What happens when you take the Good News of Jesus to people who have never heard it before?

As Global Disciples, our vision is to see every person have an opportunity to choose and follow Jesus Christ. We do this by equipping and mobilizing churches in over 65 countries. Especially those with access to least-reached people in their region.

Myanmar—or Burma—has 136 distinct ethnic groups. More than half of those groups have no witness or little witness to Jesus Christ.

So, reaching them with the Good News is the goal for a growing number of local churches and leaders. Read on to find out how we’re partnering with in sending out disciple-makers and church planters.

One recent program report began, “God sent eleven young people to the training. Each of them submitted their lives to share Jesus. The Lord used them to preach the Gospel boldly and effectively among those who hadn’t heard of Jesus.”

As they began to reach out, eleven disciple-makers and their leaders focused on four different ethnic groups in a number of villages.

The leader of the program wrote, “This is a least-reached area; the people are Buddhists and spirit worshipers. We divided into two groups and visited three villages where least-reached people live. God was working with them in their hearts to hear the Gospel as we shared with them.

Amazingly, ten people came to faith in Christ and six were baptized, and a new fellowship was planted.”

He explained that another four believers are willing to be baptized. But because their families oppose it, and some villagers threaten to attack them, they had to postpone it for a time.

The disciple-makers also faced opposition from Buddhist monks and spirit worshipers. They saw how Jesus was changing lives, and felt their influence was threatened.

As the program leader said, “We hope the Gospel will spread over this area through new believers. They are so faithful in the Lord, and to live by the guidance of His Holy Spirit.”

Join us in praying for the Good News of Jesus to reach these least-reached people in Myanmar, and around the world.

Global Disciples Canada is a Christian mission organization that trains local leaders living near least-reached communities to multiply disciples for Christ. One-third of our world hasn’t heard the Good News of Jesus. Yet. Global Disciples refers to these as “least-reached” people, and fewer than 10% of all missionaries work among these groups. We live in a time where many of these people are within reach of a local church. Through our simple and effective strategy of training and coaching, believers share the Gospel in their own nations and cultures. Jesus said, “Go and make disciples of all nations,” and we’re committed to doing just that. If you are looking for a Christian mission organization to partner with to become a better disciple and help make disciples, connect with us today!

The English word “intercede” comes from the Latin inter meaning “between” and cedere meaning “to go.” So, intercession, then, is to go between.  Another way to say it might be to bridge a gap or space. 

Intercessory prayer involves standing in spaces or gaps between the kingdom of God, (the will of God) and the current reality of a person, group, nation, or situation on the earth.  It is as if we are pulling or carrying God’s will across a bridge from heaven to earth.

It requires us to:

Jesus said: “This, then, is how you should pray: ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.’“
– Matthew 6:9-10.

1 Kings 18:41 – 1 Kings 19:8 is a Biblical example of intercessory prayer. 

“And Elijah said to Ahab, ‘Go eat and drink for there is the sound of heavy rain.’  So Ahab went to eat and drink. But Elijah climbed to the top of Mount Carmel and bowed low to the ground and prayed with his face between his knees.” 
– 1 Kings 18:42

Elijah heard the sound of rain. 

That was a spiritual hearing of what was happening in the heavenlies.  But it was blue sky on earth.  Elijah went to a time of intercessory prayer.  The Bible describes Elijah as being in the birthing position, “face between his knees.”  We do not have to put our face between our knees but the idea of birthing something on earth is interceding.  It is a deep level of prayer.

The following are 5 Steps to powerful intercessory prayer:

We can pray a blessing or short prayer at any time and for any need or situation, but to intercede usually requires us to listen to Holy Spirit and enter the struggle.

It involves time and keen attention.  Sometimes God may call us to take extra time to intercede for only one situation rather than pray briefly for many.

“But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.” – Hebrews 2:9

Often when we hear about a need, we want to pray. 

Yet, if we do not understand the “world” of the one for whom we are interceding, our intercession will be weak and often misdirected. 

Jesus interceded even to the point of death because he became human and understood the pain of those for whom he was interceding.

