Who am I?
My name is Christopher Wells, I am 21 years old (for two more weeks), and I live in Boise, Idaho. I grew up in Manteca, California and went to Crossroads Grace Community Church my entire life, until I moved to Boise, eight months ago, in August, 2015. Now I go to Calvary Chapel Boise, where I go to their in-house ministry school, Ministry Discipleship School. I am also an intern at CCBoise, where I help to run the satellite ministry and post-college-age ministry, both out of the District Coffee House in downtown Boise. I also recently launched a ministry called Shred the Veil with the intention of showing the western church what the state of the church looks like worldwide. That’s still in it’s infancy, but I expect God to use my experience on the World Race in the future of Shred the Veil.
Who am I going with?
The organization Adventures in Missions (ADV) has been doing the World Race (WR) since 2006, they launch many different routes each year, and have sent over 3,500 racers into the field so far. My squad consists of 40-50 other people from all walks of life and from all over the United States (it also looks like there are some squadmates from Europe as well). I’ll find out more as I meet my squad via Facebook and training camp.
Why am I going?
I firmly believe that the Great Commission was not just the “Great Suggestion,” but just what the name indicates, a commissioning, or a handing over of a duty to Christians. Jesus, when He commissioned us, gave us the duty to go into the world and make disciples of all nations. I once heard it said that there are “Three types of Christians when it comes to missions: obedient goers, obedient senders, and disobedient Christians.” Now, I’m not sure if I would use that harsh of a statement, but in an effort to stay in the middle of God’s will for my life, having heard His commissioning words, I have decided to embark on this journey to be a goer to “serve the least of these” with the goal of obedience through love.
When am I leaving?
Before I can go on the race, I have to attend World Race training camp, which will be in October, in Georgia. My route is set to launch in January, 2017.
Where am I going?
My route, January 2017 Route 2, will go to three continents, beginning in Africa, moving on to Asia, and ending in Central America. My route is as follows and is subject to change:
-Mozambique
-Swaziland
-Madagascar
-Mongolia
-China
-Bangladesh
-India
-Nepal
-Costa Rica
-Nicaragua
-El Salvador
What will I be doing?
This is actually one of the things that attracted me to WR in that it’s not exactly set in stone, it changes, month-to-month, and there is a ton of room to let the the Holy Spirit lead. Some of the things I may find myself doing next year could include: construction, loving on orphans, teaching English to adults, teaching in schools, praying over the sick, preaching, feeding the hungry, and much more.
Things I will certainly be doing next year will include: letting God lead, growing in my relationship with Him, exposing my heart to my teammates, partnering with local churches, pastors, and missionaries, and loving people everywhere I go, because that’s what God calls and empowers us to.
How can you help me?
So, I am a wretched, prideful man, so this part makes me set that trait aside and humble myself to God and to you to say that I cannot do this alone and I need your help to serve God in this way. Honestly, the biggest way you can help me would be to pray for me every. single. day. Seriously, if you could set a reminder in your phone to pray for me in the morning or evening to start or end your day, or even just during your lunch break, please please please pray for me. Please pray for my heart, that I would guard it in this season leading up to the race and pursue a deeper relationship with Christ and that He would continue to remove my heart of stone soften the flesh with which it is replaced for His lost and hurting people. Pray for each country that I will be in, individually. That God would use the missionaries who are already there and that He would continue to soften the soil, that the seeds of His grace would take root. Pray for the ministries with whom I will be serving, that they would remain encouraged to be doing the work of bringing the Kingdom to Earth. Lastly, please pray that God would provide the funds for me to be able to make this trip altogether, and ask Him whether or not you should come alongside me for ministry in this way.
It’s an unfortunate fact that money is such a necessary evil, but that fact remains that life everything in life has a price tag to it and traveling the world to preach the Gospel is no exception. This fundraising effort is, at this point, the most intimidating part of this trip for me. However, the knowledge that I am in the center of God’s will for my life always brings me back to a point of serenity. I know that if God does indeed want me to go on the World Race, He will bring about the funds to do so, and it is my responsibility to walk in the steps He puts before me.
I have to raise $17,417 and I have peace in the knowledge that I serve a great God for whom nothing is impossible. I ask that you would come alongside me in ministry for the next 20 months of our lives and help send me into the nations to make disciples. If you would like to help support me in this endeavor, you can donate to my World Race account directly on this page on the button at the top that says, “Support Me!” I will also be selling shirts through Shred the Veil, of which all the profit will go to this World Race account.
I hope I answered all your questions! If I didn’t, please do not hesitate to ask them in the comment section here, email me, through shredtheveil.org, or any social media. Thank you so much for your prayers, love, and support! I can’t wait to live this season of life with you.
Blessings,
Christopher Wells
@notchriswells
