For many of us, it’s hard to imagine a life without ever knowing or hearing about Jesus Christ. Yet it’s the daily reality for many people around the world.
A Third of our world has yet to hear about Jesus but it doesn’t have to stay that way.
“Who is this Jesus who loves me?” the woman asked, tears running down her face.
Because He Loved Her
For the first time in her life, she had heard the name of Jesus. And the message that He came, the Son of God, to die for her sins…all because He loved her.
Can you imagine what would your life be like…if you knew nothing about Jesus? To have never heard His name before—on radio, or books or music, or in conversations with people around you.
For many of us, that’s beyond our understanding.
Beyond Our Understanding
In our North American culture, there are many ways we might hear, see or learn something about who Jesus is, even if we didn’t grow up around Christians or the church or the Bible. But to know nothing of His love for you? The salvation Jesus offers? The hope He gives you for life today and for your eternal future?
Today there are billions of people in our world who are just like this woman. She lives in northern Ethiopia, in a region among people where there is no witness to Christ.
That is until recently when some Ethiopian believers came to her community to share the Good News about Jesus who loves them so much.
Life Changing News
The news was life-changing! When she heard it, she was ready and eager to put her faith and hope in her newfound Savior. It spilled over into her family and her community, and while they face much opposition and difficulty, God is doing something new and multiplying His kingdom in this region.
This is why we do what we do as Global Disciples. We train and equip believers in Ethiopia and over 70 other countries, just like the man who shared the Gospel with this woman and her community. And together we seek to help share the Good News of Jesus—of a Savior who loves people enough to sacrifice His own life, and to see their lives transformed for today and for eternity.
About Global Disciples
Global Disciples Canada is a Christian mission organization that trains local leaders living near least-reached communities to multiply disciples for Christ. One-third of our world hasn’t heard the Good News of Jesus. Yet. Global Disciples refers to these as “least-reached” people and fewer than 10% of all missionaries work among these groups. We live in a time where many of these people are within reach of a local church. Through our simple and effective strategy of training and coaching, believers share the Gospel in their own nations and cultures. Jesus said, “Go and make disciples of all nations,” and we’re committed to doing just that. If you are looking for a Christian mission organization to partner with to become a better disciple and help make disciples, connect with us today!
Annual Equipping Events refresh and empower leaders who often work alone or with limited resources in challenging settings. God often meets those who were close to giving up and renews their spirit and vision to carry on. Global Disciples is committed to empowering leaders through discipleship training.
“Glory be to God for the grace to be part of Global Disciples discipleship training, and for the good teaching I received.”
Bodo’s Story
Bodo directs a Global Disciples training in leadership and small business development in his homeland of Chad. He eagerly gave testimony, praising God for His work.
“We multiplied our outreach activities,” Bodo continued, “and planted three new churches last year, including one in December with 76 new believers. Our small business supports our mission work. Global Disciples training has changed my life, the life of my family, and my community.”
Bodo is one of the men and women directing over 3,000 discipleship-mission and small business development programs in partnership with Global Disciples.
Training With Global Disciples
From January through early April, program directors in a region gather for Annual Equipping Events or AEEs. Our regional Global Disciples staff leads three days of Bible teaching, skill building, prayer, worship, and relational coaching.
Annual Equipping Events refresh leaders who often work alone or with limited resources in challenging settings. Frequently, directors will say they were close to giving up, but God met them at the event, refueling them to carry on his work. Leaders who spend so much time pouring into the lives of others come and receive encouragement from God’s Word. And also, from their peers who understand the joys and struggles. Their vision is renewed and occasionally redirected.
Remi’s Story
That was Remi’s experience. He attended an Annual Equipping Event in Cameroon and said, “Before this event last year, the Holy Spirit highlighted a village where He wanted me to take the Gospel. But I kept resisting and giving all sorts of excuses. Then I came here and heard a lesson on joining the Holy Spirit in his mission—I repented and decided to obey!”
When Remi visited this village, he prayed for a woman with a severe wound. God healed her, and she surrendered her life to Jesus. This news reached the chief who objected to Remi’s presence, but then he also heard the Good News, accepted Christ, and soon, a church was planted with 35 new believers!