“In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness.  We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.  And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God’s will.
– Romans 8:26-27

It is easy to think that we know what is needed in a situation and how to intercede.  We may focus on our human understanding of the situation. 

God’s strategies are often different than human logic. His will or strategy may be different than our initial thought.  

The story surrounding Daniel’s intercession as recorded in Daniel chapter 9 and 10 reminds us of the struggle that is going on in the spiritual realm. 

As soon as Daniel began to pray an angel was sent on his behalf.  But that angel was held up for 21 days until breaking through.  We trust God’s breakthrough even when we do not see it immediately.

Sometimes the struggle might take an hour a day, a week, or even years.  It may appear that no change is happening, but we can be assured that God is at work.

If we know we are interceding in agreement with God’s call and strategy, we hold onto the hope that God will prevail in the end even if the waiting outlives us.

“The horse is made ready for the day of battle, but victory belongs to the Lord.”– Proverbs 21:31

When we see the breakthrough to victory, it is tempting to believe we were the ones who made it happen.  We are only partnering with God, and He is the one who deserves the glory.

Here is a model to follow as you enter into a time of intercession individually or as a group.

Global Disciples Canada is a Christian mission organization that trains local leaders living near least-reached communities to multiply disciples for Christ. One-third of our world hasn’t heard the Good News of Jesus. Yet. Global Disciples refers to these as “least-reached” people, and fewer than 10% of all missionaries work among these groups. We live in a time where many of these people are within reach of a local church. Through our simple and effective strategy of training and coaching, believers share the Gospel in their own nations and cultures. Jesus said, “Go and make disciples of all nations,” and we’re committed to doing just that. If you are looking for a Christian mission organization to partner with to become a better disciple and help make disciples, connect with us today! 

In Psalm 40, David talks about how God has rescued him, and then he declares, “He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear the Lord and put their trust in him.”

That “new song” came to mind in a recent report from one of our Global Disciples partner training programs in Kenya.

A team of disciple-makers were sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ in several villages where alcoholism was a major problem.

They met some resistance from a retired soldier—a local drunk. He tried to chase them off but one of the disciple-makers simply asked if he could pray for the man.

The old soldier agreed—asking him to pray for his problems and especially his family.

As the disciple-makers prayed, the Holy Spirit began to work. And he was willing to hear the Good News of Jesus Christ. He even invited them to begin a Sunday school on his farm!

In another nearby village, as the disciple-makers shared the Good News of Jesus, they met a local woman, known as a drunkard and a prostitute.

When she heard of Jesus’ love and salvation, she put her faith in Him! Another life was rescued and transformed. Praise God!

Because of these changed lives, it’s just as the psalmist said—many have seen the Lord and put their trust in Him. Other people in these villages have come to faith in Jesus Christ because they saw how God changed these individuals.

The training director said, “When God changes one person, and people see it, they open their hearts to God.”

As for the new song—this former prostitute is now a bold and joy-filled singer in a new local church. And the Lord has put a new song in her mouth, and given her a new life in Jesus Christ.

This is what we want to see—the transforming work of Jesus Christ, bringing a new song of praise to many in our world today.

Global Disciples Canada is a Christian mission organization that trains local leaders living near least-reached communities to multiply disciples for Christ. One-third of our world hasn’t heard the Good News of Jesus. Yet. Global Disciples refers to these as “least-reached” people, and fewer than 10% of all missionaries work among these groups. We live in a time where many of these people are within reach of a local church. Through our simple and effective strategy of training and coaching, believers share the Gospel in their own nations and cultures. Jesus said, “Go and make disciples of all nations,” and we’re committed to doing just that. If you are looking for a Christian mission organization to partner with to become a better disciple and help make disciples, connect with us today!

The word Christian appears only three times in the New Testament.

We all may have heard various explanations of what the word Christian means. Clearly this term was first introduced when followers of Christ were no longer only Jewish, and the movement began to sweep out into the Gentile world.

The word disciple appears 261 times in the Bible.

It is used to designate those physically present with Jesus while He was on earth. “To be a disciple was to have been with Him, learning to be like him. That is the foundation of discipleship. To be with someone and learning to be like that person.”[1]

“For Jesus, to disciple someone was to teach that person how to live their life in the Kingdom of God. The Kingdom of God is God in action.

