Manish was struggling to figure out how to serve God and make a living.
But in his setting in India, you work a job or you do ministry. You don’t do both. So what would he do?
Manish came from a Hindu family but his parents died when he was a child and his sister raised him. When she came to faith in Jesus, she learned about a Christian orphanage where Manish could get an education. He learned about Jesus and the Bible, came to faith, was baptized, and went on to Bible school.
Manish said, “I had all this Christian experience, yet I did not have a good personal relationship with God. And I wasn’t convinced about God’s call on my life.”
He finished Bible school, struggling and uncertain, and returned home. He heard about a local discipleship-mission training, launched with the help of Global Disciples. His pastor insisted he attends.
“It really opened my spiritual eyes,” Manish said. “I deepened my relationship with God.” Manish finished his training and outreach but then returned to his regular job.
“I was frustrated at what I should do. I thought nobody was interested in my future,” he said.
When he volunteered to help with Global Disciples training the next year, he said, “It really took me into God’s presence. I fasted and prayed. God spoke to me and His calling was clear. I left the job and joined in His work.”
Then God opened the door for Manish to take a Global Disciples small business training. He learned how ministry and business can work together to reach people with the Gospel.
This answered many questions and gave him new joy and satisfaction in fulfilling his calling.
He started a business that gives him opportunities to share the Good News of Jesus with five or six unreached areas.
Manish said, “By the grace of God and the work of the Holy Spirit, there are small groups of people starting to worship the Lord and study the Word, where there before were no believers or churches.”
Praise God, for answering Manish in his struggles and opening a way to fulfill his calling to work a job and to reach the least reached.
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!
Tripura was raised in a Hindu family in South Asia—along with his two brothers and a sister.
When he first heard the Gospel from a local pastor, Tripura put his faith in Jesus Christ. That Good News has changed his life!
His pastor connected Tripura to a local discipleship-mission training started with the help of Global Disciples.
Tripura said, “This training was very important for me to experience Jesus in my heart. And it was a wonderful privilege to share the Word of God with least-reached people.”
During outreach, Tripura was part of a team that went to share the Good News of Jesus in several villages where there was no Christian presence or knowledge of the Gospel. He was part of leading 4 people to faith in Christ and helping to baptize them.
In one village, Tripura and his team came up against a spiritual battle. He said, “We felt that an evil spirit was working there. The people worshiped idols and one girl was captive to a demonic spirit. The local witch and magician had tried to help her, but they failed.”
The pastor of the team told the girl’s family that he and Tripura and the others could pray for the girl—that in the name of Jesus, she could be set free! So, her father gave them permission to pray.
Tripura said that after praying, the girl was unconscious…and they were afraid! “But we put our faith in Jesus Christ. And after a few minutes, she woke up and asked for food. She was delivered. I thank God for that! She and her father accepted Christ—and two neighbors saw this and they also put their faith in Jesus!”
Not only has his life changed, but Tripura is now helping others find new life and spiritual freedom in Jesus Christ. He is eager to continue sharing the Good News of Jesus.
Tripura said, “Please pray for me, that God may help me to be useful in His glorious Kingdom!”
Will you pray for Tripura, and the thousands like him who are taking the message of Jesus to those who are waiting to hear it for the first time?
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!
Nagu is a young farmer in rural India, born and brought up as a Hindu.
One day, he met several followers of Christ, sent out from a Global Disciples partner program to share the Gospel.
Nagu’s heart was touched by their message and he quickly accepted Jesus Christ as His Savior.
He then invited the disciple-makers to stay in his home while they continued their outreach in the area.
Nagu’s choice to follow Jesus and host these Christians was not popular with his neighbors. They began persecuting and harassing him. They kept him from coming into the village or selling his farm produce at the market. He was forced to take it some distance to another town to sell.
Even more devastating, his access to the village water was cut off. He couldn’t get water to drink, wash, and more importantly, water his crops. But Nagu refused to give up on his faith in Jesus.
He shared this need with the young people who had first told him about Jesus and they agreed to pray that God would provide a solution to his need.
What Nagu needed was a well.
He had no money to hire a well-digging company or rent any equipment to do it himself. He would have to dig by hand. In the hard ground in his area, it’s usually 400-500 feet down before one strikes water.
By faith, Nagu started digging. He and his family prayed and dug. The disciple-makers prayed too.
At about 8 feet, Nagu hit water!
God miraculously answered his prayer. What was thought to be impossible had become a watery blessing for Nagu and his family!
