BRAD POWELL ONLINE

“What a Beginning” is an apt description of what I’ve experienced so far on this my second trip to Nigeria.

It started on Saturday night. Our “Relationship Idle?” Series Finale weekend kicked off with Katharine McPhee, the season 5 American Idol finalist. Then, I gave the final talk. Immediately following the 5:15 p.m. service, I took off for the airport to begin my 17 hour (13 in the air) marathon trip to Lagos, Nigeria. (FYI – Our Creative and Technical Arts teams then enabled me to give the talk for the last 3 services in Plymouth via video while everything else continued live.) (If you want, you can check out Katharine’s singing and my talk at northridgechurch.com under online talks. It’s the May 15-16 service.)

We landed in Lagos at 4:30 p.m. Nigerian time Sunday afternoon. By the time we weaved our way through customs, out of the airport, through the traffic of the city of 18 million people, and to our hotel, we only had time to eat a late meal, settle into our rooms, and crash for the night.

We got up, ate breakfast, and then headed to the venue where we would do the first of four two day conferences on becoming Purpose-Driven Churches. My role is to teach 5 sessions, (around 5 1/2 hours over a day and a half) on leading change without compromise. As in America, the churches in Nigeria are facing the significant need for change in order to fulfill God’s purposes in their world.

We just finished this first conference. Though I’m not positive about the total number of pastors registered, I was told that we had around 3000 people in attendance. Of course, I was a bit anxious coming to deliver my thoughts on leading change for the first time in Nigeria. Though nervous, God came through big time. The connection and impact was startling to me. One Nigerian pastor gave me great affirmation. He told me that he had heard me share my thoughts in California at Rick Warren’s conference, and I was “an American talking about change to Americans.” Here, at this conference, he said: “you spoke as a Nigerian to Nigerians.” Only God can do this. It was a huge confirmation that God was enabling me to connect with them in a relevant and powerful way.

When I walked off the platform following my final session, I plopped into my seat and gasped to one of my team members…”do I really have to do this 3 more times?”

What a Beginning is Right! I’m so thankful for the privilege. Please be praying for me and the team. (BTW-I’ve had a couple of hours and a dinner separate me from the finish of this conference, and I’m already feeling like going at it again. Hmmm. I must be crazy. But, I’m lov’n it. Ha.)