By Line ; Faith, House Music: How Tobi Peter Is Reimagining Worship for a New Generation

In Conversation With Ejiose Ikuenobe

On a sunny afternoon in Lagos, we spent just over an hour together on Google Meet talking about music, faith, purpose and the unlikely idea that would eventually become Gospel House. Going into the conversation, I was curious to understand how a young creative man had managed to build a movement that places Christian worship alongside Afro House music without losing its spiritual identity.

Tobi Peter, a Nigerian DJ, producer, animator and creative entrepreneur, isn’t trying to redefine Christianity. Instead, he’s exploring how faith can meet people where they already are. Through Gospel House, he has created a space where House music and worship coexist, challenging long-held assumptions about where people can encounter God.

“I didn’t want to choose between my love for God and my love for electronic music,“he tells LSTV. “For a long time, it felt like those two worlds weren’t supposed to meet.”

Long before Gospel House existed, Tobi’s love for music was already taking shape.

“Back in primary school, I didn’t even know what FL Studio was,” he recalls with a laugh. “I’d arrange Blue Band plastic containers like drums, record loops on my phone and experiment with different sounds.”

Those childhood experiments slowly became an obsession. He spent years teaching himself music production, making mistakes, improving and learning through persistence.

“I made terrible beats at first,” he admits. “But every project taught me something. I just kept going.”

His dedication eventually opened doors into DJing, production and live performance. Yet even as his career developed, he constantly wrestled with one question: could his love for electronic music coexist with his Christian faith?

Instead of abandoning one for the other, he chose to build something entirely new.

Contrary to what many people assume, Gospel House wasn’t created because Tobi felt the church was lacking. Instead, he saw an opportunity to create another space where young Christians could express both their faith and their creativity.

“There were young Christians who loved music, creativity and community but didn’t always feel like there was a space where those things could exist alongside their faith,” he says.

He added, “I wasn’t trying to replace the church. Church is church. I simply wanted to create another environment where people could genuinely encounter God.”

Today, Gospel House gatherings blend Afro House, electronic music and gospel records into live DJ sets where people dance, sing, pray and worship together.

“People think worship has to happen inside the four walls of a church, but if people are sincerely connecting with God, that’s worship.” 

The audience reflects that openness.

Although the first edition gave him hope, Tobi says it was the second edition that made him realise Gospel House had become something much bigger than him.

That was when it really clicked for me,” he says. “I started seeing people from completely different industries showing up, people from the tech space, influencers, creatives and people I never expected to see there. There were no celebrity endorsements or expensive marketing campaigns driving attendance. People simply kept showing up. I realised people weren’t just coming because they liked the music. They believed in what we were building.”

That moment convinced him Gospel House could become more than an event; it could become a movement. As Gospel House has grown, so have the misconceptions surrounding it.

Ironically, Tobi says many of those assumptions come from prospective partners and venue owners before they even experience the event.

“People hear the name Gospel House and immediately think we’re trying to organise an all-night rave or a ten-hour event,” he says.

The reality is far simpler.

“Originally, the whole idea was just to record a one-hour YouTube set.”

Even now, every event is intentionally planned with balance in mind.

“Most of our events happen on Sundays because I know people have work on Monday. I’m not trying to keep people out all night.”

Perhaps the biggest misconception, however, is financial.

“People think we’re making a lot of money from this, I’ve always said I’m not here for the money.”

Producing Gospel House often costs hundreds of thousands and sometimes more than a million naira yet many editions remain free because impact has always mattered more than profit.

One of the biggest questions surrounding Gospel House is how Tobi balances his Christian convictions while performing in mainstream entertainment spaces.

His answer is simple.

“If we’re called to be light, we can’t only stay where it’s comfortable. Sometimes you have to go into spaces where people least expect to encounter God.”

That mindset has seen him perform everywhere from Monochroma, Obi House, Access Showcase Festival and Element House to venues including  Club Quilox, Sky Bar, Black Orchid, Cage Abuja, Mainland Block Party, Sunday Service, Vaniti Lagos  and Gidi Culture Festival.

Rather than viewing those spaces as conflicting with his faith, he sees them as opportunities to represent it.

“I’m trying to be more careful now,” he admits. “Since Gospel House started growing, people don’t just see me as a DJ anymore. They see someone representing a movement and a brand. Even though I’m not doing anything crazy, I know people are watching.”

