Emerging Leaders

Leadership is a call to trust and empowerment. Leaders help others reach their potential. Everyone has an innate ability to be an influencer. A good leader is, “someone who knows how to help others reach their goals and allows a healthy space for growth” – a young
student’s personal definition.
Leadership skills are developed through learning and experience. Jesus set the example of
revolutionary leadership built on strong relationships. Effective leaders help others to develop a
culture of meaningful influence at home, at church, in communities, or in an organization. A leader
is a catalyst who enables the team to contribute creativity and meaningfully to society.
ICCM focuses on developing leaders who can create
global impact and foster enduring leadership models. One
way we support this focus is through a program we call,
“Emerging Leaders.”
Started more than a decade ago with an anonymous
gift, “Emerging Leaders” enables ICCM graduates to pursue
higher educational opportunities they may not otherwise
have. While not a direct part of child-focused sponsorship,
which supports students through their secondary education,
Emerging Leaders is a dream extension of ICCM.
We celebrate every young person who graduates
from the ICCM program and the sponsors and donors
who help make that
accomplishment
possible. The benefits of education and holistic
developmental support reach beyond the individuals to their
families and community.
Recent Emerging Leaders recipient Camilly Vitória, 19,
was sponsored as a young girl in Brazil. Camilly has an older
brother and younger sister. Her parents are Free Methodist
pastors. Camilly recently married Joel David, who is also the
child of Free Methodist pastors.
Camilly grew up in church, helping in various
ministries. The Lord placed a great desire in her heart
as a child to minister to children. Camilly also seeks to
become a great physician. She and Joel Da vid moved
to Paraguay to study medicine together. They are also
ministering at the Free Methodist Church of Pedr o Juan Caballero. Camilly works with the children. Joel assists with worship music.
Camilly recalls sending and receiving letters and photos with her sponsors. She hopes that opportunities like the ones she has had are possible for many others. For Camilly, “Sponsoring a child is a gesture of love and commitment that can transform the life of a child as much as the sponsor. It’s not just about financial support, but about presence, guidance, and care. … Even small gestures, like letters, can make an enormous difference.”
Former Emerging Leaders recipient Pastor Mamre Buelis-Bating earned her Master of Arts in Religious Education with a major in Educational Leadership from Asia-Pacific Nazarene Theological Seminary. She is currently pursuing a PhD in Transformational Learning while pastoring a Free Methodist church in the Philippines.
Both Mamre and Camilly hope that more children and families will be blessed with opportunities through ICCM. Mamre says, “ICCM is living its mission and vision. I will be thankful forever to ICCM.”
Emerging Leaders has also helped to grow leadership capacities in university students who show immense potential to become Christian leaders. In Argentina, public undergraduate education is free.Through The Harbor, a multifaceted Free Methodist ministry, ICCM supported an emerging leader student residence at the University of Buenos Aires. Students at The Harbor received pastoral care, ministry experience, and more, to help join their ministry and career.
Through the Emerging Leaders ministry, ICCM helps to support the development of next level leaders in accomplishing their dreams.