When Jesus gave the Great Commission, it was not for one country alone. He said, “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15).
One of the great joys of ministry is seeing that command carried out and watching the gospel advance around the world. Last week’s Spiritual Leadership Conference Latin America offered a front-row view of that very work.
We hosted this conference in El Salvador with the goal of encouraging and equipping pastors, missionaries, and church workers from across Central and South America. Our prayer was that these Christian servants would be strengthened through biblical preaching, practical ministry training, and Christ-centered fellowship.
And the Lord answered those prayers. Leaders from fifteen countries gathered for training and fellowship. Throughout the week, we saw people saved, men and women surrendering to God’s call, renewed commitments to the Lord’s work, and a sweet unity around the gospel.
Evening services centered on the core themes of prayer, the gospel, and missions, while daytime breakout sessions equipped leaders in areas such as remaining strong in the work, shepherding God’s people, studying and teaching Scripture, mentoring others, effective administration, and more.
One of the great blessings for me personally was seeing how God is using West Coast Baptist College alumni throughout the region. Adam and Esther Fridenstine did an excellent job co-hosting the conference, and it was encouraging to partner with several other WCBC graduates who are planting churches, discipling converts, and faithfully reaching people for Christ in countries such as Mexico, Brazil, Honduras, Nicaragua, and El Salvador. Their ministries are living examples of 2 Timothy 2:2—passing truth from one generation of faithful servants to the next.
It was also a joy to have nearly two dozen members of Lancaster Baptist Church travel with us. Their desire to serve, their encouragement to missionaries, and their heart for the gospel were a blessing to this pastor.
Additionally, about twenty-five West Coast Baptist College students joined the team. They arrived a few days before the conference began and had the opportunity to minister in six different churches, lead a children’s outreach and teen rally, and go soulwinning throughout local neighborhoods. Several preached in Spanish for the first time, and many shared testimonies of salvation and God’s call upon their lives. They also provided music in local churches and throughout the conference services. A special highlight for many of our students was singing and sharing their testimonies live on a radio and TV station, reaching hundreds of thousands of listeners. Through these opportunities, they saw many souls trust Christ as Savior.
Throughout the week, I was encouraged to hear from many of the missionaries supported by our church family, as well as Latin American pastors and church planters, about how God is blessing their churches and raising up young leaders. The Lord has truly blessed Latin America with dedicated, godly servants who are faithfully multiplying the gospel.
As I returned home, my heart was full—grateful for what God allowed us to experience and encouraged by the growing work of the gospel in Latin America. But the need remains great. Jesus said, “The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that He will send forth labourers into His harvest” (Matthew 9:37–38). Would you join me in praying that God will continue to send workers into this fruitful field?