He’s equally transparent about his personal walk with God.

“On a personal level, I’ve struggled with consistently going to church and maintaining my prayer life, but whenever I’m preparing for a Gospel House set, I’m locked in with God. I spend time praying because I don’t want it to just be about music. I want people to experience His presence genuinely.”

His Lagos Gospel House sets are carefully curated around gospel records layered with Afro House and electronic sounds inspired by artists such as AN Endless Ocean and Maverick City, allowing him to preserve the atmosphere of worship while maintaining the energy expected from a live DJ experience.

“I’m still growing just like everyone else,”  he says. 

“But I never want the music to become bigger than the message.”  

Because Gospel House occupies a space few people have explored before, criticism has become part of the journey.

“My heart has always been ministry first,” he says. “I’m not interested in creating hype for the sake of it.”

He understands why some Christians question the concept but believes many criticisms come from misunderstanding the mission rather than experiencing it firsthand.

“People see where I perform or who I work with and immediately make conclusions, I’m just trying to follow God while doing what He’s called me to do.”

Gospel House has become his most recognised project, but Tobi has quietly built an impressive catalogue as a producer and DJ.

Projects like Summer Wavs Vol. 2 (Remixes) and Saved , featuring Emly, showcase different stages of his musical journey.

When asked which project deserves more recognition, he answers without hesitation.

“All Day.”

“It has over 34,000 streams on Spotify, but I still feel like many people haven’t really discovered it.”

He also points to a professionally recorded live set from Kenya that has attracted around 22,000 views despite receiving little promotion.

“Sometimes great music takes time to find its audience. I’m okay with that because I believe the right people will eventually hear it.”

For him, numbers have never defined success.

“I just want people to experience something genuine. If my music gives someone hope or brings them closer to God, then that’s success for me.” As Gospel House continues to grow, so does Tobi’s visibility.

Has that changed his priorities or relationship with God?

“Not really,” he says after a brief pause. “It’s good that we’re getting visibility because it means more people are hearing about Gospel House.”

What has changed, however, is the pressure.

“Success comes with pressure and responsibility. Once people know you, there are expectations you have to meet. You have to be intentional because people are watching.”

Rather than allowing that pressure to distract him, he sees it as a reminder to remain grounded.

“It keeps reminding me why I started this in the first place.”

One milestone Tobi speaks about with particular excitement is Gospel House’s sixth edition in Nairobi, Kenya, organised in partnership with Lumennecho.

The event featured full DJ sets and live mixes alongside Kenyan artists including IamJoelz, DJ GG, Arap Rono, Lily White and Arnold, marking Gospel House’s first major international expansion.

“That showed me this vision could travel,” he says.

His ambition now is to establish Gospel House as a globally recognised platform with editions across London, Johannesburg, the United States, Spain, France and other major cities.

He’s equally open to collaborating with both gospel and mainstream artists.

“Good music can carry a powerful message,” he says. “Those things don’t have to be separated.”

Among the artists and producers he’d love to work with are An Endless Ocean, Tems, Fireboy, Drake, Rema, Fireboy DML, Sarz, David Guetta, Black Coffee, Justin Bieber,  P.Prime, Shimza, Kabza De Small, Major League DJz, Black Dave, Naija House Mafia and Proton.

Rather than seeing similar Gospel House initiatives as competition, he welcomes them.

“The goal isn’t ownership,” he says. “If more people create spaces where others can encounter God, that’s something to celebrate.”

He’s also passionate about the future of Afro House in Nigeria, believing DJs like Black Dave, Smeez & D3an  and Naija House Mafia are helping push the genre into the mainstream.

“The more people champion Afro House, the bigger the culture becomes.”

As our conversation comes to an end, one thing becomes increasingly clear. Gospel House isn’t simply about music. It’s about challenging assumptions, building community and creating spaces where faith can be experienced differently.

“I’ll always defend this community because I know the heart behind it,” he says “ I’ve seen people’s lives change. I’ve seen people worship, pray and reconnect with God in these spaces. So when people judge it without understanding it, I’ll always stand up for what we’re building”

Whether Gospel House becomes a global movement or remains a niche community, Tobi Peter has already started a conversation that few imagined possible one where worship finds a home on the dance floor without losing sight of its purpose.