Uncategorized – Page 2

5 things to share so far in 2025

#1 – YLI Training in Nicaragua – Ash and Ryn headed down to Nicaragua in January with our partner church, Southern Hills. We were part of a team doing love evangelism with children during the day and YLI training for local pastors and church leaders in the evening. For the first time, the YLI training was translatedContinue reading “5 things to share so far in 2025”

You can join us in 2025

Here’s how! Young Leaders International’s model is simple relational discipleship. That means that even though we’ve experienced exponential growth in the number of young leaders impacted, our baseline budget has only increased minimally year over year. In 2025 we will be increasing our investment in the Nigerian interns while we continue to build up theContinue reading “You can join us in 2025”

Empowering young leaders to reach their world through discipleship.

Da Onyame Ase! A word from our Executive Director, Ash Zook Friends, Da Onyame Ase (thanks be to God) is a line in a Ghanaian children’s song, Da N’Ase. Da N’Ase is like the American song, “Jesus Loves Me”. It’s often the first song a child learns in Sunday School. Similarly, it is spiritually deepContinue reading “Empowering young leaders to reach their world through discipleship.”

Intimacy with God

Is what we are made for Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. -John 15:4 Why Coach Retreats are so important It may appear on the surface that YLI’sContinue reading “Intimacy with God”

Spiritual Reproduction

Grows from intimacy with God and love evangelism …and what you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others. Join with me in suffering, like a good soldier of Jesus Christ. – 2 Timothy 2:2-3 On nearly every trip to WestContinue reading “Spiritual Reproduction”

Intimacy with God Retreat Jos, Nigeria

Ministry in a persecuted country felt different. It was joyful, but serious. As I taught on intimacy with God, it felt as though our leaders were paying attention to my words like I was giving them instructions to perform emergency surgery.

Discipling persecuted Christian students who love their Muslim peers.

An opportunity arose in northern Nigeria this year that at first seemed (to my sometimes-stubborn commitment to vision statements) to be outside of YLI’s scope. Our vision is to disciple young adults but earlier this year we received an invitation from a high school student group at a rural boarding school. I saw some photosContinue reading “Discipling persecuted Christian students who love their Muslim peers.”

Guest Post: Moye Boys & Friends

“Shoot him out of a cannon, Lord!”

Uhh…what? “Shoot him out of a cannon, Lord!” A YLI board member prayed those exact words after the three hour board presentation I delivered many years ago; during which I almost certainly exhibited more exuberance than expertise. The phrase was unfamiliar to me at the time, and quite honestly, I wasn’t sure if I concurredContinue reading ““Shoot him out of a cannon, Lord!””

A word from our Executive Director

Dear friends of Young Leaders International, How easy is it for you to remain consistently aware of God’s active involvement in your everyday life? I confess that despite what I have been privileged to do for a living for the last 15 years, I can easily work all day, focused on what I am tryingContinue reading “A word from our Executive Director”