Rose (name changed) had a deep desire to serve God, but was absolutely paralyzed by fear. She barely spoke to anyone, so stepping out in ministry seemed impossible. After attending a training with Novo’s Global Partner on spiritual authority and hearing God’s voice, she found courage and began leading women in Discovery Bible Studies. What started in one village has now grown into multiple generations of disciples, with new groups continuing to multiply under her guidance to the fourth generation—the marker of a full gospel movement! Rose’s journey shows how ordinary people can step out in faith, overcome fear, and spark movements of the gospel.

Read more to discover how Rose moved from fear to leadership and is now transforming communities through discipleship.

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.

In a neighborhood facing hardship, Joy is using art to speak life and hope. Through prayer-walks and ribbon-based street art, she writes words from Jesus over her community. Her pieces, like the word “Freedom,” have caught the attention of neighbors and sparked conversations about God’s love.

Discover more about how Joy is blessing her neighborhood through creativity and prayer.

When Felipe (name changed), a surgeon from Bolivia, served in a Middle Eastern refugee camp, he prayed nightly for a young man tormented by fear and trauma. Locals warned Felipe against involvement with the young man because he was the son of a terrorist and had been forced to kill Christians to learn the “family trade.” But Felipe didn’t stop. The night before Felipe left the country, the young man had a vision of Jesus, full of love and forgiveness for him. 

Read more to hear how Felipe’s prayers impacted the son of a terrorist, and how Novo’s Global Partner, Reflejo, was able to send Felipe back full-time to learn the language and share the good news.

After years of abuse, loss, and persecution, Ashira (name changed) had every reason to give up hope. But at a safehouse supported by Novo staff, she met Jesus—and everything changed. Now, this once-broken woman has become a bold disciple-maker, starting house churches and helping others find freedom in Christ, even from the other side of the ocean.

Discover how God is redeeming Ashira’s story and multiplying his Kingdom through her life.

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.

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.

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.

In a city known for its spiritual darkness and celebrated sex industry, Novo staff Johnny and Rachel are helping believers bring the light of Christ into some of Berlin’s hardest places. Through prayer and partnership with anti-trafficking ministries, they’ve built friendships with sex workers and begun to see lives change. Out of this work came Door of Hope, a ministry that equips churches to bring healing and hope to those caught in the sex trade. Johnny and Rachel are training believers in Berlin to hear from God and make disciples—and the hunger to learn and live on mission is inspiring. Signs of spiritual renewal are appearing across the city!

Read more to hear how light is piercing the darkness in Berlin.

Novo staff Jeremiah leads Novo NK, a ministry helping North Korean refugees, including women trafficked into forced marriages in China. Bethel House, their mission center in Southeast Asia, provides a safe place for these women to experience God’s love, receive care, and learn about Jesus. This was their first year running Bethel House, and eight North Korean women completed the three-month program. All eight encountered Jesus, experienced the Holy Spirit, and were baptized. Their testimonies reveal the desperate lives they had before and the incredible new hope they’ve found knowing God loves them. 

Read more about this beautiful rescue ministry and the women whose lives are being changed.

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.

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.

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.

In post-Christian Hungary, where faith has faded from everyday life, Pastor Balu and his family are watching God awaken hearts. Spurred on by Novo friends, they’ve started small groups where unchurched young people are encountering Jesus through Discovery Bible Study and choosing to follow him. Engaging their community through service and relationship building is bearing fruit and giving them surprising opportunities—including the chance  for Balu to share Jesus with hundreds.

Discover how faith is coming alive again in Hungary.

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.

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.

In a nation rich with deities and spiritual seeking, Novo staff Christian and Rie describe Japan as “hard soil.” During Novo’s Activating Prayer Cohort, they were reminded of the authority and power they have as followers of Jesus. As they joined with other believers in prayer, spoke blessings boldly, and courageously worshiped in public spaces, something began to shift—hearts opened, and curiosity about Jesus grew.

See how prayer, blessing, and courage are transforming ministry in Japan.

After the war began, the Novo Ukraine team recognized trauma and fear in every person they served. With help from Novo’s care team, SentWell, they launched Refectio—a program to bring emotional and spiritual healing to one million Ukrainians. They knew their ministry building wasn’t adequate to carry out such a big vision, but this year God provided a new space. Lumen Tower, which is 11 times larger than their previous building, is a light-filled refuge where healing, learning, and hope are already taking root. 

Learn how God is turning their vision of restoration into a ministry shining light across Ukraine and leading many Ukrainians to hope in Jesus as well.

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.

Six Cambodian students recently gave their lives to Jesus through InnerCHANGE’s Bible classes and soccer programs—each one a story of joy, courage, and purpose that comes from following Christ. MeyAing found faith that brought hope to her family, and Lina found freedom and joy in Christ. 

Read more to hear the full stories of how these students encountered Jesus and chose to give their lives to him.

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.

When Ryan and Amy moved to Scotland, they faced the challenge of how to make disciples in a staunchly secular nation where few follow Jesus. Yet through prayer, perseverance, and deep relationships, they’re helping believers rediscover how to make disciples and form gospel-centered communities. Through monthly “Communities of Practice,” they gather and equip disciple-makers from across the nation to worship, pray, and grow together. Slowly but surely, faith is taking root again in Scotland—and multiplication is beginning to bloom.

Read more about the challenges and opportunities Ryan and Amy are seeing in Scotland.

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.

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.

Dave, a lifelong motorcycle rider, moved to Cambodia in 1998. For decades, he rode throughout the country, praying and meeting people as Jesus led. The motorcycle gave Dave access to hard-to-reach places and people, including a remote animist people group of 40,000 with only 200 followers of Jesus.

Hear how the Holy Spirit moved Dave to equip this group’s church leader with simple tools to empower everyday people to share the gospel story.

Perched on treacherous mountainsides deep in South Asia are some of the hardest to reach (literally) people groups in the world. Just getting there takes days and days on motorbikes, travelling over tiny roads balanced on sheer cliffs, through leech-filled rivers. But God is blessing the workers making those journeys by showing up in miraculous ways. Almost every person who has become a follower of Jesus in this region has had a miraculous healing. 

Hear about what happened when one witch doctor's wife who was deep in the demonic, met Jesus, and was healed from paralysis.

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.