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News Updates
Brazil Has T.I.M.E.
In the months following my January 2009 visit to the Brazilian Conference, Pastor Jonas Sommer and I corresponded concerning the International T.I.M.E. (Training in Ministry and Extension) Program. I was excited to hear that they had taken steps to begin that program in January 2010 with Pastor Jonas as the “The Chief Officer of the Bible Institute of the SDB Brazilian Conference” (TIME Pastor). I was invited by the Brazilian S.D.B. Conference President, Pastor Leonildo Lebkuchen, to return to Brazil in November to meet with him and Pastor Jonas. The T.I.M.E Program is now the number 1 priority of their Conference.
Pastor Jonas and his family will be leaving Joinville in January and moving to Porto Uniao, where he will be employed on a full time basis as the T.I.M.E. Pastor. They have put together an aggressive 3 year program and are hoping to have 40 students in the first year. In their Program Guidelines, it says, “The T.I.M.E Program purposes to provide theological training for pastors not having the means to study at a Bible College. It is also oriented towards those with the qualifications and qualities to be ordained pastors and are to be trained for Ministry in the future. With the T.I.M.E Program, we will be able to give theological training to people of all ages and professions who feel the call of God to the pastoral ministry.”
There are 17 training modules, plus an English course. Each module consists of 4 weeks of home study, followed by a seminar every 2 modules. The modules are:
- Exploring the Basics of the Bible
- Old Testament Survey
- New Testament Survey
- Exploring Church History
- Bible Interpretation
- Preparing Sermons
- Christian Apologetics
- Systematic Theology
- Christian Education
- SDB Distinctives and History
- Sabbath Philosophy
- Counseling
- Evangelism
- Worship
- Missions
- Church Administration and Leadership
- Internship supervised by a local Pastor
Anticipated monthly budget:
Salary for T.I.M.E. Pastor ----------------- 2,500 Reais
Housing --------------------------------------- 500 Reais
Travel & Materials ------------------------2,000 Reais
At the current exchange rate, the yearly budget of 60,000 Reais is equivalent to $35, 295 US.
If you would like to support this exciting ministry, please contact the S.D.B. Missionary Society, 19 Hillside Avenue, Ashaway, RI 02804. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to represent our Conference in Brazil.