This update is from Lorenzo Arroyo, mission developer for Spanish-speaking GCI churches in the U.S. and all GCI churches in Mexico.
Hawthorne, California
On June 16, we held a leadership development intensive in Hawthorne, California. About 30 emerging leaders attended from six GCI Spanish-speaking churches in the Los Angeles area (participants pictured below).
Our guest instructor at this intensive was Dr. Michael Morrison, pictured at right with Heber Ticas interpreting. Michael addressed the topic of Biblical Interpretation.
This intensive was the fourth in a series of ten in GCI’s CEM (Centro de Entrenamiento Ministerial) program which began in 2011 and will conclude in late 2013. The program’s intensives cover biblical studies, theological studies and pastoral ministry. Besides attending the day-long intensives, CEM participants do several book reports and participate in practicums that involve them in serving their local churches. The next two intensives will be conducted by Dr. Dan Rogers, addressing church history on September 22 and multiplication in healthy churches on December 8.
Howell, New Jersey
On June 23-24, district pastor Heber Ticas and I (Lorenzo Arroyo) visited the GCI Spanish-speaking congregation in Howell, New Jersey. We conducted four workshops and gave two sermons with the goal of encouraging this small congregation with 30 members (including children). Heber held a leadership meeting with pastors Bernabe Roman and Alejandro Alcantara, and six ministry leaders. Heber will return in September to assist the congregation in developing an overall ministry plan including detailed descriptions of key ministry leadership assignments. The congregation is turning a corner and eager to move forward.
Mexico
In early June, GCI pastor Manuel Ochoa and I (Lorenzo Arroyo) traveled to Mexico City for five days. We were delighted to see the fruit being borne by our congregations there. I recently received a report from Alfredo Mercado, the GCI national leader in Mexico and pastor of our church in Guadalajara – he shared that they recently performed four baptisms!
