ILI: History Makers Leadership Podcast

What if the global Church is more hopeful than the headlines suggest? In this episode, Daniel sits down with Norival to unpack new findings from the Lausanne Movement’s global survey—input from roughly 1,100 Christian leaders across 120 countries, organized into seven key insights. Together, they explore a real tension leaders are feeling: many believe the Church’s outlook has declined compared to...

What does Christian persecution really look like on the ground in Nigeria, and how should leaders respond with faith and courage? In this sobering, but hope-filled episode, Shannon sits down with Jerry Anze to help us move beyond the headlines and statistics into the lived reality of believers facing violence, kidnappings, and ongoing insecurity throughout the nation of Nigeria.  Jerry even shares...

What makes a leader so influential that their impact lingers long after they leave the room? In this inspiring episode, Daniel and Norival draw from more than 40 years of combined leadership across churches, nonprofits, and the marketplace to unpack the habits that define truly influential Christian leaders. From daily spiritual rhythms to the power of consistency, they share practical disciplines...

What does it take to raise and disciple the next generation in a world shaped by rapid change, cultural tension, and emerging technology? In this powerful conversation, Norival Trindade sits down with Timothy Thagana of Nairobi, Kenya to explore what Christian leadership looks like among millennials and Gen Z today. Timothy shares his personal journey—from growing up in a Christian home to experie...

What does it take to hand off a movement without losing momentum? In this inspiring episode, Bishop David Muniri Thagana shares how Gospel Outreach Assembly (GOA) grew from five small churches to a thriving network of 270 congregations across seven African nations , along with eight children’s homes serving over 400 children. Bishop Thagana opens up about his passion for mentoring the next generat...

What if one person’s faith could transform entire communities—and even nations? In this inspiring episode, Bishop David Muniri Thagana shares how God led him from a traditional upbringing to founding Glory Outreach Assembly (GOA) —a movement reaching across Africa and beyond. You’ll hear how a single Bible in high school and a burden for the unreached sparked a vision that grew from just five chur...

What if profit is only the side effect? We sit down with Houdou Sefande to unpack a bold vision for building in Africa—one that replaces handouts with investment, trades shortcuts for integrity, and treats customers as people first.  Houdou shares why he calls himself a problem solver and how that identity reframes everything: market research becomes listening, sales become service, and growth bec...

What if the path to your purpose started with hunger, hope, and a whisper from God? In this inspiring conversation, Houdou Sefande shares his remarkable journey from rural Benin to global leadership—driven by faith, perseverance, and a passion to solve real problems. You’ll hear how Houdou’s early challenges shaped his calling, how he learned to hear God’s voice, and how a single act of obedience...

What if your church’s missions ministry could move from quiet support to unstoppable momentum—this month?  In this conversation, Dr. Dan Slagle (16-year missions pastor at Faithbridge Church, TX) shares a field-tested playbook for keeping missions front and center with both your senior pastor and congregation. You’ll hear how he read church culture, aligned with leadership, and proved value throug...

Start with a village by the Zambezi and a teenager walking hours to school. Add a mission secondary school, two faithful mentors, and a hunger to learn that wouldn’t quit. Now watch that young man become Rev. Dr. Alfred Kalembo—a national church leader who preached to a grieving country at a president’s funeral and is now catalyzing a student-led movement across Zambia’s universities. We sit down...

Tired of flashy leadership that burns out fast? This conversation pulls back the curtain on why charisma alone can’t carry a ministry—or any mission—for the long haul. Daniel sits down with Norival to contrast the quick spark of personality with the steady fire of Christlike character. Together they unpack how integrity means aligning what we believe with how we live—in public and in private—and w...

What if your leadership moved beyond control to compassion-in-action? In this episode, Daniel and Norival trace the shift from Frederick Winslow Taylor’s “scientific management” to a biblical, people-first approach fit for today’s teams. You’ll hear why the old fishbowl, command-and-control mindset breaks down in modern workplaces—especially in an AI-shaped future—and how Christlike empathy, serva...

