After two years of the pandemic, a team of training partners from Colombia, Ecuador, and the U.S. flew to Lima, Peru, where together they led three workshops. This group is part of a growing team of men that are well prepared to train others and have a humble and teachable spirit that allows them to keep on learning, changing, and growing to become better trainers.
One of the reasons we invite these partners to come to different countries is to allow them to grow in many different areas, not only in their ability to train, but in how to work as a team, how to deal with different challenges, and how to learn from a different culture. Oscar Paul is the country director for WordPartners–Ecuador. He shared that one of the best ways he has grown in his ability to expand his horizons and the ability to do training is to be part of these kinds of teams.
At a March workshop in Egypt, one pastor reflected, “I realize that our people deserve our hard work in the text.” This is music to our ears. Years ago, a pastor, whose name means “Glory,” in our first Jonah workshop, confessed he never prepared for his sermons! He used to just pick a verse as he approached the pulpit. But now he’s being equipped to prepare his sermons . . . and for training others.
There are two new training groups and a core team of six Egyptian pastors who are being equipped to lead training (including Pastor Glory, who led two sessions in two March workshops!). Another core team pastor, whose name means “Brightness,” used our Dig & Discover principles immediately after his first workshop in October. In March, he led the best session we’ve seen by a first-time trainer! Like 2 Timothy 2:2, the Word is being entrusted to “faithful men who will be able to teach others also” in Egypt!
WordPartners recently traveled to Bangladesh for trainings in Psalms, 1 & 2 Samuel, and Philippians. Here are some comments from pastors in the training:
“Thanks for these four years of training, totally in the Bible; this book of Psalms . . . such a rich book to preach and teach my people. My way of preaching has changed. It is new and dynamic and effective. I want to establish new churches as well as train a second group with our church people.”
“I had my own way, and now I am 100% different, more effective, and newly impacted by the Word. The diamond in me is being shaped and sharpened.”
”Before, our framework was to preach what we wanted to preach, but now we understand God’s Word and His framework. The text changes our framework; our life is changed by the truth of the text, not the other way around.”
“In Khulna with 18 denominations, during COVID, we had to stop our training, but now we will restart. Pray for God to provide all the personal and ministry needs.”
Praise God for moving and encouraging the pastors in the Word!
We’ve been asked to enter a part of Central Asia that has been heavily persecuted. During the last three years, the persecution has paused, and unexpectedly, God made a way for the opening of the first legally registered church. A key leader in the region pleads, “We are having conversions almost every week now. Please come and train us. No one here has any Bible training.”
Prior to the pandemic, we brought house-church leaders in this region to a safe country for training. Travel was expensive, and it often limited participation. With these changes, the Lord has opened a door for us to go to them. Please pray as we work to gather leaders from many networks of churches. There are many details, obstacles, and much we still do not yet know. But all of it is known by our Father. We simply hope to follow Him. We need your prayers (2 Corinthians 1:11).
