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Culture
Change Expert Joel Freeman Visits Nigeria |
The Freeman Institute Foundation
-- Developing Black History Galleries in selected major cities.
By Michael Ireland
Chief Correspondent, ASSIST News Service
SEVERN, MARYLAND (ANS) -- Recently Joel Freeman,
president of The Freeman Institute, an organizational culture change
firm based in Severn, Maryland, spent a week in Nigeria (December
11-18, 2001) and spent time with William Kumuyi, pastor of the
largest churches in Africa (and the third largest in the world).
Conservative estimates place it at over 120,000 members, with well
over 1500 affiliate churches throughout Africa and the rest of the
world, Freeman told ASSIST News Service (ANS).
"I was overwhelmed by the gentle, gracious
hospitality. I spoke at one of the three camps that they have every
year," said Freeman.
"This particular camp had well over 40,000 (and
they have many more who don't register). I can hardly begin to
explain what I experienced. I was moved by the simplicity of faith
and
humility displayed by everyone I met. When I got home, I asked (my
wife) Shirley to knock me on the side of the head if I ever start to
complain about anything! (See Picture At Link Below: Pastor Freeman
speaking to well over 40,000 people through 18 translators).
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Every morning Freeman was
asked to speak for one hour on the subject of the
"Reliability of the Scriptures." |
"The main
auditorium holds about 15,000 and then everybody else is spread all
over the 12 acres that make up the campgrounds. Each time there is a
main interpreter for Yoruba, but all over the camp there are 17
other interpreters working with groups of people from all over the
country," said Freeman.
"Every afternoon I was speaking on the subject of
Leadership to about 150 leaders, government officials, pastors and
businessmen. The response has been so great that Pastor Kumuyi wants
to have me come back and work with key leaders from 10 nations at a
time. These particular sessions are in English." |
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| Freeman said
that Pastor Kumuyi has oversight of around 1500 churches in
Africa alone. |
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"He is a man of
great integrity and influence in the entire continent. A best-kept
secret I am going to do my level best to make known. Before becoming
a pastor he was a Professor of Mathematics. I think that his
previous job has helped to lend credibility. He didn't become a
pastor because he couldn't be successful in anything else -- if you
know what I mean."
Pastor Kumuyi has read the book,
"Return To Glory: The Powerful Stirring of the Black Man,"
authored by Freeman and Don Griffin, an African-American who has
served as top human resources executive in private industry in the
New York City area for a number of years, and has also seen the video,
"A White Man's Journey Into Black History"™ which
is based on the book. (See Picture At Link Below: Joel Freeman with
Pastor William Kumuyi).
"He wants to publish and distribute RTG across
Africa. A member of his church, the Executive Editor of the Guardian
Newspaper, is currently editing RTG, showing us how to make it
culturally sensitive for the entire continent. We will be able to
add photographs to this international edition. William (Kumuyi)
stated that he will move 100,000 copies of RTG throughout his
network of 1500 churches within the first month of
distribution," Freeman said.
"This is quite amazing! This is right in line with
all that Don and I have been praying for -- for all this time. After
all, the message of RTG is especially for the people beyond the
rivers of Ethiopia! God's fingerprints are all over this -- for such
a time as this!"
Freeman said that,
with the film version of RTG coming out in March, Pastor Kumuyi
wants to make sure that they develop a version strictly for Africa.
"His vision is for this version to become kind of like a 'Jesus
Film' for Africa. Not to replace that wonderful film in any way of
course, but to be a follow-up resource specifically designed for
Africa. I sent the new script to the editor of the Guardian
Newspaper to edit it. He has made some suggestions for minor
changes, which has enabled us to use much of the same footage, with
minor variations, for the international version of the RTG
film." (See Picture At Link Below: Joel Freeman with slave
chains around his neck).
Freeman has already given him all the rights for my
other three books. Pastor Kumuyi will publish and distribute them
across Africa and The Deeper Life Bible Church will keep all
royalties and profits.
"I can barely contain my excitement for what God
seems to be doing for such a time as this! It looks like Don Griffin
and I may be in Africa a fair amount over the next years. Who
knows?"
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On the last
day there Freeman went, with Pastor Kumuyi and about 20
others, to visit the first and oldest slave port on the west
coast. "We also visited several museums about the slave
trade in Badagry. It was interesting to see the local Africans
who had never been to specifically visit these museums even
though
they lived within an hour of the region. |
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The stark reminder of the
cruelty and control imposed upon the slaves was almost too
much to bear. I took video clips, which will probably be used
as visual images behind the voice of a scholar or two on the
RTG film project," Freeman said. |
| "While we
were in the area, the King of Badagry (he rules over 10 other
kings in Nigeria) heard that we were in the region and
canceled everything to meet us. It was quite an experience to
meet him. He gave me two pieces of pottery as a gift." |
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According to
Freeman, all of the Kings and Queens of Africa have been invited to
attend a convocation in Benin, West Africa in August, 2002. "I
have been invited to be a keynote speaker at this conference. At
this event I will be sharing the message contained in RTG. By that
time we will have completed the international versions of both the
RTG book and the RTG film. The Kings and Queens have the power to
make these resources available to every educational institution on
the African continent. This is an unbelievable opportunity! Please
pray for God's wisdom to pour through me on this occasion."
Feel free to check out the
http://www.TruthCentric.com
web site to view the latest information about the film version of
"Return To Glory: The Powerful Stirring of the Black Man."
To see some of the
pictures from Freeman's trip to Nigeria, log on to:
www.freemaninstitute.com/nigeria.htm
Joel Freeman has as website at:
http://www.TruthCentric.com
which features a unique Ancient Egyptian Photo Gallery containing
230 photographs.
View the
ReligionToday article
about Dr. Freeman's program, "A WHITE MAN'S JOURNEY INTO BLACK
HISTORY"™ .
Michael Ireland is a British freelance journalist in
Minneapolis, Minnesota. A former reporter with a London newspaper,
Michael is the Chief Correspondent for ASSIST News Service of Garden
Grove, CA. Michael immigrated to the United States in 1982 and
became a US citizen in Sept., 1995. He is married with two children.
Michael is a frequent contributor to United Christian Broadcasters,
Europe Radio, a British Christian radio station. E-mail: ansmichael@cs.com
Web Site: http://www.assist-ministries.com
Article in The Guardian Newspaper -- Lagos, Nigeria (December 18,
2001)
Courtesy of The Freeman Institute
"Dealing
With People Who Drive You Crazy!"®
The
Freeman Institute™
1103 Burkhardt Lane, Severn, Maryland 21144
TEL 410-729-4011 CELL 410-991-9718 FAX
410-729-0353
EMAIL info@freemaninstitute.com
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