Each of us wants to grow a healthy church culture with leaders of all ages—learning, growing, and passing along our love of Jesus to the next generation. But the reality is that very few of us know how to create multi-generational structures of leadership that give young leaders the freedom to lead in their unique calling.
This summer and early into the fall academic semester, two Christian Challenge student men’s ministry leaders at San Juan College in Farmington, NM worked through and completed the No Regrets DiscipleMaker 101 course. Joining them as facilitator was local long-time No Regret’s ambassador Chris Hunter.
Earlier this year at the end of the Spring semester, both Avery Ramirez and Ethan Gehr expressed to Chris that they lacked the confidence to share the gospel on campus, disciple students and run a small men’s group. The DiscipleMaker 101 curriculum was just the ticket!
The trio met via Microsoft Teams for 9 of the 10 sessions and completed the tenth session with an in-person celebration! Steve Sonderman acknowledged the achievement at a regional No Regret’s men’s conference in September in Southwest Colorado.
Both Avery and Ethan are now confident co-leaders of the weekly men’s small group that meets on Tuesdays in the community college cafeteria. The Bible Discovery method taught in the DiscipleMaker 101 curriculum is giving them and other students the ability to try their hand at leading the small group. Avery and Ethan are hoping to build the group size to start a second group on another day and time.
Both men have also been able to share the gospel in the dormitory and on campus where 65% of the students are Navajo and first generation college students. Many come from broken homes without a father. Chris is mentoring several of the students and is working to recruit other older men from his church to help with the effort.
Christian Challenge students have enjoyed coming to the annual February No Regrets conferences and this year will be no different as for the 16th year in a row the conference will be hosted in San Juan County New Mexico. Thank you No Regrets and donors for your investment in the lives of men in the Four Corners USA.
