Mix of cultures

I want to write to you about one of the shocking and most memorable elements of my trip to Asia.  It was more shocking than going to New York City or even Haiti, for the first time.  Because this was  our Asia summit, we had such a diversity of cultures there, that is made my head spin! Talk about getting out of your comfort zone!  My gut ached because there was no place to settle and get used to anything as solid ground.

Right when you finished twenty minutes of listening how someone lived in their country, and before you had the chance to digest it and test your own fortitude to see if you could survive that way, someone else, from somewhere else would introduce themselves, and fill your gut with twenty more minutes of over the top indigestible experiences of survival … making you light headed in your thinking of who am I that I could take all this yet alone survive a portion of it!!!!   Aurge!  Stop-Lord-I-can’t-take-it-all-in type feeling while trying to keep composure through it all.  Ok, now I think I am gaining on it …. then I meet this Husband wife team.

After trying to remember the Filipinos, Burmese, Nepalese, and Pakistani natives, this husband and wife team clearly are not native of the same country. In fact, turns out he is Indian, and she is Filipino.  He is introduced with a name I still can’t remember (as well as her’s), but I do remember him being introduced as our Asia Director’s God-father.  (Ok, go figure this … how did our Filipino Director (Ghie) get her God-father from India.  Never did figure it out but before I even had time to try, he was going off on one theological subject matter after another, at a NASCAR’s pace in and out of the turns, twisting from one lane to the next without a breath (did he breath? I was wondering) yet so fluid I understood everything he was saying and we all were so mesmerized by it all I couldn’t tell if I was breathing … it all sounded so familiar yet I didn’t know this guy. One matter after the mind blowing next, my head is already a fully fueled tank and yet I am hungry to hear more and more yet I am full. Are you as exhausted as I was yet Mike?  I managed to ask someone, what’s this guy do? Then someone (can’t tell you who it was) told me, “oh, he teaches at the Alliance Graduate School down the road” (formerly called the Alliance Theological Seminary).  But it sounds so familiar to me and yet blowing my mind …WHO IS THIS GUY?? I asked.  I heard someone tell …. His close cousin is Ravi Zacharais …  NOW THAT EXPLAINS A LOT!  WHAT IS HE DOING HERE IN OUR OFFICE AT OUR SUMMIT!!

[Our Director’s God-father, his wife, and Pastor Jomesh of Nepal at the Alliance College]

At this point my mind is mush …. and it just day one. Day ONE!  So now I am gun shy of everyone wondering what Christian giant is going to walk in this room next?  What I didn’t know at the time was that everyone in that room were to God His chosen Spiritual Christian giants and they were there as part of GYMN.  Wow why us?  I am going to write further in the coming articles about each of these Godly giants and the stories they told me of their lives and their ministries.  I pray to God that I don’t exaggerate nor hold back a mite of truth.  They are forever imbedded on my mind and heart.  I hope they will be for you and whom ever hears these words also.

Matt Pounds

Music to My Ears!!!

I love many kinds of music … especially that which glorifies our God!  Some have words and others don’t.  But it all does one thing …it has a message.  Sometimes the message is simply felt by teh listener in the melody line and some it is more direct in the words.  One thing though, I CAN NOT STAND is a song of which the music does not complement the flavor of the words.  Those songs remind me of a bully telling the inflicted recipient I love you with every blow felt.

I write songs, and the ones I tend to sit around and play and sing are the ones I wrote.  This is mostly due to the fact that I know the meaning and sincerity behind them …. and I like them!  Other people will never be able to tell me what they think of my music unless they hear me play it to them.  So sometimes I do play them publically.  Some have used them in church and other locations.  But I think often to myself …. what a waste it would be for me to die and these songs die with me. 

NOW THAT WOULD BE SAD!

Here at Global Youth Ministry Network, I feel the same way about the work we do here.  I see the great effect and results we are having all over the world.  I am stymied at the fact that it is being accomplish by such a small and dedicated team!  This can only be, because of the enormous volunteer base God has granted to this work. 

First, those who had a great need and now are so appreciative of the guidance God provided them, that they want to give back and share what they have learned.

Second, those who saw the great need the youth, across the world, have for their youth leader to be equipped to lead them.  So they contribute with their finances, so this team can advance this training. 

