Leaving for Nepal – Developing Christian Youth Leaders in Nepal
January 25, 2012 | 
Author 
Chris Davis, Larry Lemaster and Wendell Anderson (left to right), prepare for their mission to Nepal.
On Thursday, January 26th, our team of Larry Lemaster, Wendell Anderson and Chris Davis (myself) will begin our mission journey to Nepal. We have some great opportunities in front of us to impact thousands of youth for Christ through up to 100 youth ministry leaders that we will be training and pastoring during our 12 day trip.
We will do three youth leadership trainings (Level 1, Level 2 and Level 3). Part of our training team will be Jomesh Tamang and Koshil Thangsha (Nepal based staff for Global Youth Ministry Network-Nepal). By the end of these three trainings leaders will be encouraged and will have a one-yer strategic plan for their ministry. In addition, several local new trainers will be developed to assist the Nepal based training team. Developing additional trainers will enable 100′s and eventually 1000′s of youth leaders to be discipled in the years to come, not just in Nepal, but in India, Bangladesh and other regional locations.
Most of these countries have a very low percentage of Christians (1 to 3%), which means the development of local leaders is the key to the future growth of His church there!
In addition to the above, Wendell will be leading two “God on Money” seminars and we will be distributing soccer equipment for our daughter ministry, Soccer Kicks 4 Kids. The equipment will be used by youth ministries in Nepal as tools to reach youth for the sake of Christ!
Thank you for praying for us as we travel and train for the sake of Christ! (Prayers for our families remaining home would also be appreciated). We hope to be able to keep you posted once we arrive there (electricity is very erratic, so we will do our best). Follow us on FaceBook, Twitter and through our Feed (all available from our website www.global-youth.com). If you are to support, we have some additional funding needs still to be covered for this trip. (Funding cane done via online (PayPal) or contacting our office 419.756.4433).
FaceBook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Global-Youth-Ministry-Network-International/113884545343551)
Chris Davis (on behalf of the training teams).
Global Youth Ministry Network
Posted in 
How Was Your Year?
As we together have closed out one year and begun a new one, it is helpful to reflect on the past year. I know when I ask the question, “How was your year?”, it may garner a widely varied response. Some of us have faced the loss of a loved one or seen others dear to us face this loss. Some of us have lost a job, faced struggles financially or had difficult relational issues. On the other hand some have had great reasons to celebrate this past year with the birth of a child, weddings, new jobs or new endeavors in our life.
Training incredible youth leaders in Nepal.
As I consider the past year, it has had some incredible joys for us as a family and a ministry. On the other hand we have been hit with losses through some Christian families that surround us. These losses, though tragic and difficult at the time, have allowed (ok…forced) me to put my eyes even more on the eternal and less on the temporary of this life. Sure we may even have things to rejoice about, but the reality is that even most of these good things could be gone by this time next year. Life is interesting as we do not know for sure what tomorrow or next year brings to each of us.
I am so glad that we do have assurance that we can stand on through Christ. As I look back over the past year my eyes (and I hope yours) can reflect on the eternal things versus the positive or negative temporal things. This is the source of hope that we as believers can stand
upon whether in the sunshine or in the rain. We have hope in Christ that He is ours and we are His. We have hope that He will never leave us or forsake us. We have hope that one day we will be with Him where there is no more death and dying. Where there will be no more tears from sorrow. There are several ways that help me to keep my eyes on the eternal that may help you as well.
First, the Word of God keeps things in perspective for me. God’s heart is the eternal. In fact, He even shapes what we see as the temporary in this life to meet the eternal impact of His great plans! His Word keeps us calibrated upon the eternal and allows us even to see the temporal in light of the eternal plans. Secondly, by seeing His plans work out through others across the world. This helps me stay focused on what rally matters, the eternal souls of people around the globe. When I reflect on the impact that I see missionaries having around the globe it keeps my eyes on what really matters. Maybe I can help you (and myself) here by reflecting together on the impact we together have seen globally through Global Youth Ministry Network in 2011.
God’s faithfulness through this year is extremely evident as we reflect on this past ministry year and the eternal work that we get to do together as seen in here in this chart.
I am looking forward to two things as I approach 2012. First, to see how God wants to continue to work with us around the globe to impact the millions of young people who are yet to know Him through the leaders we train. Secondly, I am looking forward to having my eyes set more often on the eternal in 2012. I desire to keep my eyes set on Him, the author and finisher of my faith, so that I may more fully enjoy Him and long more and more to be with Him both here now and for eternity!
Passionate youth leaders in Nepal worship.
Maybe the above would be two areas that could assist you and I both in keeping our eyes set on the eternal in 2012. Thank you for being eternally focused in 2011 by supporting GYMN and it’s wonderful group of staff and volunteers around the globe.
- Over 700 Christian youth ministry leaders were trained.
- Leaders from 5 different countries were impacted from 3 different continents.
- Over 14,000 youth impacted from this years trained leaders alone.
- The GYMN – Nepal office was fully established and showed incredible ministry growth.
- Ministry in Africa was re-established at a lower cost and higher impact.