So to say ‘Seek first the Kingdom of God’ is to invite us to be caught up in the action of God and the kind of righteousness that comes with that… So the basic idea of being a disciple, in the New Testament, is being with Jesus, learning to be like Him.”

Of course after the death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus, “with Him” takes a different form. But the meaning of disciple is still the same. A disciple is someone who is with Jesus and learning to be like Him. Disciple is a status. Spiritual transformation is a process toward becoming more like Jesus.

If a disciple of Jesus is defined as one who is “learning from Jesus how to lead my life as He would lead my life if He were I,” we must ask ourselves, “Is that me? Have I chosen that? And if I have chosen it, what am I doing to carry through with it?” And how am I inviting others along on that journey with me?

“Discipleship is not for the church; the church is for discipleship. And discipleship is for the world.” But we can’t do the things Jesus said without learning to act in God’s power – the Spirit is indispensable. “We have to stop trusting ourselves and what we manage and manipulate and learn to trust God.”

Trying to become more like Jesus will lead to failure and frustration if it is only a matter of our will or a decision we make. So, we must start by seeing salvation as more than a ticket to heaven. Salvation is rather an invitation to begin a life with Jesus and to keep growing in our love attachment with Him.

Dr Wilder, a Christian neurologist says, “If life with Jesus begins at salvation and thinking with another begins with attachment, then salvation must involve the creation of a new attachment with Jesus… In the brain, the basis for learning to be like someone is a loving attachment. Attachment leads to a mutual mind. Mutual mind creates an identity and character. Identity develops into a ‘people.’”

“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” (1 Peter 2:9)

[1] Renovated: God, Dallas Willard, and the Church That Transforms, by Jim Wilder, Nav Press, 2020. This Touch-Point is based upon the ideas, insights, and concepts I have been reading in this book. Dr. Wilder is neurologist and theologian.

Global Disciples Canada is a Christian mission organization that trains local leaders living near to reach least-reached communities to multiply disciples for Christ. One-third of our world hasn’t heard the Good News of Jesus. Yet, Global Disciples refers to these as “least-reached” people, and fewer than 10% of all missionaries work among these groups. We live in a time where many of these people are within reach of a local church. Through our simple and effective strategy of training and coaching, believers share the Gospel in their own nations and cultures. Jesus said, “Go and make disciples of all nations,” and we’re committed to doing just that. If you are looking for a Christian mission organization to partner with to become a better disciple and help make disciples, connect with us today!

Sometimes, your greatest opportunity for missions is right on your doorstep. What if reaching the unreached starts with your family? That’s often the case.

At Global Disciples, we hear many stories of people coming to faith. And when a person comes to faith in Christ the only person in their family or community they have an amazing opportunity to start sharing the gospel at home and with their family and friends.

The effects can be powerful and so rewarding.

Sadiq is experiencing this.

He participated in discipleship training in South Asia last year.

He said, “I am really blessed by this training, and encouraged so much to share about Jesus Christ with my family. I am from a Muslim family—with parents and two brothers. They have not come to the Lord, but I am sharing with them about Jesus Christ.”

When the training program went on outreach, Sadiq went to his own village, talking about Jesus with his friends and neighbors. He said, “I told them how Jesus Christ changed my life. I shared my testimony with many people, and finally, four of my friends put their faith in Jesus Christ.”

While he’s still waiting for his family to make the same decision, Sadiq is committed to sharing the Good News. He says, “I want to see all of the village come to know the Lord in the next five years!”

Mehda and his wife took part in the same discipleship training. They are new believers—and the only Christians in their families. Mehda said, “This training helped me to know more about Jesus Christ, and to develop intimacy with God.”

And outreach was significant to Mehda and his wife as well. “We visited door to door and shared the Good News,” he said, “We made many friendships and three people accepted Jesus Christ.”

They did not neglect their own family—Mehda’s parents and two sisters also live in the village and heard their testimony. However, they haven’t made a decision to follow Jesus yet.

Mehda is not discouraged, and like Sadiq, he is committed to sharing the Gospel with his relatives and the people in his village.

