The goal of Global Encounters is to disciple young people to be in love with their Savior, passionate about serving Him, and dedicated to obediently following Him whatever the cost. The young people who catch a hold of this vision will go on to become the dynamic Christians who will influence our culture and world for Christ. Whatever walk of life they choose as an adult, whether fulltime ministry or secular career, these are the type of people whose lives will draw others to Christ and who will raise a second generation to follow in their footsteps serving Christ.

While only a part of the process in creating such dedicated Christians, short-term international ministry trips can do much to kindle a love for Christ, a passion for service, and a readiness to obey the Lord. While on mission trips, young people are pushed outside of their comfort zone. They must confront difficulties and challenges personally and as a group. Because of this, they are forced to rely on God in ways many of them have never experienced before. They begin to see Jesus as living, real, and powerful, not because they have heard Him described as such, but because they have seen it for themselves.

Most Christian young people in America have grown up believing in God and believing in the principles in the Bible, but many of them lack opportunities to put their head knowledge into practice in challenging situations. They have heard about Jesus, but they have had little personal experience of Him. This is one reason why overwhelming passion and commitment to Christ are not evident in the lives of many of these teenagers and young adults. Passion and commitment are not something one can manufacture. They are a response to something that is worthy of one’s total dedication. When young people see who Jesus really is, and experience the joy of serving Him with their whole heart, they will naturally respond with passion and commitment.

To accomplish these discipleship goals in the lives of those who participate in Global Encounters mission teams, we have set several priorities for each team:

1. We provide high quality team leaders whose lives exemplify the commitment to Christ that we are encouraging in the team members. They model for their team, on a day-by-day basis, what it means to love Christ and live a life under His control. In addition, our team leaders have a love for people, a love for international ministry, and experience in mentoring younger Christians. They experience the mission trip side-by-side with their team members, encouraging, directing, and helping them on a personal level.
2. We make sure each team will be involved in hands-on, life-to-life ministry that will push them to work hard and give of themselves sacrificially. Our mission trips are not vacations. We bring the team members in contact with people whose needs (physical and/or spiritual) are overwhelming. This challenges them to develop a heart of compassion, to see life outside the realm of their own wants and needs, and to learn to relate to people with love and boldness.
3. We require a very high standard of Christian conduct from our team members in their dress, their attitude toward authority, and their relationships with each other. This creates a team atmosphere that encourages mature behavior. The exemplary conduct of past teams has also opened many doors of ministry and earned a hearing in unusual places. However, these requirements are balanced by team leaders who are more concerned for the hearts of their team members than with outward actions. When problems arise, team leaders help the young people see beyond outward conduct to focus on their relationship with Christ and how that effects their daily living out of Christianity.

Through the projects that the teams carry out in their host countries, we seek to proclaim the Gospel, encourage Christians, and meet practical needs. Occasionally the objection is voiced that a short-term mission team can’t possibly have a long-term impact when they only serve in a country for two to four weeks. However, history is full of stories of those who were changed by one sermon, one person who shared the Gospel, one person who handed out Bibles, or even by a simple act of kindness. This is the type of impact that we have seen from Global Encounters teams. In addition, those whose lives are touched and changed by contact with the team members stay on in the country, continuing the work God intends to do in their own area.

We also believe that one of the best ways for short-term teams to have a long range impact is to work in cooperation with missionaries, pastors, and churches. These people and organizations have an ongoing ministry within their communities that is likely to continue for many years, but they are often in need of more manpower to carry out their ministry goals and reach more people with the Gospel. Working with missionaries and pastors has provided incredible contacts and ministry opportunities, including access to people groups who would normally reject outsiders, but trust those who come with a missionary or pastor. It has also meant that when the team leads someone to Christ or provides other meaningful service, they can connect people with a church or ministry that will continue the discipleship the team has begun.

In addition, working with churches, pastors, and missionaries has allowed the team to encourage and serve some of those who need it most – fellow Christians. It is a joy and privilege to be able to encourage those who are pouring out their lives in other countries, serving the Lord faithfully, often with little help or support. Working alongside Christians in other countries also opens the team members’ eyes to the reality and magnitude of the Body of Christ of which they are a part. They are able to see the difficulties and struggles of Christians in other parts of the world and be inspired and challenged by their stories.

God
We believe in the one true God, having no beginning and no end, as revealed in the Word of God. He manifests Himself in three persons: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit – each equal and of the same essence and fullness, yet unique in their workings and ministry.

The Bible
We believe the Bible is God’s revelation of Himself through men of old who wrote by inspiration of the Holy Spirit. It is completely true and trustworthy as it is the expression of the perfect character and essence of the Godhead and His dealings with man.

The Son – Jesus Christ
We believe that Jesus Christ is the Living Word of God, existing from eternity to eternity, fully God and fully man. In the fullness of time, He was sent of the Father, born of a virgin, lived a sinless perfect life, died on the cross as the vicarious substitute for the sinner, was buried, and on the third day was resurrected, the work of salvation complete in Him. He is now seated at the right hand of the Father where He makes intercession for the saints.

Salvation
We believe that the salvation of man comes only through grace by faith in the person and completed work of the Lord Jesus Christ. Salvation is the free gift of the Father to those who believe and cannot be earned or merited by man’s works.

The Christian Life
We believe the Holy Spirit convicts men of sin, calls them to the Savior, regenerates the dead in spirit, sanctifies and indwells the believer, and empowers the Christian to live not for themselves but to the glory of God.

