Click here or on the Video Below for a Short Recap of CCI’s 20 Years of Ministry

Celebrating 20 Years of Bearing Fruit

How God has used His Word to equip leaders and strengthen churches worldwide

Greetings!

This October marks 20 years since Crossing Cultures International became an official organization. For two decades, we have watched God's Word bear fruit around the world. When believers are equipped to understand, apply, and teach the Bible, disciples grow, churches are strengthened, and the gospel reaches new communities.

Looking back, I am reminded that every class, graduate, teacher, and changed life reflects God's grace. He has opened doors, raised up leaders, and produced lasting fruit through His Word. Many of you have been part of this story through your prayers and generosity, and I am deeply grateful.

Teaching ministry leaders in the Philippines during the early years of the work

Where the Story Began

The roots of CCI's ministry reach back more than 40 years to the Philippines. While learning the Cebuano language and Filipino culture, I became convinced of the need to equip and multiply pastors and ministry leaders. I watched people learn practical skills by working beside someone more experienced. I saw the same pattern in Jesus' ministry as He prepared His disciples while they lived and served together.

In November 1987, my family and I moved to Guindulman, a rural town in Bohol Province. I began three evangelistic Bible studies, teaching the story of Scripture from Genesis through the life of Christ. In that first church, three men, Nestor, Berting, and Jose, began learning and serving alongside me. They were the first three men I trained, and within nine months, the three Bible studies had multiplied to more than 20. Another Nestor joined our team a few months later.

The first men I began discipling and serving with

As these men matured spiritually, I entrusted them with greater responsibility and trained them to study and preach the Bible, understand Bible doctrine, and teach others. The work was more than a Bible study or ministry course. I walked alongside them, shared life with them, and watched them grow in faith and leadership.

In 1989, while returning from a pastors' conference with these men, I prayed that the Lord would allow me to spend the rest of my life equipping ministry leaders. On the journey home, our Honda 125cc motorcycle narrowly avoided a collision. At that moment, I sensed that God would answer my prayer and use my life to equip others. But I never dreamed of how God might do this. Now I look back with incredible gratitude to God for His grace and to you for your partnership in prayer and finances.

Several years later, God led me to the Bible Training Centre for Pastors (BTCP) training materials. By 1999, seven classes were training approximately 60 people in the Philippines. In 2001, the work began to expand into other countries across Asia. Henry and Max began serving alongside me in 2001, and Jun joined us in 2002. They were part of the ministry during my years with BTCP and helped carry forward the work of equipping leaders as it expanded.

With the blessing of Bible Training Centre for Pastors, I organized Crossing Cultures International in late 2005. On October 16, 2006, CCI was officially incorporated in Brandon, Florida.

What began with three Bible studies and a commitment to equipping local leaders became the foundation for a ministry that continues to develop faithful leaders today.

God has Multiplied the Work

The ministry that preceded CCI laid the foundation for what God is doing today. Through 2026, CCI is serving in 48 countries and among more than 185 people groups, with 964 classes training 11,476 students. Since the beginning, we have trained 34,849 leaders.

These numbers represent far more than growth. Each one represents a leader better prepared to teach the Bible, a church strengthened through God's Word, or a community gaining greater access to the gospel. This is what it means to bear fruit: believers receive God's Word, live it out, and share it with others.

Equip: Rooted in God's Word

CCI training does more than transfer knowledge. It helps leaders understand and apply God's Word in their families, churches, and ministries. A CCI graduate from Nepal shared:

"The lessons on church management in Book #7 were the most powerful and meaningful to me. They gave me the knowledge and skills to better organize and manage my family, ministry, and church. The most important lesson I learned was that unless my own family is organized and well managed, I can't effectively manage my church and ministry. Since I began applying this teaching to my family and ministry, I have seen much fruit from it."