Sometimes, our greatest opportunities for missions are right in our own homes or neighborhoods!

Global Disciples Canada is a Christian mission organization that trains local leaders living near least-reached communities to multiply disciples for Christ. One-third of our world hasn’t heard the Good News of Jesus. Yet. Global Disciples refers to these as “least-reached” people, and fewer than 10% of all missionaries work among these groups. We live in a time where many of these people are within reach of a local church. Through our simple and effective training and coaching strategy, believers share the Gospel in their own nations and cultures. Jesus said, “Go and make disciples of all nations,” and we’re committed to doing just that. If you are looking for a Christian mission organization to partner with to become a better disciple and help make disciples, connect with us today!

The Holy Spirit often has to do some work on us before we can do the work He has for us.

As we at Global Disciples help churches around the world train and send out a new generation of disciple-makers and church planters, we also see the Holy Spirit change hearts.

Both in those being reached with the Gospel and those who experience the training.

A report from a training program in Uganda includes two such examples.

Charlie said, “Before I attended the training, I didn’t know how to approach lost people. If I found a drunkard, I would straight away tell him you are going to hell! But through this training, I learned to build a relationship with him first, and take a better approach. And now I find joy in reaching out to lost people and many of them are coming to the Lord.”

As Charlie discovered this change, Andre learned to let the Holy Spirit develop self-control.

Andre shared, “Before this training, if I became angry, I felt like exchanging blows with someone who made me angry. Now I have learned to put the old man to death and to allow the Holy Spirit to take control of my life. As a true disciple of Jesus Christ, I’ve learned to deny myself and carry my own cross.”

For both men, the personal internal change made a difference when it came time to take the Gospel out to reach into the communities. Andre explained what they saw God do.

“We met with resistance from the community,” he explained. “They didn’t welcome us at the beginning. So we prayed and fasted for 24 hours. And out of this, God softened people’s hearts and 72 people came to Christ.”

As a result, a church has been planted. And Andre says they continue to fast and pray each month.

Plus, a new vision has been born, Andre said. “Our eyes have been opened to see beyond our local churches. Now we have a global vision and the idea is to multiply disciples who are Christ-like.”

Multiplying Christ-like disciples—that’s what we want to see. And it all begins with the Holy Spirit’s work.

Global Disciples Canada is a Christian mission organization that trains local leaders living near least-reached communities to multiply disciples for Christ. One-third of our world hasn’t heard the Good News of Jesus. Yet. Global Disciples refers to these as “least-reached” people, and fewer than 10% of all missionaries work among these groups. We live in a time where many of these people are within reach of a local church. Through our simple and effective strategy of training and coaching, believers share the Gospel in their own nations and cultures. Jesus said, “Go and make disciples of all nations,” and we’re committed to doing just that. If you are looking for a Christian mission organization to partner with to become a better disciple and help make disciples, connect with us today!

Discover the power of home Bible studies in your journey of spiritual growth, & why its effective in discipling others.

In today’s fast-paced world, many people seek opportunities to connect with others and grow spiritually in an intimate, personalized setting. Home Bible studies provide a unique environment for fostering spiritual growth, discipleship, and community-building too.

They can ignite a passion and commitment to sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ with others

We’ll explore how home Bible studies are an essential aspect of our spiritual journey. Dive into the world of home Bible studies and experience the transformation that comes from immersing yourself in God’s Word.

The essential aspects of home Bible studies include:

1. Foster Connection and Community. In smaller groups, participants can form deeper relationships, pursuing collective growth and offering mutual support

2. Encourage Spiritual Accountability. The close-knit nature of home Bible studies promotes mutual accountability and commitment to spiritual growth.

3. Engage in Authentic Conversations. They provide an environment where people can share their struggles, questions, and insights, facilitating sincere conversations.

4. Reach Diverse Demographics. Home Bible studies can engage varying age groups, cultural backgrounds, and life stages. They make the study of God’s Word accessible and appealing.

The following practical steps can help guide you through the process and ensure a successful, sustaining Bible study experience:

1. Pray and Seek God’s Guidance. Prayer is a foundational step in discerning God’s guidance and provision in starting a home Bible study.

