SPRING 2021
Reaching the least-reached, 'til the whole world knows
Global Disciples
“We didn’t know Jesus was the one to save us. Knowing that He forgives is like coming out of darkness into light!”
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Who First Told You About Jesus? Who first told you about Jesus? How did you hear about Him in a way that made sense to you… and led you to respond? In North America, we have thousands of opportunities a day to hear about Jesus. Pat heard the good news of Jesus as teenager from a youth counselor. Annie found Jesus Christ through a radio broadcast. Like many, Steve learned about Jesus from his mom and dad. Jerry heard the Gospel from the beginning—in church at three days old!
Tefe was a university student searching for peace and coming up empty. He asked his roommate who didn’t know either but introduced Tefe to a friend—a believer who explained how Jesus gives life and hope and peace. When Tefe accepted Christ, he realized the Holy Spirit had been working in his life to prepare him. Is the Spirit sending someone your way who needs your story? Someone like Mazi. A young musician from Cameroon, Mazi was living in France and enjoying great success with his music but he felt lost and empty inside. In despair, he planned to kill his wife and then commit suicide. First, he went for a walk.
On the other hand, Ebo was nearly 100 years old. He lived his long life in a community along the Somali border where there was no witness for A third of our world is still Jesus Christ—until Aman A stranger approached and disciple-makers from waiting for an opportunity Mazi and asked, “Do you a Global Disciples partner know Jesus? If you did, to hear about Jesus, program came to visit. you wouldn’t plan to His love and salvation. They met Ebo at a well, commit suicide.” Stunned, and in conversation introMazi began to weep, duced him to Jesus Christ. confessing his sins and fears; the stranger shared “Where did you hide this good news?” Ebo cried as he accepted Jesus. In joy, he invited the whole community to evening coffee, declaring his new faith in Christ and encouraging them to believe the Good News. And they did!
the Gospel and led him to Jesus.
Sometimes people hear the name of Jesus but without understanding He is the Savior. During an outreach in Myanmar, several people told the disciples, “We believed we would go to hell because of our sins, but we didn’t know Jesus was the one to save us. Knowing that He forgives is like coming out of darkness into light!”
A third of our world is still waiting for an opportunity to hear about Jesus, his love and salvation. As Global Disciples, we equip people to create those opportunities. You can too: Who first told you about Jesus? Go to globaldisciples.org/withinreach and join our near-culture brothers and sisters as they tell their stories around the world.
This conversation not only saved his life but transformed it. Mazi returned to Cameroon, empowered by the Holy Spirit to use his gifts to open the door for others to know Jesus.
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Raising Up Jesus’ Mighty Men and Women “These are the leaders of David’s mighty warriors. Together with all Israel, they decided to make David their king, just as the Lord had promised concerning Israel” (1 Chronicles 11:10).
For twenty-five years, Global Disciples has equipped men and women to be disciples of Jesus who make disciples and leaders who lead like Jesus in churches, business, and daily life.
God is going to accomplish a great work among While our staff team grew rapidly in recent years, the nations, and He is raising up ‘mighty men we were relying on only a small team of trainers and women’ to do great exploits for Him. Just and specialists certified to lead our training as David raised up leaders events. This limited how among his mighty warriors quickly we could respond The Church needs to serve God’s purpose in his to requests from churches generation, Global Disciples and new frontiers. mighty men and is committed to raise, equip, women who walk in The travel limitations of and commission leaders of 2020 gave us time and intimacy with Jesus and leaders to fulfill the Great space to invest in virtual Commission. are committed to trainings to certify our One of Global Disciples’ core local and regional staff to making Him known values is “Trusting Relationteach and equip directors among the Nations. ships.” David’s mighty men in discipleship-mission, reflected this in their loyalty, leadership, and small courage, initiative, commitment, and diligence to business development. Now at least 82 of our the shared vision. David had proven himself and staff are certified to teach one or more training his calling to serve God’s agenda. His warriors fol- phases. It was a season to multiply these leaders lowed him without question because they knew for the harvest. he loved and trusted them and would help them. What a godly excitement as we see Jesus’ mighty They depended on the Lord’s unlimited power men and women identified, equipped, and comand strength to win their battles. missioned to go out to share passionately about The ‘mighty’ man or woman knows that might Him! We are thankful for the people God has and power comes from God and not their own entrusted to Global Disciples for His glory and for experience, resources, or strength. The Church the sake of over two billion people still waiting for needs mighty men and women who walk in the Good News of Jesus. intimacy with Jesus and are committed to —John Mutisya, VP for Southern and Eastern Africa making Him known among the Nations.