Empower: Prepared to Serve

As leaders grow, they are prepared to equip others. Pastor Leo Candole recently conducted a Teacher Training Workshop in Ajuy, Iloilo, Philippines. One participant, Pastor Charlie Parreño, shared:

"Praise God that I became a partner of CCI. I enjoyed the workshop and was blessed to be part of a team not only in discipling but also in equipping leaders and pastors in Northern Iloilo. CCI materials have become a blessing for us as a Bible Institute. We can use the CCI curriculum as our guide and platform in our Bible Institute. Looking forward to great results in our endeavor for God's Glory."

Evangelize: Ongoing Gospel Impact

Training is not meant to stop with one leader. Arobi Obert Narina, a CCI student from Eastern Highlands Province in Papua New Guinea, shared:

" I am grateful to the Lord for saving me. I come from one of the most remote parts of Eastern Highlands Province in Papua New Guinea. My people are being led astray by false doctrines and the teachings of many different churches and cults. We also do not have a church in our village. I am praying that after completing my classes, I will return to my village to reach the people of Marawaka with the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ and plant a local church." 

Faithful Stewards for the Future

Twenty years of ministry give us much to celebrate. It also reminds us of the responsibility God has entrusted to us. Many pastors and ministry leaders around the world still serve without the biblical training they need. We cannot produce spiritual fruit by our own strength. We are called to remain faithful to what God has called us to do, handle His Word with care, and trust Him to bring the growth.

We look forward to the future with anticipation. Over 3 billion people in the 10/40 window have little to no access to the gospel. Our vision is to train people near them to reach them. The prosperity gospel, which is no gospel at all, is spreading throughout Africa. We need to act now.

Will you prayerfully consider helping equip the next generation of ministry leaders? Your support provides training materials, prepares local teachers, sustains ministry coordinators, and brings biblical training to communities with few opportunities to receive it.

Give today to the Equip, Empower, and Evangelize Fund and support coordinators reaching unreached areas at http://weblink.donorperfect.com/Coordinators.

Prayer Focus

• Thank God for 20 years of faithfulness, provision, and transformed lives.
• Pray that CCI's leaders, teachers, and coordinators will serve with endurance, wisdom, humility, and faithfulness.
• Ask God to deepen current students in His Word and prepare them to equip others.
• Pray that graduates will remain rooted in God's Word and that the gospel will advance through local churches.
• Ask God to provide the people and resources needed to bring training to communities with limited access.

Thank You for Helping Bear Fruit

Thank you for the many ways you have prayed, given, encouraged, and served alongside CCI. God has used your partnership to equip leaders and strengthen churches worldwide.

As we celebrate 20 years, I give all glory to God for what He has done and trust Him for what lies ahead. May His Word continue to spread through faithful leaders who will teach others for generations to come.

Grace and Peace,

Dr. David and Mindy Nelson

Chief Steward and Servant

Crossing Cultures International

We partner with Crown Financial Ministries, a global ministry that helps people apply biblical stewardship principles to their finances, work, and lives, to bring biblical stewardship training to our students.

We’re honored to be named Crown’s 2026 Crown Solutions Partner of the Year. Through Crown’s curriculum, we’re equipping pastors and ministry leaders in 46+ countries to build self-sustaining ministries and make disciples. We celebrate our faithful leaders worldwide. To God be the glory! 

Click here or below to watch as we receive this honor!

Thank You!

For helping bring relief to Nepal

Thank you for helping CCI Nepal respond to families affected by the devastating flooding. Because of your generosity, we have been able to provide practical care and encouragement to children and families who have experienced tremendous loss.

Our National Director recently traveled nearly eight hours to reach one affected community, where he spent time with families and personally distributed gift bags to children. He shared how meaningful it was to see their excitement and smiles, even amid grief.

Now, as families begin looking toward the future, CCI Nepal is preparing to address a much greater need. A local pastor hopes to build 20 homes for church members who lost their homes in the disaster. Each home is expected to cost approximately $2,800. To donate to this effort, click the button below and annotate in the gift note, "Nepal Homes."

October Edition CCI Equipping and Multiplying News

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