The risks are still high—Nagu knows that being baptized as a follower of Jesus puts his life on the line but he’s also seen God work powerfully on behalf of those who call on Him.
Now he has a wonderful testimony to share with others still waiting to hear the Good News!
Global Disciples Canada is a Christian missions 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 talked with someone who’s so excited about what Jesus is doing that their face is glowing?
One of our Global Disciples staff shared this story from a training he attended in India.
He said, “Over lunch, I talked with Jevan, a director from near Kolkata. His face was glowing; he had just witnessed about Jesus to a boy working in the kitchen. A couple of years ago, he shared with a lady who worked in the kitchen and today she is a follower of Christ. He talked and talked about what God is doing. I watched his face—it was absolutely glowing with joy as he described what God is doing.”
One of the stories Jevan shared was how God uses their small medical clinic to reach local Hindu families. They share the Good News of Jesus as people come and wait for their medicines.
One family brought a child who’d been sick from birth. His mouth and tongue were so swollen he couldn’t eat, so the disciple-makers prayed for him in the name of Jesus. Within a week the boy was eating normally! His family now is actively sharing Christ with anyone they meet!
In another community, a woman under the control of a demon poured kerosene all over her body and set herself on fire.
Her entire body was burned, and she spent months in the hospital but there was no healing. Her husband was told to give her medications that would end her misery and her life.
Instead, he called Jevan and the disciple-makers prayed for her. Now she is healed, functioning normally, and back home with her family.
No wonder Jevan was filled with joy. It’s what we experience when God is at work. And when He invites us to be used by Him to share the Gospel, this joy will show in our lives—and on our faces!
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!
Peter is a big, burly man but tears filled his eyes as he told his story. He had been an angry, violent alcoholic and his parents-in-law had taken his wife and daughter away, fearful of what he might do to them. His life was in ruins.
Then Peter met a disciple of Jesus Christ. He discovered that Jesus could change his life in ways that his Hindu gods could not.
His family was reconciled and Peter found a fullness of life in Christ that he never imagined possible. His new church asked him to take the discipleship–mission training they had developed with Global Disciples and then commissioned him to plant a church in an unreached village.
Peter needed a way to support his family, so he also took the Small Business Development training developed by his church with the help of Global Disciples. When asked the question, “What’s in your hand?” Peter thought back to his boyhood experiences on a farm.
To support himself as a church planter and have an identity that made sense to the people in the village to which he was going, Peter developed a business plan for pesticide spraying. The guidance and support he received through his church from Global Disciples were enough to get a small loan and purchase a backpack sprayer with a small gasoline motor.
In the last several years, Peter has planted five churches in surrounding villages, building relationships through his business. He has been able to support his family and earned enough money to buy a small field to raise crops of his own. Now his face glows with delight.
Recently Peter was able to buy a second backpack sprayer, but not expand his own business. He’s giving the new sprayer to another church planter who recently completed the Global Disciples training and is now going to make disciples and plant new churches in unreached areas.
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!
Weekly we hear stories of disciple-makers who accept Jesus Christ as their Savior, despite the contradictory religious ties of their families.
That’s what many disciple-makers all over the world face, as they are given the Good News of Jesus Christ, and must share it with their families. To make matters worse, many of these disciples live in communities where respect for elders trumps religious truth, and disagreement within families can result in alienation. Here are some of their stories:
Bibek was raised in a strong orthodox Hindu family. His parents were devoted to their Hindu gods and goddesses. Discontent with his parent’s worship, Bibek sought the counsel of a Christian man in his village. After purchasing a Bible and attending Christian church services, Bibek felt compelled by the love of Jesus, and confessed his sins. He accepted the Lord’s salvation and was baptized within the same year. However, Christianity was looked down upon in his village, considered the religion of the outcast, lowly marginalized class. He kept his new faith a secret from his family for some time, but when they learned that he was a follower of Jesus Christ, they were very disappointed. Although he has tried to explain Jesus is the only way to heaven, his family continues to practice Hinduism.
Sajit attended a discipleship training where he accepted the Lord as his Savior and began worshipping Jesus Christ. Following the training, he returned to his home, where he would be the only believer. His father was the head Buddhist priest in their community, and Sajit was hated by not only his family, but his entire village. False rumors spread quickly, and people on the street would spit on Sajit as he passed by. Six months later, he attended a leadership training, and found a job in the crusade against human trafficking. Through this position, the Lord provided Sajit with a positive reputation, and relationships among law enforcement officials in his village. As a result of the Lord’s provision, he has been able to share the Gospel with the community that persecuted him, and bring many of them to Christ.
