Imagine a night where thousands come together, not in a physical church, but in the comfort of their homes via social media platforms. This is what the Hallelujah Challenge is all about, a global hour-long worship and praise session.
The Hallelujah Challenge, a viral social media Christian movement that originated in Nigeria, was initiated by Nigerian Pastor and gospel singer Nathaniel Bassey in 2017, when Bassey went live on Instagram, streaming praise and worship from his living room. This act of Worship attracted tens of thousands of viewers worldwide, it was this Instagram live that birthed the Hallelujah Challenge.
The Hallelujah Challenge is a bi-annual event usually for a period of 21-24 days. Each year, participants dedicate over an hour daily to prayer, praise, and worship throughout the challenge.
One notable aspect of the Hallelujah Challenge is that, on its first day, free data was provided to individuals interested in joining. However, this offer was exclusive to subscribers of Nigerian networks.
The 20th edition of this year’s challenge, Hallelujah Challenge 2025, started on February 10th and will end on March 1, 2025.
The sessions start at 11:59 PM West Africa Time (9:59 PM East Africa Time) and are live-streamed on Nathaniel Bassey’s YouTube channel and Instagram account @hallelujahchallengelive.
As of February 20, 2025, the event has attracted more than 1,500,000 viewers on YouTube and over 500,000 viewers per session on Facebook and Instagram. Audio streaming choices are also offered on Mixlr.
The success of the movement can be attributed to its simplicity and ease of access—all you need is a smartphone and a willingness to praise. It also welcomes Christians from all denominations.
Furthermore, the Hallelujah Challenge is cited to be founded on the biblical principle that united praise can move mountains. With year’s theme from Acts 16:25-26, where Paul and Silas prayed and sang hymns in prison.
The Hallelujah Challenge has also been linked with testimonies of miracles, breakthroughs, and deliverance. Usually ending with a physical Hallelujah festival where believers meet to amplify the spirit of praise and worship.
This year’s Hallelujah Festival is tentatively set for Friday, February 28, 2025, beginning at 9:00 PM WAT (10:00 PM EAT) and lasting until dawn.
There you have it: the Hallelujah Challenge is a virtual worship challenge where individuals from all walks of life come together to pray.
Compiled by: Irene Best Nyapendi
