In 2018, I was invited to a retreat with the leaders of five international youth ministry organizations who had recently joined together to create the Global Youth Coalition. This coalition was created with the intended purpose of working in collaboration with each other to reach the 2.3 billion young people between the ages of 9 and 29 in our world who do not know Jesus as Savior and King (read about the start of GYC here).
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GLOBAL • YOUTH • COALITION |
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At the time of the retreat, I had just recently joined the staff at Reach Out Youth Solutions. I remember feeling humbled as I sat at the table with five modern day heroes of youth ministry. While I observed the interactions between Benny Profit (First Priority Global), Chris Davis (globalLead), Barry St. Clair (Reach Out Youth Solutions), Roger Glidewell (Global Youth Ministry), and Randy Smith (Youth Ministry International), I was impressed by their commitment to work together selflessly and share with each other sacrificially toward a common goal. And it certainly seemed as if this newly formed team had the best of intentions. |
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Intentions. Being intentional is a healthy trait for any person or organization, unless you never follow through with what you intend to do. Fast forward four years and 16 meetings later. For the Global Youth Coalition, intentionality has turned into reality.
Fellowshipping around ideas has turned into finely tuned execution.
Here are a few examples of where God has taken this incredible endeavor:
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All five organizations are currently involved in a two-year youth leader training event involving 28 key youth leaders across the country of India, representing 6 different denominations. This week, I hosted a Zoom conference call with these Indian youth leaders, teaching them the 6 essential characteristics found in Jesus-Focused Youth Ministry. Over the next six months, these leaders will be involved in a pilot program, as they complete our newly launched online training platform. And then in February of 2022, Reach Out will travel to India where we will work with these leaders as they seek to implement and multiply what they learned during our online experience. As a result of the Global Youth Coalition, Reach Out (and the other four founding organizations) are now involved in training youth leaders in the second largest country of the world (1.39 billion people)! |
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Kenyan Global Youth Coalition |
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Following our JFYM Online filming in Kenya in the summer of 2019, the Kenyan Youth Coalition was formed consisting of Kenyan indigenous youth leaders representing each of the five Global Youth Coalition organizations. They strategically mapped the 8 provinces and 47 counties of Kenya and are systematically working together to make certain that youth leaders in every county of every province have access to youth leader training in evangelism and discipleship. |
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One practical example of this effort occurred this month, when Reach Out Youth Leaders Mark Juma and Isaac Okoth hosted a first ever youth leader training event on Mfangano Island (population 16,000). The people of Mfangano fish the waters of Lake Victoria, live in homes without electricity, and are ravaged by HIV (30% of the island population are infected). Sixty-eight people came to the meeting, primarily because they have great concerns about the younger generation living on the island. Many of those who attended were not believers, yet during the training, after hearing the Gospel presented, they accepted Jesus as Savior that day! |
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There is a growing list of countries who are starting their own Youth Coalition. Leaders from various denominations are working together. Organizations that had previously worked autonomously are now connecting in collaborative efforts. The result is that youth leaders and parents around the world are being resourced to help evangelize and disciple the younger generation living in their countries.
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Tanzania Country Leader and Tanzania Global Youth Coalition leader,
Nyumba Kiyumbi, and family
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Romans 15:5 says, “May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had, so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” In a nutshell, when the Body of Christ is unified, God is exalted…and those who need salvation are pointed to Jesus!
Thank you for supporting Reach Out as we continue to reach the younger generation with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. And we invite you to continue praying for us and for our strategic partners in the GYC (First Priority Global, globalLead, Global Youth Ministry, Youth Ministry International), as we work together in reducing the 2.3 billion young people in our world who still need Jesus.
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If you are interested in partnering with us financially to bring Jesus-Focused Youth Ministry to under-resourced villages, towns, and cities in the US and around the world, just click the donate button below and you’ll be connected to our website for more information on how to give. |
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