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LEADERSHIP
Global Facilitators certified to equip local trainers Global Disciples 5
25 Years: Why It's Working In early January 1996, I walked in the door of a 10’ by 14’ room that was our first Global Disciples office. God had given me a vision, confirmed by other leaders. And four, soon to be five, of those leaders directed discipleship-mission training programs and had agreed to join our alliance. Their vision and passion were clear: To respond to the requests to make it possible for churches in Africa, Asia, and Latin America to equip and send their own disciple-makers—especially among unreached people. These charter members of the Global Disciples Alliance were committed to: • share freely any materials they developed, • fast and pray for each other one day a month, • invest in mentoring new program directors, • gather with all directors in the Alliance each year, • give 2% or more of their budget to multiply others. Today 25 years later, those five training programs in three countries have multiplied into 1,979 training programs in 62 countries, equipping local believers in discipleship-mission, small business development, and leadership. And each one makes those five commitments. We celebrate that in the last dozen years, we have seen 425,807 people come to faith in Christ and actively engage in 19,679 new fellowships. Most of those in least-reached areas. We are humbled Thanks to our Annual Sponsors 6 Global Disciples
and grateful; this is all for God’s glory! The secret of this fruitfulness, I believe, is in those five initial commitments, now expressed in so many wonderful, life-transforming ways. We share freely and strategically all that God has entrusted to us. We collaborate, not compete. We want all we do to be conceived, birthed, and carried out in prayer. Fasting and prayer to seek the heart and direction of our Heavenly Father is our passion. Global Staff 1997
We invest in the lives of others, seeking to model the way of Jesus, as our way of life. It’s about being real, humble, bold, and authentic as we mentor.
It’s so much about relationships. Without the unity of the Spirit, Global Disciples wouldn’t work. Our goal everywhere is to serve and empower others. Finally, as God is generous with us, we seek to be generous with others. Not to develop dependency but to multiply through healthy local sustainability and obeying Jesus! We praise the Lord for this, and say with Isaiah, “Lord, you establish peace for us; all that we have accomplished you have done for us.”
Galen Burkholder, President/CEO Global Disciples
Over the last three years, Global Disciples activity in Latin America has grown from 38 programs in six countries to 72 in 13 countries.
Welcome Amy Figueroa joined Global Disciples in February 2021, as Communications Production Assistant. She grew up in central Maryland and later, Hawaii, while spending holidays with family in Puerto Rico. At a young age, Amy fell in love with creative media and its ability to be utilized as a powerful tool for spreading the Gospel.
After graduating from Hanalani Schools in Mililani, O’ahu, she earned a degree in Cinematic Arts from Liberty University and released her premiere short film, Keepsake. Amy is excited about her new position, saying, “I am so thankful and humbled to have been given the opportunity to channel my passion and skills into work that is so eternally meaningful.”
Join us for our virtual events Tuesday, April 20 and Sunday, April 25 Register now at GlobalDisciples.org/Events
Call or text 717-733-8985
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R eaching t he le ast-re ache d, ' t il t he whole wo r l d k nows
Join our virtual events April 20, and April 25. Register now at GlobalDisciples.org/Events
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Gifts of $1,000 or more, or $85 per month, given by June 30, 2021, will be matched. matched.
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