Third, those who are so concerned that this ministry is available to all corners of the Earth, that they are willing to volunteer their time be part of our guiding Board of Directors.

The need is so great, world-wide, that they contact us and ask us for this help. Their youth need qualified leaders with a plan and agenda to help them grow into the church’s next generation.

Without continued maturation of our youth, the church will be unprepared for the harsh challenges ahead.  More and more, even in America, I see this danger, of not providing our leadership with proper guidance and tools.  Also, our program has generated many new leaders who received their conformation of calling into full-time ministry while being equippedthrough GYMN.  Like the lost songs, it would be sad if you never knew of what this ministry does.

CRITICAL CRITICAL CRITICAL is what I hear the music play every day here on the job!  We would not be here if it had not been critical when it started.  Now that we are started and I have first hand seen the results of the work this ministry does, I see how critical it is for it to continue to spread its availability.

The responsibility my job carries often leaves me shaking in my chair, wondering … “how do we take care of all these places, leaders, needs for the youth”? If we don’t, the youth  starve spiritually. I feel that reality and I see why God brought me here to this ministry. They needed help, My help! Even though the job is much bigger than I am.  But when I see what God has done through out the world before Matt Pounds was sent here, I can’t even imaging the possibilities, now that God has added me! Why me God? What for God? What shall you ask of me? What ever it is, I will do!

Can you join me in this effort? Can you join my support base so I can stay here? I have supported the first six months work here myself, and now I must intensify my efforts to raise my contributors who can keep me here at GYMN.  Would you consider being on my team and share in the expansion and solidification of this endevor? So the world’s youth can be reached and grow in Christ? If so, then go to our web-site for your contribution options, or click the link on this page on the right where it says “Support Us” and follow its lead.

If you choose to join us …. NOW THAT IS MUSIC TO MY EARS!

Matt Pounds

Volunteer GYMN trainers Herman and Jack know the world needs this ministry

SWEATING THE SMALL STUFF BLUES!

The hardest part of being in ministry for me, is when those times of heaviness come. I have written songs about the blues and sorrow throughout my life, but this is different.  Those were feeling-sorry-for-myself “blues”.  This is more like feeling sorry for my friends-and-co-worker “blues”.

I love this team!

The more I learn about how much other people in the world live without (and yet they put an emphasis on the importance of reaching others with the knowledge of Jesus), the more respect I have for their tenacity, ambition, and real faith they display! Man, do I miss them and how that fuels me!  All I can think about is … “if I could just get them this … or get them that, then think how much more for Christ they could accomplish”!  But I sit here and wonder thinking to God about how long do they have to wait Lord to be supplied?  God, are they not putting forth the effort? Is not their dedication deserving of the supply they desire?

You may think that ….

“oh, but their life is simpler than ours and therefore they have ample

time to apply those traits”.

I would beg to differ. For those who have been to those places, would be able to testify that life in other parts of the world are congested, time consuming to get around (think of our Amish families), and flat out dangerous to mention “Jesus” in some areas. It takes longer to do cooking, banking, mailing, clothes washing, gathering food, … you name it, it takes longer. They go to church 3 to 4 times a week sometimes it’s at their house… and they like it!

Yet They do not let the importance of sharing and getting out the Word of God be hindered by it.  All the places I have seen where there is not enough time to accomplish the task our Lord told us to accomplished, is only that way because those individuals sweat the small things and let them squeeze out the EXTRA important things that ought to be done.

Small stuff … what is that?  Usually it is stuff that has been culturally developed.  An example might be … just 50 years ago, few families bathed every day … am I right?

Here in Ohio where it is hot and muggy and even freezing at times, we NOW bath every day.  Several reasons contribute that change, for one it’s easier, and faster than it used to be, there are more people now thus a bit more potential for BO in a crowd.  Regardless,  it is still a good example of changes that have taken place in just one generation.  Addition to the daily routine …. it can steal time from what is really important.

I so admire the work of our teams overseas.  I have witnessed where they don’t sweat the small stuff if it is going to take away from the prime objective (I am not talking about bathing here as in the Philippines you can shower up to 3 times a day).  I see them work sacrificially time and time again.  And they have no intention of stopping either!