The obedience of Bibek and Sajit is inspiring, as they remain faithful to Jesus Christ despite persecution from their families. Their faith has developed an intimate relationship with Jesus Christ, and the courage to disciple in the wake of persecution.
At Global Disciples Canada our mission is to work alongside the Body of Christ to equip believers to be disciples who follow Jesus and fulfill His mission. By putting our efforts where disciple-makers will go and make disciples among people who have not yet heard the Good News of Jesus, we are fulfilling the mission Jesus gave to all His disciples to multiply “even to the ends of the earth.”
Luke 12:24 Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds!
This verse is the epitome of the Lord’s provision, explaining His desire to provide for each and every one of our earthly and spiritual needs.
Luke explains that God feeds the birds, but think about the process He uses to provide their food. The Lord does not simply sprinkle bread crumbs from the clouds, but instead uses the rest of His obedient creation.
He created trees and plant life, which grow berries and fruit for the birds. He also created humans, who harvest plant life, set out their own bird feeders, and buy French fries on the boardwalk for seagulls to steal.
If the Lord has developed such an intricate plan in order to sustain bird life, imagine the way He uses His children to sustain one another! Timely provision exercises faith and expands the Kingdom of God. The Lord invites us, as His obedient disciples to take part in providing for others.
Following discipleship training, Manoj ventured into a village in South Asia.
He encountered a Hindu woman who had suffered from a large stomach tumor for many years.
She came to Manoj and his team for prayer and after six months was admitted to the hospital for an operation to remove the growth.
She required a blood donor, but her entire family refused to help because they feared they would contract her disease. The Lord spoke to Manoj and told him that he should donate his blood. A test revealed he was a suitable donor. Manoj explained to her family that since Jesus Christ sacrificed all of His blood for their salvation, the least he could do was donate a few pints to save a life. Her surgery was successful and the woman was healed. Her entire family came to Christ, and are now serving as disciples.
Kiran leads a discipleship training center in South Asia.
One day, his chef came to him and explained that there were no more vegetables in their kitchen, and they did not have the necessary funds to purchase more. Kiran questioned, “How much money do we have?” and the chef replied, “We have enough to buy vegetables for the next three days.”
Kiran needed to feed his students for another 12 days but did not fear, for he knew the Lord would provide. He told his chef to purchase chicken for all the students today, which would exhaust their remaining funds.
The next morning there was no breakfast, but as Kiran walked to the chapel for prayer, he saw a man. He asked Kiran to hold out his hands and into them he put money. The man explained that the previous night he could not sleep well, and the Holy Spirit prompted him to prayer.
During prayer, he received word from the Lord that Kiran and his school needed money. “I want to obey God,” the man said. Later, another man arrived at the school with 10 jugs of milk. The discipleship training was able to continue as a result of the obedience of these two gracious men.
The Lord could produce resources out of thin air if He so desires, but instead, He seeks to use His disciples to provide for each other.
Sustainable provision develops our relationships with one another, as well as our relationship with the Father. Make sure you are aware of His promptings and obedient to His calls for generosity and sacrifice.
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 training and coaching strategy, 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!
“Last year, we could not train due to Covid-19 restrictions. But God’s work did not stop. It went on in ways we did not expect.”
Prior to COVID-19’s most recent devastating sweep across South Asia, Global Disciples program directors had opportunities to gather in small regional groups to pray, fellowship, and share reports on the past year. While acknowledging disappointment over discarded plans, they expressed their joy, wonder, and gratitude at the powerful hand of God.
“God’s work did not stop,” Jai said. “To have regular fellowship and evangelism, we divided our congregation into 24 house fellowships.” The money they had budgeted for training went to help church planters and many needy people in their community.
“We challenged our believers to win 300 people for Christ this year, and everyone is playing their part!” Jai said. By the end of the initial lockdowns, this local fellowship had grown to 500 believers. God is at work!
Suchi leads a small business development training which sent out 20 church planters to do ministry through business. “During the lockdown,” Suchi reported, “I lost my first-born baby and tested positive for Covid—it was a very difficult time.” Yet God was at work. One of the church planters had started a vegetable business—a business allowed to continue during lockdown. He helped many families in need, and by living out Christ-like compassion, ten people accepted Jesus! He’s planted two small fellowships.
