A Year Like No Other!

You make PLI happen! Thank you. You’re a participant. A champion. A donor. A coach. An international partner. A tireless advocate and encourager. You’re a Leader! And…you make PLI happen. So, thank you. We wanted to share with the PLI family the fruits of your investment—and did I mention—say thank you.

There’s a high probability that you’re discouraged about ministry. Defeated! Overwhelmed!

2021 was an incredible year. Another Covid year! PLI trained leaders who oftentimes faced great adversity and challenges. Some faced open religious and/or ethnic minority persecution at home and abroad. We trained more leaders than we ever have before and saw requests for new and innovative training in ways we had never previously considered.

Strong, godly leaders are needed as much today as any other time in our history. Pastors and spouses and leaders are longing for training, encouragement, investment, tools and hope so that the people in their ministries benefit and their communities are impacted. 

The 2 big milestones from 2021!

• 1,724 pastors and spouses and leaders were engaged in PLI training in the United States and around the globe!

• Multipli was launched as a companion ministry of PLI focused on training the people of God for the Mission of God in five different levels of fully online training.

In the United States:

331 U.S. Pastors and Spouses and Leaders

Over 300 rolled up their sleeves to invest in themselves becoming better leaders through regular training and coaching.

“PLI’s D2MC has lit a fire here at Mt. Calvary. Prior to PLI, ministry was about carrying out heavy programs by a few. Now our ministry is focused on raising people up to live as disciples who have been trained to disciple others.  

“I see the fruits of D2MC all over the place. I see people stepping out of their comfort zones hosting block parties to get to know their neighbors. I see families hosting VBSs in their own front yards and their children going door to door inviting their neighbors. I see huddles going on prayer walks asking God to open doors for the Gospel. I see people being brought to faith. I see lives being changed. I see God at work.”

-Pastor Kenton Birtell

64 New Seminary Graduates and Spouses

Most leaders experience coaching to be most valuable in the “never been here before” leadership moments. The first year for a new pastor—or a spouse—is chock full of those moments where good decisions and the forming of good habits can shape a lifetime of leading well.

“The first-year coaching after seminary encouraged me through the unimaginable twists and turns that ministry brings!” 

– 1st Year Pastor

136 1,000 Young Leaders

If you listen to the young, believing millennials in your world you’ll hear them say something like:  I think God wants me to do something but I don’t know what and I don’t know how so I don’t do anything. 1,000 Young Leaders is filling in the blanks…building character… in the lives of young women and men who are becoming articulate difference makers. 

“I knew God wanted me to do more but I didn’t know how and I didn’t know what. 1,000 Young Leaders gave me tools and training. I’m fired up. It’s given me confidence to share…to lead…to make a difference.”

-Kami Thews

2 to Seminary

Seminary enrollments have dropped approximately 60% in the last 15 years, presenting the church with a staggering shortage of pastors just over the horizon. 2 gifted young men in 1,000 Young Leaders sensed God leading them toward pastoral ministry with skills and vision to reach their generation already invested in them.

“It’s a different world today. 1,000 Young Leaders is giving our young adults a voice. It’s giving them legs. 1,000 Young Leaders will have a giant impact in the church and in the world. I’m 100% behind it!” 

– Pastor Dan Thews, Appleton, WI

6,814 combined hours of leaders in coaching

Again and again we hear that the coaching within the PLI training is transformational. It’s the difference maker! Encouragement, accountability, invitation, challenge! It’s changing leadership trajectories. 

22 different states

We are encouraged by the commitment to become better leaders for the sake of the mission from all parts of the United States.

U.S. Pastors are feeling the brunt of the last 2 years!

• I can’t win!
• I could lose!
• I can’t quit!

(from Todd Wilson, Exponential)

“For years we’ve been preaching and teaching and casting vision that people should be leaders where they live and where they work. Sharing their faith. Making a difference. But, we’ve never trained them in the simple rhythms and patterns of being fearless impact makers in their everyday lives. Multipli is changing that!” 

– Gail Ficken, Founder/President Multipli

Around the Globe

1,193 pastors and spouses 

Nearly 1,200 women and men sought to become better leaders for the sake of the Mission of God through biblical leadership training.  Imagine this ..during Covid: The international team re envisioned training in new and innovative ways. Even while we were restricted from virtually any international travel from the United States, training happened:

• Local trained trainers followed through in training gathered participants.
• U.S. trainers were up all night teaching online as pastors and spouses gathered multiple time zones away… sometimes in war-torn regions not safe to travel or countries where governments would never allow our teams to travel. 
• In one country where Christian persecution is severe, church planters huddled on cell phones to become better equipped at unifying people around a mission of reaching people with the Gospel

“The dioceses that have been in PLI training are now growing very fast. Lay people are joining pastors in sharing the Gospel and starting new churches. Tanzania has a big population where many have never heard the Gospel of Jesus. It’s a challenge. It’s an opportunity.”

-Bishop Emmanuel Makala

By region:

• Africa – 983     
• Asia – 102      
• Eurasia – 68        
• Latin America – 40 

By December 31, 2021 PLI had trained in:

• 11 countries    
• 13 different denominations
• 17 church bodies/dioceses/networks

“PLI is working with leaders in three countries in Southeast Asia that are facing severe persecution. As we train, these leaders never have asked for prayers for the persecution to end, but instead, have only asked for us to pray that they would be bold and courageous in the face of it. What a moving and powerful testimony!”

-Dr. Scott Rische

New Countries/Locations Started in 2021

• Burundi
• Cameroon
• Rwanda
• Tanzania ELVD

Your Generosity Made All Of This Possible

Up over 9%!

Giving to PLI remained steady through 2021, but when combined with your gifts in launching Multipli, represented a 9% increase for the 2nd straight year!  

$100,000 in matching grants at the end of 2021

2 generous donors made challenge grants to match new or increased gifts at the start of 2022 to accelerate PLI’s training and better communicate the PLI story. It’s not too late for your new or increased gift to be fully matched!

It’s been a year like no other! Thanks for helping make it happen, and thanks for being in the PLI family.