2.Define Your Objective. Determine the purpose and goals of the Bible study. Decide whether you will focus on a particular book or theme, general spiritual growth, or tailored to a specific demographic.

3. Choose a Study Format: Select a format for the study, such as a topical, book-by-book, or chronological approach, and consider incorporating supplementary resources, such as Bible commentaries or study guides, to enrich the learning experience.

4. Identify a Suitable Location: Choose a comfortable, accessible location for hosting the Bible study, ensuring adequate seating, lighting, and an environment conducive to open discussion and fellowship.

5. Invite Participants: Extend personal invitations to potential participants, explaining the goals, format, and expectations of the home Bible study. Aim for a diverse group, balanced in size, to foster meaningful interactions.

6. Establish a Schedule: Create a consistent meeting schedule, balancing flexibility and commitment to ensure the group remains focused and engaged over time.

7. Facilitate Group Dynamics: Appoint a leader or facilitator to guide discussions, nurture group connections, and maintain an atmosphere of respect and openness within the Bible study.

Organizations like Global Disciples Canada can benefit from the empowering impacts of home Bible studies as they train leaders to engage with least-reached communities. By incorporating discipleship training within home-based study environments, leaders can develop the relational skills, biblical knowledge, and empathetic understanding necessary for effective ministry within diverse contexts. These groups can contribute to discipleship training by:

1. Modeling Relational Ministry: As home Bible studies prioritize relational connections, leaders can observe and learn how to carry these relational skills into their ministry engagements in least-reached communities.

2. Cultivating a Heart for Sharing the Gospel: As participants grow in their personal spiritual journeys, they are encouraged to share their faith and the principles learned within their home Bible study with others, fueling the multiplication of disciples.

3. Providing a Safe Space for Practicing Discipleship Skills: Home Bible studies can serve as a safe training ground for leaders to practice teaching, mentoring, and disciplining new believers, which can be later applied in their work with least-reached communities.

4. Encouraging Prayer for Least-Reached Communities: As groups come together in prayer, they can intercede for least-reached communities and develop a burden for reaching these populations with the love and message of Jesus Christ.

Home Bible studies provide unparalleled opportunities for personal spiritual growth, discipleship, and transformative impact within both local and global contexts. By fostering deeper connections and engaging in authentic conversations about faith and life, they can significantly empower individuals to share the Good News with least-reached communities across the globe. Organizations like Global Disciples Canada leverage the power of relational ministry to effectively train and equip leaders who will go forth to multiply disciples and impact lives for eternity.

If you yearn to be part of this life-changing work and explore how you can partner with Global Disciples Canada to grow as a disciple and contribute to expanding God’s kingdom, connect with Global Disciples Canada today. Your involvement can make an eternal difference by helping others discover the hope, love, and transformation found in Jesus Christ.

Global Disciples Canada is a Christian mission organization that trains local leaders living near to reach least-reached communities to multiply disciples for Christ. One-third of our world hasn’t heard the Good News of Jesus. Yet, Global Disciples refers to these as “least-reached” people and fewer than 10% of all missionaries work among these groups. We live in a time where many of these people are within reach of a local church. Through our simple and effective training and coaching strategy, believers share the Gospel in their own nations and cultures. Jesus said, “Go and make disciples of all nations,” and we’re committed to doing just that. If you want a Christian mission organization to partner with to become a better disciple and help make disciples, join our discipleship program in Canada today.

Have you ever wondered what finding your calling and ministry could look like? In this blog, we’ll discover Stefan’s powerful discovery of Gods plan and purpose for his life

Stefan was struggling. “I was in crisis with myself,” he said. “I simply could not fit in very well in the church. At times, I participated in groups and went to church regularly, but I didn’t feel connected or useful.”

Then Stefan’s pastor stepped in. He also directs a discipleship-mission training in Brazil, launched with the help of Global Disciples. And he challenged young Stefan to join the training.

Stefan said, “My pastor told me that God might be calling me to work outside the church, and I was curious.”

At first, Stefan wasn’t sure about the training—it seemed to be familiar principles to him. But when he and the other disciple-makers went on outreach, his eyes were opened!

