Dominican Republic and Haiti - November 20009 - This trip was made in cooperation with G.O. Ministries. I did two multi-day workshops on this trip. One was held in Santiago, DR and it lasted for three nights. We had about 60 people attend - some were pastors, some were church leaders, some were musicians. We gave every church 1-2 Spanish language books on worship and also had curriculum translated into their language. I then traveled to the town of Dajabon which is on the Haitian border and spent two full days with a group of Haitian pastors that had traveled many hours to be there. We focused on leadership, the spiritual journey of pastors, biblical foundations of worship and how to start a worship ministry with no instruments and still creatively plan worship services. We ended our time together with worship in the park! I will be returning to work in the DR and Haiti in April of 2010.
India - February 2010 - I went to India as a part of a four member teaching team. We worked in conjunction with Operation Mobilization's music section, Heart Sounds International. We did a very short training time in Hyderabad at the OM Headquarters there and then we traveled to Kolkatta, where we spent an entire week with 75 students from all over India teaching and training about all things pertaining to worship ministry. What a joy to be led in worship by these brothers and sisters - and in six different languages as well! Our class was mainly comprised of pastors, but some worship leaders and church leaders also attended. Some traveled for days to do so. The Give Worship Project was able to contribute roughly 1/3 of the funds needed for these leaders to travel and be housed and fed during this conference. Without our help, they could not have attended and received training. We ended our trip by traveling to some slum churches in Kolkatta and ministering there as well. I have been invited to continue working in India by e3 Partners Ministry. I return to disciple Christians through teaching on Biblical Worship in November 2010.
Rwanda - March 2010 - I went to Rwanda in partnership with e3 Partners Ministry. My trip to Rwanda was slightly different than previous ministry trips. Before conducting the Worship Conference, I participated in a normal church-planting campaign conducted by e3 Partners. I personally helped plant two churches in rural villages where there was no church within walking distance. Our entire team - at five new mission points - saw 956 people come to know Christ! so that was very exciting. We were honored to be able to conduct a one day Worship Conference for 100 church leaders! I co-taught with two other worship musicians and it was an incredible experience. Our curriculum had to be applicable in a congregational church, a home church, or the secret church. With this in mind we focused in on Biblical Foundations of Worship and The Spiritual Life of a Worship Leader. We taught the definition of worship, why we worship, how we worship, and what happens when we worship God. We did a few teaching activities and we had alot of time to worship together as well. The Give Worship Project was also able to provide a nutritious lunch as well as supplies for all attendees. Anna, the e3 Country Leader in Rwanda, called it "the best day of my life!" because she learned so much. This truly showed our team the need for continued discipleship and focus on worship. We are presently working on making sure our teaching materials are clear and concise so that they can be translated into Kenya-Rwandan and used all over Rwanda! e3 Partners has graciously invited us back to work in Rwanda and do more conferences in the future. I'll be returning to Rwanda in September of 2010 to continue training.
God is opening so many doors for the Give Worship Project to minister throughout the world! I hope you'll rejoice with us and choose to come on board as a partner!
Here's a testimony from the e3 Missionary that I traveled to Rwanda with:
What a joy it was to see 100 leaders of mother churches and their daughter churches (e3 Partners Ministry assisted the Mother churches in the planting these daughter churches in 2008) be discipled in a way many of them never imagined was possible!
Worship, taught from the word of God, by the Word of God brought discipleship in a new and exciting way to about 50 churches of various denominations in March 2010. The worship discipleship material presented the Rwandan church by Jan Owen, Harry Richardson, and Wendy Bramhall appears to be useable and reproducible whether used in one’s personal quiet time, in a small group or cell setting, or in a larger church setting of many people.
From the moment worship was presented as “our loving response to a holy God,” people were riveted in their seats. How delighted many were to find that worship was for everyone and that genuine worship is a lifestyle, a transforming one at that! Worship that is inclusive rather than exclusive; worship that allows all to participate rather then singers and leaders only; worship that demands we all enter the very presence of God via His Word, His nature, His character challenged the Gatsibo/Gahini church to its core. I couldn’t help but wonder how many folks have ever purposed to write their own Psalm before (an assignment given following one session)?
At the end of the day, the testimony that affected me the most was that of e3 Rwanda leader Anna Kayisinga. When asked to present testimony, Anna started with this statement: “Today was the best day of my life …!” This from a Rwandan church leader and former pastor as well as worship leader.
In Rwanda, discipleship will in the future include discipleship conferences on worship.
In His steps
Mike Wagner
2011
India in February
- I worked again with Operation Mobilization to help train and equip their female ministry students. All of these young women are church planters and we got to spend four days worshiping and learning together.
Rwanda in March, May and September
- We provided worship conferences on each trip I went on - we had had over 200 pastors and church leaders at each conference. While there I also helped plant churches and do evangelism. I work in Rwanda with e3 Partners.
Guatemala in January and July
- We worked in El Yalu and Santiago helping with community development and also providing a worship conference for local church leaders.
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