October
11-14 in Quito, Ecuador
Almost
18 months ago we began to dream about…and talk about… how
do we respond to the growing needs around the WORLD in Youth ministry.
Over 2 Billion teenagers on the planet right now…how do we reach
them with the good news of Jesus? Well…that is a big task…a
God sized task…one bigger than us…bigger than we can do…but
we wanted to take a shot at it…to do something to promote this
challenge. So after some praying, planning, dreaming, and strategizing….we
decided to hold a conference in Quito. A conference that in some way
would bring together different groups of people…..International
Youth Ministry Leaders…North American Youth workers …and
Latin American Youth Workers…and ask God to challenge them to
consider the Global kingdom of God…to Educate them to know a little
bit more about the Global kingdom …to rub off on each other …Expose
them to each other…and Challenge them to work together as God
leads them. We knew we were not going to “hit it all”…or
solve the Global challenges… but this was our part…and ultimately
obedience to what we believe God is calling us to do…and be…Globally
aware and involved followers of Christ.
We
sent out invitations…emails…printed up promotional cards…contacted
churches and key partners and began to advertise this conference…we
called it “Global Youth workers Conference”…confusing
for some…and clear for others…we even created a website…which
we titled globalyouthworkersconference.com (it is still up if you want
to look at it!).
And
we prayed..and asked God to use this event..bless this event…and
more importantly multiply lives, hearts, souls and minds for the kingdom.
This
update is my attempt to capture some of what happened at this crucial
event…..we held it in Quito October 11-14…some came in early..some
stayed late…
GYWC
began on Thursday, October 11 as we gathered at Hotel Quito and met
each other…we learned each other’s names…and where
we had come from…over the course of our time together we met and
were exposed to people and ministries from 20 different countries …we
began to meet people and hear about and interact with Youth workers
from South Africa, Chile, Ecuador, Peru, Costa Rica, Norway, Germany,
New Zealand, United States, Canada, Mexico, Russia, The Phillipines,
Malawi, Cuba, Columbia, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Honduras, El Salvador,
and the Dominican Republic. What an incredible time together.
We
began with some introductions…some time in the Word of God…
and some worship together.
This
is me… with God’s Word and my mouth both open….I had
the privilege of leading our times together and acting as our facilitator
and “keep it moving guy”…at times this proved challenging
with a bunch of youth workers from all over the world…
Moises
Navarro was our Worship leader for this conference. Moi as
he is known has been playing with his band also called ‘MOI”
for the last 6 years. He is the son of Mexican parents that have worked
with Migrant workers in Los Angeles. He grew up as a missionary’s
kid and has a tremendous heart for Jesus and for the world. Moi and
I met at Hume Lake Christian Camp in California when he was playing
up there with his band. His passionate love for Christ and his ability
to lead bilingual worship immediately bonded us together. We have since
had the privilege of working together several times and I love these
times!
MOI
leading worship in front of the Ecuadorian, Chilean and Peruvian flags…kind
of fun to think about Revelation 7..when someday in Heaven we will Praise
God together with people from “every tribe, and every tongue,
and every nation “
Aaron
Arnold from Chile lifts his hands in worship to our mighty
God!
After
our opening time of meeting and asking God to move mightily in our midst
we dove into hearing what was happening around the world in and through
Youth Ministry. We heard passionate and stirring reports, we listened,
we asked questions, and we spent time praying for each ministry and
movement of God.
Whynant
Duvenhage flew over 24 hours to come and join us from Cape
Town, South Africa. Imagine flying Cape Town-johannesburg-Buenos Aires-Lima-Quito…he
was one tired boy when I picked him up at the airport! Why shared with
us the amazing things happening in South Africa in and through his ministry
called JUBULANI…which means “Rejoice “. As a former
police officer for 20 years he was able to see first-hand the needs
of young people everywhere…and after God’s miraculous call
upon his life he and his son and a small team are reaching out in Jesus
name through camping ministry all over South Africa. What a joy to celebrate
people coming to Christ and being reconciled to each other in this needy
country.
A
group of us praying for Why and asking God to pour him out in Jesus
name for Africa!
Jerry
and Barb Manderfield have served God in Medellin, Colombia
for the last 11 years…God called them from Iowa to Columbia to
do youth ministry. God has used them mightily! They have a youth ministry
at their church of over 1000 students…over 200 student led cell
groups. My favorite Jerry and Barb quote is….”Columbia is
linked in everyone’s minds for drugs and violence…but someday,
Columbia will be known as the place where God caused the biggest revival
in history for Jesus Christ”…WOW…I get al excited
just thinking about these 2 warriors for Christ. They have lived, loved,
done ministry and raised their family in a place most people would not
even consider. What a privilege to hear their story!
You
can read more at . http://www.fepaisa. com/
Joel
Van Dyke is a Philadelphia boy that God has called to serve
“the Least , the Last, and the Lost “ in Central America.
