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CFAN members blamed city officials for lack of crowd control at the crusade. "There had been other evangelists who had come through and promised large crowds to no avail," says van den Berg. "So when we estimated half a million attenders, the local police didn't believe it."

Van den Berg says they almost cancelled the remaining meetings last year, but the locals encouraged them to stay. "It was a great tragedy," van den Berg admits. "We didn't even hear about it until the next day."

This week, 1,000 member of the local police force along with 2,000 volunteer ushers have promised their assistance in controlling the massive crowds. "So far, we have not recorded any problem," said Edward Ebugome, a Nigeria military official and head of the security team, after last night's event.

While crowd-management might be more organized this time around, judging the overall success of the event will take time. CFAN is prepared to distribute up to 6 million follow-up booklets and receive information cards on those who make salvation decisions. But with groves of people cramming next to each other in a huge marsh field each night, the effectiveness of such a method remains in question.

"The key to this thing is going to be follow-up," says Thomas Trask, chairman of the World Assembly of God Fellowship. Trask is traveling in Nigeria this week for a separate conference aimed at celebrating the success of indigenous church plants in Nigeria throughout the past 10 years. "The success with all of the Billy Graham crusades has come because of its great organization. Follow-up is part of the gospel," Trask notes.

Van den Berg says CFAN has spent $1.2 million to purchase follow-up materials for this crusade alone. "We have the attitude that the true value of evangelism is how many people end up in the local church," he says.

Visit the Christ For All Nations (CFAN) English homepage, or check in at the German homepage for news from Nigeria (in German of course.)

There is a short English bio of Bonnke available, or a more detailed account of his life and ministry for those of you who read French.

Bonnke's plea for more churches to engage in evangelism, "We Must Give Revival to Receive Revival,", also talks about how his ministry began.

Christianity Today covered the deaths of 14 people at last year's Nigerian Bonnke Revival.

Other media coverage of Bonnke includes:

Again, here comes Reinhard Bonnke— The Nigerian Guardian (Nov. 6, 2000)

Bonnke Arrives For Millennium Crusade —The Nigerian Guardian (Nov. 5, 2000)

Assassination Attempt at Evangelist's Mass Rally in Islamic Capital—Charisma News (April 25, 2000)

Mass Crusade Continues in Nigeria Despite Crowd Deaths on Opening Night—Charisma News

Previous Christianity Today coverage of Nigeria includes:

'Focused, Determined, Deliberate' Destruction | Ecumenical leader calls on Nigeria to deal with religious violence between Muslims and Christians. (Oct. 30, 2000)

Is Nigeria Moving Toward War? | Deadly riots lead to suspension of Islamic law. (March 31, 2000)

Nigeria On the Brink of Religious War | Northern states adopt Islamic law, increasing Christian-Muslim tensions. (Dec. 16, 1999)

Nigeria's Churches Considering Legal Challenge to Islamic Laws | Third state moving toward implementing Koranic laws (Dec. 17, 1999)

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November (Web-only) 2000, Vol. 44