For a long time we have felt the need to dedicate ourselves more to the training of church leaders. When we return to Nicaragua in Jan 07 we are planning to make the establishment of a formal program for training the major focus of our three year commitment. The churches in Nicaragua have committed themselves to starting new congregations in all 19 of the cities that head the administrative districts nationwide. This commitment means that we need teams of young men and women that have good general knowledge of the Bible and basic pastoral skills to go out and serve as church planters and evangelists.

The first year we plan on monthly seminars on Bible and ministry topics. Some I will teach and others will be led by visitors from the USA, Rich and Carol Gasser, Josh Wolford, John Fuller and Kevin Daniels have made firm commitments to come and teach. Additionally we hope to organize at least three larger activities during the high school and college vacations.

These will be two or three day events designed for 50 to 100 young people to come together for teaching and fellowship. To jump start these events we have purchased three large army surplus tents that can be erected on a borrowed site for these events. A British Baptist organization has a large vacant site on Lake Nicaragua where we could hold the events. This way these activities can be realized without a large initial investment in facilities. The tents would also be available in time of natural disaster or eventually to send out for a meeting place for a new church. The focus of all these seminars and meetings will be to challenge young people to consider how the Lord can use them in Ministry. During the course of 2007 with these events we can recruit a class of young people willing to dedicate themselves to a course of study in 2008. There is also the opportunity to coordinate for some of the basic Bible courses with a training institute operated by a group of non Instrumental churches. This is an exciting new chapter in the work here.

Youth Conference - April 2007

Carol Gasser and Nadia Vasquez teach in the Christian School