CALLED Initiative Opens Pathways to Global Ministry Callings
John Zick, national director of CALLED, says that the invitations from other countries have come quickly, positioning the program to be in as many as three continents within the next year.
“In the past few years, we’ve had countries reach out one after another,” Zick says. “The U.K. brought me in to present the program to pastors and leaders, Ireland has engaged with it in what they’re calling ‘Young Arrows,’ and now we are seeing launches take shape across several more countries.”
Following the United Kingdom’s engagement, national events are already scheduled in France and Canada in the coming months, indicating a widening interest in celebrating the call to ministry on the lives of people across the globe.
The first African launch took place recently in Kenya, led by CALLED Director of Strategic Partnerships Steve Svoboda who coordinated the trip and worked alongside national Kenya Assemblies of God leaders to adapt the program for local context.
Two gatherings were held in a 10-day period, one in Waithaka, just 20 minutes from Nairobi, and another in Namelok, a rural area approximately five hours from Nairobi. Attendance numbers totaled 240, ranging from junior high age through young adult.
“People walked miles to be there. In both locations, there was a deep hunger for God. And what really stuck with me was that many of these individuals don’t even own a Bible, yet they are saying ‘yes’ to a call to ministry and are stepping out in faith to become pastors or missionaries,” says Svoboda.
During response times, nearly 100 of the 240 in attendance indicated that they sensed a call to full time ministry. The response was among the most significant leaders have witnessed.
The CALLED – Kenya initiative supports the national vision for Kenya AG leaders who recently set a goal of planting 5,000 churches and sending out 500 missionaries by 2033.
At the CALLED events, national leaders were excited to see the start of what they believe will be a long-term leadership pipeline from within the country. Prior to the event, U.S. CALLED leaders worked with Kenya AG’s team to help tailor programming to meet the goals and strategies of local leaders, as well as discuss how to sustain momentum.
“We didn’t want this to be a one-time moment,” Zick said. “The focus was building something sustainable. We wanted to be sure we equipped leaders to support those who responded to ministry callings after we leave.”
In addition to participant sessions, dedicated meetings were also held with department ministry leaders. Discussions centered around developing ongoing discipleship structures and keeping momentum alive in local Kenyan churches.
“The Kenyan leadership are very strong in hosting events and services. But the conversations our team was able to have with them about what happens next were very meaningful,” says Svoboda.
Leaders in Kenya are now exploring making the CALLED initiative an annual event, supported by resources and materials left by the U.S. CALLED team. Financial support for the Kenya launch was supported by three U.S. churches, Calvary Temple International in New Jersey, Journey Church in Wisconsin, and Allison Park Church in Pennsylvania.
Across the ocean, another country is also gearing up to launch on a national scale.
In France, CALLED resources have already been translated independently and leaders are preparing to distribute 4,000 copies of CALLED material in conjunction with their national gathering, which typically draws around 8,000 participants.
Meanwhile, other countries are adapting material provided by Zick and his team for greater local impact.
“There’s no single model for countries,” says Zick, “just like each of our U.S. districts have approached local CALLED initiatives a bit differently. Some places may do a one-day event, others may do longer retreats or camps. The goal is to give each country the ability to shape it for their culture and context while maintaining the core focus of helping people respond to God’s call on their life.”
To support the rapid growth, Assemblies of God leaders are developing a global “starter kit” that will include resources, permissions, and guides for new countries to roll out their own CALLED initiatives. Coordination efforts include collaboration with AG World Missions personnel, including liaison Jacob Jester, who is helping connect CALLED with U.S. based missionaries and local churches for ongoing support.
As additional countries express interest, Zick says that the emphasis will remain focused on two questions: What can we do to create space for people to say “yes” to the call of God on their lives, and how can we support the next generation of ministers and missionaries as they step into that calling?
