Pais Movement

Pais GB

Established 1992. In 1992, as a consequence of connections that were made with various local schools and Sharon Church, Moston, Manchester where Gibbs was based, the first Pais team was initiated. The team consisted of four apprentices who taught lessons and led assemblies, primarily to students from 11–16 years old.

As the Pais Project grew it offered a professional training program and as more applications were received from prospective apprentices the Pais Project extended across England until in 2000 it pioneered its first team in Northern Ireland. In 2009 it moved its headquarters from Manchester to Burnley where Pais GB is currently based at Life Church, Burnley.

Pais Ireland

Established 2000. In 2000 Pais started its first team based in Coleraine. Due to being well received and its non-denominational stance, it enabled the teams to establish a rapport with both Protestant and Roman Catholic schools and youth groups. Their aim was to bring unity within the communities employing a relational approach. In 2010 Pais teams started to work in Cork. Pais Ireland currently has its headquarters in Portrush.

Pais USA

Established 2002. In 2002 the first Pais nation outside of Europe was established. Pais USA received a special endorsement from Max Lucado, an American best-selling author, writer and preacher. Pais USA is based in Arlington, Texas with various teams working in schools and youth groups throughout the country.

Pais Germany

Established 2003. A wide range of opportunities arose for Pais Germany following the “PISA shock” when German schools were criticized for their comparatively poor performance in relation to their global counterparts. Pais Germany has a unique relationship with the German government. The government fully supports the organization and a year spent as a Pais apprentice is considered as a Voluntary social year. Pais Germany headquarters are based in Neumünster.

Pais Global

Established 2005. In October 2005, following Gibbs’s relocation to USA, the organization had grown to such an extent that a specialist team was launched as a resource centre for the worldwide Pais Teams. The Headquarters are based in Arlington, Texas.

Pais Ghana

Established 2008. In 2008 the Pais Project extended into Africa. Apprentices mainly work in schools in the capital city of Ghana although teams have also partnered with local churches, hospitals and orphanages in the neighbouring rural areas. Pais Ghana headquarters are based in Accra.

Pais Brazil

Established 2012. In 2012 Pais began in South America, working alongside the local church in the schools and heavily populated urban slums known as 'favelas’. Pais Brazil has its headquarters in Natal, Rio Grande do Norte.

Pais India

Established 2013. Pais India was established in 2013 by an Indian Pais apprentice who had trained for two years with Pais GB. He returned to India in July 2013 and started Pais India with various colleagues, reaching schools and campuses surrounding Chennai.

Pais Pakistan

Established 2013. The organization has released little information about its work in Pakistan for the security of its staff and apprentices.

Pais Kenya

Established 2014. Pais Kenya was launched in 2014. It was initially established in Nairobi and grew to other cities, such as Zimmerman, where it extended its work in local schools and youth groups.

Pais Australia

Established 2015. The extension of Pais into Australia takes the Movement into its sixth continent. Pais Australia is currently based in Brisbane.

Rest of the World

Pais also works in other nations primarily through specialist trainers and teachers. Europe has been its main focus with Pais establishing an influence in Estonia, Norway and other European countries through training at conferences and event-driven networks. Nations such as Spain have received more comprehensive input via full-time specialist teachers that have partnered with the churches and helped them launch Pais style youth ministries.

Future Nations

The vision of the Pais Movement is to further extend its work globally with plans of launching teams in Canada, Nigeria and the Netherlands.

Founder

Paul Clayton Gibbs is the founder and global director of the Pais Movement. Born in Manchester, Great Britain, he is married to Lynn and has two boys, Joel and Levi.

Gibb’s early career was in retail management but he later decided to commit himself to working full-time at his local church.

He established contacts with local schools which eventually lead to the concept of the Pais Project being launched in 1992. The Pais Project was established as an inter-denominational youth and schools ministry. Gibbs worked as a youth leader within his local church and directed Pais teams in the area.

In the mid 1990s, Gibbs became a Director with Youth Alive. During this time, he pioneered Youthlink, a national training curriculum, and assisted with other local projects.

In 2000, Gibbs became the Senior Minister at thefaithworks in Failsworth, Oldham, a church that partnered with The Message Trust and planted the Eden Project, an award-winning community endeavour.

In 2004, Gibbs launched his own Mentoring Academy and in October 2005 moved to the USA, where he served on the Senior Leadership Team of a Texan megachurch.

In 2009, Gibbs committed himself full-time to the development of Pais, launching various initiatives and resources such as mypais.com and Livewire, a weekly training video.

Gibbs is globally recognized for his teaching. Gibbs teaches throughout the world on topics which include pioneering, leadership development, and the Kingdom of God. His books are published by Harris House Publishing.[1]

Gibbs is best known for his ability to combine ancient methods of discipleship with a communication style that is particularly suited to a post-modern society. He has gained national recognition in the UK and has written courses for, and spoken at various Bible colleges and seminaries in the UK and the States, such as Mattersey Hall, Nazarene Theological College (England) and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary.

Apprenticeships

The Pais Movement offers free apprenticeships. The apprenticeship includes training, accommodation & meals. The training consists of 200 lecture hours, 1,800 experiential training and is valued at a total of 10,400 American dollars. Upon successful completion apprentices receive a recognized certificate or the possibility of upgrading to a diploma or a degree.

Within the free apprenticeships that are available Pais offers two distinctive packages, each with the possibility of minoring in specialized tracks;

Youth & Campus Leadership, where apprentices are discipled in three distinctives and trained to become missionaries within their school and community. They may choose to specialize in the areas of music, sport or theatre (dance, drama, mime).

Organizational & Resource Management, where apprentices are trained to use the structure and systems of a non-Profit organization to equip and release missionaries. The Organizational and Resource Management apprenticeship offers minors in communication, finance, media, personnel and training.