Buhari: Bonnke’s Contributions to Christianity Legendary

Buhari: Bonnke’s Contributions to Christianity Legendary

Olawale Olaleye

President Muhammadu Buhari has described as a great loss to Nigeria, Africa and the entire world, the death of a renowned German evangelist, Reinhard Bonnke, who passed away at the age of 79, saying his contributions to Christianity was legendary.

Buhari, who joined the Christendom in reminiscing on the good deeds of Bonnke, particularly his numerous crusades across the whole world in spreading the message of Jesus Christ, also sympathised with his family for such a huge loss.

Bonnke’s passing was announced in a statement by his wife, Anni Bonnke and shared on Bonnke’s verified Facebook page.
The statement read: “Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, it is with sorrow that the Bonnke Family would like to announce the passing of our beloved husband, father, and grandfather, Evangelist Reinhard Bonnke.
“He passed away peacefully, surrounded by his family, on December 7, 2019. For the past 60 years, he has preached the glorious Gospel of Jesus throughout the entire world.

“We want to thank you on behalf of him and our family, for your kind love and unwavering support, which enabled him to preach the matchless message of salvation to countless people. He preached Jesus.”

However, Buhari in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr Femi Adesina added that, “The President condoles with government and people of Germany, family and friends of the great preacher and teacher of the Bible, and all his co-labourers in the vineyard, praying that the good Lord will comfort all those that mourn him.

“President Buhari affirms that Bonnke’s crusades in Nigeria, across Africa and the globe strongly accentuated the message of Jesus Christ, and his vision and zeal for the salvation of souls clearly helped the world in understanding the power of love and kindness as universal language.

“The President prays that the Almighty God will accept the soul of the departed preacher, believing that his legendary contributions to the body of Christ in teaching and writing will always be remembered by posterity.”
Born on April 19, 1940, Bonnke followed in the footsteps of his father, who was a pastor and ex-serviceman in the German Army.

He attended a Bible College in Wales but was ordained in Germany, where he pastored a church. He left to start his missionary work in Africa in 1969 in Lesotho, where he claimed to have seen “Africa being washed in the precious Blood of Jesus.”

The vision for his entire ministry was to reach people by spreading the Gospel, thus, he started open-air Gospel campaigns, where he conducted citywide meetings across the continent and founded the international ministry of Christ for all Nations.

The evangelist also preached the gospel through inspirational movies via his Reinhard Bonnke School of Fire and lately, his Full Flame Film Series, a series of eight inspirational films.
Bonnke wrote over 40 books including an autobiography titled: ‘Living a Life of Fire.’

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