As a small organization, BILD aims to work with leaders of networks that have broad reach in an attempt to make the most of our limited time and resources. When a leader of a large organization in India reached out to us looking for assistance to develop a network amongst the churches that have been planted by the nearly 20,000 leaders the organization has trained, Michael and Jeff saw it as a good fit for BILD.
As Michael and Jeff met with this leader, it was clear that there were two distinct needs. One, to develop a clear strategy for developing a network to help continue to establish and support those that have completed the training and are now leading churches, and two, to develop BILD’s Equip program in such a way that it can be linked with that organization’s tracking system in order to manage the large amount of data as well as provide a recognition system for the leaders that complete their program.
Meetings began in June of 2022, with the Indian leader visiting the BILD offices to discuss the specific needs of his organization and how BILD could best come alongside them. There was a Zoom meeting on August 27, 2022, that included more of the trainers working with the organization. In September, BILD provided a demo of Equip to train top leaders in the use of the software, and the top leader along with the leader from within the organization responsible for integration of sophisticated technological systems, were in Ames again in November to work out more details around integration of their existing system and Equip.
In November 2022, Michael traveled to India in an effort to connect post-covid with several of BILD’s partners including this ministry partner. At that time, he met with the organization leaders to discuss network development as well as interact around the Master Craftsman Global D-Min program. This was a hugely impactful time as the top leader and Michael were able to begin the work of sketching out an initial strategy for moving the organization from a ministry organization to a complex network of churches. The leader rented a large van to facilitate discussion amongst the leaders as they traveled around to different villages to interact with the leaders of the churches in those villages. One story that really connected the need for network development to the local context was that of one particular recruiter for the organization. He has brought nearly 300 men into training over the last eight years. A number of these men are only vocationally literate. Michel met two of these men during his time there, who each have over 10 churches working through BILD materials, and they are becoming more literate as a result. These men have approached the organization’s leader asking about next steps for their ministries, moving the leader to strengthen his desire to move all of his churches toward a network that has the ability to more deeply establish existing leaders as well as provide training for new ones.
In March, Michael, Jeff, and Steve were able to travel to India to celebrate with all of the leaders across India who earned certificates in the Master Craftsman program. This particular organization had 18 leaders earn certificates which was an important milestone in the process of establishing strong leaders that can continue to grow the church throughout India.
We look forward to this continued partnership and seeing how God works through these leaders and churches in India.
Note: Faces have been blurred and names omitted to protect the identity of our global partners.