History

Headwaters Christian Youth (HCY) began in 1972 through the vision of a handful of adults who met together for Bible study. From a small, weekly Bible study group in Rhinelander, Wisconsin, the youth ministry has grown to students from the surrounding communities. Anywhere from a few to several hundred students are involved in clubs, Bible quizzing, rallies, lock-ins, service projects and camps.

Wise, Intentional Leadership Development (WILD) was founded by HCY’s Executive Director, Mike Prom, to train and develop the volunteers who were involved in HCY and local churches. HCY’s Board of Directors felt that in order to be effective in ministry, such leadership development was needed. Thus, WILD was incorporated into the goals of HCY.

As WILD developed, the need for understandable, cost-effective training materials became apparent. At the same time, through missionary and national contacts, WILD was being invited to offer leadership training overseas that would be inexpensive and culturally transferable.

In May 2001, WILD trainers taught spiritual leadership to leaders (including pastors) from Tanzania, Kenya, and Malawi. This was the first international attempt at teaching spiritual leadership material. Prior to that, the material was taught to teenagers from eight U.S. states which continue today on a local basis.

At the invitation of a SIM (Serving In Missions) missionary in Zambia in 2004, WILD taught spiritual leadership development to two churches and that training process has steadily grown to nineteen other countries. In the past several years, WILD has been teaching leadership to Christians in the United States, Africa, and Asia. Leaders from a number of these continents have become integral components in the development of firmly establishing WILD regionally and several thousand nationals have received quality spiritual leadership training.

Early in 2010, WILD applied and was awarded the 501 (c) 3 tax-exempt non-profit organization status. In July 2011, WILD hosted the inaugural WILD African Summit where fifteen Zambians, Ugandans, and a Zimbabwean joined together with Americans to consider the direction and expansion of WILD.