About Us
Our Vision
Burning Hearts is a global Spirit-Empowered missions movement igniting hearts with the fire of the Holy Spirit, reaching the unreached with the gospel and mobilising the Church to fulfil the Great Commission.
Our vision is that eyes would be opened to see Jesus and that hearts would burn with the fire of the Holy Spirit as we preach the gospel with power across the earth.
Luke 24:31
And their eyes were opened, and they recognised him…
Luke 24:32
They said to each other, “Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?”
Our Mission
To ignite hearts with the fire of the Holy Spirit.
To equip the Church.
To mobilise for mission.
To reach the unreached with the gospel.
Our Work
Our work focusses on igniting hearts, reaching the unreached, mobilising for mission and equipping the Church across the globe. We work in collaboration with a number of ministries and churches to maximise our effectiveness. We work together to achieve our vision & mission through three ministry expressions:
Ministry
Preaching and ministering at churches, conferences and events with faith and fire. We aim to ignite hearts and to unite and mobilise the Church to fulfil the mission of God on the earth.
Missions
Reaching the unreached & mobilising the Church through specific missions projects focussed on preaching the gospel and equipping the Church. Our team lead missions projects around the world in Asia, Europe & The Middle East collaborating with other ministries to reach millions for Christ.
Media
Equipping the Church through media resources. We create and distribute media resources with biblical depth, theological accuracy and a Spirit-empowered emphasis.
Our Team
Layla Nahavandi
Burning Hearts Founder & Director
Layla Nahavandi is a half-Persian, half-Irish, British-born, Kiwi-raised, Aussie preacher who travels the world preaching the Word of God with faith & fire. Layla’s family was radically saved from a Muslim background & this encounter propelled her into a passion for preaching the gospel and demonstrating the power of the Holy Spirit everywhere she goes. Layla travels the world regularly preaching at conferences, churches, and events emphasising the power and gifts of the Holy Spirit. Layla also partners with many missions organisations to mobilise the Church and reach the unreached. Layla has been in full-time ministry for over 16 years and is an ordained minister with the Australian Christian Churches (Assemblies of God in Australia). Layla holds a bachelor’s degree and two master’s degrees & she is currently completing a PhD in theology. Layla is part of global leadership teams including Europe Shall be Saved, Empowered21 and the Global Evangelist Alliance and has worked with universities and theological ministries such as Alphacrucis University College and TheosUniversity. Layla is the Founder and Director of The Burning Hearts Movement and she is based at Awakening Church in Germany.
Contact: layla@theburningheartsmovement.com
Abi Soliman
Burning Hearts Project Lead - Thailand
Abi is an Aussie currently living in Germany with her husband, Benjamin. Abi has a heart for the nations & unreached people groups and has been travelling to third-world nations to bring the message of Jesus Christ since she was 14. Abi has served on Church staff in various capacities and has pioneered multiple ministries and evangelistic outreach teams. Abi has a Diploma of Leadership from Alphacrucis University College and has also completed three years of school at Bethel School of Supernatural Ministry, where Abi gained experience serving alongside Havilah Cunnington. Abi has also served a non-profit called Moral Revolution, a ministry that promotes God’s original design for sexuality, & the pro-life movement providing girls with alternatives to abortion. One of the biggest desires of Abi’s heart is to see sex trafficking abolished across the globe. She loves seeing the kingdom of God released into the darkness of red-light districts and has participated in multiple outreach teams in the Philippines, Cambodia and the United States. Abi serves as the Thailand Project Team Lead for Burning Hearts leading all of our missions and evangelism efforts in Thailand. Abi also serves on our burning hearts executive team overseeing management and administration.
