Global Youth Ministry Network - Asia

The Need - The burden for youth and the vision for GYMN began back in the early 80’s, 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 churches 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.

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 to teach Chris in regards to youth before the day to begin equipping youth leaders internationally would come.

1996 – The Pilot Project – While at Dallas Theological Seminary, Chris was preparing for a life time 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 Christian youth leaders internationally in a purposeful and practical method.

1997 – The Launching – GYMN officially began in January of 1997 and has grown exponentially since that day.

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 approximately 16,820 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 approximately 34,820 young people annually.

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. By 2003, 23 different countries were impacted on 5 different continents. In those countries over 3520 youth leaders were impacting more than 70,000 young people each year!

Global Expansion

Let us remember that His power can do exceedingly more than all of us ask or imagine.

2008 update:  Impacted 46 countries on 5 different continents, over 7,292 youth leaders 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.