Pastors
Pastoral and Leadership Training Teams
“Brining training and tools to pastors and church leaders”
Part of the vision of CFCI-Nicaragua is to promote the unity of churches so that they can extend the Kingdom of God. Unfortunately, as we get to know the pastors and leaders of churches, we have found that the majority have had no formal Biblical or ministerial training and have very limited resources. Many did not have the opportunity to finish high school. Because of this many pastors do not have a Biblical vision or philosophy — which can lead to unbiblical practices in the church.
Through several programs, CFCI-Nicaragua provides training in evangelism and discipleship, youth ministry, and Christian education. Currently, we have two in-depth ministry classes specifically for pastors and church leaders. One course, “Finishing Well,” focuses on the pastor’s personal relationship with God. If a pastor is not experiencing a vital, growing relationship with God, there is little chance that the church he is leading is healthy. During the course, the pastors reflect on how God has worked throughout their lives. They are taught to recognize common pitfalls in ministry and are offered counsel to avoid them.
The other course is called “Inductive Bible Study” and is part of a project called “Pastor’s Toolbox.” This course focuses on developing the skill of studying and interpreting the Word of God. According to Scripture, one of the principle roles of any pastor is to preach and teach God’s Word. In order to do this faithfully, a pastor must have the proper training and a few basic Bible study tools. Because Bible reference books in Spanish are expensive and not readily available to Nicaraguan pastors, the Pastor’s Toolbox project provides a Bible concordance and dictionary.
Short-term teams play a critical role in bringing these courses to Nicaraguan pastors. If you would like further information about brining a pastoral training team to Nicaragua, please contact Bob Thurlow at bjthurlow@yahoo.com.