It’s like the old country music song … “if I had a million dollars”.  It use to be I would pay off my house or get a new trouble-free car, give some to the church fund, and then take a nice traveling vacation.  But not now … my heart has changed by observing these

fellow workers in the GYMN ministry.  Now it would be like this:

get the Asia office a long term rental agreement or buy the building, get an office with more than one room for the Africa team, get both offices a ministry vehicle, set up a trust so we can have a full-time office in Nepal, provide base benefits for our team members, provide minimum wage levels (U.S.) for our Directors, Provide better computer and communications for our overseas offices, bring part time employees up to full time …. you get my drift, right?

I see their needs everyday.  You can’t even imagine unless you have been there. For those who have, it is a life changing experience to know that God allows them to operate at those levels with the little they have to do it with.

So yeh, my heart goes out to them, and yeh it gives me the blues, and yeh I want to do all I can to make ministry and life better for them.  Some of that is out of our control, but there are things that can be done to help.  Helpful items are cheaper over there get.  You can get a lot for a dollar.  But it is not the dollar that comes one time that makes the impact. It is the dollar that comes routinely that helps us to plan and set goals because we know that dollar is going to be there.

I believe many hands make light work. It works in many facets of life but especially in ministry.  If  200 house-holds gave just $10.00 a MONTH, that would be $2,000 every month that is not currently being received.  If I could get 200 of my friends and those who know of me to do the same to fund me, then I can secure my position here at GYMN.  Yes it does cost the ministry to have me here.  I am currently at about 7% of my fund raising goal.

But I don’t have the blues for myself, if we can not supply the ministry lines over-seas, then they won’t need me anyway. To me, there is a priority … it is to teach you how important it is to train our youth leaders all over the world.  Without them being equipped, the future church is certainly at a higher risk level.

What small stuff is stopping us?

Check out our web-site page for ways to contribute.  It can be as easy as a Phone call to our office also.  419-756-4433

Gut-Check for GYMN

So after ten years you might expect some kind of indication of what the long term results are of a ministry like Global Youth Ministry Network.  While in the Philippines, I have seen the results and they are right on target.

1st Generation Pastor Mackey

Paul told Timothy to go and find other young leaders like himself, and to hone them into new Timothys.  This was to happen so the church would always have solid dependable leadership serving the church of  Jesus Christ.  This would maintain a high level of skills, dedication, faithfulness, and obedience in the church leadership.  In turn, it would reflect upon the  general assembly as an example of selfless servitude.

3rd Gen Group Study in Cebu

I met some of the first group of youth leaders we trained in Cebu City, on the island of Cebu and more of them later at the celebration at Boracay.  These individuals formerly trained and certified as Trainers of Trainers, by GYMN, were now holding positions of responsibility in churches and para-church groups, serving as Senior Pastors, Associate Pastors, Teachers, Professors, Directors, etc. .

3rd Generation GYMN trained!

………….. One of the other indicators I witnessed was seeing those leaders in the church reproducing themselves in the younger generations. Young adults between ages of 15 and 23 being trained to be the next round of trainers.  Also, it was exciting to meet the current generation of trainers, many in the age group of 20 to 24.

But that is in the Philippines. What about the other countries we have just started in?  That can be a little different.  In the first trainings taking place in countries like Myanmar, Pakistan, and Nepal, it is not uncommon to have Senior Pastors, Youth Pastors, even church Bishops, and the the like, in them.  The reason is that they have never before experienced a logical approach like those provided through the GYMN materials and seminars.  God has called GYMN into this ministry to supply this very need.

Where ever the church needs help in the area of training its youth leadership, across the established Christian zones, unreached territories, or hard to reach territories, GYMN is here and ready to partner with you.  We can help by being the missionary’s arm that fulfills the element of training the youth leaders. We have the program, we have the team, so join us, pray for us, support GYMN.  It can not happen without our support team.  We are financially and  prayerfully supported by individuals and churches who believe in training the youth worker to lead the youth.

Others are calling for help for their youth leaders.  Help us to equip them!

Matt

There really is an Abominal Snow Man!

Yes there is such a thing as the Yeti, or as it is called in Myanmar … the Snow Man!