Another church planter had a tailoring business. During lockdown, she led 12 people to Christ, and started two new fellowships. God’s work does not stop!
In a community where believers faced intense opposition and arrest, God did a wonderful work. Surya, a high-caste man from a wealthy background, saw the sign board for a local fellowship. “I feel that somebody is forcing me to come here,” he told the pastor.
Surya had lost everything, his wife was working as a housemaid, and his young son was possessed by an evil spirit. They had a temple in their home that people came to visit. “I have tried everything to get rid of these problems,” he said, “and now I come to you.”
The pastor prayed with him, and Surya accepted Jesus as his Lord and Savior. God also delivered the son from the evil spirit; Surya’s son and wife joined him as believers in Jesus and demolished the temple at their home. The pastor rejoiced, “God did this miracle in the same place where believers were persecuted!”
In these desperate days, millions in India and around the world are looking for hope, for comfort in the face of death and despair. God’s work doesn’t stop, and neither do His people.
What’s in your hands? This question has been the title of our Small Business Development (SBD) curriculum for more than 15 years. SBD training has helped disciple-makers and church planters launch several thousand small businesses in the last five years.
These small businesses give disciple-makers an identity that makes sense in a Muslim village or a Hindu neighborhood and provide support for their family. Through their businesses, at least 43,667 people have come to Christ in 1,407 newly churches planted.
Starting a business based on what’s in their hands has borne much fruit. This strategy makes sense. And the small business/church planting stories that have emerged are fascinating and inspiring.
“What’s in your hands?” is a good question for each of us to consider. Recently one of our Global Disciples Facilitators from Ecuador was sharing the perspective his church has on reaching least-reached people.
He said, “We tell the people of our church that everyone works in the mission: the knees of those who pray, the hands of those who give, and the feet of those who go. No matter what area of the mission you are involved in, either praying on your knees, opening your hands to give or moving your feet to go, it must be done sacrificially. Sacrificially pray, sacrificially go, and sacrificially give to reach the unreached people.”
What is your role in reaching the one-third of our world that has never had the opportunity to respond to the Good News of Jesus? What is in your hands? The Bible reminds us that God our Savior “wants all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:4).
It is inspiring to read stories of the early Church after Pentecost. “They were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need” (Acts 2:45). Their engagement in God’s mission began with what they had in their hands. It’s a great place for each of us to start making God’s glory known in the nations.
“I was searching for peace,” Thomas said, “but I was looking for it in things that could not provide true peace.”
Thomas belongs to a predominantly Hindu people group in North India. His family was devoted to many gods and goddesses. His mother, sisters and others in his family were often visited or influenced by the spirits. And as he said, there was no peace.
“I thought that if I earned money and became rich, I would have peace,” he said. He heard about a man who made a huge sum as a legal advocate, so Thomas decided that was the job for him. He did the training, got his license, and went to work. “Even though I was earning a lot of money,” Thomas shared, “I felt guilty, like a criminal. I began to drink, and I abused my wife and children and others around me.”
One day, Thomas saw a man talking about Jesus Christ. He stopped to listen closely and heard the story of Zacchaeus—a man who needed peace just as Thomas did. As he learned that Jesus brought peace to Zacchaeus and not the money, Thomas wanted to know more. He started a conversation with the man, Amrit, who was a church planter doing outreach through his Global Disciples partner program.
Amrit gave Thomas some literature; Thomas read it all and wanted to know more. Amrit gave him a New Testament. Thomas began to read and when he got to Matthew 11:28, he found what he was looking for: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” Thomas said, “That one verse led me to dedicate my life to Jesus and accept Him as my Lord and Saviour. I repented from my sins; I cast all my sins and my worried life onto Jesus Christ as my Saviour.”
Thomas’s life began to change; he left his quarrels and abusive language behind. He made peace with his family. His love for Jesus overflowed in his life, and he invited Amrit to share the Gospel with his large, extended family. “My family accepted Jesus as Lord and Saviour, too,” he rejoiced.
While he’s only one person, Thomas believes that with God, one is a big number. His desire now is to serve others. He shares the Gospel through his personal testimony and the Word of God with his community, and he has opened his home for a new church fellowship. Already, the one is multiplying. “We meet every Sunday evening with about 20 people eager to know more about the Bible,” Thomas said.
The man who searched for peace has found it—along with joy, and a mission in life. Thomas said, “My desire is that people would know the truth and get salvation through Jesus. I want to win souls in my area and community for Jesus!”
Global Disciples Canada 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 make disciples, connect with us today!