Alex’s Experience With Global Disciples
Alex, in Rwanda, commented on the role of Annual Equipping Events. “Every time I attend this event, I am encouraged and refreshed. My life has changed since I came to Global Disciples training, and our ministry has grown so much. Global Disciples equips us leaders for multiplication, and the strategy for mentoring is fruitful.”
In his testimony, he shared how his training helped them to continue multiplying during the pandemic, using small groups and house churches. In a recent outreach, his team saw 505 people come to faith in Christ!
Annual Equipping Events serve a strategic purpose in the Global Disciples approach to training.
A program director isn’t left alone to sink or swim. In fact, hey are built up, encouraged, blessed, prayed for, and renewed in heart, skills, and vision by attending these events. They experience God’s empowering work for the next season of training and outreach to least-reached people.
Global Disciples Canada is a Christian mission organization that trains local leaders living near least-reached communities to multiply disciples for Christ. One-third of our world hasn’t heard the Good News of Jesus. Yet. Global Disciples refers to these as “least-reached” people, and fewer than 10% of all missionaries work among these groups. We live in a time where many of these people are within reach of a local church. Through our simple and effective strategy of training and coaching, believers share the Gospel in their own nations and cultures. Jesus said, “Go and make disciples of all nations,” and we’re committed to doing just that. If you are looking for a Christian mission organization to partner with to become a better disciple and help make disciples, connect with us today!
There is something powerful about a mother on a mission. Mothers are amazing people, aren’t they?
God gives them hands to touch with love and strength, and feet to take them where they are needed most. Arms to embrace in love or lift the weak. Minds and voices to guide, direct, encourage, and correct. Eyes to see need and ears to hear another’s joys or sorrow. And hearts to love their families, their communities, their God.
A Mother On A Mission
God includes mothers in His amazing work to nurture their children to know and follow him and reach out and nurture new spiritual generations. As Global Disciples, we hear stories of mothers who are part of what God is doing to birth, nurture, and raise His children of faith.
Sarah is one of those mothers on a mission. She came to Christ as a teenager in Tanzania. She pursued her walk with Jesus as she matured. Then, she married a young pastor, and they were blessed with several children. Together they planted churches along the coast, in a challenging Muslim region. Finances were difficult, and during a tough time, Sarah’s husband started an argument. He accused her of having a “poverty spirit”; and that he had not experienced “the blessing of God” since they married. Then he left her and their children.
Heartbroken
Sarah was heartbroken; she and her children had almost nothing. Despite her husband’s cold words, she continued to hold onto the Lord, praying for His help. God answered, prompting her to study more. So, Sarah worked several jobs to feed her children and put herself through university. She became a teacher and enjoyed success in the city for a time.
Then she sensed the Lord leading her to take a teaching job in another region of Tanzania. It’s an area that is considered a center for witchcraft. People from around Tanzania and neighboring countries come to consult the witch doctors and practitioners. Even pastors come to seek help and sacrifice to “grow” their churches. Sarah believed the Lord wanted her there to make disciples and pray for people.
Global Disciples Helps
Sarah’s church cluster connected with Global Disciples and sent her to Discipleship training. She was equipped and then sent to start a discipleship-mission training program in this community steeped in witchcraft and spiritism.
God has opened doors, and Sarah is nurturing and equipping disciples of Jesus Christ. Her training program has become a church plant. Prayer is growing and it’s threatening the power of the witch doctors. They’re fighting back; Sarah is often threatened and opposed. The local authorities released her from her teaching job—not because of her performance but because of her faith in Jesus Christ.
This mother is on a mission—even if it means standing for Christ in a fiery furnace of opposition and spiritual warfare. We honor her as a woman of God and a spiritual mother to a new generation of God’s family in Tanzania.
Global Disciples Canada is a Christian mission organization that trains local leaders living near least-reached communities to multiply disciples for Christ. One-third of our world hasn’t heard the Good News of Jesus. Yet. Global Disciples refers to these as “least-reached” people, and fewer than 10% of all missionaries work among these groups. We live in a time where many of these people are within reach of a local church. Through our simple and effective strategy of training and coaching, believers share the Gospel in their own nations and cultures. Jesus said, “Go and make disciples of all nations,” and we’re committed to doing just that. If you are looking for a Christian mission organization to partner with to become a better disciple and help make disciples, connect with us today!
