From November 1–12, a team from the evangelism ministry of the Mesoamerica Region conducted a training tour in Guatemala with the goal of strengthening and expanding evangelism and church planting within the Church of the Nazarene. During this period, the team visited 10 districts across the country, providing training to pastors and local leaders in evangelistic skills and the vision of church planting.
Between 30 and 50 people participated in each of the districts. They were encouraged to adopt and promote a unified vision while strengthening their commitment to the Nazarene Church’s mission to make Christlike disciples in the nations. This effort is a key step to fulfill the global mission of the Church of the Nazarene to expand its reach in Guatemala and beyond.
North Atlantic District superintendent Wilfredo Pec expressed his enthusiasm for the training, which came at a crucial moment for the new, seven month old district. “It was a joy for our district to receive this training. We are very grateful to God and the Regional Evangelism Ministry for dedicating time to teach us,” Pec commented.
The regional evangelism team benefited from the valuable collaboration of Oscar Tista, a well-known church planter, who shared his experience and knowledge with the participants. The combination of experience and church planting strategy was a key factor in the success of the tour.
“We celebrate that more than 125 people have responded to the call to plant cell groups, youth friendship groups and new churches,” said Jerson Chupina, a member of the Regional Evangelism team. “We ask everyone to join us in prayer for the districts that have accepted this challenge, and for their superintendents, pastors, and local leaders,” Chupina added.
Dr. Milton Gay, Regional Evangelism Coordinator, emphasized the growth of the Church of the Nazarene in the Mesoamerica Region depends on the commitment and evangelistic vision of men and women willing to take the message of Christ to their communities. In this regard, the Evangelism Ministry, in collaboration with the Jesus film ministry, has developed a leader multiplication strategy focused on raising up new pastors, leaders, and church planters.
“With this tour, we have completed a cycle of preparation, challenge, and vision for the multiplication of new churches. It has been a blessing to see how the churches received the strategy with such enthusiasm,” said Dr. Gay. “Both district pastors and leaders, as well as the regional evangelism team, are committed to working together to achieve the goals we have set. We thank God for this time and trust that this will be the model for all fields in Mesoamerica,” Dr. Gay concluded.
The impact of this training tour goes beyond the district visits. It represents a renewed commitment from all participants to continue expanding God’s kingdom in Guatemala and throughout the region. With more than 125 people committed to planting new churches and youth friendship groups, the vision of multiplying God’s work is stronger than ever.
Source: Jerson Chupina, Evangelism Norcentral