I have first hand knowledge from Pastor John Khong Khin, who says that he has first hand knowledge from old timers who say they have seen this smelly, large, fast, white furry creature with a cleft set of rear toes.

 Pastor John Khong Khin (sounds like Kong King not King Kong) is the church’s Abominable Snow Man of youth ministry in the Himalaya Mountains of Myanmar! Nothing can stop him and his fellow believers!  To those who have been deceived into beliefs of hindu and the budda, he is used by God to strike fear in their hearts with the truth of Jesus Christ…. And it is working!  Jesus loves them and wants to show them that he does.  This fact is on John’s mind all the time, so he goes to extremes you would not imagine to do to reach them.  It is his mission in life to help the lost in Myanmar (Burma).

 Pastor John has joined Global Youth Ministry Network (GYMN) as a volunteer trainer and now is at the Asia summit with one goal in mind. Train youth leaders in Myanmar (Previously Burma)! He lives on little income and pastors a church and is a part time worker with Myanmar Vision Ministry.

Pastor John tells us “the buddhists are coming to Jesus”.  There seems to be an abundance of events where God has opened doors there. There are even converts on his ministry team.

 

They travel to some extremely hard to get places just to deliver the good news of Jesus and train the youth leaders they find with the GYMN training system.  As a matter a fact, he must leave this summit early to make it to a training back in his country. 

 

John has become a great friend to me as we hit it off right away.  So many things I could tell you that he has done.  He was already doing a great work for Jesus Christ before he got involved this Global Youth Ministry Network.  He has gone through the training and is sold on its effective biblical principles of leading youth.  He wants to spread it across the rugged terrain of mountains and valleys through out Myanmar.  This is a hand picked servant of God, determined and poised to accomplish the task at hand.  I watched him here at the Summit planning his strategy for Myanmar!  There is a plan!  Pray that God will bless it and we will carry the GYMN training of leaders of youth through the entire region!

 

Matt

Where it all Started!

 

We spent a night in Cebu City. Getting to know the indigenous people of the Church there.  It was quite a treat.  We spent time there talking and getting to know our training network team.  We took in their needs and hopes for getting out further trainings and got to know our youngest generation of trainers. 

 

We were hosted by pastor Mackey and his wife Sharon.  They were so gracious to us and even to the extreme of what was needed.  I told Pastor Mackey that all this “going out of his way” stuff was not necessary, but he quickly replied that this does not happen every day (that he got to host for GYMN).

 

He let us speak to his youth leaders he was training with the GYMN material as well as the youth that the leaders were caring for.  Some of these were college aged and others were as young as 16.  It wasn’t until that moment I realized we were speaking to a third generation of trained youth leaders.  Their pastor Mackey was a first generation as he received conformation of his calling into full time ministry after taking the first GYMN seminar.  Now this was the second group of youth he was steering through the GYMN training process.  Who knows how far this is going to produce leaders as all these young adults take the training process to their culture in the next 5 years.

 

Cebu City is certainly a hub of training resources using the tools provided by GYMN.  They are setting new standards and goals for themselves to assure that GYMN digs its foothold in deep and permanently on Cebu Island and beyond to the 7,000 islands of the Philippines. 

 

One amazing thing is how we have been blessed with trainers from the Mindanao area.

You may have heard of the kid-napping that has taken place in the Islamic areas.  It is a problem, but not enough to deter our trainers.  Their mind is set and we plan to advance to train the Christian leaders of youth there.

 

At our gathering, there we met Herman, who along with his brother Noel who were used by God to bring GYMN into the Philippines.  And look how God has blessed!  Herman’s belief and enthusiasm in the GYMN program has not fizzled at all.  He is looking so forward to returning to train in Nepal as well as train in his own country. Herman has been busy setting up our 10 years anniversary celebration in Bora Kay Philippines.  We are celebrating with a luau on tomorrow night.  We are expecting 100 to attend this. Trainers and their families along with staff!  How excited are they about 10 years with GYMN?  Well for those who can not afford to fly in (at their expense), they will take a 12 hour boat trip just to get here!  Wow!  They must think it is important …. Hmmm   …. IT IS!!!!!

 

Matt 

 

 

Planning for future trainings for Asia!

