More than eight years ago, I recall discussing our GCI development vision of Ministry Training Centers (MTCs) with our now president, Dr. Greg Williams. These were the early stages of vision development. It has taken a bit longer than I expected for the vision to take hold, but by God’s grace, it is becoming a reality. On Sunday, June 30, we launched our first MTC in Latin America.
Over the last five years, our pastors in Bogota, Colombia, Hector and Paulina Barrero, have been experiencing renewal. It is renewal in ways that are reflective of a healthy pastor that practices the 4 Es of healthy leadership (engage, equip, empower, encourage). With the lead of the Spirit, their healthy approach to ministry has created an environment where Healthy Church renewal has taken place. They have fully embraced our GCI ministry structure of Team Based — Pastor Led and have structured their church around the three healthy ministry Avenues of Faith, Hope, and Love. This has afforded the congregation a well-balanced approach to ministry that is bearing much fruit. There is a contagious enthusiasm in the congregation and the energy level is off the charts. Missional participation and disciple making with Jesus is becoming the defining DNA of the church.
By embracing Team Based — Pastor Led, lanes for emerging leadership have been facilitated. There is a core of younger individuals yearning for significant participation in ministry, and thus a need for leadership development has become evident. It is within this context of Healthy Church that an MTC is organically birthed. During this process of renewal, Pastors Paulina and Hector, along with key leaders, have received high support consulting from me, their superintendent. And they are now in a good position to intentionally recruit, equip, and send young people into ministry with Jesus.
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The nature of an MTC is such that it addresses development both in theory and practice. In Latin America, we have developed a program that offers a six-course diploma in Foundational Theological Studies, and a twelve-course diploma in Advanced Theological and Pastoral Studies. Participants will go through the program as a learning community in cohorts. The MTC coordinator along with the local pastor will make sure that spaces for ministry practices are available and participants are mentored as needed.
The Bogota MTC is a hybrid program, with in-person learning and an online element. Our MTC development team has created an online platform and has already put together the first two courses and equipped the instructors. They will begin with 25 participants, 16 from the Bogota congregation (two of whom are tracking through GCS), and nine from the Barranquilla, Colombia congregation. Most of the participants are between the ages of 25-45. The group from Barranquilla will meet in person with their pastor, Sonia Orozco Vengochea, while receiving the classes via Zoom. Paulina Salinas Barrero, the MTC coordinator, will be responsible for the development of the participants from both congregations.
On Saturday, June 29, I launched the learning community with an intensive session on the Doctrine of the Trinity and its implication for ministry. The next day, we officially launched the MTC during the Sunday celebration. We prayed for the program and the participants. The participants in attendance were presented before the congregation. We solicit your prayers as we plan for the launch of another Spanish-speaking MTC in Southern California in the coming months. The Holy Spirit is at work as we seek to develop a new generation of leaders, pastors, and church planters for GCI Latin America.
In Christ,
By Heber Ticas, Superintendent of Latin America
Sun Valley, CA, US
It is thrilling to hear about the launching of the first Latin American MTC in Bogota, Colombia. This is a concept and step that I had been thinking and praying about since November 2010. My hope back then, and today, is that we would also launch MTC facilities in Europe.
Psalms 32:8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye.