Maxwell E. Ogaga is a Pastor and teacher of God’s word. He serves as the Pastoral Overseer of God’s Kingdom Advancement Ministries, with churches located in Rivers and Delta State, Nigeria.
Maxwell holds a Ph.D. in Pastoral Development from Interglobal University, USA. He also holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Education from Delta State University Abraka, a Bachelor’s in Theology from South African Theological Seminary, South Africa, and a Master of Divinity (Biblical Studies) from the South Asian Institute of Advanced Christian Studies Bangalore, India. He is a graduate of Rhema Bible Training Centre, Nigeria and holds a Post Graduate Diploma from the Church Growth Institute, Lagos, Nigeria.
Maxwell Ogaga founded Word Connect International, an itinerant teaching/media ministry that broadcasts messages via satellite TV and the Internet with the primary mission of equipping believers and strengthening local churches.
His passion for equipping pastors and leaders led him to launch the Timothy Conference and Dear Timothy Camps in 2017—gatherings that have trained numerous Ministry Leaders and church workers across Africa, the United States, and Europe. He also lectures in several Bible Colleges and Schools of Ministry.
Maxwell's life passion is to equip believers, train leaders, and strengthen local churches. He currently resides in Bonny Island, Nigeria with his family.
Welcome to 12-Minute Converse with Jesus Believers.
Speaker:
God chose first to have a conversation with us, his creation.
Speaker:
Our prayer is that this listening space brings growth and transforms your life forever.
Speaker:
Praise God for you, Pastor Maxwell.
Speaker:
What part of the world are you in today?
Speaker:
I'm currently in Nigeria, a Caribbean state that will be Southern Nigeria.
Speaker:
All right.
Speaker:
Well, it's a great pleasure to connect with you.
Speaker:
I'd love to know how important has it been to have a relationship with God and his word?
Speaker:
First of all, it's about clarity.
Speaker:
My relationship with God, what it has done for me is brought clarity into my life.
Speaker:
It's brought peace and contentment.
Speaker:
Those three things would be some of the greatest things I'll say my relationship with God has done for me.
Speaker:
Clarity, peace, and contentment.
Speaker:
My relationship with the word of God is almost undescribable.
Speaker:
It's like God's thoughts in a written form.
Speaker:
So it makes me, in my worship of God, not see God as an abstract person, not just some being, but a real person who's communicated to me, not just in my spirit, but has written things down for me to go through, to understand.
Speaker:
I like the way one of my favorite preachers puts it.
Speaker:
He says, the word of God is his love letters to you.
Speaker:
So I'd say that's how I see it.
Speaker:
It's God giving me instructions for every area of my life.
Speaker:
When in your life was it challenging to see clearly or have the peace or have the contentment that came from God?
Speaker:
I would say when I was about to get to the university, or what you call college, around that period, I was trying to find the meaning of life.
Speaker:
I was trying to find my self-identity.
Speaker:
I was trying to find who I am, who I want to become, trying to escape poverty in a way, and just trying to find meaning.
Speaker:
So at that point, it was challenging for me at that point.
Speaker:
But it was also at that point that I would say, even though I was raised in a pastor's home, it's at that point I developed my personal relationship with God and began to have my own walk with God.
Speaker:
Would you say that we're in danger for being able to pretend that we're in relationship with God?
Speaker:
Absolutely, absolutely.
Speaker:
I did a course today, one of my courses I was lecturing at the university, and I was telling my students in pastoral development about cutting out digital distraction.
Speaker:
And I said, one of the things that digital distraction does for you is that it makes you to compare yourself.
Speaker:
And Paul tells us in Corinthians that comparing themselves with themselves, they're not wise, right?
Speaker:
So the digital age gives you a public space to even appear like you're not.
Speaker:
I would say it makes it quite easy.
Speaker:
Should we be surprised by the tools or the ammunition of the enemy, when you really think about it?
Speaker:
I wouldn't say we should be surprised.
Speaker:
I think sometimes we're not discerning enough.
Speaker:
We're not discerning enough.
Speaker:
You have to probably take a step back from some of these things, right?
Speaker:
And I'm not one of those preachers who say, oh, this is, the devil has this, this is the devil's tools.
Speaker:
I'm not one of those.
Speaker:
I think everything can be used to the glory of God.
Speaker:
But I also would find out at what point is it pulling you from the sacred place?
Speaker:
At what point is it giving you direction?
Speaker:
At what point is the tool leading you as opposed to God leading you?
Speaker:
Right?
Speaker:
So let's say everybody's doing this now.
Speaker:
This work is popular now.
Speaker:
Are you just going to do that because that's what everybody's doing, or that's what God is asking you to do?
Speaker:
Have you written anything, any books?
Speaker:
Yes, I've written 30 books.
Speaker:
Did you say three zero?
Speaker:
There's something wrong with this connection.
Speaker:
Three zero, actually.
Speaker:
That's amazing.
Speaker:
Wow.
Speaker:
Wow.
Speaker:
Amazing.
Speaker:
Do you think you have more books in you?
Speaker:
Actually have a hundred.
Speaker:
Wow.
Speaker:
That's your goal.
Speaker:
Amazing.
Speaker:
So 70 more.
Speaker:
I love that.
Speaker:
Love that.
Speaker:
Hey, I'm really excited for your future.
Speaker:
This feels amazing here to see and listen to you preach and your ability to navigate the word of God.
Speaker:
Absolutely, super, tremendously proud of you for your decision and the inspiration that you're giving to the world.
Speaker:
Five years from today, you're listening to this conversation.
Speaker:
What's a message you'd leave for future you?
Speaker:
Keep following God, stay faithful, build a life of integrity.
Speaker:
Amazing audience, links are in the show notes.
Speaker:
My friend in closing, is there anything else you'd like to share?
Speaker:
I'd just like to say that your relationship with God is the most important thing you should cultivate in this life.
Speaker:
Knowing Jesus, knowing his word will change everything, not just as a religious person, but as a life that you live, it will change everything.
Speaker:
And don't give up on yourself.
Speaker:
We have amazing potentials, regardless of what you've been through, the best is yet to come.
Speaker:
Pastor Maxwell, a pleasure, I treasure.
Speaker:
Thank you for being on What Is Inspired by 12 Minute Convoys.
