 <<Back to Winter 2008 E-Newsletter
A few years ago, the Christian publication, Discipleship Journal, had a special section dedicated to settings and statistics concerning our globe. The particular article was entitled "Where in the World?" Recently, I pulled that article from my file and was sobered, once again, by the breath and depth of the world in which we live. Here are some examples:
• The 5 most populated nations are China, India, USA, Indonesia and Brazil
• Nearly half of the world's population live in these five nations
Sometimes, when I'm asked about the exponential growth of EQUIP around the world, I very quickly give glory to God and then mention that when we launched our MILLION LEADERS MANDATE initiative in 2003, we focused on getting our training to India, Indonesia, China and Brazil in a very short window of years.
In 2003, we launched in India and Indonesia. After initiating the training on the African continent in 2004 and Europe in 2005, we pushed out into China in 2006. In addition to China, we launched into Spanish-speaking Latin America in 2006. Now, as we transition into the early months of 2008, we focus on Portuguese-speaking Brazil!
In February, John Maxwell and the EQUIP team, in concert with our Latin America partner, Lidere, will take our training to Brazil (along with several other key Spanish-speaking Latin American countries where we've yet to launch). As has been our custom since 2003, John will head into Brazil and other nations on the continent, with the purpose of stirring and mobilizing Christian leaders as to the importance of raising up a new generation of leaders.
I have personally witnessed God's presence on these launch tours from Asia to Africa and Europe to Latin America. It will be an amazing time as John shares his heart, the leaders respond and EQUIP sets up shop with key partners in that corner of the world.
As we focus on the future of the vision to bring EQUIP's training into every nation on the planet by 2015, I want to thank all of you who have taken ownership of what we do. Many of you travel and teach in various nations. Others of you support the work financially to specifically help us pay for notebooks and conference expenses. Then, there are those of you who pray for us!
As 2008 unfolds, I want to encourage you to pray for our mandate to train Christian leaders to fulfill the Great Commission in community after community around the world. Your partnership is a key to the success and favor God has given EQUIP. We face a giant task in these giant nations - and the nations they influence. On behalf of John Maxwell and all the team around the world, I am profoundly grateful.
Warmly in Christ,
John D. Hull
CEO/President
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