| Latin America
is changing rapidly. Globalization, technology, communication, travel—these and other factors
are accelerating this change. Latin American countries are tired
of poverty. And they recognize that education is key to improving
society. But only Christian education produces true change through
transformation of heart and mind. There is an unprecedented opportunity for outreach
through education. National churches are maturing.
After decades of explosive growth, our leaders are recognizing the
importance of education at all levels to sustain growth. There is an awakening desire and
expectation to work together to maximize our educational efforts to
reach this continent and beyond.
Who will guide this new cooperation and interdependence?
The
face of missions is changing. Missionaries make disciples and teach
those disciples how to live for Christ. Although this basic goal of missions
remains the same, methods and strategies must change. Christian
Education has become a strategic priority
for Latin America. All educational programs have grown exponentially in
recent years. Almost half of the 2,100 Assemblies of God Bible schools
and extensions worldwide are in Spanish-speaking Latin America! Thirty
years ago there were only a few Christian day schools in the region.
Today there are more than 400 schools, ministering to over 100,000
children and youth.
The unfinished missionary task will be to
anticipate, embrace and encourage this new emphasis on Christian
education and support ministries, offering new paradigms, facilitating
coordination and partnerships, working together to build upon the growth
of the past to prepare Latin America for its worldwide impact in the
future. |
“Train a child in the way he
should go, and when he is old
he will not turn from it.”
—Proverbs 22:6
“If you don't like change, you're
going to like irrelevance even less.”
—Ret. General Eric Shinseki
Former Chief of Staff, U. S. Army
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