The Great Commission
We believe that Jesus Christ commissioned those who believe on Him to go and preach the Gospel to all nations. It is the duty and privilege of Christians everywhere to be used by God in the propagation of Himself, the call to repentance, the equipping of the believer, and the fellowship of the saints throughout the world.

Board of Directors

Brian Fox – President
Brian Fox is the father of six children. He and his wife Sue (to whom he has been married for 34 years) began homeschooling their children in 1982. Four of the Fox kids have graduated from high school and the youngest two are still being educated at home. Five of Brian’s children have participated in short-term international missions and greatly benefited from the experience. Brian taught music and computers in public schools in southern California for 25 years. In addition, he has significant administrative experience and holds a credential in public school administration. He is currently “retired” – which in his case means he runs a business, is working on a doctorate, teaches science to his youngest two boys, and participates in the ministry of Global Encounters. Brian has been involved in music ministry for many years, both in the ministries at his church and by leading orchestras, choirs, and congregational music at Christian conferences. He also continues to teach music workshops several times a year and especially enjoys discipling and encouraging high school and college-age young people through the medium of music.

Dewey Novotny
Homeschooling Father of seven and married for 30 years, Dewey Novotny has been involved in student ministry and youth leadership development for more than three decades. As an encourager, writer and international speaker he developed Purpose Motivated Planning, established the Life Purpose Planning Program, and pioneered the Arizona Youth Leadership Seminars. Most recently he led the Student Resource Department for the Advanced Training Institute and served as a Director for the Institute in Basic Life Principles. His church involvement has included service as deacon, elder, and director for college and career ministry. Vocationally, he enjoys flying internationally as a commercial airline captain and has seen repeatedly the desperate need for Global Encounters. Dewey has a passion to see young people discover, define, develop and deploy into their individual life callings.

Dana Dickey
Married to his lovely wife Fayrene since 1975, Dana Dickey is a father of four daughters, all homeschool graduates. He is now enjoying the experience of being a grandfather. He is involved with family and youth ministries in his home. One of the passions of his heart is helping fathers through the process of courtship. A workbook has been written by Dana toward this goal and is offered on the website www.SeasonsOfCourtship.com. Two of his own children have participated in the international trips offered through Global Encounters and have benefited greatly. Their perspective on ministry and other cultures has been positively changed through these trips.

Professionally, Dana manages a non-profit agricultural organization with an annual budget of $2.4 million. Being the only employee, he also serves as meeting organizer, contract administrator, bookkeeper, editor, photographer, desktop publisher, web master, IT chief, public relations officer, and paper filer. He has been involved with this type of management for over 16 years. He is also a practicing computer programmer (on occasion).

Sam Conway
Sam Conway, a member of the Global Encounters board of directors, went home to be with Jesus on August 25, 2007. His encouragement, counsel, and practical advice were a big part of the reason why Global Encounters was started. We will miss him incredibly!

Staff

Elizabeth Fox
Elizabeth is the oldest of six children, a homeschool graduate, and has a B.A in history. She has worked in youth and family ministry since 2000 and has worked in children’s ministry since 1993. Her involvement in international ministry began when she worked as a state representative for a homeschool program. Elizabeth started taking homeschool students in her area on short-term mission trips as a way to get them involved in ministry and help them grow in their relationship with the Lord. After a few years of doing occasional mission trips, she grew to love this ministry so much that she took it on as her full-time job. Elizabeth is currently the director of Global Encounters and frequently travels with teams as one of the team leaders. Her goal in her work is to help young people experience a relationship with Christ in a real and personal way and develop a love for serving Him with their whole hearts.

Amy Cook
Amy is a homeschool graduate and has a B.A. in Biblical Studies. Since her early teens Amy has been active in children’s ministry and teen discipleship, and has a heart to see her generation and the next grab hold of a passionate relationship with Jesus and an eagerness to spread His love and truth to the world. She currently works part-time with developmentally disabled individuals and is active in music ministry and a variety of other projects in her church and hometown. Since 2007, Amy has joined several Global Encounters teams, traveling to Peru, Argentina, Colombia, Ecuador, and Mexico, and she also serves as the administrative assistant for Global Encounters.

Mandy Graham
Mandy Graham lives in the smoky mountains of Tennessee. She is the second of eight kids and has always loved working with children. She currently works with kids at the YMCA and teaches music lessons. Since graduating high school, Mandy’s vision for ministry has begun to grow. She served with a non-profit ministry for 3.5 years, and in 2011 she traveled on two Global Encounters trips to Chiapas, Mexico. God is also expanding her vision for working with people no matter what her location – whether at home or internationally. Mandy serves as the Public Relations intern for Global Encounters.

Elyssa VanGilst
Elyssa is the oldest of four children, and a homeschool graduate with a B.A. in Music. Since 2002, she has been involved in various youth and children’s ministries, including two Global Encounters trips to Romania and Ukraine. She currently teaches music lessons, plays violin in several southern California orchestras, and is actively involved in the music ministry at her church. One of her desires and goals is to help children and young people grow in their relationship with Jesus Christ and develop a heart to serve others for His glory. Elyssa serves as the Curriculum Development intern for Global Encounters.

Daniel Fox
Daniel is the youngest of six kids, a homeschool graduate, and currently enrolled in CollegePlus! pursuing his Bachelor’s degree. He has been on two Global Encounter trips to Ecuador. He has always felt called to missions and is seeking direction about where that may be. Daniel teaches violin and plays in an orchestra in Claremont, California. Daniel serves as the Marketing Intern for Global Encounters.

Team Leaders

To view bios for our team leaders, click here.