59 small groups, 480 pastors...what's next??

The January trip of Doug Stevens, TLC International Director, and a fellow pastor, Russ, was our first leadership seminar addressing the character of a spiritual leader.  About three hundred pastors gathered at two locations in Port au Prince and Cayes and responded enthusiastically to the biblical teaching and helpful practical principles of what it means to be a spiritual leader. 

The concept of TLC small groups--a mainstay of our Stateside ministry--was presented and within weeks of their departure, Gilbert Jules, our newly-appointed TLC director on site in Haiti, reported that fifty-nine groups had sprung up with almost five hundred pastoral participants!  The appeal of small group fellowship and accountability obviously was something needed and desired in Haiti.

In recent months Gilbert has been meeting with small group leaders as he is able and we have been providing some materials for him to utilize in training them to be effective servant-facilitators.  Our TLC manual for servant facilitators is in the process of being revised and adapted to the Haitian cultural setting (my current job) and Doug and I will travel in August to present it to our Haitian brothers.  We will also be sharing a seminar as an extension of our pastoral training curriculum on "The Spiritual Disciplines of a Leader".  Mark August 26-September 1 on your calendar to be praying for us.

It is a privilege to have been recently appointed to the position of TLC Director, Haiti, and to work closely with Gilbert Jules, our liaison there.  Gilbert has been in the States caring for a brother who recently lost his legs in a tragic automobile accident.  He will be returning to Haiti at the end of June so our prayerful support for him while he is here, as well as for the leadership team serving while he is gone, is deeply appreciated.

It is exciting to see what God is already doing in Haiti through obedient servant-hearted pastors who are seeking to lead their people to a greater knowledge of Christ.  It is a humbling and sacred responsibility to know that through TLC we can partner with them by teaching them basic Bible doctrine and Bible study methods as well as training them in sound biblical leadership principles so that they can serve more effectively. 

Pray for us.  Paul wrote the church at Colosse these closing words in 4:3,4.  "And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ...Pray that I may proclaim it clearly as I should..."  God has opened the door.  Pray now that we will clearly proclaim the message of the gospel, teaching it to Haitian pastors so that they, in turn,  can teach it clearly to others.