“We had many difficulties getting there, what I think were spiritual battles,” Stefan said. “I understood that what we had been taught in theory would have to be put into practice! So we began to pray even more for the outreach and for each other because we knew God would do great things through the lives of the people in that place.”

One of the great things God did for Stefan was to show him that he was useful. As the team divided up different responsibilities, Stefan was assigned to share the Gospel with local children.

He said, “This was fantastic for me! I could use my gifts and talents in a natural way and see that God uses me greatly. He’s never done this before.”

Like so many others, in over 65 countries around the world, Stefan has learned that God wants to use Him to further His Kingdom. He found direction and purpose in life as he goes out to share the Good News of Jesus, and multiply disciples—even if those he’s reaching are children.

Consequently, Stefan reports, “Today I know God has called me to work beyond our church, and my church has sent me to support a new church that’s just beginning. I’m so glad I participated in the training program because, through it, I found my purpose in life and a ministry that fits who I am.”

Global Disciples Canada is a Christian mission organization that trains local leaders living near least-reached communities to multiply disciples for Christ. One-third of our world hasn’t heard the Good News of Jesus. Yet. Global Disciples refers to these as “least-reached” people, and fewer than 10% of all missionaries work among these groups. We live in a time where many of these people are within reach of a local church. Through our simple and effective strategy of training and coaching, believers share the Gospel in their own nations and cultures. Jesus said, “Go and make disciples of all nations,” and we’re committed to doing just that. If you are looking for a Christian mission organization to partner with to become a better disciple and help make disciples, connect with us today!

Before Jesus returned to heaven, He gave His disciples a great commission. Remember His words in Matthew 28?

“….go and make disciples of all nations…and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:18-20).

This “Great Commission” is for you and for me. And for each disciple of Jesus Christ in every part of the world. Every one on mission!

Today, followers of Christ around the world are seeking to fulfil this mission.

We at Global Disciples are eager to do whatever we can to equip those people. And to help them reach those still waiting to hear the Good News of Jesus Christ.

Jember is an Ethiopian leader equipped by Global Disciples to train disciple-makers. He said, “Global opened our eyes about how to do missions. Our main task is to send disciple-makers into this region and plant churches where there were none. This region is more than eighty-five percent Muslim; in some places, it’s one hundred percent. There are five hundred villages with no church! The first year, we trained twenty-five workers. God helped us and we have seen fruit.”

The fruit Jember mentioned includes local Muslim leaders coming to faith in Jesus.

It also includes ten church planters who are former Muslims. They’ve seen over 500 people come to Christ. And he said, “God is using them to bring many other Muslims to the Lord.”

Pascal and Bekou are doing their part for the Great Commission in their home nation of Chad.

Nearly two-thirds of Chad’s 148 people groups are considered unreached. And the influence of Islam in the region is pervasive.

Pascal equipped 14 disciple-makers in his first training. And in their outreach, over 400 people came to faith in Christ, and they planted six churches.

The second year, another 14 people registered for training but only six showed up.

Pascal said, “This was not ideal but my brothers in the Lord encouraged me to start anyway.” And he was amazed at the results!

“The Lord guided us to different areas,” he said.

“We’ve seen 540 people turn to Christ and three churches were birthed. We baptized many—all because of the transformed lives of these six people!”

Bekou, another discipleship trainer, reported. “Thirteen disciples completed the training and we went to the south of Chad for outreach. It was evident that many people were in need of the Word of God. During the outreach, more than 500 people placed their faith in Jesus Christ.”

Bekou said, “We also shared the Gospel with one imam—a local Muslim leader—and he responded by asking us to plant a church in his region! When I witnessed this, I realized this is no time to be shy. We must be full of courage and share the Gospel always!”

The Great Commission is being fulfilled today!

Sign up here today to help Global Disciples fulfil the calling of Jesus to make disciples of every nation.

