Bridge The Gap: A Global Year Podcast

Sparking a Global Movement: Faith, Vision, and Transformative Journeys w/ Johnny Condrey

• Global Year • Season 1 • Episode 3

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What if a single conversation could spark a movement that changes thousands of lives across the globe? Join us as we sit down with the founder and president of Global Year, who also happens to be my dad, to trace the incredible journey from an idea born in South Carolina to a global mission. Through a transformative chat with Dr. Johnny Hunt, this vision took root, initially sending nine high school graduates to Argentina and laying the groundwork for what would become an influential initiative. Discover how the seeds of this journey grew over seven to eight years, culminating in a life-altering decision to commit fully to inspiring young people to engage with the world.

Hear tales of unwavering faith and unexpected blessings as we recount stories that defined the early days of Global Year. Picture a roofer named Warren, stepping into our lives through divine guidance to help with crucial home repairs, or the miraculous $25,000 donation that propelled our mission forward. These moments highlight the power of community and belief in a higher purpose, shaping a vision of sending young people to spiritually challenging parts of the world. Through experiences with Score International, the dream of mobilizing 10,000 young individuals remains at the forefront, even as we face trials and triumphs.

As we look ahead, the episode brings into focus Global Year's mission to expand its reach to untouched regions, including new ventures in Canada. We reflect on the profound impact these gap year experiences have on students, their families, and their communities. The challenges of letting go and trusting in a divine plan are met with stories of transformation and growth. Journey with us through lessons in faith and the joy found in supportive relationships, as we continue to trust in a sovereign power guiding our path to global impact.

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Speaker 1:

Hey, what's up guys. Welcome to Global Year's Bridge the Gap podcast. My name is Nate. I'm the host of the podcast and so stoked that you guys are here. On this episode. We got to sit down with Global Year's founder and president, my dad, to talk about the origin story of Global Year, how it began, some of the miracles along the way and also where Global Year is headed in the future, and so I'm so stoked for y'all to hear this episode and to get to know Global Year a little bit better. So, find a cozy spot and we hope you enjoy this episode. So, dad, hey, here we are. This is great. So for people who don't know you, who don't know anything about Global Year, I'd love for you to just share just the story of how Global Year began and then what inspired you at that beginning to start it.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, wow. So where do I begin? Because I'm an old guy and I got lots of stories to tell. Yeah, it goes back as a youth pastor in South Carolina. We were in a really strong missional church. Dr Michael Cloer was our pastor and we were having a missions conference and Dr Johnny Hunt was coming to speak and because I knew him, I asked if I could go pick him up at the airport and bring back, just to try to catch up. And on our way from the airport, johnny said we're starting a bilingual Bible Institute in Argentina and I want you to pray about sending some of your students.

Speaker 2:

And my initial thought, as I guess most student pastors would say, is I'm not sure parents would be excited about sending their kids off for a year after high school, right out of high school. And I'll never forget him saying Johnny, we're losing our young people and many of the kids that are growing up in churches and serving the Lord will graduate high school and leave the church, and studies showed, you know, 80 to 90 percent. And so just challenge me with that to the status quo. You know you're just going to accept that. And so during that time just began to think through and pray about and challenge my students to think through and pray about and challenge my students.

Speaker 2:

I had 14 kids graduating from high school in 2000, in the year 2000. Of the 14 kids, nine of them went to Argentina that year and of those nine now, 25 years later, the best I know, all of them are serving the Lord and five of them are in full-time vocational ministry of some sort. And so, you know, obviously impacted me in a great way. John 3, john 4 says there is no greater joy than to hear of your little ones walking in truth, and I saw my kids as my little ones and how God impacted their life, and so that's kind of where it all started. For me, just the aha moment of this could be the answer. Yeah, yeah.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, I could keep going, but no, that's great. What do you think was the so? For a lot of people that don't know, that wasn't necessarily the conception of Global Year, nope, but it was the beginning inspiration for what would become Global Year. That's right.

