Posts by Leanne Monge Barrera
Sports Ministry & The Great Commission: Encouragement for Planting & Watering Seeds
Does it ever feel discouraging to pursue the Great Commission? You tell others about Jesus and demonstrate His love, but don’t see transformation as quickly as you’d like—if at all? Don’t lose heart! Paul says in 1 Corinthians 3:6-9: “I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow… Each will receive…
Read MoreVolleyball Ministry: How Sports Create Opportunities for Discipleship
“Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to…
Read MoreHope on Campus: How God is Changing Lives in Lille
I believed in God. No…I hated God. I saw Him the way I saw my father: cold, distant…and when He showed up, it was to punish. I looked at the world—the suffering of my loved ones, of my family, of people everywhere—I asked Him the question many have already asked themselves: ‘Why do You let all this…
Read MoreWhen Ordinary People Change the World: The European Movement God is Building
A Growing Christian Movement in Europe Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus. Acts 4:13 (ESV) Picture this: Two fishermen stand before the most powerful religious leaders of their day. No seminary degrees, no…
Read MoreDiscovering Faith at a Christian Camp in Spain
The female counsellors at Spain’s L’Arcada Christian Camp never knew from week to week what type of campers they would have in their teepees. Would the girls be giggling and constantly whispering about boys, or would they be serious-minded seekers? It usually ended up being a combination of both and everything in between. GEM worker Dani Rhodes, who worked on…
Read MoreUnited for His Glory: Celebrations 2025 in France
“Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ.” 1 corinthians 12:12 Imagine what can happen when God’s children willingly and humbly work together for His glory. It wasn’t long ago when France’s spiritual landscape was quite dark. There were few Christians, and they were divided. Instead of uniting to grow God’s Kingdom, they found fault in one another, accusing others…
Read MoreWhen the World is Your Home: A New Book for TCKs
It started with a question. What happens when bedtime stories don’t reflect your child’s reality? For GEM worker Alyx Scholl, that question led to writing When the World Is Your Home, a book for children growing up between cultures. Alyx and her husband, Nick, have been serving with GEM in Italy since 2022, along with their two young children, ages four and one. The idea for the book came from a desire to help…
Read MoreSix Core Values of GEM Explained
Over the past six months, GEM Canada shifted from producing regular monthly blog posts to producing monthly newsletters focused on our six core values. Now that we’ve concluded the series, we’ve combined our written efforts into this one blog post. Let’s dive deeper and explore the heart of our organization. COMMUNITY Imagine having a dream…
Read MoreBrewing Hope: How One Albanian Café Is Transforming Lives
There are more coffee shops per capita in Albania than anywhere in the world, but one offers more than just a good brew. The Bridge offers hope and community. In Albania, the unfortunate reality is that many citizens feel hopeless about their country and its economic prospects; anger and aggression run high; mistrust in the…
Read MoreDiscipleship Through Music Training in Romania
At a week-long event called “Junior Levites,” fourteen-year-old Anca sat quietly among her fellow teen musicians, taking part in a small group led by GEM worker Richard Mauney. At the beginning of the week, as the group discussed faith and serving God with their music skills, Anca listened carefully. Yet she was hesitant to speak. …
Read MoreMinistry Opportunities in Unexpected Places
With each of us uniquely created with different giftings and passions from our Creator God, it can sometimes be confusing when deciding how to best reach the lost. Some believe ministry belongs inside a church building, while others see it as praying for people on the streets. The truth is ministry doesn’t always look stereotypical. The passions God has placed in our hearts can, and should, be used when reaching others.
Read MoreCelebrating and Reflecting on Easter in Greece
Adrian couldn’t wait for the end of the week. The excitement of Easter always delighted him, and he relished all its festive celebrations. Painting hard-boiled eggs red on the Thursday before Easter has been one of his favourite memories of the holiday, and this year his friend Andrew would join him and his family. The…
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