August 2003 News

August 12, 2003

Vol. 1, Issue 6


By now you may have received the latest Evangelical Missions Quarterly (July 2003). If you saw it, there were probably a number of things that attracted your attention (not the least being an excellent article published by our very own Linda Wilson!) The front cover carries the bold title " Latin America ." These days, any serious missions magazine that has Latin America as its focus would catch your attention, wouldn't it? (As my ancestors would have said, "You betcha!). Samuel Escobar's article (simply titled "Evangelicals in Latin America") has the following encouraging quotes for those of us serving in Latin America through LATN: "In view of the steady numerical growth [of the church] the training of leadership becomes one of the most urgent tasks" (p. 289) and, " I am of the conviction that help in the area of leadership formation is more necessary than ever because patterns of leadership are in crisis" (pp. 290-291). (This issue also includes an article which has the intriguing title, "As goes Costa Rica , so goes the world.") I'm sure you will want to dig in to this latest issue of EMQ.

 

In case you were wondering, LNB took a one month break over the summer (remember, the EFCA-IM gives us one month of vacation per year). However, that does not mean nothing is happening! I trust you will be encouraged by how God is moving things along in LATN's strategic ministry.

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  1. LATN's first facilitator.
  2. Latin American reality.
  3. TEDS consultation
  4. DeVries set for move to Costa Rica .
  5. Nelson's move(s)
  6. Pike's anniversary
  7. Mark's dissertation
  8. Brochures

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  1. LATN's first facilitator! This month LATN achieves a major milestone in its short history. First the "bad news": the course on "Biblical Interpretation for a Postmodern World" will not be taught by Ted Kautzmann. Now for the "good news": the course will be taught by a trained facilitator! This is exactly what LATN has been designed to accomplish: "equip the equippers of Latin America 's leaders." Ted has equipped Josué V. (one of Ted's best students) so that Josué can facilitate the teaching of the revised digitized masters course materials and equip 18 Latin American leaders (these 18 students represent seven different Latin American countries! (Ted writes, "It's like a wave that will be felt on many Latin American shores-and this is just the Beta test!) Essentially, a missionary has replaced himself as a master's professor - fantastic! This is exactly what we want to see repeated dozens or hundreds of times throughout the Spanish and Portuguese speaking world. This past week the facilitator, Josué V. and staff in Costa Rica gave an excellent orientation to the Beta test of Ted's course. According to Ted, Mery Flórez and the facilitator did an excellent job in introducing the students to the course and online learning. Please pray for Josué and his 18 students. Much is "riding on" the results of this course. (The course begins August 18 and will end in December.)
  2. Latin American reality. Mery Flórez, LATN's excellent and capable technical support person, shared a perceptive insight regarding online education in Latin America . In her most recent prayer letter, she wrote, "We are about to finish the second semester in four weeks. This semester we only offered the course in Discipleship and 12 students registered to take the course online. Several of these students are well-known leaders in their denominations in different countries. Two students dropped out, not because of technical problems, but because of violence in their country. One pastor wrote his life was in danger and it was too hard to concentrate on his studies. The other who dropped the course told us he's been consumed with helping his coworker who is in the hospital after being shot. The reality of online Christian education for Latin American pastors and lay leaders has a different dimension than that of technological accessibility; it is permeated by the political unrest in our Latin American region."
  3.  TEDS consultation. Next month LATN missionaries will have the privilege of joining other EFCA-IM educators at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School for the first ever Consultation on Theological Education. Several of LATN's missionaries will be contributing by giving presentations (Jon Nelson will be leading in worship). This is a great opportunity for the EFCA-IM theological educators to interact with LATN missionaries. Our prayer is that LATN will be able to make a positive contribution and be viewed as an important and significant ministry for the EFCA-IM's overall strategy in launching healthy church planting movements in Latin America.
  4. DeVries set to move to Costa Rica . In past editions of the LNB, we've mentioned the need to find a couple to replace Bob and Grace Tuttle as Tuttles look toward retiring the end of 2003. The Lord has spoken to Neil and Sonija DeVries who now have reservations to arrive in Costa Rica on September 9 th ! What a great answer to prayer. Bob and Grace have provided invaluable help with hospitality and administration. We thank the Lord that the Neil and Sonija, now retired, will be investing some of the best years of their lives, to do ministry in Costa Rica . Thanks so much to Neil and Sonija. (Be in prayer for a retired couple to follow them in two years! Notice also another excellent article in the latest EMQ which addressed the issue of seniors on the mission field.)
  5. Nelson's move(s). By the time you read this, Meta Nelson and the two youngest children should have left England for their move back to the U.S. Jon (and Carlotta) plan on returning on September 23 rd , just in time for the beginning of the consultation at TEDS. The Nelsons begin a year-long home assignment before going back to the field, this time probably Spain (a great place for Jon's research). Jon is also working on a LATN course on the Reformation from a Hispanic perspective. 
  6. Pike's anniversary. What better way to celebrate an anniversary than to go to a tropical country and enjoy the volcanoes and beaches. Gordon and Norma Pike, LATN missionaries (and former EFCA-IM missionaries to Venezuela ), spent some good days in July celebrating their 25 th anniversary. Congratulations to Gordon and Norma! (Oh, the country which provided them the perfect venue for celebration was Costa Rica !)
  7. Mark's dissertation. On August 19 th Mark Hendrickson will be defending his dissertation at the University of Northern Colorado . We anticipate a successful defense (although that doesn't mean we shouldn't pray). We're proud of Mark and all the work he has put in, juggling his program with his responsibilities as Production Director. (Our hats also go off to Martha and her very important role in this major accomplishment.) 
  8. Brochures. We hope to have a revised LATN brochure ready within a month. The drafts are done and we are looking them over before the Home Office prints them up. The brochures will look very similar to the first brochures but with updated information. The brochures will soon be available for your use - hopefully by the time the next LNB is published.

 "Pray for LATN as we seek to make quality theological education accessible to Latin America 's evangelical leaders."