Michael grew up in a tough slum in central Uganda, addicted to drugs and leading gangs while still a teenager. When a Muslim friend invited him to a Discovery Bible Study (DBS), his life completely changed. He started new DBSs with various gang members, and many of those gang members started their own groups. Crime in the slum has done an about face, as gang members who now follow Jesus are forcing the troublemakers out. Today “Uncle Michael” leads the slum ministry for AVA Mission, Novo’s Global Partner in Uganda, and can trace 81 DBS fellowships happening across 15 gangs, that all began with his.

Click to discover how God is transforming an entire slum through one man’s encounter with Jesus.

In a neighborhood where few dare to go, the InnerCHANGE team is walking among women caught in the sex trade, sharing love and the hope of Jesus. Through care and verbal Bible studies, lives are being renewed. Hirut—a single mother—found healing and freedom at the team’s Restoration Center, and now dreams of a new future for her family. Her story is one of many reminders: God is bringing beauty from brokenness.

Read more to see how InnerCHANGE is restoring hope and transforming lives in this community most Christians avoid.

When Vuyo joined the InnerCHANGE team as an apprentice, she didn’t strike them as a visionary—but then again, God likes to use ordinary people to become agents of change. As she learned and served, her heart for Jesus and her neighborhood began to grow. After hearing about missional spaces, she asked, “Can my garage be a missional space?” She began an outreach to children in her neighborhood, which not only blessed those kids but sparked a whole missional network! 

Read more about how Vuyo became a powerful change agent who’s inspiring others to do the same.

Novo’s spiritual formation missionary team, Imago Christi, has had an amazing opportunity to help ministry leaders in Kenya deepen their connection to Jesus and minister from the overflow. What started with 23 church leaders grew into a customized Discovery course for more than 80 additional leaders! The Kenyan leaders formed “Sacred Circles” where they could grow spiritually, support one another, and experience the love of Jesus. Now churches are being planted by leaders ministering from this place of overflow.

Read more to see how Imago Christi is helping church leaders in Kenya grow, lead, share God’s love, and experience it for themselves.

Sam was trained in Disciple Making Movements by Novo’s Global Partner, Healing and Transforming Leaders (HTL), and he was burdened by all the other church leaders who did not have the same tools to pray with power and make disciples who multiply. So he started a mission school. 

Now, graduates have gone on to pioneer children’s ministries, soccer outreaches, drama groups, street churches, slum ministries, and college DBS groups—all intentionally structured to rapidly multiply the good news to more and more people.

Read more about how Sam was inspired to multiply his training to others and the life-changing ministries that have resulted.

Geoffrey (aka “Bouncer”) was a drug-dealer and leader in the slums of Nigeria for 19 years. Despite that, people trained in disciple-making by Novo’s Global Partner in Nigeria recognized him as a person of peace, someone not only ready to hear the good news, but to share it with others. The result has been not just a new life of freedom and purpose for Geoffrey, but freedom for many others trapped in the same lifestyle.

Hear about what changed Geoffrey’s life and spurred him on to help others.