Global Disciples Canada is a Christian mission organization that trains local leaders living near least-reached communities to multiply disciples for Christ. One-third of our world hasn’t heard the Good News of Jesus. Yet. Global Disciples refers to these as “least-reached” people, and fewer than 10% of all missionaries work among these groups. We live in a time where many of these people are within reach of a local church. Through our simple and effective training and coaching strategy, believers share the Gospel in their own nations and cultures. Jesus said, “Go and make disciples of all nations,” and we’re committed to doing just that. If you are looking for a Christian mission organization to partner with to become a better disciple and help make disciples, connect with us today!

Read on for some powerful stories about how disciple making across the world. personal healing and see Gods power in action.

Sejun was an illiterate farmer living in an isolated village on the border of Nepal. He was a Buddhist, and no one in his village had ever heard the name of Jesus.

When his wife, Ehani, became deathly ill. Sejun hiked the mountains looking for witch doctors to help, hoping someone would be able to heal her.

But no one could.

Soon, Ehani became bedridden, waiting to die. Their home was a place of quiet sadness.

Around this time, two young men from their village left for seasonal work as Sherpas. They would be trekking and helping visitors climb some of the highest Himalayan peaks.

One expedition took them into the foothills and to a town close to the Everest base camp.

A Christian medical doctor in town found out about the visitors. He invited them for a meal and asked if they had ever heard about Jesus the Messiah. As they ate and talked, he shared freely, telling stories of Jesus that amazed these young men.

During their conversation, a couple came to the door, seeking the doctor. Their young daughter was very ill. The doctor asked them to place her on a cot. He then went back to the Sherpas to explain the situation.

One Sherpa asked the doctor if his Jesus could heal the little girl in the next room. If all the stories he had told were true, it seemed a small thing to heal the girl. The doctor replied that sometimes God heals with miracles, and sometimes God heals through surgery and medication. “But we can ask Jesus to heal her,” he concluded.

The three of them went into the other room with the little girl and her parents.

The doctor knelt by the bed, laid his hands on the girl, and prayed … and she was healed!

When the Sherpas saw this, they were convinced, and they decided to become followers of Jesus.

The doctor taught them a few simple songs that would help them remember the truth about Jesus. Having encountered something new and amazing, they left with joy in their hearts. They sang the new songs as they traveled on their expeditions. They continued singing them when they returned to their village after the expedition season.

Once home, these young Sherpas went to Sejun’s house to tell him what they had learned about Jesus and how they had seen the little girl healed.

“Do you think this Jesus could heal my wife?” Sejun asked.  They told him what the doctor had told them—sometimes Jesus heals with miracles, and sometimes he heals with medicine and surgeries.They knelt and laid their hands on Ehani, praying for healing in the name of Jesus.

Ehani sat up in her bed, something she had been unable to do for weeks. She was hungry and began eating and regaining her strength. Sejun was beside himself with joy! She was completely healed—without the help of any medicine or witch doctor.

Soon after, she conceived and gave birth to a son they named Basta.

After Ehani’s healing miracle, Sejun was so amazed he couldn’t pull himself away from his wife to go work in the rice fields. But after a few days, he returned to farming, working all morning and then spending the afternoon marvelling about what this Jesus had done for him.

Having seen God at work so powerfully, Sejun got an idea. Hhe would walk through the village and look for sick people to heal in the name of Jesus. He knew many people had family members who were unwell, and he wanted them to experience what he and Ehani had experienced.

So, Sejun worked the fields in the morning, ate lunch at home, and then went out looking for people who were sick. He would tell them all he knew about Jesus (which wasn’t much and came from the songs the Sherpas had taught him) and then he prayed for them. They would be healed and subsequently accepted Jesus as their God.

It didn’t take long before the sick people in Sejun’s village were all well, so he started trekking the mountains, visiting neighboring villages, and doing the same thing. A foreign missionary who lived in the city heard that many people in the mountain villages were being healed in the name of Jesus and coming to faith. The missionary tracked down Sejun—the 5’1” illiterate rice farmer who was preaching the good news and praying for people.

The missionary introduced himself to Sejun, took him under his wing, and taught him all about the Bible. The teaching immediately began to impact Sejun. One day, they were studying and came to Ephesians 5:18, “Do not get drunk on wine.”  

