Reverend Paul Adefarasin’s journey into ministry leadership in Nigeria began in what appeared to be an unexpected setback. In late 1993 and early 1994, the cleric returned to Nigeria from the United Kingdom after his permit renewal was delayed beyond expectation.
At the time, Pastor Adefarasin’s sole desire was to return to London and continue pastoring the small church he oversaw in the city. As days turned into weeks, he committed himself to intense prayers, asking God to open the doors for his re-entry into the UK. However, despite his efforts, the decision of the authorities remained unchanged.
Realising the persistence of the delay, Pastor Adefarasin shifted his prayers. Rather than focusing on returning to the UK, he began seeking clarity on God’s will for his future. In retrospect, he would come to understand the delay as a divine signal pointing him towards a new chapter — the establishment of his ministry in Lagos.
According to accounts of that period, Pastor Adefarasin received a revelation in which God told him: “I have given you a mighty church here in the city of Lagos.” The declaration stirred questions in his heart. Where was the church? Who would invite him to pastor a congregation? The response that followed was simple yet profound: “The church is in your heart.”
With that understanding, he recognised that the work ahead would require deep inward labour in prayer to give birth outwardly to the vision God had placed within him.
On Friday night, July 15 of that same year, Pastor Adefarasin gathered just seven people for an all-night session of prayer and worship. Among them was Pastor Ifeanyi Adefarasin, then his fiancée. That quiet night of spiritual travail marked the humble beginning of a movement.
Today, that gathering has grown into what is now known globally as House On The Rock, the annual Experience Lagos worship concert, and the Rock Cathedral — a worship centre that accommodates over 40,000 worshippers.
What once looked like disappointment ultimately became a platform for extraordinary impact, touching lives across nations and drawing tens of thousands together in worship.
The story stands as a reminder that sometimes, what appears to be a setback is simply a redirection. There is often a message hidden in the mess, and a greater purpose unfolding beyond human plans.
Seek His perfect will, not just your own.
Shout: I Hear.
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