Training Others
Worship and teaching early in the morning during our weekend training
What happens when you plant churches? One of the byproducts is that some thought needs to be put into how to care for those churches. Six years ago I started a training program that focuses on this aspect of the work that we do. One of the key elements of Latin American culture is that relationship is primary. When we plant churches in the interior, away from the cities, they are built on relationship and the strategy focuses on relationships. However, what happens is that when or two people are doing the bulk of that outreach, things quickly become bottle-necked.
One way to resolve that is to train people capable of that unique type of outreach. These people need to be comfortable living is close quarters with many others, at ease in primitive conditions, satisfied with the most basic of foods, capable of teaching others, working with children, and showing compassion. The list could go on, but I think you get the idea.
By far the best way to train these people is to get them out of the class room and into the field where they can experience these things. They need to opportunity to learn from their mistakes, build memories of unique experiences and share in the excitement of seeing God work in real life situations through their lives. This still needs to be anchored by disciplined teaching from the Bible. The training provides opportunities for student-leadership training across the spectrum of development.
The results after six years are that through this training, a group of people who relate well to the people outside the city has been raised up. God has used them and the relationships that they have built over the years to continue to grow the work. It has been great to see God provide a vision from within the church for continuing to reach out to those who live where there are no churches. Sharing the vision, passing it from one generation to another, that is what helps to make our faith enduring. It is great to see God continuing that process.
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A beautiful rainbow graces the sky above the Xingu River