“Wait! I didn’t know that!” Sejun exclaimed. When he prayed for people and they were healed, the family would often give him a rice brew—the traditional way to thank witch doctors after they healed someone. He would stagger home after enjoying the gift, go to bed, and sleep it off. But from that point on, he never accepted any rewards for his prayers for healing.

Sejun and other Christians in his village were persecuted, beaten, shackled, and warned harshly not to speak to anyone about their faith. Ultimately, this persecution drove them away from their home.

Forced to settle in a new town, Sejun vowed he wasn’t going to tell anyone about Jesus because he wanted their children to grow up in peace. Shortly after they arrived, however, the mayor knocked on the door and said he had heard that Sejun was a healer. Sejun couldn’t lie, so he reluctantly admitted that yes, he served a God who healed.

The mayor said, “Okay, come with me.” He took Sejun out to the field where several cows were lying on their side, foaming at the mouth. “Heal my cows,” the mayor insisted.

Sejun had never prayed for animals before—he didn’t know if Jesus would heal a cow or not, but he knew the mayor could hurt him if he didn’t agree, so he prayed for the first cow. They watched as it shook the froth from its mouth, stood up, and walked away … healed! The mayor then insisted he pray for the next cow. Sejun did, and it, too, was healed.

With the mayor’s blessing, Sejun was now able to remain in the village, preach the gospel, and participate in even more healing.

Sejun’s son, Basta, was one of the first children from his village to go to school, hiking an hour over the mountains to another village in order to attend. Basta learned to read, and then accompanied Sejun on healing trips, reading Scripture while his father preached and prayed for people. This went on for years, and over time, they began to see the miracle of multiplication taking place.

[Through a connection], Basta reached out to Global Disciples and asked for our help—they had more than a hundred churches within a five-day walk from where he and his father lived, but no way to train their people.

We [Global Disciples] invited Basta to attend a meeting of discipleship-mission directors we had equipped. It was there I met Basta, and we talked about the wonderful things God was doing in his community and surrounding villages. He prayed long into the night about how Global Disciples might be able to support what he was doing. The next morning over breakfast, Basta came back to me and said, “God spoke to me last night … God told me we are supposed to look to him to provide, not depend on support from the West. So, I won’t be asking for any money or seed funds from you.”

I knew their resources were limited. “How are you going to collect the money you need to run these training courses?”

“We don’t have to collect money,” he said. “We’ll put baskets by the church, and the rice farmers can contribute rice, and when the baskets are full, we’ll fill bags, and when the bags are full, we’ll have enough food to start the training.”

“Do me a favor,” I said. “Let me know the market value of the rice, when you’re ready to start.”

Basta agreed, and I told him we would like to send a gift toward their startup costs. The people in this church supplied chickens and rice to feed the participants. We considered the value of their gifts of food in kind to be 51 percent of their training expenses, and we sent a gift for the remaining 49 percent—$137 for Bibles, mats to sleep on, and some supplies. And their first discipleship-mission training was launched. And more trainings have followed their lead, primarily sustained by the local resources God provides!

On it goes. What began many years ago with two Sherpas and Basta’s father—a solitary, illiterate farmer desperate to help his wife—has become an influential disciple-making movement—most of it supported by local resources. And now assisting many groups of churches from various tribes and regions to multiply new fellowships of believers all across Nepal.

Above is an excerpt from the book, Ordinary Disciples, Extraordinary Influence: Stories to Fuel a Life of Unshakable Faith, by Galen Burkholder and Brother Tefera. For more stories like this, get a copy of Ordinary Disciples, Extraordinary Influence, available in print and ebook from Amazon and Barnes & Noble

Global Disciples Canada is a Christian mission organization that trains local leaders living near least-reached communities to multiply disciples for Christ. One-third of our world hasn’t heard the Good News of Jesus. Yet. Global Disciples refers to these as “least-reached” people, and fewer than 10% of all missionaries work among these groups. We live in a time where many of these people are within reach of a local church. Through our simple and effective training and coaching strategy, believers share the Gospel in their own nations and cultures. Jesus said, “Go and make disciples of all nations,” and we’re committed to doing just that. If you are looking for a Christian mission organization to partner with to become a better disciple and help make disciples, connect with us today!