In the Spring of 2016, I was standing on the open fourth floor of a church in Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic. It was 92 degrees and very humid. From this height, I looked out on the neighborhood surrounding the church in the middle of the central river district, one of the poorest areas in this city of four million people.
Behind me I hear the Spanish chatter of people fellowshipping as they eat a meal together and the cooks working in the small kitchen as they feed the 150 pastors, deacons, and Sunday school teachers who have gathered on this Saturday to hear pastor Miguel Angel Castillo teach them how to study the Bible. It encourages me to hear and observe the dynamic attitudes and the camaraderie of these church leaders, many of whom have been attending these free monthly seminars for several years.
On the fourth Saturday of each month Pastor Castillo invites pastors, deacons, and Sunday school teachers to his church, Iglesia Fundamento Biblico in Santo Domingo. They hold an all-day Bible training conference that teaches leaders how to study, understand, and teach the Word of God to their churches. This is training that these leaders would never receive otherwise, and it is transforming dozens of churches across the Dominican Republic into mature, Gospel-focused, Christ-centered bodies of believers.
Today, as I write this article, pastor Miguel is teaching these leaders, and he asked me to send out this request:
“We thank God for our opportunity to train pastors, deacons, and leaders. We ask you brothers and sisters to keep praying for this ministry and for these men and women that God has brought here today, that His name might be glorified through His people, and the Gospel would spread.”
Please continue to pray for this ongoing and important pastoral training in the Dominican Republic. And pray for the efforts underway to expand this training to other locations, both physical and remote live streaming. Churches are being revitalized, new churches are being planted, and we have the powerful opportunity before us to reach a nation for Christ in our lifetime.
For more information on the many facets of Gospel work going on in the Dominican Republic, and how you can get involved, contact info@makersandmeans.org