Speaker 2:

That's why I told you I got lots of stories. So, what was the-?

Speaker 1:

That was the seed, yeah. So the beginning was Johnny Hunt kind of planted that seed of sending students to the nation? Yeah, and gap years was that a normal thing then? No, was it?

Speaker 2:

No, no, you heard about it. You know a lot of Europeans were doing their gap years in America. So you heard about gap years. Right, most Americans were pretty much. You know, you graduate high school, you go to college, you get a job, you know American dream thing, and so that whole concept was really new back 25 years ago, yeah, and so it was a hard pushback, but it was during that year that I ended up, michael Clore ended up moving to another church and I ended up coming on staff at First Baptist Woodstock, and so of the nine kids that I sent that year, first Baptist Woodstock sent 10. Wow, and they returned from their gap year and I was their college pastor.

Speaker 2:

Okay, so continued to see the impact of that gap year experience and doing that for several seven, eight years at First Baptist Woodstock, and that's really where it all began to stir, and to the point that my wife and I went away. Your mom and I went away for a weekend to go and fast and pray about what's next, and we went to a ranch out in Texas, nice, and I was telling one of the guys there about what God was doing, and you know I'd been praying about this for now seven, eight years. And he comes back the next morning we're having breakfast together and he said, johnny and this might sound kind of crazy, but I woke up in the middle of the night last night thinking about what you told us. And he said your seven or eight years that God had been stirring your heart is like a pregnancy. And I was comparing that to seven or eight months. And you're in the third trimester and you're about to give birth to a ministry. That God's planted in your heart seven, eight years ago.

Speaker 2:

And of course I laughed. I'm like, yeah, that's funny. And of course I laughed. I'm like, yeah, that's funny. And your mom and I started talking about it and thinking, man, I think this could be Never really thought about. I mean, just, I'd been serving as a student pastor for 30 years and I'm like what do I? Just go back and quit? Yeah, and that's what we did. So we went back after that season of fasting and praying and met with Dan Dorner, our executive pastor, and told him what I felt like God was telling me to do is go and mobilize young people to the nations. And he said it in a way. He responded to go. Well, if that's what God's leading you to do, then you should do it, otherwise I guess you get back to work.

Speaker 1:

Yeah.

Speaker 2:

Yeah. And he said take a week and pray about it. Of course I laughed. We both knew what the answer was. I appreciated that week. So I called my wife after that meeting and I said I think I just fired myself. Yeah.

Speaker 2:

And so went back. The next meeting was with Pastor Johnny, yeah, and just to share with him what I was doing. And, man, you're talking about a brother who would come alongside you and share. And I wasn't sure what he was going to say. And he says well, johnny, we don't want to lose you, let us launch you.

Speaker 2:

And that day he committed $2,000 a month to our ministry for the first year and following that they re reevaluate what they would do, but wanted to do whatever they could to come alongside what God was putting in our heart to do. So I left really greatly encouraged from that and they ended up giving us a three-month severance package. Wow, and at the time still had five kids at home, and so I knew at the end of three months I'm going to have to probably feed my kids and do something, but really didn't know how to go about it. I'd never done anything but serving a church, yeah. And so I talked to Johnny and he says and so talked to Johnny and he says well, why don't you go with SCORE International, which was the ministry I'd been working with to mobilize kids for a year? And if it works out, great, if not, then it'll be a learning curve.

Speaker 2:

And so I was talking to a friend, steve Shadrach, who had written a book. He was a college pastor, he had written a book on support raising and I had talked to him prior because he was a college pastor. I was and he had written a book called Ten Ways to Reach your College Campus for Christ or something. And so we had created a relationship. And when I was calling him to get advice, he said well, we have a conference called Support Raising Solutions and you could attend. I'll be leading this conference. And I thought yeah, okay. So we went to that conference in Indianapolis.

Speaker 1:

Okay.

