The 24 hour flight to Siberia felt like a journey to "the uttermost parts of the earth" (Acts 1:8). Yet God's beautiful people and His work in them made the trip very worthwhile.

Watch and enjoy!

Barry, Pavel & Tanya

Pavel and Tanya, Reach Out's ministry leaders in Siberia, invited Doug Landro, Reach Out's leader in Ukraine, and me to lead their FIRST Siberian Eagle Leaders Retreat and their FIRST Jesus-Focused Youth Ministry Leaders Conference. Rick Eubanks and Randy Riggins, USA Eagle Leaders, joined us. Together we represented 135 years of Jesus-Focused Youth Ministry experience!

 

The FIRST Siberian Eagle Leaders Retreat 

 

Eagle Leaders Retreat

Ten Siberian Eagle Leaders came together from Kemerova, Novosibirsk, and Novokuznetsk. Doug Landro and our Ukrainian team had trained them. They use a training that takes one year to complete, and requires the pastor's attendance. This training has resulted in over 300% growth in our Eagle Leaders' youth ministries!

 

Doug, Rick, Randy and I led them to work through their successes and struggles. Vigorous discussions ensued. All left encouraged, better equipped and more confident in coaching others.

 

The FIRST Siberian JFYM Leaders Conference 

 

Doug Landro

Following the Retreat, our team led the first ever Jesus-Focused Youth Ministry Leaders Conference. All who attended have completed the JFYM training. God's Spirit moved beautifully during two full days of spirited worship, practical teaching and application.

 

Our powerful final session closed our conference on a high note. Earlier I had spoken on the blessing of brokenness. When we invited people to bring their brokenness for healing, they came weeping. Many experienced healing from deep hurts, like the teenage girl whose father had died. As Rick prayed for her, the Lord released her grief and showed her His purpose in the pain.

 

Rick's healing prayer

Rick shared the story of his friend B.J., recently killed in a car accident. B.J. had rebelled in high school, but radically changed through the prayers of Rick and many others, and he led many friends to Christ. For 20 years, he reached and discipled untold numbers of kids to follow Jesus. That story led to groups of three praying all over the room for each other and for non-believing friends.

 

Randy challenged people to envision God's next step for their lives. They wrote their hopes and dreams. Then, like Abraham with Isaac, they offered them to God on the altar. Our team prayed for each one. Praise filled the room!

 

Randy's vision prayer

 

All departed with a strong sense of togetherness around our common vision and mission. Each of their churches will now equip other churches in Jesus-Focused Youth Ministry.

 

Tanya's FIRST Youth Ministry 

 

Slava and his wife with Tanya

Tanya Lapshova exuded hunger and humility at our Eagle Leader Retreat and Youth Leaders Conference. She had become the youth pastor in her Pentecostal church in Novokuznetsk three years ago, having never done youth ministry before. She sensed God's call yet she had no idea what to do. Coinciding with her call, she found out about the JFYM training. Slava Knyazev, an Eagle Leader led Tanya and her pastor through the JFYM training.

 

Tanya's leaders and disciples

They started with zero leaders, but now have a committed group of 18 who disciple 65

young people. Now Tanya and her team coach two more churches in JFYM. Slava equipped Tanya and her leaders. Pavel had trained Slava. Igor Minenko, from Ukraine, had trained Pavel. Doug Landro, our Ukraine leader, had equipped Igor. And years ago I trained Doug, a youth pastor in California. How fascinating to watch God's progression of multiplying leaders and disciples that led to Tanya becoming the first successful youth leader her church has ever had!

 

Many More FIRSTS

 

In the years to come many more churches will have the opportunity to experience the same "firsts" these current Siberian leaders have had, because of the multiplying progression of Jesus-Focused Youth Ministry. Your support expands Reach Out's capacity for more "firsts".

 

If you have not already, please accept my invitation to join us in praying and giving toward many more "firsts" in many other "uttermost parts of the earth." And much thanks to you who already partner with us in places like Siberia.