2025 Stories

There are two things mentioned often throughout these stories that we deeply value, gospel movements and Discovery Bible Study. If you’re interested, we’ve explained a little more what we mean:

  • Gospel movements happen when the good news of Jesus spreads contagiously through a network of social relationships whereby many people become committed followers of Jesus and groups of these disciples multiply. Such movements have the potential to radically impact whole towns, cities, and nations. Learn more about Gospel Movements.

  • In a Discovery Bible Study group we see spiritually-interested people read the Bible story together, discover what it says, and then are challenged to immediately live out what they learned and share it with someone else. It’s that simple!
    Learn more about DBS.

San Clemente, CA | Taking Jesus to the Streets (and Beaches) [Video]
North America Trent Burton North America Trent Burton

San Clemente, CA | Taking Jesus to the Streets (and Beaches) [Video]

What started with mentoring a few young adults in faith and disciple-making tools, has grown into a movement among young adults in Orange County, CA. John began pouring into his grandson and a few of his friends, and took them to Germany to see a gospel movement taking place there among young people. Inspired, these young people came back with fresh vision and courage — and now lead outreaches on the beach and many are becoming followers of Jesus! Their Bible study gathering quickly grew to 80 young adults, as more young people caught a vision to invite friends from their workplaces, gyms, schools, and neighborhoods.

Read more to discover how a simple step of mentorship sparked a movement among young adults in Orange County.

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Temecula, CA | A Story Only God Could Write
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Temecula, CA | A Story Only God Could Write

When Alex Galloway (founder of Novo’s missionary care team, SentWell) traveled to California to share about his ministry, he didn’t expect to be part of a gospel story unfolding right in front of him. After the service, a man named Mohammed approached him with a story of trauma, escape, and unanswered questions about Jesus. What began as a chance encounter turned into undeniable evidence that God had been pursuing Mohammed for years.

Discover the lengths God will go to reach one searching heart, and the unexpected ways God will use his people to accomplish his purposes when they make themselves available.

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Santa Clarita, CA | The Micro-Church Incubator
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Santa Clarita, CA | The Micro-Church Incubator

Brandon dreamed of seeing everyday followers of Jesus start micro-churches—simple, multiplying spiritual families that live out God’s mission in everyday life. But as his team coached believers toward that vision, they realized many had never actually experienced a simple church themselves. So they launched a 9-month “Micro-Church Incubator,” where people from all walks of life are learning to pray, worship, and live on mission together. 

Read more to see how ordinary people are discovering church in its simplest (but most missional) form.

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San Jose, CA | Healing Through God’s Presence
North America Trent Burton North America Trent Burton

San Jose, CA | Healing Through God’s Presence

Robyn felt God’s presence her whole life, but didn’t know who he was. She searched for him in various churches—Catholic, Jehovah’s Witness, Mormon—and even at a Hindu temple, but it wasn’t until she visited a Christian church that she found God. After being equipped through Novo’s Activating Prayer Cohort her sensitivity to God’s presence and love for people are coming together. As a health coach and medical masseuse she prays for her clients and they are experiencing the healing presence of Jesus in places of deep pain.

Read more to see how learning to hear God’s voice turned Robyn’s work into a ministry of healing.

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Minneapolis, MN | Kids Stepping Out in Courage [Video]
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Minneapolis, MN | Kids Stepping Out in Courage [Video]

Inspired by Novo’s Activating Prayer Cohort, Steph Kaihoi began prayer-walking her children’s Christian school—and she’s seen God move in remarkable ways. What started as a few steps of faith became a ripple of renewal—students hearing God’s voice, and a whole school encountering the Holy Spirit’s presence. This year the entire student body stepped out in courage to prayer-walk. They asked Jesus what he wanted to see at their school, and even the youngest students boldly spoke out words of blessing.

Read more about how spiritual momentum is building and God is raising up these kids and adults to bring his Kingdom to their school.

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Shasta Lake, CA | What God Can Do When We Take a Break
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Shasta Lake, CA | What God Can Do When We Take a Break

After 13 years pouring their lives into a missional coffee shop and house church, Stuart and Sara were burned out and in desperate need of rest. They took a 3-month sabbatical—not knowing what would happen to these ministries in their absence. They were amazed at what awaited them when they returned: the church had doubled in size, the coffee shop was thriving, and new leaders had stepped up in ways they never imagined. In order to support the emerging leaders in both spaces, they launched a Disciple-Making Cohort, where 20 believers are being equipped in mission and multiplication. God showed Stuart and Sara that stepping back can sometimes unleash far more fruit than pressing forward ever could.

Read more about how their decision to rest led to more fruitfulness, not less.

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Dallas, TX | Healing at Children’s Health
North America Trent Burton North America Trent Burton

Dallas, TX | Healing at Children’s Health

At Children’s Health in Dallas, Marie—a Child Life Specialist—felt the weight of darkness and disunity in her hospital unit. She began using the prayer tools she learned from Novo at work and saw God move in surprising ways. Soon, five coworkers joined her on mission in her unit and together they began praying for one another, their patients, and their hospital. The atmosphere has shifted, coworkers are encountering God’s peace, and patients have experienced miraculous healing.

Read more about how Marie’s hospital unit was transformed from a dark and divisive place to one where blessing and miracles are happening on a regular basis.

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Dallas, TX | Young Adult Revival [Video]
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Dallas, TX | Young Adult Revival [Video]

There’s been a resurgence in faith in Jesus the last few years—especially among Millennials and Gen Z—and Novo has a front row seat. In Dallas, the Novo team are seeing young adults become on fire about Jesus, passionate about his presence—and they’re telling everyone! 

Watch the video to hear from the young leaders themselves about what this revival looks like, and hear the story of how one vision for renewal on campus was fulfilled and hundreds baptized.

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Escondido, CA | A High School Disciple-Maker
North America Trent Burton North America Trent Burton

Escondido, CA | A High School Disciple-Maker

Caden’s journey began with a longing to know God more deeply. Through Novo’s Activating Prayer and Disciple-Making Cohorts, he learned to take practical steps of faith and began leading Discovery Bible Studies with his high school teammates. Those gatherings became spaces where friends encountered Jesus and began to grow in their faith.

Read more to see how one high school student’s desire to grow became a movement of discipleship among his friends.

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Austin, TX | Spiritual Opportunities with Spanish Speakers
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Austin, TX | Spiritual Opportunities with Spanish Speakers

When members from a local church began prayer-walking a trailer park in Austin, they didn’t know a single person. Equipped with tools to make disciples from Novo’s Disciple-Making Cohort, they began serving the community, and now, they know every family! Over 50 neighbors have joined Discovery Bible Studies that are reshaping lives. Marriages have been healed, people are sharing the gospel, and leaders are rising up from within. The community is being transformed from the inside out.

Hear the steps Austin Ridge church took to move from knowing no one in the community, to knowing everyone, and making a significant spiritual impact on their lives.

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