 

 

 

Chris and Pastor Herman with the Team

 

 

 

 

 

Much Bigger Than All of Us!

I am so humbled.  I knew that when God placed me in a ministry that it would be something  much bigger than Matt Pounds.  I tried to prepare myself for that, but little did I know how much this movement would be bigger than all of us!

There is something happening that does not make sense in on the human side of explanations!  I listened to Pastor Unice (yes this is a guy) speak last night about about the miraculous ways that God is reaching out to capture the Muslims in Pakistan.  Here is news that God is showing himself to a people that need to see and hear something tangible in order to convince them to believe.  Your first thought might be … Oh what a stubborn people they are to not  listen and understand!  Or you may have thought like I have before, “waite God what about me!  Give me a miracle so I can believe!”

On the first note … stubborn, yes perhaps, but they were born into a situation that places them into an unfair situation as compared to myself.  They were born into Islam, and in a location that teaches from birth that Christ Jesus was not what the Christians say he was.  Consider the comment I first made on this blog, when I repeated the question we all ask ourselves, why here, why now, is it that you have been born into the freedom to believe in Christ? I guess I always knew that God understood the dilemma for those who were born into a disadvantaged circumstance, but it was hard to get my head wrapped around it.

God gives what God gives.  God loves us all!  Some he has placed in an environment in which they are free to believe more easily, even without the mighty miraculous hand of God showing itself.  For others He places in areas where it is resistive, staunch pressure to deny Jesus (not God, just Jesus).  I used to think that it was a bad thing to be in a position where someone would be so stubborn that they would have see the holes of Christ’s hand in order to believe.  But know I see that God considers the environment of which each one of us has been raised  and knows the needs we require to hear, and I mean really hear the call of Jesus.  God loves them! He is reaching out to them with miracles!  I have to admit, I was dull to the fact that they need those miracles to believe, I did not need them, I only thought I did.

We just heard about three churches that were burned to the ground there.  They are in great need and right now …. only your prayers will suffice. This is a huge spiritual battle going on.

I praise God for watching out for them, going to any extreme to call them!  Pray for them!  They need and DESERVE your prayers for you have what they do not, the freedom to believe. Please pray for Pakistan and Jesus’ church there.

Matt

Travel Day

 

We survived the flight!

It kind of started off a little different than I had planned.  My computer had to have 

a program downloaded on it, which I did at home, and then I thought it was ready.

It was not …  it had to be registered on line and … no on-line.  Not exactly how I planned it.

Monday ….

So now, here I am typing this in note pad (fun!).  Oh well it will have to do.  This is really a long flight from Detroit to Tokyo then a two hour wait and then off to Manila.  I think I snoozed a little cause my neck aches.  Manila is exactly twelve hours opposite Ohio.  Other side of the Earth.  I do believe we will be pretty messed up when we get there.  It may take a day to recoup.  

One of the things I am really looking forward to do on this trip is meeting Herman.  He is the one who called us ten years ago and asked Chris if he could come and start training youth leaders in his area. After ten years Herman is still volunteering for the cause of training leaders of youth. Wow, what a rock of faith and dedication.  Not only is he still involved, but he is heading up and presenting our celebration of being in the Philippines for ten years!  I am wondering what his words will be?  How will he see GYMN after witnessing ten years of its progress in his area?  

I will let you know when I find out!  Will it be good news?  Did we hold up strong and pushing forward?  I thank God that I get to be part of the vision here at Global Youth Ministry Network!

 

I pray That every word that comes out of my mouth leads to the advancment of Jesus’ kingdom across Asia. The spiritual ground here is fertile.  I just read this morning about the statement Jesus said while sending out the 72.  The harvest is ripe but the labourers are few.  Wow is it just me or do we have the same issue now …. 2000 years later?  Do we really get it?  It takes LEADERS that are TRAINED to be sent out!  YOU can make that happen even if you can not volunteer your time and life to go around Asia and train.  Churches everywhere are calling out for training!  You can make that happen with your monthly contributions and prayer.  Do we have it all down yet as a church?  No, but then we can not quit trying to get there either.  If you support GYMN, if you sponsor me, I will do everything in my power to see to it your support gets the job done.  We build the leaders of the church for today and tomorrow.   May God be so gracious to you for following and serving with GYMN.

