely attracting large crowds.
According to the pastor, the belief that people would eventually change simply by attending church has not produced the expected results.
“The idea of belonging before becoming does not seem to be working as we expect. We tell people, ‘Let them keep coming. Let them come to church, and over time, they will change.’ But they are not changing. So, it appears that we are doing something wrong,” he said.
He also questioned the approach of using programmes and events primarily to attract people to church, warning that such activities could become the very things used to retain them without necessarily leading them to genuine salvation.
Lawal clarified that programmes, entertainment and gospel karaoke were not necessarily wrong, but stressed that they should not replace the preaching of the Gospel.
He also addressed the emphasis on miracle services, stating that although miracles were important, they should not be mistaken for the ultimate purpose of the Christian faith.
“Miracles are signs and wonders; they are not the destination. The destination is a person: Jesus Christ. I am saying that you can receive a miracle and still go to hell,” he said.
The pastor explained that healing and miracles could occur through God’s mercy, regardless of whether the recipients had experienced salvation, adding that receiving a miracle was not the same as receiving salvation.
He cited John 6:66 to illustrate his point, recalling how many people followed Jesus after He multiplied bread and fed them but later abandoned Him when He began teaching them about the deeper spiritual meaning of His mission.
According to Lawal, Jesus was willing to lose followers rather than compromise the truth, stressing that the church should prioritise making genuine disciples over gathering large crowds.
“Jesus did not command us merely to gather crowds; He commanded us to make disciples,” he said.
Using football stadiums in England as an example, Lawal noted that tens of thousands of people could gather to watch matches, but maintained that the church’s responsibility was different from merely assembling large numbers of people.
He further explained the difference between a churchgoer and a disciple, referring to the account in John 6:68, where Simon Peter responded to Jesus by saying, “Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life.”
Lawal said the response demonstrated that genuine disciples followed Jesus because of who He was and because His words led to eternal life, rather than simply for the benefits they expected to receive.
He warned that people could attend church regularly without becoming true disciples, describing this as the problem of false salvation.
The pastor also criticised approaches that encouraged people to give their lives to Christ primarily to obtain blessings, financial breakthroughs, business success or healing.
Using church programmes such as singles’ gatherings and business seminars as examples, he said inviting participants to accept Jesus solely because they wanted Him to bless their businesses did not, by itself, constitute salvation.
According to him, people must hear, understand and believe the Gospel, responding to the message of Christ rather than merely seeking personal benefits.
“Salvation is not merely about receiving God’s blessings; it is about receiving Jesus Christ,” he said.
Lawal added that the church must ensure that people understand the message of the Gospel when responding to altar calls, rather than approaching Christianity only as a means of solving immediate problems.
He emphasised that following Jesus must be a genuine response of faith, urging churches to move beyond crowd attraction and concentrate on preaching the true Gospel and making genuine disciples.
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