Focused on the foremost; paramount prayers

(From our Dean of the Institutes)

As we’ve mentioned, this week we’ve been in Santiago, Chile working with 18 seminaries to discuss financial sustainability and organizational change. But today was different.

Josue (our Regional Director) guided this group into prayer just preceding our evening meal. The leaders of these institutes participating with us shared praises and requests. We started from Central American Theological Seminary in Guatemala City and worked our way south to partner schools in Argentina and Chile. Each leader shared for a few minutes, entering the center of the circle and accompanied by other team members from the school. They kneeled down and others gathered around and laid hands on them.

For me it’s a reminder, as well as evidence, that what each of these schools is doing (as well as what Overseas Council is doing as we come alongside them) is fundamentally and at its core a spiritual task.  We can learn about financial sustainability, and that’s a good thing to do, but ultimately it really is the Lord who provides.

Many of the leaders here come tired, lonely, discouraged, and even broken.  While we bring their requests to the throne of grace, perhaps the prayer fellowship of others who are engaged in the same task and who experience many of the same struggles and joys is one of the most important moments the Institute week.

Will you also join us in prayer for the Lord to encourage and teach them this week?

Warmly in Christ,

Scott

Sensible Santiago

I write the evening of Day Two of our Institute for Excellence taking place in Santiago de Chile.  Eighteen schools, all training Christian leaders for Latin American churches, are represented by their principal accompanied by several other seminary leaders.  We are 47 in all.

Our host school here in Santiago is the Instituto Biblico Nacionale, a well-respected and highly influential seminary, founded by an American Assemblies of God missionary.  It is now independent and serving a wide variety of churches and is led by a Chilean, Daniel Ramos.

Choosing IBN as our host school as we conduct this Institute on the topic of financial sustainability was no accident.  Over the past few years, largely under Daniel’s leadership, the seminary has made substantial progress in becoming financially sustainable.  Not unlike many schools founded by Western missionaries, in earlier years it depended totally on donations from overseas for its operations.  Students contributed not a peso in tuition.  But IBN has experienced the unreliability of Western gifts, and has made a dramatic shift in the towards local and more dependable sources of funding for its expanding ministry.

Several years ago students began paying a modest amount of tuition fees, not so much that access is considerably restricted, but sufficient to provide a significant amount of dependable income.  Almost all students are part-time, meaning that they have some means of paying fees from their employment. Extension sites were started throughout Chile, not only expanding IBN’s reach, but increasing its financial base.

The main campus is located in a desirable downtown area, very close to a subway station and in the midst of a number of universities and academies.  They are also owners of an adjacent building, under-utilized in the past, and recently rented out to a music academy.  This provides a further dependable source of income.  There are plans to convert their parking lot into a multi-story parking garage, with almost certain profit from subway users.

The school started a modest Christian bookstore, aimed primarily at the needs of their students, but also generating some profit.  A small catering service does the same.

Yes, IBN is a “business”.  It pays salaries and utility bills.  It “sells” a service.  It conducts financial transactions, and can only do so as long as income meets expenses.  But, IBN is also a “school”.  It strives to have an effective educational model which results in competent graduates fit for service.  And, IBN also has a “mission” – to be a partner and servant of the Church in Chile.  To be truly financially sustainable, IBN must fulfill all three successfully; it must have a sustainable financial model; provide an effective education; and fulfill an appropriate mission in service of the Church.

Our goal this week is that other seminaries in this region will do the same.  Pray for God’s work among us this week – for each of the facilitators and participants.

Warmly in Christ,

Scott

Dean of the Institutes

Pre-Santiago Institute (May 24-27, 2011)

group photo from Quito Institute last year

Last year, Overseas Council took a survey of theological institutions around the world. The two chief focuses were Financial Sustainability and Organizational Change. With 163 responses representing around 60 countries in the world, Scott Cunningham (Dean of Institutes for Excellence here at OC) and several other staff members spent months analyzing the data and developing relevant Institutes for Excellence in light of it. Each Institute is regionally focused, bringing in participants from the region to discuss the challenges and strengths specific to their context.

The biggest challenge for Latin America? The Plateau Effect: Compared to other regions around the world, there are fewer seminaries in Latin America growing in number of students. This insitute will focus on questioning whether the seminary programs are relevant, if they are providing the right kind of access to their programs, if they are considering the modern day Latin American student’s needs,  et cetera.

The biggest strength for Latin America? Our results lead us to believe that  Latin America generally has some of the more self-sufficient theological institutions of the 5 continents we surveyed. Be careful not to assume: “One of the more”  is comparing it to the Middle East, Africa, Asia and Eurasia. We are encouraged to see just what this strength looks like in context!

Keep checking in next week to be sure to get regular updates during the institute!

How you can Pray:

• For God to prepare the participants hearts and minds as they travel to Santiago this weekend
• For the Institute to act as a catalyst for healthy growth, encouragement, and challenge
• For logistical preparations to conclude in a timely manner
• For the leaders attending to feel refreshed by the peer-to-peer facilitated discussions, and one another’s company next week