Twelve of the JESUS Film and Discipleship coordinators on the region met May 1-3 at the Regional Office in Pilar, Argentina. Regional JESUS Film Coordinator Juan Jose Zani, and Discipleship Coordinator Tim McKeithen directed the meetings.

One day of the event focused on forming and discussing discipleship strategies as well as sharing testimonies from current discipleship ministries.

“We're always talking about evangelism," said Jean David Larochelle, discipleship coordinator for the North Andean field. “But we're realizing that… we need to do follow-up."

Among the most useful discipleship tools on the South America Region is the six-week Spanish video series TOBIAS. Some countries are already developing a TOBIAS for kids to meet the needs of the children in the church.

McKeithen encourages discipleship leaders to use not only the TOBIAS videos, but any type of audio-visual, creative resource on hand. He also reminds them not to forget the most important discipleship tool - the Bible.

“When people come and say they don't have other resources, I say, ‘But you do have a Bible,'" he said.

The church is forming discipleship groups around the Region with a focus on youth, who make up 70-percent of those currently being discipled. The youth are also beginning to assume leadership roles by discipling their peers.

The South America Region continues to promote the importance of discipleship by appointing new discipleship leaders in each country. There is also a second TOBIAS series already in the works.

“Jesus didn't say go and make converts," said McKeithen. “He said go and make disciples."
--SAM Region