Economic Challenges: Organizing This Year’s ‘The Experience’ 8 Times Costlier – Pastor Adefarasin

The lead pastor of House on the Rock Church (HOTR), Pastor Paul Adefarasin, has disclosed that organizing the 2024 edition of the annual gospel concert, The Experience, was eight times costlier than the previous year. Speaking during a press briefing ahead of the event, which commenced on Friday at the Tafawa Balewa Square in Lagos, Adefarasin attributed the sharp rise in costs to the depreciation of the Nigerian Naira against the US Dollar.

“The Nigerian economy is getting tougher. It takes someone who believes in God to organize this. What we spent last year is now eight times that amount this year because of the naira depreciation,” he said.

Adefarasin expressed gratitude for the growth of the concert, which began as a vision 19 years ago and has now become a global phenomenon. The cleric reflected on the significance of the event, emphasizing its role in fostering unity, hope, and faith despite economic and societal challenges.

“For 19 remarkable years, we have gathered—under the open skies of Tafawa Balewa Square and in countless homes across the world—to partake in a divine encounter. The Experience has transcended its beginnings as a local gathering, growing into a global phenomenon that bears witness to the unfailing faithfulness of God,” Adefarasin remarked.

The concert, renowned for featuring award-winning international and local gospel artists, continues to draw millions of worshippers worldwide. Adefarasin described the event as more than just a concert, calling it a sacred moment where worship and unity converge, blurring borders and inspiring hope.

“Millions join us each year, united in worship, with one purpose: to glorify the name above all names—Jesus Christ, the King of kings. The lights that pierce the night—from raised hands, glowing screens, and illuminated faces at the TBS—are more than fleeting visuals. They epitomize hope, unity, and a shared testament to the transformative power of faith in God.

“What began as a vision 19 years ago has evolved into a movement of eternal significance. The Experience is more than an event; it is a sacred moment where worship converges with unity, where borders blur, and the divine speaks.”

Adefarasin also highlighted the resilience of faith and the enduring message of the event, asserting that it remains centered on Jesus Christ despite changing themes. “Every melody sung, every prayer lifted, every hand raised to heaven announces the enduring truth that it has always been—and will always be—all about Jesus.”

As the concert continues to impact millions around the world, Adefarasin encouraged reflection on its broader significance for fostering hope and resilience. He concluded, “The Experience is a celebration of faith’s resilience, a movement that transcends trials to attest to the unshakable truth that, regardless of the circumstances we endure or the darkness that confronts us, we stand unshaken in the certain knowledge that Jesus, the Light of the world, always wins.”