
Shurhisieu Meyase in Nagaland
Pray for the teaching faculty, administrative staff, and students as we continue to work together. Pray for us as we train and equip students to serve our almighty God.
read moreEach week, our prayer community of ~700 intercedes for a Christian Majority World leader. If you join, you will receive an email that contains an introduction to that leader's work and home country, followed by a personal message from the leader with prayer requests.
Latin America comprises 20 countries and 14 territories, including Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America. As a result of European colonization, national languages include Spanish, Portuguese, French, and English.
Politically, many Latin American countries have stabilized as civil wars and authoritarian regimes have given way to more democratic governments, though Venezuela and Cuba continue to struggle. Various reform efforts target corruption, violence, and poverty, but drug and gang wars persist in many nations. In recent years, over half a million have fled violence, poverty, extortion, and political turmoil in El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua.
Although many Latin American countries have enjoyed economic progress over the past decades, the COVID-19 pandemic and war in Ukraine have exacerbated the region’s wealth gap. Over one-third of the region’s 600 million people live in poverty, with over 13% facing extreme poverty, defined as living on less than $1.90 daily. Poverty, unemployment, and educational declines have impacted indigenous and Afro-descendent populations at higher rates.
In Latin America, Roman Catholicism dominates the religious landscape, but Protestants, especially Evangelicals and Pentecostals, continue to grow in number and now represent nearly 20% of the region’s population. In the 1960s, liberation theology developed in Latin America as a response to government oppression and economic exploitation. The movement has focused on social justice but has faced criticism for deemphasizing personal salvation. Among Evangelicals, a theology of holistic or integral mission developed decades later, uniting faith in the efficacy of the cross with advocacy for the poor and marginalized. Led by theologians such as Samuel Escobar and René Padilla, the movement continues to influence the Church through the work of the Fraternidad Teológica Latinoamericana.
As part of the Vital Sustainability Initiative, ScholarLeaders has completed strategic planning with Fundación Universitaria Seminario Bíblico de Colombia (FUSBC). Ongoing and planned work in the region includes engagement with Servant of Christ Seminary in Brazil, Seminario Teológico Centroamericano (SETECA) in Guatemala, and Seminario Sudamericano (SEMISUD) in Ecuador. Through Leader Studies, ScholarLeaders has supported 29 Latin American leaders in their PhD research, including nine currently.
Learn about the perspectives and ministries of Latin American Christian leaders through these Global Insights:
Please join us in prayer for our sisters and brothers in Latin America. Pray for bold pastoral leadership, deepening Christian discipleship, and wise theological voices that can address justice issues with Christ’s grace and truth. Pray for vulnerable neighbors in need of protection, provision, and hope in Christ.
Photo: “Medellín, Colombia” (2019) by Kobby Mendez (Unsplash)
Pray for the teaching faculty, administrative staff, and students as we continue to work together. Pray for us as we train and equip students to serve our almighty God.
read morePray for churches, mission agencies, and theological institutions that will need to reinvent their modes of operation in a post-pandemic world.
read moreWe are also attempting to produce more resources for those who are teaching and doing urban ministry in India.
read moreThe global COVID-19 pandemic has had serious consequences on our socioeconomic life. As the country recovers from the second wave, we are already being warned of the third wave.
read moreThe global COVID-19 pandemic has had serious consequences on our socioeconomic life. As the country recovers from the second wave, we are already being warned of the third wave.
read moreWe are anticipating our move from studying at a seminary to service in a Muslim context. In this transitional period, we request prayer for the ministry God is preparing for us at Tehillim School of Church Music & Worship (TSCM) in Pakistan.
read moreLanka Bible College and Seminary is planning to provide training in the holistic mission of the local church for the transformation of society.
read moreThe need in Ethiopia for trained pastors is intense. The Ethiopian Church is very fast-growing and the Ethiopian population is also very fast-growing, so the demand is high.
read morePray that FUSBC would continue to be flexible. Pray that it would continue to be deeply rooted in the Word of God and stubbornly committed to its context, while remaining aware of the Global Church.
read moreEven after COVID-19, JETS will offer both online and face-to-face programs. We believe we can serve West Africa and the rest of Africa better through these two options. Pray for that plan, especially for good internet and for a solar power system that will keep the internet stable.
read morePray for us as we navigate the transition from offering residential programs to running online programs. This transition has already increased our capacity to train more leaders.
read moreMany may not know this, but Japan is the fastest-aging society in the world. For example, 89% of pastors in Japan are over 50 years old, which has significant consequences for the church in Japan.
read morePray for the contribution of our seminary – through our students and graduates, and as an institution – to the transformation of individuals, families, churches, and marketplace lives in Indonesia and beyond.
read morePray for my work on a manuscript, To Teach is to Touch Lives Forever, for online publication. Pray that this could serve future teachers in churches.
read moreMy heart’s desire is that all these years of research and hard work will produce much fruit and blessings, bringing glory to God.
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