Jesus loves me this I know! Years ago in a university lecture hall, a student asked the well-known theologian Karl Barth if he could summarize his life’s work in theology in a sentence.
Barth replied, “Yes, I can. In the words of a song I learned on my mother’s knee: ‘Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so.’”
In a very different world, Sina discovered that same truth.
Growing Up in Rwanda
She grew up in Rwanda in a family of seven children. When she was 9 or 10, the terrible Rwandan genocide began. Her father participated in one of the many massacres and he’s still in prison. Sina fled with her mother to the neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo. While there, she was raped and became pregnant.
When she returned to Rwanda, misunderstandings separated her from her mother, and Sina became a prostitute—so she could feed herself and her child. That was her life.
One day, Sina met a group of people talking about Jesus and sharing God’s Word in her community. They were disciple-makers trained in a local discipleship-mission training program launched with the help of Global Disciples. And visiting Sina’s community was part of their outreach.
“I have never known anyone who loves me.”
As they talked with her, she asked if it were true—did God really exist? And if He did, did He really love her?
Because, Sina said, “I have never known anyone who loves me.”
“Jesus loves me.” This simple yet profound truth reached into Sina’s heart and touched her soul. She saw Jesus as the One who loved her so much that He died for her. And she surrendered to Him as her Savior. Now she says she has peace in her heart. And Jesus is beginning the work of transformation in her life.
So many people in our world are like Sina. The details of their stories may change but the reality remains: They need to know that Jesus loves them. That He laid down His life for them to give them new life here…and for eternity. That’s the message you and I are called to share today.
Global Disciples Canada is a Christian mission organization that trains local leaders living near least-reached communities to multiply disciples for Christ. One-third of our world hasn’t heard the Good News of Jesus. Yet. Global Disciples refers to these as “least-reached” people, and fewer than 10% of all missionaries work among these groups. We live in a time where many of these people are within reach of a local church. Through our simple and effective strategy of training and coaching, believers share the Gospel in their own nations and cultures. Jesus said, “Go and make disciples of all nations,” and we’re committed to doing just that. If you are looking for a Christian mission organization to partner with to become a better disciple and help make disciples, connect with us today!
Prayer will change your life for good.
Yanick came in, walking with crutches. His legs, twisted and useless from birth, held his weight long enough to move his crutches one step forward. Then another. His friend had insisted he come to this meeting to be prayed for in the name of Jesus.
Born in a Muslim village in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Yanick had never met a group of Christ-followers. It was a small group.
Yanick was surprised to see several people he recognized. They talked about knowing Jesus, and a man taught from the Bible.
Yanick’s Story
Then someone asked Yanick if they could pray for Jesus to heal his legs. “Of course!” he agreed, but he nearly laughed at the question. After all, he had been born like this.
A short time later, Yanick walked out of the meeting carrying his crutches! And in the following days, he and many of his family and neighbors came to know Christ.
God does the impossible when we pray!
We hear stories like Yanick’s all the time. Miracles like this are quite common in places where people have never heard the Good News of Jesus.
Prayer And Global Disciples
As Global Disciples, we want all we do to be conceived, birthed, and carried out in prayer, believing that God transforms both our lives and the lives of others through prayer.
Transforming prayer takes us from self-centered, wish-list praying into a passionate pursuit of Jesus.
As we pursue intimacy with our Heavenly Father, the Holy Spirit transforms our minds and reorders our priorities.
The Holy Spirit softens hearts, opens minds, and draws people into a relationship with Jesus.
Through prayer, God removes the blinders that keep people from seeing the light of the Gospel that displays the glory of Christ (2 Corinthians 4:4). Prayer is foundational to any evangelism or mission effort.
Prayer, Fasting & Commitment
We regularly practice prayer and fasting within Global Disciples and with our partnering churches and programs.
On the first Friday of each month, our staff, leadership, and the programs we serve in 71 countries, are asked to fast and pray for the people and trainings affiliated with Global Disciples. It’s been our pattern now since we launched in 1996.
