Global Education Initiative in the FINISH Latino Context (Hayward, CA on February 25, 2017)
The new Global Education Initiative directed by Dr. Michael Baker, Chancellor of Education and President of the Pentecostal Theological Seminary, is bearing abundant fruit. In agreement and cooperative partnership, the USA Hispanic Educational Ministries Department, the official Church of God educational agency among the Latinos in USA and abroad, is organizing a series of FINISH global alignment summits in the eight Hispanic Regions in USA. The main purpose of these summits is to cast the vision of our chancellor and Executive Committee, contextualize the commitment FINISH into the educational and ministerial fields, and potentialize the integration of resources by promoting the new national policies, procedures and administrative forms of the USA Hispanic Educational Ministries Department, the Division of Education and PTS. The ultimate goal is to embrace an active networking and investing role in the church ministries for the shared purpose of soul winning, integrate next generation men and women leaders, particularly in the educational and ministerial development real.
During February 25 of the current year, the Hispanic North Western Regional Education Director Rev. Jehú Monroy, organized an educational alignment summit in Hayward, California. More than 200 leaders, pastors, Hispanic Bible Institutes coordinators and laypeople, attended the event. The administrative bishop Rev. Manuel De la Garza sponsored and supported all the activities.
The symposium included four simultaneous workshops for Sunday Bible School teachers, pastors and Bible institutes coordinators, and a final general conference about the importance of the education servicing the local church needs. This theme was an integrational one of the FINISH Commitment and the educational realm needs of the constituents of the Church of God in USA.
One of the key elements of the event was the Latino flavored fellowship during lunch time. It was very interesting to see how hundreds of leaders got united in one accord, as one body to get training in the educational field as applied to the theological, ministerial, and general professional fields. It really seemed like a heavenly practice activity to celebrate and cultivate kingdom partnerships for active ministry.
Photos from left- Enrique A. De Jesús, Director of USAHEM Department; group of attendants; upper right- luncheon with attendants; Jehú Monroy, regional education director; one workshop.