“9 out of 10 churches around the world are led by pastors who lack adequate Biblical and spiritual training”
Today, one of the biggest needs for the global church is pastors who are well-trained Biblically and spiritually. We need more Pauls (missionaries) and more Timothys (pastors) living out the discipleship model described in 1 Tim 2:2, discipling other pastors, church planters, and missionaries.
“And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others.”
Evangelism is exploding in much of the majority world, and churches are being planted at an exceptional rate. This is surely cause for rejoicing. This raises a problem though, the people being called to lead these churches lack adequate training. In fact, 90% of churches around the globe are led by pastors who lack adequate training in Bible, theology, spiritual formation, counseling, and other essential leadership skills.
And that just speaks to the current need. In 2021, more than 1 million churches will be planted – churches who need trained pastors to lead them. Jack’s current role involves raising awareness about this need, encouraging missionaries in their engagement, training missionaries on how to effectively disciple pastors, and promoting discipleship cycles among pastors.
“In 2021, more than 1 million churches will be planted – churches who need trained pastors to lead them.”
Jose and Franslise Oliviera are examples of the kinds of pastor-trainers we are trying to promote/produce. Jose has been in ministry for over 30 years.
Jose uses Bible storytelling and orality methods to teach pastors spiritual formation, ministry skills, and leadership skills. The oral curriculum is the cheapest, most easily transferrable and most transformational medium available in any context - stories. When a leader goes through their curriculum, they are already equipped to transfer their knowledge and experience on to others in their contexts.
Jack recruited Jose to teach a training session for other missionaries who are interested in training pastors in oral-preference, non literate cultures. The goal is equip missionaries to train national pastors in a similar way that is both transformational (to the inner life) and transferrable (to the next generation of pastors and leaders).
Oral training methods like Freedom to Lead (F2L, used by Jose and his team) are key in the oral-preference and non-literate cultures which dominate the Majority World that is unreached.
Please join us in praying for God to raise up more missionaries who want to dedicate their lives to be like Jose. Pray also for God to raise up more pastors throughout the global church to meet the demand.
If you would like to contribute to Jose’s ministry, you can do so here. If you would like to help us to train future Pauls and Timothys, you can do so here.