Speaker 2:

And the church paid our way to go to this conference. I came back from that conference in January and it was how to put a team of people around you to do what God's called you to do and in three months we had raised the support we needed, basically enough to maintain the salary that we were making at First Baptist Woodstock and to do the ministry we called us to do. That's amazing. That's kind of the whole story. So by April I was full-time faith missionary.

Speaker 1:

That's awesome. Full-time faith missionary, that's awesome. So a lot of people don't know and either they've never served with a nonprofit or they just don't know a lot of times what it takes financially. And so, before we skip over that too quick, could you share just like one snippet or story of the way God provided, because I know you have? We probably both could sit here all day and talk about it. But just something that, because I think those I feel like in support raising. Sometimes you see more. I don't know, it just seems like there's more miracles that happen or just crazy moments.

Speaker 2:

I'll give you two. I think One is when I got started, I came back and I'm trying to figure out what do you do? How do you even go about starting a ministry? And so when I went to launch, you know how do you start a 501c3? You got to go to a lawyer, you need lawyer fees, et cetera. And so Warren McGrew was a dear friend and I had set up to have lunch with him. We were going to eat lunch and during the night the Lord had clearly put in my heart to ask him for three things One and what they were. But he said in my heart you're not to ask him, he's going to ask you.

Speaker 1:

Wow.

Speaker 2:

And I go well, how that's going to happen. So we're having lunch the next day and at the end of lunch we're just chatting and Warren says what do you need, need? And I said, well, warren, I'm about to start a 501c3. I need some lawyer fees and, checking it out, they need about $2,500, maybe a little bit more to get started. And he says well, who's your lawyer? And I tell him who my lawyer was and he says, well, that's my lawyer. He said I'll write him a check and then you let me know if it's anything else. I said, okay, praise the Lord. And then he says what else do you need? I said, well, I left the church and the laptop that I had was theirs and so I don't have a laptop to really to do anything on. He said, well, I've got a laptop, I'll let you have turns out later. He actually called back that afternoon and says listen, I don't want to give you that laptop, let's go get you a new one and get you the software, the stuff you need for it. So we went shopping later that day.

Speaker 2:

But back to the lunch the third time he says Johnny, what else do you need? That has never happened to me, but that day that's what the Lord says is going to happen. I go Warren, what is so crazy is you asked me three times what I need and the Lord told me last night that I'm to ask you for three things, but I'm not going to ask you. You're going to ask me, and I said you asked me the third time I need a roof on my house. My roof is shot and I don't have insurance to take care of it unless there's storm damage. He says, well, because he was a roofer. Wow, warren was a roofer. And he says well, I'll send my rep over there. You pick out the shingles you want and we'll get you a roof. Now the crazy thing is that day guy comes, he calls and says get the 35-year shingle, don't get the 25-year. They send a crew out to do my roof and comes and says listen, you need new gutters and you need bigger gutters, so we're going to take these old gutters off and put you some new four inch gutters. And so not only did they change my roof, they changed my gutters on my house, but um, anyway, that was just one story that just helped us kind of get going. Yeah, the starting.

Speaker 2:

One other story is I'm sitting with Jim Welty. Both Warren and Jim are gone today. Wow, they're already in heaven, but it's kind of cool to see how God used them. But Jim was the finance, went on the finance team at First Baptist Woodstock and I'm sitting down with him to talk about the vision and what God's doing and going to invite him to join our team. And they did.

Speaker 2:

But as I'm talking to him, I'm telling him about what Johnny did. On that day I met with him About committing $2,000 a month and he says do you know the back story to that? Well, no day I met with him about committing $2,000 a month, yeah. And he says do you know the backstory to that? Well, no, I mean I guess Johnny said he's going to give me $2,000 a month. He said yeah. He said you know, johnny does that kind of thing and he'll just believe God to come through.

Speaker 2:

And that particular time he committed $2,000 a month and not really sure where the funds were going to come.