What happens when your season of leadership comes to an end? Whether through retirement, health challenges, or organizational transitions, every leader eventually faces the reality that "Father Time is undefeated." This profound conversation explores how Christian leaders can reimagine success beyond personal achievement to embrace a legacy that spans generations. Our conversation with I...

What does street evangelism look like in post-Christian Europe—and how can one person’s vision spark a movement across nations? 🌍 In this inspiring episode of the History Makers Leadership Podcast , Norival Trindade talks with Martin Durham , Director of K180 and ILI’s International Director for Europe. Martin shares his journey from banking professional to street evangelist, beginning with a ter...

In this episode, we explore the biblical theme of radical hospitality and its power to transform lives and leadership. Biblical hospitality goes far beyond social niceties or scheduled coffee dates. From Leviticus commanding Israelites to "love the foreigner as yourself" to Jesus making welcome a condition for entering the kingdom ("I was a stranger and you welcomed me in"), Sc...

In this episode of the International Leadership Institute podcast, Dan Slagle sits down with Norival Trindade, ILI’s Vice President for Training, to explore the heart of evangelism in today’s changing world. Together, they discuss the shift from a “missions over there” mindset to recognizing the urgent need for the gospel here in the West. Norival shares why discipleship—not just preaching—is the...

Have you ever wondered if your prayers are actually working? Or felt like you're just reciting a laundry list of needs without really connecting with God? Prayer lies at the heart of spiritual life across every religion, but its essence is often misunderstood. This deep dive into the true nature of prayer reveals it's not primarily about getting things from God—it's about relationsh...

Ever wonder why some teams implode while others thrive through challenges? This deep-dive episode uncovers the hidden erosion that happens long before visible team failure.  We explore how mission drift silently damages even the strongest teams when leaders fail to provide what teams truly need—not certainty, but clarity. As one leadership expert notes, "People don't need certainty as mu...

In this powerful episode of the History Makers Leadership Podcast , hosts Daniel and Norival uncover the surprising and deeply hopeful story of a spiritual movement sweeping across Europe—what researchers are calling "The Quiet Revival." Drawing from a recent study by the British Bible Society, they explore how Gen Z is leading an unexpected resurgence in church engagement, spiritual dis...

Have you ever felt a stirring in your heart—a persistent whisper that maybe God has something new for you? After 17 years of faithful service at the International Leadership Institute, Katie shares her powerful and emotional journey of transition—from a seasoned communications leader to pursuing her long-held passion in fitness, nutrition, and wellness. In this special episode of the Historymakers...

In this powerful episode of the History Makers Leadership Podcast, we sit down with Pastor and Elder in the Global Methodist Church, April Briant, to hear her extraordinary story of surrender, calling, and transformation. What to Expect: April's journey from a successful career to answering God's call to full-time ministry The life-changing moment at a prayer revival that shifted her des...

Are you struggling to rally others around the vision God has placed on your heart? In this powerful episode, we sit down to explore the essential keys to building and sustaining spiritually mature, hungry, and purpose-driven teams. Leadership expert Dan Slagle reveals the framework for building teams with genuine ownership and responsibility. After 20+ years in Christian leadership contexts, Dan k...

Strategic planning isn't merely an annual exercise marked on the calendar—it's a spiritual discipline requiring discernment, collaboration, and intentionality. This illuminating conversation with leadership expert Dan Slagle unpacks how effective organizations balance daily operations with future-focused vision casting. In this powerful episode of the History Makers Leadership Podcast, w...

What happens when your past is marked by trauma, your present is shattered by tragedy, and the future seems impossible? In this powerful episode of the History Makers Leadership Podcast, we sit down with Pastor Kayla Countryman, a woman who embodies resilience and a profound sense of purpose. From a childhood marked by learning disabilities and a broken home to surviving a devastating accident tha...

In this powerful episode, we revisit Pentecost and dive deep into the historical and spiritual legacy of this pivotal moment in Christian history. Nearly 2000 years after the birth of the Church, ILI’s Daniel Drewski and Norival Trindade reflect on how Pentecost continues to shape leadership, worship, and the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives today. Join Daniel and Norival as they navigate...