Joel does strategic and transformational training among gang leaders
and the poor in Honduras, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Dominican Republic,
and El Salvador. He regularly is in prisons working with gangs that
nobody wants to touch. His work with ‘marginalized” people
is incredible. Many people that the average person forgets about are
Joel’s passion. Joel shared with us Psalms 137:4…”how
can we learn to sing the songs of the Lord while in a foreign land?”
Joel is leadibng others in singing songs of praise to God while in a
foreign land.
Joel
sharing some pictures of reconciled leaders to Jesus and to each other
in Nicaragua. Former gang members from rival gangs serving Christ side
by side! You
can learn more about Joel’s ministry at www.estrategiadetranformacion.com
Rich
Brown shared with us the ministry that God has called him and
his wife Lisa into in Peru. In the midst of Youth Ministry in Trujillo
and Lima…God used Rich and Lisa to lead their young people and
church into the local Garbage dump to love in Jesus name. Rich shared
of the power of change in and through the lives of believers and young
people in Peru. You can learn more about Rich and Lisa Brown at www.IncaLink.org
We
celebrated as we heard reports from other countries….What God
is doing in Russia through Lance Corley…and what God is doing
in Cuba through Pancho…and how God is using Joshua in the Phillipines….Rico
and Miriam in Germany….Cameron in Ecuador…Aaron Arnold in
Chile….What a time we had together…lots of information…maybe
even to overload levels…but I think we were all left with an overwhelming
sense of WOW….what a privilege to hear this and be a part of the
global kindom of God. Great things are happening…and there are
still trememdous amounts to be done….every session ended with
prayer..asking God to “Raise up workers for the Harvest”
Some
of those workers were sitting in the very room we were in…..
Will
is from Northern California…he currently teaches school, but has
been sensing God’s call on his life to get involved on a Global
scale. Sitting over dinner with Joel Van Dyke connections started to
be made….Will is Lord willing going to go and spend a year side
by side with Joel in Guatemala.
Bobby
is a Youth pastor in San Diego…he came asking God for confirmation
of a call to serve outside the USA. Bobby shared with me later….”
I am not sure what I am waiting for…God has made it abundantly
clear that He is calling me…he will provide for me and my wife….and
Lord willing we are going to serve him as full time missionaries”
Jenny
is from Michigan. While in High School she went on a short
term mission trip to Ecuador. While on that short term experience she
told God…”this is what I want to do with my life”.
5 years later…having graduated from college she was back and asking
God to use her however he sees fit! Jenny later shared that “those
4 days of the GYWC was a wrestling match of emotions…and God is
calling me to fulfill what He started when I was in high school.”
Lord willing Jenny will go to International Teams training in January
and begin raising support to serve God overseas.
Others
like Tony and Rory….both Youth pastors in the
USA are committed to going back and challenging their youth groups and
churches to be Globally connected and involved. It is not always God’s
call on us to “pack up and go”…sometimes it is to
stay and make a difference right where you are…to pray, to share
what God has blessed you with…to mobilize fellow Christians into
ministry!
Sometimes
it is people like Terry who came from Bethel College to GYWC. Terry
teaches youth ministry and has the opportunity as Dean of Bethel to
impact many students, teachers and faculty to be global Christians!
The
last part of the conference was equally impacting…after hearing
about what God is doing around the world through our brothers and sisters…we
picked up our group and participated in Global Youth ministry by going
to our national convention of Ecuadorian youth workers. Our GYWC participants
were now some of our teachers, seminar leaders, and fellow learners
with our Ecuadorian brothers and sisters….our group gathered with
175 Ecuadorian youth workers for 2 days of incredible learning together
and sweet fellowship, worship, and preaching!
Our
La Red (which means the network) leadership team !
Sweet
worship….what a Great God we serve…a God beyond culture,
language, country….
Praying
with and for our brother and sisters as they hear God’s call upon
their lives….
I
hope you get a good feel for why we did this and all that God is at
work doing in us and through us….a few of my favorite memories….
Seated
around this table are Youth workers from Minnesota, Ecuador, Lake Arrowhead,
New Zealand, Iowa, Columbia and Peru…what a sweet mix that has
to make God smile! The Body of Christ!
We
may be getting older…but we refuse to GROW up…this is MOI
up on the table leading us in a fun song…great times MOI….
Again…youth
workers from literally all over the world…we were getting ready
to go to dinner after a long day…those are grateful…but
hungry smiles!
The
Goals of this conference were to bring together International Leaders…North
American leaders…and Latin leaders…and ask God to Teach
us, Unite us, and Challenge us to think about and get involved with
the World. We are celebrating that He did all that and more….
21
different countries represented…
166
Latin Youth Workers connected with 33 International leaders and our
Youth World team…
Many
lives challenged to give their all for Jesus.
Thank
You partners for making this possible…
* Thank You International Teams
* Thank You Spectrum Ministries
* Thank You Leader Mundial
* Thank You Youth World
After
careful evaluation and hearing from all of our participants…we
are definitely going to do this again…we are planning our NEXT
GLOBAL YOUTH WORKERS CONFERENCE in Spring of 2009!
Thanks
for your time to read this report…thanks for your heart and commitment
to the global kingdom of God.
In
Christ,
Philip
J Payne in Quito, Ecuador
