Creating a Culture of Mission in the Church
In Catalyst Community #2 our primary teaching content focuses on the tools each church needs to develop a culture of mission among its people. Why is this so important? The reality is that most people who come to faith in Christ do so through an existing relational connection. That means that those who follow Jesus need to understand three things to live their lives on mission:
- How to foster personal relationships with those outside the church.
- How to tell their story of faith in a simple and concise manner.
- How to share the story of Jesus in a way that makes sense to a broken and dying world.
That is why I love Catalyst Community #2. Our experience in El Salvador was no exception. I was impressed at how this group of leaders is capturing and and putting into practice the essence and core of our Catalyst Community training. We worked with leaders representing 19 churches, and they left with a plan to become 67 churches in 5 years time!
Manuel’s Story: Raising a Team of Missionaries
Manuel pastors a church in San Salvador. I remember when he came to our first Catalyst Community he had just lost his brother days before. He’s a quiet, humble, friendly man, and he’s the real deal when it comes to working the mission of Jesus.
Manuel has trained up 20 leaders in his church and organized them into three groups. He calls them missionaries, and these three teams have been working in three additional locations. Two of those locations have become full fledged church plants, and the third location now has three small groups which will forming into a church this December.
Manuel took his one church, worked hard to train up a group of leaders, and sent them on mission. In 2.5 years his one church will become four! This is what a pastor on mission does. This is what a church on mission looks like.
Edgar’s Story: The Phoenix Rises
When Edgar came to Catalyst Community last year he was broken, depressed, and struggling on all fronts. He didn’t know how to move forward. He church consisted of four people. Catalyst Community changed the course of his ministry. He said he “felt confronted by the Lord” and he took the time to “look closely at himself.” He left with a renewed faith and a will to press on. He said he used to be steeped in religion, but he began to realize God was not a God confined to a box.
Over the last year his church of four has grown to 35, and he works with an additional 20 people outside his church through community outreach and job training programs. His five-year plan has his church starting three new churches in three additional communities, and he is already apprenticing a future pastor from his congregation. Edgar is no longer defeated. He’s a man on mission modeling the way!
Oscar & Alan’s Story: Training the Next Generation
We met Alan last year. He was 18 years old at the time. Alan is one of two young men that pastor Oscar is apprenticing to become future church planters. We spent some time last year one on one with Alan, and I remember being amazed at the type of questions he was asking. His questions really got to the heart of what it means to be a pastor leading people on mission.
This year Alan reflected back on the conversation we had the previous year. He reminded us of the things we said to him, the ways we challenged him, and even the verses we used to make our points. I can’t wait to see how Alan’s story continues to take shape. I’m thankful for pastors like Oscar willing to invest in the next generation of church planters!
We Need Your Help To Finish 2023 Strong
We finish up 2023 with new projects beginning in Slovenia and along the Dalmatian coast of Croatia. These two projects bring us back to the Balkans, a part of the world with very little Evangelical Christianity.
We need your help to remain fiscally strong through the end of this year and ready for a busy start to 2024. Thank you for your continued partnership in this mission. The fruit of this ministry is yours!
