The Greatest Journey Celebrates 10 Years of Making Disciples
“Millions of children are coming to the Lord Jesus Christ through Operation Christmas Child and The Greatest Journey. These young disciples are sharing their faith, and the Gospel is transforming families and communities around the world.”
—Franklin Graham, President, Samaritan’s Purse
“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations”
Matthew 28:19
18.9 million
children enrolled
920,000
teachers trained
A Small Seed in Ecuador Blossoms Around the World
It started with a prayer.
“I had been praying around three years for a discipleship program for children,” said Pastor Ramiro Baez of the Good Shepherd Church in Pifo, Ecuador, near Quito, the capital city. “We really needed a very structured program.”
His prayers were answered in 2009 when he learned that his church had been chosen to launch The Greatest Journey, a 12‑lesson discipleship series designed by Samaritan’s Purse for Operation Christmas Child shoebox recipients.
“It was tremendous,” Baez said, to have the privilege to introduce the course to the world. And it had an immediate impact on his congregation, most of whom hail from the impoverished neighborhood around the church building.
“It was God’s miracle to ignite a fire for evangelism and discipleship in this church,” he said.
Pastor Ramiro Baez
Baez, who also serves as Ecuador’s Operation Christmas Child national coordinator, used The Greatest Journey as a tool to plant new churches, including five in and around Pifo. In all, he said, more than 100 churches have been planted in Ecuador as a direct result of The Greatest Journey.
One hundred fifty children participated in the first Greatest Journey class at Good Shepherd. Ten years later, over 13 million boys and girls in 124 countries have graduated from the program, with nearly 9 million of them making decisions for Christ. In addition, over 920,000 volunteer teachers have been trained to teach the Biblically based studies.
“Through The Greatest Journey children get to know Jesus, they grow in Christ, and then they share the love of Christ with others. And that’s when multiplication happens,” said Maribel Pumisacho, an Operation Christmas Child international field representative for South America. “During the time we’ve had The Greatest Journey in Ecuador, God has allowed us to see many transformations in the lives of church leaders. Many pastors didn’t see children as an important part of the church. But now children are very important in the life of the church. In many places, because there weren’t trained leaders, churches were closed. Through The Greatest Journey we’ve been able to see churches reopened.”
“…and then they share the love of Christ with others.”
—Maribel Pumisacho
Recent graduates of The Greatest Journey celebrate in Ecuador.
In April, 55 students at Good Shepherd became the first 10th anniversary class to graduate from The Greatest Journey. By year’s end, over 600 more boys and girls are expected to receive their diplomas and New Testaments at the church when they complete classes. Globally, more than 4 million children will graduate from the course in 2019.
“When we started The Greatest Journey 10 years ago, nobody suspected what was going to happen,” Baez said. “It started an evangelism fire.” And that blaze continues to burn bright in thousands of communities the world over.
“We have a phrase that we always say here,” Baez said. “Dream big. So big that for a human being it is impossible unless God is in the middle of it. And [the success of The Greatest Journey], for a human being, is impossible. That’s why all the honor and all the glory belong to Him.”
“And all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God.”
Isaiah 52:10
More from the Past Decade
9.7 million
children praying for and sharing their faith with friends and family
8.9 Million
reported decisions for Christ
