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| Pastor J.F Odesola |
Pastor Johnson Funsho Odesola is the Assistant General Overseer (Admin & Personnel) of The Redeemed Christian Church of God. He is a lover of God and he cherish drama ministry so much. He is the Executive Producer of Faithlift Productions which has produced movies like Journey to Egypt and Scars of Joy among others. He holds BA (honours) degree in Theology from Greenwich school of Theology, London, LLB (Hons), Mth in Missiology/Antropology from Queen’s university of Belfast, a Phd in Christian Education from Ashland university and another Phd in Intercultural Studies from Trinity International University, a professor of divinity with Trinity International Institute of Advance Studies and a Barrister at Law. In this exclusive interview with Gospel Film News publisher, Oluwafemi Dosu, Pastor Odesola disclosed that gospel films is all encompassing, saying it has allround lesson about life. Excerpt:
As a pastor and Asst. G.O of RCCG what can you say about the kind of gospel films being produced in Nigeria?
Well, i want to believe God and i thank God for people like pastor Mike Bamiloye, pastor Segun-Okeowo and few others who have been able to maintain the standard and integrity of Christian films in Nigeria. We are getting somewhere. When you look across the globe, across the continent of Africa, i think all other nations, incidentally i have an oversight of many nations apart from Nigeria and almost all the nations follow suit after Nigeria Christian films especially those Christian film producers. We thank God, we are not there yet but we are moving on.
You seems to pick interest in producing and financing gospel films, what actually caught your attention in gospel films?
It’s the bible. In the bible Apostle Paul was talking about becoming all things to all men. He was talking about becoming a citizen of the rome for the romans and the days we live in, you can’t catch attention of the youths for so long but you can arrest their attention by drama. People go to films, they pay fantastically for films just to be able to relax and we felt that if we put the Christian film on the platform people will use it to relax, communicate the message, people will get saved and their lives will be adjusted. So, its just a way of propagating the gospel. There was a time that straight forward preaching is very okay but nowadays because of the terrain, the situation, the civilization, the restlessness among the youths, i think anything they can see and relate with will be very adequate.
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There are pastors in this country who prefer secular films to gospel films, what’s your take on this sir?
Well, i don’t know but i don’t think any secular film has anything much to offer. Yes, some secular films has some moral lessons but anyday, anytime Christian films still have comprehensive lessons, thoughts, all round lessons about life. Sometimes i watch some films that is noised about by these secular artists and i ask myself ‘what message are they passing across’, nothing!! Looking at our terrain in Nigeria you know film making secularly is a big industry for money making, so, people just put in everything there to perpetrate anything and that’s why the gospel film makers should also be allaround. Every form of idea they could get to roll out anything that will teach life lesson, they should do.
One of the challenges of drama ministry is that some churches don’t allow drama groups or anything film in their churches, what is your view on this sir?
Maybe because they are ignorant because you preach the gospel from the pulpit, you also preach the gospel by drama and i’m very positive that in our days drama can do alot to win quiet a lot of souls. For example, there are places ordinarily i couldn’t reach, there are people who will not listen to preacher but they will watch drama. I remember my days in the university, my room mate who happens to be a muslim who will not listen to any preacher but anything drama from any Christian, anywhere he will watch and thank God he’s now born again. He became born again through drama. So, any church that down play the role of drama in their church or ministry, i think such church is ignorant and they will be producing less than their potential.