These Are Their Stories: Malick

When Malick came to Freedom to Lead, he did not think he could be a pastor.
Today he is thriving as he leads a congregation that impacts their community for Jesus Christ – thanks, in part, to the contributions of those whose hearts are turned to the unreached.

Malick is one of very few Christians from the Wolof tribe of six million in Senegal. For years he was involved in a small church. Others encouraged him to become a pastor, but he felt ill-equipped to lead. Then Malick heard about The Garden Project, FTL’s program of cultivating leaders. He knew he needed help, so he decided to attend the workshops. There he learned about Christ-centered leadership, mentoring, leading teams, and peacemaking. He was especially drawn to our teaching method that uses stories, images, and music.

Malick’s life changed dramatically.

Malick returned to his church and began applying the leadership lessons he learned. Through the four-year program, his confidence grew steadily until he became a pastor. Now he not only leads a growing congregation; he is also cultivating other leaders to reach the Wolof people with the gospel.

Malick is one of more than 5,000 leaders from forty countries in South Asia and Africa who are benefiting from Freedom to Lead’s program. Leaders like:

• Anthony, a Kenyan leader who waded for hours through waist-deep water in Sudan to share with others the leadership lessons he has learned.
• Selma, an Ethiopian leader who traveled sixteen hours by bus to attend the workshops.
• Abdellah, an Algerian pastor whose large church was recently bolted shut by government authorities.

A global solution for a global need

These men and women represent 80% of the world’s population that prefers to communicate and learn through stories, images, music, and drama rather than through reading and writing. Yet, less than 10% of Christian workers communicate with stories, pictures, music, and drama. This disconnect overlooks a primary method Jesus used in preparing for the growing global church, and has created a critical shortage in the effective cultivation of leaders.

Leadership matters!  

Leaders – good ones and bad ones – impact everyone. We all are affected by what leaders do, what they leave undone, and the decisions they make.

This is why Freedom to Lead is fervently committed to raise up leaders who are being set free from unhealthy leadership examples to lead like Jesus.

God is using Freedom to Lead in the lives of leaders like Malick, and the news is spreading rapidly. We continue to receive many requests from around the world. Our plans include launching new initiatives in new areas of the world, including for urban millennial business leaders.

Join us in praying for leaders like Malick who are bringing peace and Christ-centered leadership to his people in transformative ways.