The School of Leadership program has been promoted now for 6 months in the MAC Region and there are 130 students registered with the program.
School of Leadership: Changing the region one local church at a time
San Jose, Costa Rica
By Ruben Fernandez, president of Seminario Nazareno de las Americas
Thursday, January 13, 2011
The Theological Education Ministry of the Mexico and Central America Region developed a new training program that brings basic theological education to church members.
The program, School of Leadership, has five general courses and six specialty ministry courses that the student can choose from according to his or her gifts and calling.
During 2010, Franlym Peña, the coordinator of School of Leadership at Seminario Nazareno de las Americas (SENDAS) for Costa Rica, Nicaragua, and Panama, worked hard to promote the program and to train leaders in how to teach the material. The results in the churches have been wonderful.
The Church of the Nazarene in Poas, located in the North District of Costa Rica, began the first course of School of Leadership with 30 students. After completing the eight lessons and the practical experience section of the course, the majority of the class is now in charge of a new church plant in a nearby village.
"We have formed a great group of people who have become very involved, and also it has really motivated everyone," said Gerzan Obando, the leader of the class. "In my personal opinion, I think this program is a tool that was born in the heart of God for the growth of the church."
The Church of the Nazarene in Calle Blancos, located in the Central Costa Rica District, began the program with four students. The pastor was surprised to see the heart changes that occurred in two of the students as a result of the class.
These two began to do things they had never done before in the service of God.
One of the students decided to raise money at her work so she could visit and evangelize at an elderly care facility. With a group of church members, she visited the elderly and shared with them the Word of God. At the end of the visit, the director of the facility expressed gratitude and at the same time gave the Church of the Nazarene authorization to visit on a permanent basis.
And now this ministry leader in Calle Blancos Church has organized another visit with the children of the church accompanying her.
Another church member from Calle Blancos made a beautiful box and put it in the doorway of her little store. The box had a sign that read: "Here we receive prayer requests." The sign also had Bible promise scripture.
To the surprise of the owner, the first day she received 17 prayer requests. And now some of the people for whom she has been praying started coming to church.
Pastor Emir Parrales in Juigalpa, Nicaragua, initiated the class in order to develop six leaders of the church. He worked hard to study and prepare for the class. He decided along with the church board that the church would finance 50 percent of the cost of the materials so that those interested leaders could have the opportunity to prepare themselves to serve with excellence.
Another example of the effectiveness of the course was seen in San Pedro de Poas, Costa Rica. A sister of the church was taking the course "The DNA of the Nazarenes." She has a daughter that left home for a time and did not return.
The young lady did not want to have anything to do with the church. One day when the daughter had returned home, she saw the School of Leadership book and asked what it was about. The family explained that they were taking a course at church.
When everyone left, the daughter began to read about the identity of the Nazarenes. After reading the material, the daughter announced she would be going church that Sunday with the family because the book had motivated her to attend. That Sunday the daughter received Jesus Christ as her personal Savior.
The professor of the course put it this way: "God moves how He wants and when He wants." Today, the daughter can be found in the discipleship courses and she will be baptized soon.
The School of Leadership program has been promoted now for six months and there are 130 students registered with the program. During the recent yearly assemblies, 18 requests were received from churches wanting to start the program in January 2011.
God is moving and working through these courses. Now theological education is closer to church members than ever before with the implementation of the School of Leadership in the local churches.
For more information about the program, click here.
The program, School of Leadership, has five general courses and six specialty ministry courses that the student can choose from according to his or her gifts and calling.
During 2010, Franlym Peña, the coordinator of School of Leadership at Seminario Nazareno de las Americas (SENDAS) for Costa Rica, Nicaragua, and Panama, worked hard to promote the program and to train leaders in how to teach the material. The results in the churches have been wonderful.
The Church of the Nazarene in Poas, located in the North District of Costa Rica, began the first course of School of Leadership with 30 students. After completing the eight lessons and the practical experience section of the course, the majority of the class is now in charge of a new church plant in a nearby village.
"We have formed a great group of people who have become very involved, and also it has really motivated everyone," said Gerzan Obando, the leader of the class. "In my personal opinion, I think this program is a tool that was born in the heart of God for the growth of the church."
The Church of the Nazarene in Calle Blancos, located in the Central Costa Rica District, began the program with four students. The pastor was surprised to see the heart changes that occurred in two of the students as a result of the class.
These two began to do things they had never done before in the service of God.
One of the students decided to raise money at her work so she could visit and evangelize at an elderly care facility. With a group of church members, she visited the elderly and shared with them the Word of God. At the end of the visit, the director of the facility expressed gratitude and at the same time gave the Church of the Nazarene authorization to visit on a permanent basis.
And now this ministry leader in Calle Blancos Church has organized another visit with the children of the church accompanying her.
Another church member from Calle Blancos made a beautiful box and put it in the doorway of her little store. The box had a sign that read: "Here we receive prayer requests." The sign also had Bible promise scripture.
To the surprise of the owner, the first day she received 17 prayer requests. And now some of the people for whom she has been praying started coming to church.
Pastor Emir Parrales in Juigalpa, Nicaragua, initiated the class in order to develop six leaders of the church. He worked hard to study and prepare for the class. He decided along with the church board that the church would finance 50 percent of the cost of the materials so that those interested leaders could have the opportunity to prepare themselves to serve with excellence.
Another example of the effectiveness of the course was seen in San Pedro de Poas, Costa Rica. A sister of the church was taking the course "The DNA of the Nazarenes." She has a daughter that left home for a time and did not return.
The young lady did not want to have anything to do with the church. One day when the daughter had returned home, she saw the School of Leadership book and asked what it was about. The family explained that they were taking a course at church.
When everyone left, the daughter began to read about the identity of the Nazarenes. After reading the material, the daughter announced she would be going church that Sunday with the family because the book had motivated her to attend. That Sunday the daughter received Jesus Christ as her personal Savior.
The professor of the course put it this way: "God moves how He wants and when He wants." Today, the daughter can be found in the discipleship courses and she will be baptized soon.
The School of Leadership program has been promoted now for six months and there are 130 students registered with the program. During the recent yearly assemblies, 18 requests were received from churches wanting to start the program in January 2011.
God is moving and working through these courses. Now theological education is closer to church members than ever before with the implementation of the School of Leadership in the local churches.
For more information about the program, click here.