How Northwoods Community Church is helping ZEC Ministries multiply its efforts to reach the next generation for Christ
Zion Evangelistic and Care (ZEC) Ministries is getting ready to build a small army of youth workers throughout east central India, and Northwoods Community Church is playing a big role in mobilizing the “troops.” This May, a team from Northwoods is travelling to India to help Syam and Esther Babu in their first-ever youth camp, where they hope to train thousands of youth workers who will in turn run children’s camps throughout the country. Based on a highly successful ministry model, the current children’s camps reach largely unchurched children, often thousands at a time. In multiplying those efforts, ZEC Ministries is poised to greatly increase the number of children exposed to the Gospel message.
“Our goal is to bring as many 18- to 25-year-olds together for a large youth camp,” says Dr. Craig J. Smith, Engage (missions) pastor at Northwoods. “We want them to catch a vision for reaching children in their village, and then send them back armed to do that service.” A year-and-a-half in the making, this trip focuses entirely on building into the lives of young adults. “Many are searching for something meaningful to do with their lives,” says Craig. For some, that might mean leaving their current living conditions in search of a high-profile career, but, according to Craig, “Syam and Esther are committed to giving these young adults a reason to stay and serve in their own towns and villages.” To learn more about the trip, or to get involved in future efforts, visit northwoods.church/global-missions.