- New staff integrated into the Philippines, Asia office.
- We saw the completion of the first “Heart of the Leader” ministry to pastors and leaders.
- We completed our first online training (pilot project).
- Over $1000 per month was committed in additional support for GYMN for 2012 (still need additional $3500 to meet our vision and needs goal).
- An incredible celebration event was held in Mansfield, Ohio for GYMN’s 15th Anniversary.
Involved as friends of Christ
YMCA football team (Levi is 4th from the right, me (Chris) in the back))
One of the keys in Christian ministry and for the church of the 21st century to continue to grow globally is based on one word-involvement. I had some recent dealings with involvement myself recently. This fall, Penny (my wife) and I signed our son, Levi, up to play flag football at our local YMCA. Just like all youth sports programs they had a box to check if the parent(s) wanted to coach, assist in coaching, etc… Being a caring father and one who likes to coach and teach, I marked the box to assist (knowing I may not be available for all of the games, etc…).
As the parents meeting finished the league was holding a separate meeting for coaches and assistants. I was thinking, “well this will be good to meet the coach and see how I can be involved”. Well, you probably know what is coming…right? They gathered the coaches and handed out the rosters. As I looked on the sheet I noticed that I was listed as “THE coach”. I sat as patiently as possible through the meeting details. Afterward, I approached the league leader to see if there was a misprint. He said there were not enough coaches. I knew what that meant. I would either coach or there would not be a team for some great kids that wanted to play. I needed to step up and be involved. Mind you, I have never coached football nor did I ever play organized football. But, involvement was more important even than my lack of experience at this point.
Team work taught at young age- everybody is in.
We are now into the fourth week of the 4 through 7 year old flag football (chase the boy with the ball) league. They also want to be involved. After just one week together, on their own, they huddle and put their hands in and yell out “Go Badgers”. At their second game all six of the boys scored either a touchdown or an extra point! Sure there are some kids who are faster, some who can pass, some who can catch and some who cannot. But, they were all equally involved in something bigger than themselves.
In the team based ministry of Global Youth Ministry Network, involvement is the key. I could be the “ball hog” and just do trainings myself or even some of our highly gifted staff could do that as well. But we continually involve others. We seek out those who can take our place and lead trainings. We want involvement. As dear young leaders learn Christ-like principles for youth ministry the real “learning” comes in the doing, in being involved, involved in their local church and involved in training others. I love how involving them to train others makes a huge impact.
Jomesh in Beni, Nepal Level 2 training (far left second row and one of his training sons in the faith, Michael—far right second row).
Another by-product of continuing involvement is that as they stand to teach they are reminded of the principles again and again in their own life and ministry. It is like the saying that when we point a finger at others more fingers are pointing back at us. They are teaching and learning due to their involvement.
Involvement by everyone is so important for this ministry to move forward. You, as supporters and partners with this ministry are given the opportunity for involvement. You get to support us financially which enables us to involve more leaders who reach more and more youth for Christ in places you and I may never see or get to go to.
I am reminded of the words of Jesus when He spoke to His disciples in John 15:15-16a “No longer do I call you slaves, for the slave does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose Me, but I chose you, and appointed you, that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain….” .
We get to be involved as the very friends of Jesus and of His global works! – Chris Davis
Next Steps in Nepal
One of the favorite tourist things to do in Nepal is go trekking (hiking/mountain climbing). Trekking means you take a lot of steps from one level to the next in order to reach the destination you intended.
I am so excited to say how proud I am of the GYMN-Nepal team here. We have staff and volunteer trainers all working together to equip youth ministry leaders here.
I am finishing up my trip here where we completed a time of training 10 additional minister/trainers to go out and further develop youth groups aroundd Nepal! In addtion, we had a great Level 1 training in the capital city of Kathmandu. Here there are some very talented, intelligient and gifted leaders who will impact Nepal and other countries for generations to come! Here below are a few quotes from youth leaders in Nepal:
The ministry should not be our God but his love compels to do the work of His to disciple others-Suraj Basnet
Before this seminar I had no plan on how to run youth ministry, but I experience that now onwards I can run my ministry smoothly and can improve on my mistakes. – Rabindra Shahi
Thank you for supporting us in this ministry. More details and pictures to follow when I return (and have faster internet).
Incredible Nepal!
Incredible youth ministry leaders gathered in Kathmandu, Nepal to hear about how to develop their ministry in a way that follows in the footsteps of Christ. Enjoy the great people and presence of Christ that you see here!
If you are led to support us as we serve these leaders send support to the address on the site or use PayPal option here.
- Youth Ministry and the Local ChurchA cord of three strands is not easily broken. One of the strands that makes youth ministry strong has to do with the church. By church, I refer in this article specifically to the local church—the group of believers that meet in a particular geographic location which the youth ministry springs from. Here’s what I […]
- Training in Cagayan de OroWe have a youth ministry training in Cagayan de Oro City, Philippines on the Saturdays of November 19, 26 and December 3. […]
- Uniforms to NepalCounted uniforms for our upcoming shipment to Nepal. We're excited for them to be on their way! […]