LAY LEADERS
Help Extend the Kingdom
By Troy Gentry, Field Leader for OMS Mexico
“I can’t do it.” “I’m not qualified.” As I visit with various pastors and hear others
share their experiences related to their congregations, they tell me that they re-
peatedly hear these doubts. One pastor told me, “Nearly every time I ask someone
in my church to lead a ministry or even to help, they always tell me, ‘I can’t. I’m not
qualified to do that.’”
As I recently thought about this issue and the need for more lay leaders to be
trained and equipped for service in their local churches, I reflected on our current
student body at Seminario Bíblico de México (SEMBIMEX). In doing so, I came
to an interesting realization … the overwhelming majority of our current students
are lay people. Noting this dynamic, I asked a couple of our students, “Why is it
important to you as a lay person to attend SEMBIMEX?”
“Having the opportunity to attend SEMBIMEX is more than a
privilege; it is a blessing. As a woman, I do not aspire to be
a pastor. However, theological preparation is so important
for a better understanding when reading the Scriptures.
Also, being prepared to take the Gospel to non-believers
and to defend it against atheists has been possible thanks
to the studies I have received at SEMBIMEX.”
—Pricilla Fonseca
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