Speaker 2:

That week a lady walks into his office with a check for $25,000 and said I didn't want to put this in the offering plate and I thought you could help me know where to designate it. And he says well, we had one of our staff that just launched a new ministry. We committed this amount of money to that, and so we're going to stick it in an account and that's what we'll pay at $2,000 a month. So there's some lady that I don't even know to this day who she was. Actually is the one that supported the ministry for the first year. That supported the ministry for the first year. But while I'm talking to him, a guy comes over and says hey, I overheard y'all talking and I love what you're doing. Could you come over to my house on Thursday night and share this with my wife? And I'm like I don't know this guy Is this a setup? And, sure enough, went over to his house, met them and they began to support us $150 a month Amazing. So anyway, it's just one story.

Speaker 1:

I know there's too many to count it seems like, so you get your support raised. I'd love for you to share too a little bit, just like what was the starting global year, Because that comes a little later. But you were with Score International for how long A year? A year A year, yeah.

Speaker 2:

And so really, what happened? Ron Bishop, great guy with the Lord, today, after about a year, we had started the Gap Year Ministries. We called it Gap Year International through Score International.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, and I wanted to be able to launch that to other locations beside Costa Rica where they were, and Ron was really not interested in going anywhere outside of where SCORE was serving and we had a missionary that we had sent to Ireland, ludie Creech, and just really got some pushback. My heart was to send kids to unreached, unengaged areas of the world, and so after about a year of trying to move in that direction and seeing that it wasn't going, I just told Ron I'm going to start something where I can send students to the harder, I would say darker spiritually places than Costa Rica. And so that's why you know, the first year I was with SCORE International, yeah, and had a great start. I learned a lot from Ron and SCORE and then ended up starting Global Year.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, so, yeah. So that probably equipped you to get into global year. So what was the? What was the original vision? Obviously, you know, we, we kind of have an idea, but what for you? What was that original vision?

Speaker 2:

um, for starting global year yeah, well, obviously, going back to johnny hunt, hunt and the word of life, argentina, but the vision that happened in Texas when I was there is to equip and mobilize 10,000 young people to the nations. Yeah, that was the vision of leaving why I left First Baptist Woodstock and starting Global Year and all of that and really feel that God had clearly called us to raise up a generation of young people to go to the nations. I don't know why 10,000. I still kind of wonder where that came from or how that's going to happen. Yeah, I just believe.

Speaker 1:

God is God, it's a big number. You know, I think God can do amazing things. Sometimes it's like when he gives us a vision that feels unreachable, just to know that it's God-sized.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, you know. Yeah, it's what keeps me going. Yeah, you know, yeah, you know, yeah, it's what keeps me going. Yeah, you know, yeah, and I think the concept or the heart is to finish the task. Yeah, I really feel like this could potentially be ushering in the coming of Christ. Yeah, in a lot of ways, and we can talk about the end times, but in a lot of ways, how do you finish the task? How do you usher in the coming of Christ? It feels like that we may be coming to the end and all of that. We're reaching the ends of the earth. Nobody knows, right?

Speaker 1:

Yeah, Well, I think, reaching the ends of the earth, the idea of sending students and sending them to places that are unreached, you know, I mean as a part of the Great Commission.

Speaker 2:

It's a crazy idea.

Speaker 1:

It is a crazy. Yeah, what in the world are you doing, johnny? Yeah, the amazing thing about the way I feel about Global Year is the impact. Because obviously is the impact, because obviously I did a gap year with Global Year and I think the impact on the students goes way further than the one single year of them serving abroad in another country, meaning their effort is like, yeah, it's a year of effort and there's gonna be eternal things that happen, but the eternal impact in the students that I think reaches beyond that year. That makes that even a part of thinking about the end times or ushering in the return of Jesus. It's like just that eternal, obviously, and that's kind of the slogan this year of memories, but an eternal impact, but obviously just on a logical standpoint, sending students to places that are unreached and obviously right now, and we're not doing that in terms of geographical location. Hopefully that's coming, you know We'll talk about that, but it is amazing, you know.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, and it's not just impacting the student, it's impacting their families. Oh, I mean it's a ripple effect. Yeah, sydney who during her year, you know, saw the life change in her brother, michael, and then hear her mom and dad talk about how it has impacted their family and I could share lots of Sydney stories A young lady who prayed with her mom while she was doing her gap year, prayed with her mom to receive Christ and, during parent week, baptized her. You know just, we could go on and on about how, not has it just impacted the student, but impacted their family and their community as they come home.