We facilitate prayer teams sent to areas with little Gospel witness that need spiritual breakthroughs. God has honored those intercessors as they stand in the gap on behalf of people isolated from the Good News of Jesus.
Prayer Transforms!
Some on our Global Disciples team set alarms on their phones for 9:38 A.M. and 9:38 P.M.—a reminder to ask the Lord of the harvest to send workers (Matthew 9:38). We ask for Jesus to fill us with his compassion for the lost.
In prayer, your lives and ours are transformed as we delight in being co-laborers with Christ in the mission to which we have been called together. What an honor! May we continue to grow in prayer and see God doing immeasurably more than we can ask or imagine for His glory (Ephesians 3:20).
Global Disciples Canada is a Christian mission organization that trains local leaders living near least-reached communities to multiply disciples for Christ. One-third of our world hasn’t heard the Good News of Jesus. Yet. Global Disciples refers to these as “least-reached” people, and fewer than 10% of all missionaries work among these groups. We live in a time where many of these people are within reach of a local church. Through our simple and effective strategy of training and coaching, believers share the Gospel in their own nations and cultures. Jesus said, “Go and make disciples of all nations,” and we’re committed to doing just that. If you are looking for a Christian mission organization to partner with to become a better disciple and help make disciples, connect with us today!
Every church in the world needs leaders who follow the way of Jesus. People with a vision for His mission, for church growth and to multiply discipleship-focused leaders.
As we work with churches to multiply disciples we also work to see leaders multiplied for these churches.
As Global Disciples, we see leadership development as absolutely essential to ensure that these new churches grow into healthy fellowships.
Thomas’s Leadership Development
Thomas directs a leadership development program in Zimbabwe, through his local church. They meet for about an hour and a half on Sunday afternoons. Some of the group comes from the other side of town. It’s a high-density area about 10 kilometers away.
Last year, as they met together and studied what it means to be a leader in the model of Jesus. Thomas said, “God did something in the hearts of these leaders. They began to feel God’s call to be leaders that ‘make things happen.’”
And part of making things happen was to plant a new church, in that heavily populated area of the city.
This new church is now led by three men from the leadership training, with an attendance of more than 30 people. With their location, and the vision to “make things happen” for the Kingdom, these leaders are anticipating much greater growth in the future.
Thomas said, “One of my hopes and prayers for our program is that we see leaders emerging who can take responsibility for our churches.”
The Importance of Planting Churches
And he talked about Matthew, another participant in the training. “He has been absolutely faithful in attending,” Thomas said, “and also teaches some of the lessons. This program has prepared Matthew for leadership. Through the progress and transformation that’s evident in his life, it seemed good to us and to the Holy Spirit to appoint him as a pastor in the church I’ve been pastoring, which strengthened our church.”
Planting churches, strengthening the Body of Christ, and shepherding good growth. This is what we see God doing through the many leaders as we seek to train and multiply them around the world. And for that we are grateful.
Global Disciples Canada is a Christian mission organization that trains local leaders living near least-reached communities to multiply disciples for Christ. One-third of our world hasn’t heard the Good News of Jesus. Yet. Global Disciples refers to these as “least-reached” people, and fewer than 10% of all missionaries work among these groups. We live in a time where many of these people are within reach of a local church. Through our simple and effective strategy of training and coaching, believers share the Gospel in their own nations and cultures. Jesus said, “Go and make disciples of all nations,” and we’re committed to doing just that. If you are looking for a Christian mission organization to partner with to become a better disciple and help make disciples, connect with us today!
Experience the joy of evangelism through inspiring stories of transformation. See how discipleship training is impacting lives in Chad.
Joyful Evangelism In Cameroon
In September 2016, at a training in Cameroon, Africa, Global Disciples equipped 17 church leaders to develop discipleship-mission training for their clusters of churches.
Within a month, all 17 had program proposals approved and ready to start.
Including the first discipleship-mission training in four countries new to our ministry at that time!
In Chad, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea, and Central African Republic. We were thrilled to see such a quick movement of new trainings and the potential growth in these nations!
Within six months, we received the first report from one of the new programs—a discipleship- mission training in Chad.
They had trained 26 disciple-makers and had completed their first evangelism outreach.
