23/09/2025
THE MEDIA TRAINING OF THE Assemblies of God, Nigeria
On Wednesday, 17th and Thursday, 18th of September 2025, the Assemblies of God Nigeria held a Media Training program at the National Secretariat, Assemblies of God National Chapel, Enugu. The program brought together media coordinators and personnel across the Fellowship for capacity building, orientation, and spiritual impartation.
One of the key highlights of the training was the message delivered by Pastor Daniel Chimezirim Lazarus, ICT Assistant to the General Superintendent, Assemblies of God Nigeria, who spoke on the topic: “Monetizing Kingdom Content without Compromising the Message.” This message came at the closing session of the training.
In his opening remarks, Pastor Daniel expressed gratitude to the Media Director, Rev. Femi Adegoke, for the opportunity to serve in this training. He also thanked the officers of the General Council, noting that without their approval, he would not have had the privilege to stand before the participants.
Before beginning his lecture, Pastor Daniel requested Rev. Femi Adegoke to pray for him. Rev. Adegoke prayed, asking God to lay His hand on His servant and to bless the participants through the session.
Core Message
1. Defining Monetization and Kingdom Content
Pastor Daniel began by defining monetization as the process of turning content into financial support. He further defined Kingdom Content as the gospel of Jesus Christ and its various expressions through digital platforms. He emphasized that monetization is not about selling salvation, but about sustaining the channels and resources through which the gospel is spread.
He stated that while the gospel is free, the ministry requires resources, citing examples such as cameras, lights, microphones, data for live streaming, and website hosting. He also pointed to Isaiah 55:1 and 1 Timothy 5:18, noting that while salvation costs nothing, the workers of the gospel deserve their wages.
2. Importance of Integrity and Balance
He pointed out that in the pursuit of monetization, Christians must maintain integrity, impact, and stability. He warned against compromising the gospel message simply to attract followers, stressing that ministers are representatives of Christ in the digital space.
He noted that “the gospel is free, but the ministry is what costs,” and therefore, pastors and media personnel must ensure that monetization efforts remain aligned with Kingdom principles.
3. Platforms of Monetization
Pastor Daniel explained that monetization can come in various forms:
✅ From platforms like Facebook and YouTube: He noted that pastors can earn from posts, reels, videos, stories, texts, and even pictures. He further pointed out that sometimes the highest earnings come from unlikely formats such as stories or pictures.
✅ From audience support: He explained that pastors could also receive direct donations, honoraria for speaking engagements, and crowdfunding support.
✅ From workshops and training: He emphasized that knowledge-sharing in media ministry could itself generate revenue and strengthen the church’s capacity.
He illustrated with examples of worship ministers like Sonnie Badu, whose songs uploaded on YouTube not only earned revenue but also became platforms for testimonies of healing and deliverance.
4. Originality and Accountability
Pastor Daniel highlighted the importance of originality, stating that plagiarized content often fails to generate revenue, as credit goes to the original creator. He encouraged the use of creative applications and editing tools to produce fresh and unique content.
He also emphasized accountability and transparency, pointing out that people are more willing to support ministries that provide regular reports on how funds are being used. He gave examples of successful crowdfunding campaigns and stressed that accountability builds trust.
5. Multiple Streams of Income
He stated that depending on one single income stream is risky, especially in digital media where algorithms and policies can change overnight. He advised ministries to diversify monetization strategies across videos, text posts, music, live streams, workshops, and donations.
Furthermore, he explained that effective content could also lead to preaching invitations, thereby serving as indirect monetization.
6. Practical Insights on YouTube and Facebook
✅ On YouTube, he explained that monetization requires joining the YouTube Partner Program (YPP), which has a threshold of 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 watch hours. He encouraged participants to share their channels via WhatsApp, church groups, and during services to grow subscriptions.
✅ On Facebook, he shared his personal experience, noting that in just 28 days, his content had reached 1.8 million people, though the monetary return was still modest. He demonstrated how different content types (pictures, texts, reels, and videos) generate varied levels of income.
He pointed out that Facebook occasionally issues strikes to warn users, not necessarily to penalize them, and advised participants to resolve alerts promptly by going to Settings → Support → Support Inbox → Alerts.
He further emphasized the need for consistency in posting, as engagement and revenue grow through persistence.
7. Purpose-Driven Monetization
Pastor Daniel underscored that funds raised through monetization must be purpose-driven. He stressed that proceeds should not be channeled into luxury or competition but should serve the mission of discipleship, equipping, and expansion. For example, revenue from a church’s YouTube page could be used to buy Bibles for rural evangelism or to upgrade media equipment.
He also stated that when God blesses ministers through digital monetization, it is wise to reinvest in tools such as cameras, better phones, and sound systems to improve the quality of gospel content.
In concluding his lecture, Pastor Daniel reminded participants that monetization must be rooted in Kingdom principles of integrity, excellence, transparency, and purpose-driven stewardship. He urged coordinators and media personnel to train others in their districts, apply originality, and maintain accountability in order to build trust and advance the gospel.
He closed by encouraging everyone to embrace digital platforms as powerful tools for evangelism and financial sustainability without compromising the core message of Christ.
Recommendations
Based on the insights shared during the training, the following recommendations were made for churches, districts, and media coordinators:
1. Invest in Training: Churches should regularly organize follow-up trainings for their media teams to sharpen skills in content creation, editing, and online engagement.
2. Prioritize Originality: Media coordinators should avoid plagiarism by creating authentic content unique to their churches and ministries.
3. Adopt Accountability Structures: Every church should set up financial reporting for monetized platforms to ensure transparency and build trust with members and partners.
4. Diversify Content Streams: Churches should not rely solely on one platform (e.g., Facebook). Instead, they should explore YouTube, podcasts, WhatsApp broadcasts, and other digital tools.
5. Monitor Compliance: Media teams must constantly update themselves on community guidelines of social platforms to avoid strikes that could cripple their monetization.
6. Create District-Wide Synergy: District media coordinators should collaborate, share resources, and cross-promote content to maximize reach and visibility.
7. Maintain Spiritual Balance: Above all, workers should remember that media is not just about cameras and gadgets but about being spiritual frontline warriors, carrying the gospel through modern channels.
©️Daniel Chimezirim Lazarus✍️