Speaker 1:

I think every time so far, every episode we've recorded of this podcast, we've talked about the impact on parents, just because it's so prevalent. Obviously we had Sydney on and even with Chloe, but every year you see that in parents and I think, as a parent, it's just this idea of letting go and trusting God, the the idea of releasing control, which is, I think, the one thing most of us want, you know, like so badly. But I always think about this idea of holding your kids like water. You know it's like the tighter you grip, the more water slips out of your hands, and so when you hold water, you kind of have to hold it gently, and I think that's what God desires for us as parents, with our kids, so that when the time comes for them to step out and for us to send them, there's a gentle release.

Speaker 2:

Well, I hear often, you know what are the greatest challenges to doing what we do? Yeah, and without a doubt, the greatest challenge we face are parents. Yeah, Because most parents think their children belong to them, right, yeah, and that's not a biblical concept. Yeah, we steward our children, but our children belong to the Lord. We gave them to the Lord as followers of Christ. That's what we do and we trust God with them.

Speaker 2:

That's easy to say but it's hard when you're launching your kids to the nations or you're really believing God to do what he wants to do in them for His glory, yeah absolutely Well.

Speaker 1:

I think this has been great just hearing I mean, obviously I've heard it, but for the people listening the beginning of this and how God really stirred this vision in your heart. And this has been how many years now Over 15. 15 years years, which is amazing, and how many students have been sent?

Speaker 2:

do we know? You know, I don't know, somewhere between six, seven hundred, yeah which is incredible.

Speaker 1:

I mean just to think about six or seven hundred young adults out in the world right now. You know that are have been impacted by, have been impacted by what this original vision was. But I would love to hear, just kind of as we come to a close, where is Global Year now and what do you kind of see for this next year? Let's just say, just projecting out 2025. What do you see for Global year in the present time?

Speaker 2:

Yeah, the vision's the same, I think you know we, prior to COVID, had sent students to 15 countries yeah, and COVID brought everyone missionaries and students back. Yeah, and COVID brought everyone missionaries and students back and really closed the doors to international missions for a year or two. We sent students to Guatemala during that time, but that was it. And then since the last couple years, it's starting to open back up, to open back up, and so now we're in Mexico, indonesia, europe, italy, ireland, and then this coming year it would be back to Canada, because Canada was one of those places that had closed and now has opened back up.

Speaker 2:

We have an incredible family from Griffin, georgia, there, and they're learning French and getting established and ready to take on a team for this next year. And so now we're at four countries and I think we're starting to go back to. How do you go to those dark places spiritually? Yeah, and that's what we want to do. We want to send out 10,000 young people to the nations and so continuing to raise up mobilizers to do that, people that would challenge student pastors and pastors and parents to raise their kids up, to send them to the nations to make disciples who are making disciples.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, yeah, so the vision is hold steady. What do you so? You know, obviously we got those four countries. I'd love to hear too if there's any like what do you see, not just for this year but beyond? Like what do you kind of envision for the future of global year? Um, obviously you said a little bit, but is there anything in the pipeline as far as new countries? Um, or even you know fresh vision? Like yeah, because I think there's always opportunity for um to kind of continue to reignite the original vision, because oftentimes, even like something like COVID with what you just said, I mean thinking about sending students to 15 countries and now, in 2025, five years later, we're sending to four, you know. So how do you, how do you just continue to almost kind of open back up, like, how do we continue to move forward and what do you see for that in the future?

