Obedience Over Location: What Femi Lazarus and Arome Osayi Teach Us About Kingdom Expansion

Just recently, Apostle Femi Lazarus movies with his family in Kenya for ministry assignment, as instructed by the Lord. This development has stirred different reactions from social media people, some questioning the decision, others commending his obedience. Interestingly, this is not the first time we’re seeing or hearing something like this. A few months ago, Apostle Arome Osayi also relocated to the United States following divine direction, after raising a strong structure of disciples within the Remnant Christian Network who have continued the work effectively in Nigeria.

At the core of this conversation is a fundamental Kingdom principle… obedience to God’s instruction. In the book of Acts of the Apostles 13, the Holy Spirit explicitly instructed that Barnabas and Saul be separated for a specific assignment, and they were sent forth. This establishes a pattern: Men with Apostolic calling are not controlled by location but by divine mandate. When God speaks, the only valid response is obedience, regardless of public opinion or personal comfort. The Kingdom of God is designed for expansion.

However, beyond obedience lies an even deeper issue that a lot of people aren’t talking about — ‘Discipleship.’ The true strength of any ministry is not measured by the presence of the founder, but by the capacity of the people he has raised. Apostle Arome Osayi left Nigeria, yet the work continues to thrive because he invested in men. Now, Apostle Femi Lazarus has also raised ministers who can sustain and advance the work in his absence.

This is the perspective we must adopt: God’s work is bigger than one man, one city, or one nation. For the Kingdom to advance effectively, there must be accurate discipleship—men and women who are not just present, but prepared. When this is in place, transitions like these are not disruptions; they are proof of maturity.

For instance, this is a true life story. I used to be a member of a church, and I observed something that troubled me deeply. Each time the General Overseer was absent, the entire service became dry. Associate pastors were not given the liberty to share God’s Word or communicate their own rhema effectively. Instead, they were handed fragments of a pre-written message from the G.O, which they would merely read and attempt to explain. Once that was done, there was nothing else to say, and the service would end immediately. These pastors had been in that church for over six years. Now, almost all of them have left the pastor.

That is not encouraging. A system like that cannot thrive beyond the presence of one man. If the General Overseer relocates, the structure collapses, not because men are not available, but because they were never raised. This is where the urgency of accurate discipleship comes in. In 2 Timothy 2:2, Paul said, “The things you have heard from me… commit to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.” That is the pattern—men raising men who can stand, teach, and carry the burden of the work.

There is so much burden in ministry that shouldn’t be carried by one man. I truly commend Apostle Femi, for not just his obedience to God’s instructions, but for investing massively in raising men. This is commendable.