God blessed and worked through them to lead 765 people to faith in Jesus Christ, establishing a new church and fueling the growth of numerous other small fellowships. What a great start!
Pierre’s Evangelism Story
The program leader also shared the testimony of two participants who saw the Lord work and reshape their hearts.
Pierre is a pastor, and he reflected, “I want to give God the glory for being part of this. I went to Bible school for three years but I can’t compare that with what I received during our training. It taught me how to approach people and share the Gospel with others. Our outreach gave me the opportunity to use what I learned—and the results were marvelous!”
Another participant, Kelly said, “I am happy because of this training. Everywhere I go, the Lord opens new doors and showers me with His blessings. I learned that intimacy with God gives me the courage to pray, and I get up every morning at 2 or 3 a.m. to pray. And I always intercede for the unreached before I go to bed. And I noticed during the outreach that there was great joy among us. Evangelism brings joy!”
He’s right—evangelism brings joy! To those who share the Gospel boldly. And to those who are hearing the Good News of Jesus for the first time…thanks to these disciple-makers, equipped and sent out in the country of Chad.
Over the years God has continued to bless our work in Chad as we’ve seen those who had yet to hear the good news of Jesus Christ have their lives completely transformed.
What Does Global Disciples Do?
Global Disciples Canada is a Christian mission organization that trains local leaders living near least-reached communities to multiply disciples for Christ. One-third of our world hasn’t heard the Good News of Jesus. Yet. Global Disciples refers to these as “least-reached” people, and fewer than 10% of all missionaries work among these groups. We live in a time where many of these people are within reach of a local church. Through our simple and effective strategy of training and coaching, believers share the Gospel in their own nations and cultures. Jesus said, “Go and make disciples of all nations,” and we’re committed to doing just that. If you are looking for a Christian mission organization to partner with to become a better disciple and help make disciples, connect with us today!
Have you ever been surprised by God? You anticipate one thing—maybe even dreaded or fear it—and then you see the Lord do the unexpected instead? But God is a God of the unexpected! Read on and find out how Global Disciples Canada is partnering with a miracle working God!
God often chooses to work in unexpected ways.
In fact, Beni experienced one of God’s surprises. He directs a discipleship-mission training program in Kenya, and when it came time for outreach, he and his team of disciple-makers went out to share the Gospel in a large community.
It was going well. Beni said, “Then the Lord told us to move on to the next village.”
However, their host pastor warned them against it. That village was controlled by a gang of rowdy young men, known for substance abuse and alcoholism. And the surrounding communities were all afraid of them.
Beni acted on the warning but “our witness became a huge failure,” he said.
Young men become disciples
“So we went on to that next community where we were received surprisingly well. As we prepared to show the Jesus film, the local boys promised to be our security! They saw to it no one would touch us or our equipment!”
The same young men that everyone feared, God used as security for the visiting disciple- makers!
Even better, many of the gang members turned their lives over to Jesus Christ, as Beni’s team shared the Gospel with them and with the community.
The power of the gospel in action
The power of God broke chains of alcoholism, substance abuse. It began transforming the lives of over one hundred people who put their faith in Jesus.
In fact, the community’s reputation completely changed! Where once there was fear, now neighboring villages were amazed to see what God is doing.
God of the unexpected miracle
Beni reflected back, “God spoke that the work in one village was done, and we should move on to this troubled village. He led, He protected us as ministers in an unexpected way, and He brought many extreme sinners, I mean, those who others had written off, to Himself. When God says something, He knows what He is saying.”
And as Beni discovered, He may surprise us with the unexpected if we obey and follow Him.
Global Disciples Canada is a Christian mission organization that trains local leaders living near least-reached communities to multiply disciples for Christ. One-third of our world hasn’t heard the Good News of Jesus. Yet. Global Disciples refers to these as “least-reached” people, and fewer than 10% of all missionaries work among these groups. We live in a time where many of these people are within reach of a local church. Through our simple and effective strategy of training and coaching, believers share the Gospel in their own nations and cultures. Jesus said, “Go and make disciples of all nations,” and we’re committed to doing just that. If you are looking for a Christian mission organization to partner with to become a better disciple and help make disciples, connect with us today!