Speaker 2:

Yeah, we're continuing to have conversations. You know we make our plans but God directs our steps, and so there are conversations being had. This past week, with going back to South Africa, I talked to a brother that we're in conversation had been prior to COVID. Yeah, so that conversation is being had. Zambia, Zambia there's other locations that we are in conversations with to either re-engage with them on this side of COVID and or having new conversations, because, again, I've never really sought out a location Like where do I think God would be.

Speaker 2:

It's more about in my going, you know I'll meet this brother or we talk to this church and this relationship Following the doors.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, I mean the reason that we're in Mexico City. I mean it's a long story, but the short version is Mario Del Valle was our El Salvador El Salvador director for seven years, and his kids, andres and David, grew up with our gap year students there, and then he left us to go plant a church in Mexico City, and then it happened to be one of our supporting churches in North Carolina, asked me about sending a student to one of his partnering ministries in Mexico City, and so we did, and now we actually that missionary houses our students where Mario's son is directing our team there, and so anyway, it's just God, god works it out.

Speaker 1:

Is there? I would love to just is there and maybe there's not? You know, like based on what you just said, but is there for you? You know, like based on what you just said, but is there for you just in a dreaming, you know just if you could just kind of envision or dream about sending students anywhere For you? Is there any locations in the world that you would just love to send students to?

Speaker 2:

You know it's interesting. You ask because I've tried in several conversations to send students to India and every conversation from their side they're saying don't send young people, it's just too hard, wow. And so, in trying to be sensitive to what people are telling me, I'll go, okay, I'll just, but I really want to send young people to hard places.

Speaker 2:

I'm not trying to put young people in harm's way. I'm trying to say you know, there's access, gospel access is readily available in our country, in many countries, but there are places where it's not as accessible and I really would love to have those conversations to where we could do that in a way that God has gone before us and sent these incredible young people who are filled with the Spirit and ready to be light, yeah, and open to be able to do something like that, yeah, and so we certainly want to be stewards and wise in how we do that, but I think that's how we go to the dark places spiritually. Dream big, yeah. We have to Open to whatever God has for us. I think that's how we go to the dark places spiritually.

Speaker 1:

Dream big. Yeah, we have to.

Speaker 2:

Open to whatever God has for us.

Speaker 1:

I love that. So last question, to close what would you say? And I know there's probably hundreds of lessons that God has taught you since starting Global Year, but what is one thing or a couple things that God has really planted on your heart, things that he's taught you along the way, that you would want to share with those listening? Okay?

Speaker 2:

There's a book called Exquisite Agony, and God's love is so powerful and so infinite and so mind-blowing that I'm learning to trust Him when it doesn't feel like this is love.

Speaker 2:

But I've seen, because I'm'm an old guy and in life experiences and seeing sending out young people all over the world, that God's exquisite love may feel painful and lonely and difficult, but that the end piece of that is His glory and our benefit. And, along the way, that whisper that says trust me, I've got this. And I don't know that I'm there yet, but I'm learning that I can trust Him and that he's got this, that I can trust him and that he's got this. And so, in the midst of the noise and the struggle, learning to be content and certain of his sovereignty and his power, because I know there's one out to kill, steal and destroy and he is adamant in his efforts. But I thank God that there's one that's come, that we can have life and have it abundantly, and so we can rejoice, we can be joyful and excited about the future. Yeah, because we know who's got the future.

Speaker 1:

Boom, boom Boom. That's great. I don't think there's a better way to close Awesome, that's a good-.

Speaker 2:

Always a joy hanging out with you, bro, yeah.

Speaker 1:

Thank you for sharing the story for people to hear. And it is. I love hanging out with you, yeah, whether we're just sitting and talking or recording. I love you so much. I love hanging out with you, yeah, whether we're just sitting and talking or recording.

Speaker 2:

I love you. I love you, love you.

Speaker 1:

Yep, all right, peace, peace.