Because of the GLS | Equipping the Next Generation to Transform India

When Valson Varghese hosted the GLS for the first time at his church in India, he felt a stirring for his greatest passion—serving and equipping youth to impact the nation with the gospel.

Valson is a youth coordinator for the Assemblies of God Church in India, which serves close to 11,000 churches.

“In our country 54 percent of India’s 1.2 billion people are youth. So we are talking close to 650 million people!” Valson exclaims. “If we don’t reach them, then we don’t make a significant impact in our nation.”

Valson is called to serve youth, and has been working in youth ministry for close to 24 years. “It’s not a stepping stone to another higher office—it’s a calling,” Valson explains. “I am passionate about youth and seeing them develop in the area of leadership. I want to help them become passionate for God, passionate for righteousness and passionate to make an impact.”

In a country that is only three percent Christian, Valson sees the GLS as a critical tool to talk about leadership from a Christian perspective. The GLS is able to equip emerging leaders to have an impact in business, politics, education and medicine. “The principles that are taught and shared here can be used in several facets of life. I’m very keen as to how we can use these GLS principles, especially with youth leaders. If the youth can be impacted for the gospel and for God, I believe we can make a change in our nation.”

Valson’s passion to equip leaders to share the gospel with all people in the nation of India is evident in his life’s work, but is surprising to some. “A lot of times Christians are afraid of our Muslim friends,” Valson explains. “But they are wonderful people and I love them.

“My youngest brother was a major in the Indian army in Kashmir.  In one of the operations, a couple of terrorists came and killed my brother. The news reporters came to my home to find out how I felt and I told them…

“The greatest enemy is not across the border, it’s within each of us.

“We cannot just hate somebody because of their ethnicity or religious background. God put a special place in my heart to reach our Muslim friends.”

With a heart for the entire nation of India, whether Hindu, Muslim, Buddhist or Christian, Valson knows that in order to impact the nation, they need Christ-centered leaders. And by focusing on emerging leaders, Valson is equipping the next generation who will go on to transform the country.

Thank you for supporting leaders like Valson who are equipping hundreds of thousands of youth leaders in India.

ARVE Error: Mode: lazyload not available (ARVE Pro not active?), switching to normal mode

“I want to say thank you to every one of you who has contributed and supported this ministry and the GLS,” Valson shares. “You helped bring these principles to various nations of the world. I can tell you from India, that it’s going to make a big impact. I want to say thank you. I pray this will reach many more. I pray that it will impact in our nation in an even greater way when we see righteousness and justice restored. So I’m excited for it. Thank you.”

To support leaders like Valson, consider the WCA in your giving this year by going to www.willowcreek.com/give