In short…
globalLead’s history began with a class project for a Missions/Christian Education course that Chris Davis was taking in 1996. The aim was to write a Youth Ministry Strategy curriculum that could train transcultural around the world. Chris’ primary goal was to create a biblically-based curriculum that was implementable in every country because it demonstrates how Jesus does life and ministry. The training has been tested and proven effective in every country in which it has been utilized. Additionally, it works in both rural and urban settings.
The training was so valued by trainees that, after several years, they requested the curriculum be adjusted for working with adults. The adaptation became the Ministry Leadership Training. As globalLead worked with church leaders around the world, their need for soul care became evident. Heart of The Leader, adapted from a seminary offering, began in 2015 with the intent to refresh and renew pastors and leaders so they can serve with more vitality.
Over 27,000 from over 50 countries have experienced globalLead’s training since 1996. Those trained are members of a wide diversity of denominations and parachurches. Their main desire is to serve Christ more effectively. The reputation of excellence and trustworthiness over the decades have opened doors for broader partnerships.
2015 – globalLead Officially Launches as the Rebranding of Global Youth Ministry Network. The rebranding of the ministry to become globalLead from Global Youth Ministry Network better positioned us globally to impact a broader audience.
Seeing the obvious need for pastors and all church leaders to be served through a series of trainings, globalLead was launched from the roots of GYMN (Global Youth Ministry Network). For years we have known that the timeless and transferable principles we have taught have been used for all levels of church and ministry leadership. In fact, many of our leaders that were trained as youth ministry leaders are now very influential pastors in their spheres of influence and credit the principled trainings and follow-up that we gave them as a key catalyst in their growing ministry.
In addition to the skill-based ministry, we have seen a huge hunger and need for pastors and church leaders to be pastored and mentored. Since 2010 we have offered our Heart of the Leader conferences for these leaders.
2014 – Church-wide leadership trainings were officially launched in various locations. The request from pastors to be involved in the principles of the Life of Christ trainings led us to offer a revised version of the trainings now for pastors and church leaders.
2010 – The first Heart of the Leader launched in the Philippines drawing leaders from various countries together as they looked at the area of leading their own heart while in ministry. Knowing that the majority of trainings for church leaders focus on skill, we saw a huge need to assist leaders by offering events to help them develop a life-long plan to care for their personal life and their family via soul care. This ministry birthed out of the heart of Chris Davis as he engaged these same principles in his personal life. This work is now being reproduced in other locations as well led by local leaders.
Leaders representing over 50 countries have now attended globalLead/GYMN’s Christian youth ministry leadership trainings. As these over 8,000 youth leaders go out, they reach 100’s of thousands of youth annually (based on our feedback from Level 2 trainings). The ministry is accomplished now primarily with a strong partnership of local national youth ministry workers and pastors who take the trainings to diverse areas of their country and to neighboring countries. Recently, teams worked in difficult areas of Pakistan, Myanmar, Kenya, the Philippines, and other restricted countries.
2008 – Impacted 46 countries on 5 different continents, over 7,292 youth leaders (to date) impacting approximately 145,840 young people annually! GYMN trainings are mainly accomplished now through indigenous staff and those from surrounding countries. A large group of experienced youth workers who are volunteers give of their time to multiply the trainings around the globe.
2003 – The Multiplication – With foundations in place to provide growth, GYMN began to send out nationals to train others in their countries and into neighboring countries. Not only did the staff of GYMN, now at 7 people, conduct trainings, but 50 certified volunteer trainers were in place to multiply the impact worldwide. Now impacting 23 different countries on 5 different continents, over 3520 youth leaders were now impacting more than 70,000 young people each year!
2001 – The Growth – GYMN launched into 4 additional countries and expanded its work into Europe as well. Putting the total number of countries at 7, where 1741 youth leaders have impacted 34,820 young people annually.
1999 – Laying a Foundation – GYMN conducted initial trainings in Asia (Philippines) and in Africa (Kenya). These locations brought forth important hubs to work from in the future. By this time, GYMN had trained 841 youth leaders in 3 different countries who were impacting 16,820 young people each year.
1997 – The Launching – GYMN officially began in January of 1997 and has grown exponentially since that day.
1996 – The Pilot Project – While at Dallas Theological Seminary, Chris was preparing for a lifetime of ministry in local church youth ministry, but was availed the option of setting up a youth leadership training course in Mexico as a seminary assignment. While training the leaders there, God clearly confirmed to Chris that this was his purpose in life; to equip youth leaders internationally in a purposeful and practical method.
1985-1995 – The Preparation – As Chris worked with youth ministry in churches and with para-church public school outreach ministries, he began to see the need for developing leaders. Around 1986 while returning from the Dominican Republic, where Chris served as an assistant missions trip leader, Bob Klein, the main trip leader, looked across the airplane aisle and said “Wouldn’t it be great to come back here again to teach others about youth ministry?” The seed was planted in Chris’s mind, but God had necessary development plans for Chris in regard to youth before the day to begin equipping youth leaders internationally would come.
The Need – The burden for youth and the vision for GYMN began back in the early 80s, as Chris Davis, the founder and Executive Director of GYMN began his involvement with youth ministry just one year after his conversion to Christ. Chris began youth ministry based on a challenge by his church’s leadership. When asked what Chris would give to the church (beyond finances, which were very little as a college student), his response was that he wanted to work with teenagers. Knowing that he personally had never heard the Gospel in a clear fashion in the first 18 years of his life, Chris was challenged to reach out to other young people like himself that had never heard of Christ’s amazing love and purpose for their life.
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen
Ephesians 3:20-21 (NIV)