Contact: abi@theburningheartsmovement.com
Kristen Willett
Burning Hearts Project Lead - Ireland
Kristen has over a decade of full-time ministry experience and is an Ordained Minister with the Australian Christian Churches. Originally from Perth, Australia, Kristen graduated from Harvest West Bible College and has been involved in youth and schools; pastoral ministry; development of discipleship materials; teaching in Bible Colleges; and preaching the Word both within her church and itinerantly. Through her work for Youth Alive and leading Global Events for a multi-location church, Kristen has planned and managed events of up to 9,000 people. She has formed a passion for building partnerships which create meaningful impact both through her ministry roles as well as in her 10 years working in business and education sectors. Kristen’s heart has always burned for the nations. After completing 3 missions trips to Cambodia, she pioneered a church plant in Ireland in 2019, after which she established a Global Online campus for her church. Kristen was recently based in Melbourne and working full-time in Evangelism with a burning passion to see the gospel preached across the nations. Kristen serves as the Ireland Project Team Lead for Burning Hearts leading all of our missions and evangelism efforts in Ireland. Kristen also serves on our burning hearts executive team overseeing marketing and communications.
Contact: kristen@theburningheartsmovement.com
Pele Sione
Burning Hearts Project Lead - Middle East
Pele is the Dean of Neuma School of the Spirit, based in Melbourne. She holds a Bachelor of Theology degree from PlanetshakersCollege and is currently pursuing a Master of Missional Leadership at Melbourne School of Theology. With a deep passion for missions, equipping the saints, and discipleship, she is committed to empowering followers of Jesus to walk in their God-given purpose. Proud of her Samoan heritage, Pele is married to Ray Sione, and they live in Melbourne. Called to be a teacher and intercessor, Pele desires revival for her nation and the nations of the world. Pele serves as the Middle-East Project Team Lead for Burning Hearts leading all of our missions and evangelism efforts in the Middle East. Pele also serves on our burning hearts executive team overseeing Burning Hearts Academy & Media.
Contact: pele@theburningheartsmovement.com
Ruvimbo “Ruvi” Chakaingesu
Burning Hearts Prayer & Ministry Team Lead
Ruvimbo “Ruvi” Chakaingesu is a Zimbabwean-born Aussie based in Melbourne, whose life was profoundly transformed by a powerful encounter with the Lord in a shopping mall. His life is deeply rooted in a passion for hosting the presence of God and seeing revival spread across nations. As an emerging prophetic voice, he carries the Father’s Heart for people and expresses this through prophetic intercession, ministry and leadership. His calling is centred on relationally equipping believers, fostering discipleship and community. Ruvi firmly believes in preaching the Holy Spirit-empowered Gospel of Jesus Christ, marked by miracles, signs, and wonders. He has trained under various prophetic ministries, including the Heartsong Prophetic Alliance and the Australian Prophetic Council’s Emerging Voices program. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Construction Management, and his professional background spans over 13 years in both the events industry and ministry, allowing him to bring practical expertise to his work. His ministry training has been extensive, serving in multiple church leadership roles including Prophetic Oversight for prayer and worship teams at a prominent multicampus church in Melbourne Australia. Ruvi has been actively engaged in missions, leading trips both within Australia and internationally, particularly in Southeast Asia. Ruvimbo serves as the Prayer & Ministry Team leader for Burning Hearts leading and training all of our prayer, intercession and prophetic ministry teams. Ruvi also serves on our burning hearts executive team providing strategic prophetic oversight and prayer ministry.
Contact: ruvimbo@theburningheartsmovement.com
Our Values
Scripture
We believe in preaching & teaching the scriptures with clarity and conviction so that eyes may be opened to see Jesus and hearts may burn with revelation.
Worship
We believe in the importance of worshipping and exalting Jesus above all so that He may be revealed & glorified. We believe that worship is not preparation for the greater work, it is the greater work.
Prayer
We believe in the power of prayer to bring about God’s will on the earth.
Presence
We believe in demonstrating and hosting the manifest presence of Jesus on earth so that He may be known and experienced through the power of the Holy Spirit. We believe that the gifts of the Holy Spirit are not only available but necessary for effective ministry today.
Church
We believe in the centrality of the local and global Church in the mission of God on the earth. We are committed to the fellowship of the saints, the unity of the body & the fulfilment of the great commission through the local church across the globe.
Discipleship
We believe that Jesus has called His Church to the mission of going and making disciples of all nations. We are committed to raising and equipping christians in these contexts to spread the gospel and establish strong church communities.
Mission
We believe that every believer is called to live on mission, preaching the good news of the gospel to everyone everywhere. We are committed to advancing the Kingdom of God across the nations both locally and Globally.