Matt

Long Time A Coming For Asia

I have a friend named Lamar. He is dying…right now as we speak. The doctors say he will not last until Monday.

I talked to him this morning and his pastor today.  Of course my conversation with both of them was about Lamar’s spiritual condition.  I am comforted to now know that Lamar knows our Jesus.  This was not always the case. He just recently made this decision, praise God!

I have (as well as others) been praying for him since I met him 12 years ago, I believe it was.  It took a long time for him to settle with his Lord, but it was worth the wait and the pain.  Lamar has no idea what a great example he has provided me with.

Tomorrow, I head out for a Summit meeting in the Philippines with a group of staff and around 100 volunteers who have made the long term commitment to see Asia come to Christ. Like my friend Lamar, Asia has not turned to the Lord Jesus over night. It has been a long process paid for in sweat, blood, and in some cases even life. Asia is so full of different religions that it certainly tells us all one truth about the people in it …
that they are searching for truth, purpose, and life.

Jesus offers something that none of those religions can offer, and that is a tangible touch by the Living God that can not be explained! Just like the feeling of knowing Truth the moment you accepted Jesus, you knew deep inside it is true even though it could not be explained. Just like my friend Lamar in that hospital bed in his last days … he knew it was true the moment he believed and confessed Christ.

Asia will know also. Join me as I pray and expect that supernatural touch on Asia that only God can provide. Pray and leave it in the lap of God and watch for His workmanship. I go there to plan and strategize yes. But I also go there to watch, to see the hand of God at work.

Asia is knocking at the door. GYMN is being used by God to open the door.  You can be a member of this endevor by supporting Global Youth Ministry Network even if it is just $ 10.00 per month.  Many hands make light work.  Help us to change Asia through Christ Jesus.

$$ Wind Fall $$ (part 1)

 

“You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.” (II Corinthians 9:11)

Several years ago I started reading the Bruce Wilkinson book, “The Prayer of Jabez” and I knew as I was reading it (the first time) what was coming up in the book and I had to stop, close it, and put it down. You see, no matter what mode the blessing was to come in (half the world still operates without money) I knew that there was a higher level of commitment on my part that came with what ever blessing Jabez’s prayer was eluding to. For me to pray that prayer, there was something that had to happen in my spirit first … commit myself to what ever the cause (or calling) of the blessing is for.

The short prayer that Jabez spoke to God was emulating a mountain of contemplation he had gone through. And just like it, this short verse from II Corinthians contains a depth of preparation that goes back a year or so prior to the period it was written. This is not a theology of “abundant life” or comfortable existence of the American way of life! But rather it is a theology of “abundant giving”. 

 So for what cause is the abundant giving purposed? Why, for the Glory of God of course! Not man’s, not the ministry’s, not for more monetary abundance of life to come back to us.  But rather so the recipients who receive the generous gift can look to heaven and thank and praise God for  His supply through your heart for Him, your faithfulness to Him, and your concern for God’s children, your brothers and sisters who are and who will come to be. Not only does God gain the glory, but the giver gets to share in Christ’s glory by being an example of Jesus to those who need to see and learn from it.

Notice in the verse it says “can be”. Willingness and deciding go together to accomplish generous giving.  The first time I started “The Prayer of Jabez” I was willing to grow, but I could not read and finish the little book until I decided to commit to the prayer before I even knew what the commitment would include.  The results of that commitment ended up being huge for Bonnie and I and is a whole other story.  But the verse shown above may be the answer to the questions you may have been asking yourself and God for a long time …

• Is there more that I am supposed to be doing?

• Does the fact that I have been born and raised in this time and in this place have anything to do with what my life is suppose to contribute to the big plan?

The answer is ….. it “can be” ….. but first you must be willing (which you probably are) and then you must …… decide.  That is the commitment Paul reminds the Corinthians and us about.

Should you decide, and God leads you to Global Youth Ministry Network (GYMN) as a generous giver, I can assure you we have decided as an organization that what ever God supplies through you, that “through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.”

When I return from the Philippines in May, I hope to share with you some of these “thanksgivings to God” with you.

Brother Matt