In Psalm 40, David talks about how God has rescued him, and then he declares, “He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear the Lord and put their trust in him.”
That “new song” came to mind in a recent report from one of our Global Disciples partner training programs in Kenya.
A team of disciple-makers were sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ in several villages where alcoholism was a major problem.
They met some resistance from a retired soldier—a local drunk. He tried to chase them off but one of the disciple-makers simply asked if he could pray for the man.
The old soldier agreed—asking him to pray for his problems and especially his family.
As the disciple-makers prayed, the Holy Spirit began to work. And he was willing to hear the Good News of Jesus Christ. He even invited them to begin a Sunday school on his farm!
In another nearby village, as the disciple-makers shared the Good News of Jesus, they met a local woman, known as a drunkard and a prostitute.
When she heard of Jesus’ love and salvation, she put her faith in Him! Another life was rescued and transformed. Praise God!
Because of these changed lives, it’s just as the psalmist said—many have seen the Lord and put their trust in Him. Other people in these villages have come to faith in Jesus Christ because they saw how God changed these individuals.
The training director said, “When God changes one person, and people see it, they open their hearts to God.”
As for the new song—this former prostitute is now a bold and joy-filled singer in a new local church. And the Lord has put a new song in her mouth, and given her a new life in Jesus Christ.
This is what we want to see—the transforming work of Jesus Christ, bringing a new song of praise to many in our world today.
Global Disciples Canada is a Christian mission organization that trains local leaders living near least-reached communities to multiply disciples for Christ. One-third of our world hasn’t heard the Good News of Jesus. Yet. Global Disciples refers to these as “least-reached” people, and fewer than 10% of all missionaries work among these groups. We live in a time where many of these people are within reach of a local church. Through our simple and effective strategy of training and coaching, believers share the Gospel in their own nations and cultures. Jesus said, “Go and make disciples of all nations,” and we’re committed to doing just that. If you are looking for a Christian mission organization to partner with to become a better disciple and help make disciples, connect with us today!
The Holy Spirit often has to do some work on us before we can do the work He has for us.
As we at Global Disciples help churches around the world train and send out a new generation of disciple-makers and church planters, we also see the Holy Spirit change hearts.
Both in those being reached with the Gospel and those who experience the training.
A report from a training program in Uganda includes two such examples.
Charlie said, “Before I attended the training, I didn’t know how to approach lost people. If I found a drunkard, I would straight away tell him you are going to hell! But through this training, I learned to build a relationship with him first, and take a better approach. And now I find joy in reaching out to lost people and many of them are coming to the Lord.”
The Holy Spirit At Work
As Charlie discovered this change, Andre learned to let the Holy Spirit develop self-control.
Andre shared, “Before this training, if I became angry, I felt like exchanging blows with someone who made me angry. Now I have learned to put the old man to death and to allow the Holy Spirit to take control of my life. As a true disciple of Jesus Christ, I’ve learned to deny myself and carry my own cross.”
For both men, the personal internal change made a difference when it came time to take the Gospel out to reach into the communities. Andre explained what they saw God do.
Resistance From The Community
“We met with resistance from the community,” he explained. “They didn’t welcome us at the beginning. So we prayed and fasted for 24 hours. And out of this, God softened people’s hearts and 72 people came to Christ.”
As a result, a church has been planted. And Andre says they continue to fast and pray each month.
Plus, a new vision has been born, Andre said. “Our eyes have been opened to see beyond our local churches. Now we have a global vision and the idea is to multiply disciples who are Christ-like.”
Multiplying Christ-like disciples—that’s what we want to see. And it all begins with the Holy Spirit’s work.
Global Disciples Canada is a Christian mission organization that trains local leaders living near least-reached communities to multiply disciples for Christ. One-third of our world hasn’t heard the Good News of Jesus. Yet. Global Disciples refers to these as “least-reached” people, and fewer than 10% of all missionaries work among these groups. We live in a time where many of these people are within reach of a local church. Through our simple and effective strategy of training and coaching, believers share the Gospel in their own nations and cultures. Jesus said, “Go and make disciples of all nations,” and we’re committed to doing just that. If you are looking for a Christian mission organization to partner with to become a better disciple and help make disciples, connect with us today!