The Opportunity to Multiply is Quickly Changing!

The fields of ministry are as ripe as they have ever been.  However, the cost to get to those places is as high as ever.  So this creates a conundrum for workers in those harvest fields.  Catalyst is one such ministry, and we have always sought to be good stewards of the resources God provides us. The question we ask is, how can we maximize resources, people, time, and energy?

The answer? Technology! When we think about the present age of technology, the world is effectively getting smaller.  We are able to connect with people all over the world in an instant. We can connect with multiple people at one time if need be.  While thinking about the prospect of multiplying our efforts around the world, we said, what if we trained regional coordinators online, and then equipped them to deliver Catalyst trainings in country?

Well that’s exactly what we have been developing as part of our ministry. We began this process with our regional coordinator from Ivory Coast.  He was able to use Facebook Messenger to connect on a weekly basis with us for the purpose of training.  For the last several months, we have been teaching the New Testament training each week. James is now preparing to deliver that New Testament training in June to resident pastor/leaders.    

We are also seeing a similar strategy with our Women’s Discipleship coordinator. Our women’s training in Managua was one of the best yet. Representing several barrios, the ladies joined us in teaching a few of the lessons they learned in October. The beauty of a smaller group (15 women) is that we are able to truly build relationships.  Now take that and fast forward a bit.

After the publication of our first two curriculum studies, Spiritual Matchmaking and Strand of Pearls. I would like to introduce you to the five women at the table: Robin Haraway, Joney Caudill, one of our translators and skype teachers, Irene Minor, who is from Honduras, and, Ginny. Then there was Luz Angelica Bohorquez from Colombia. She has translated the Spiritual Matchmaking book into Spanish, and she is using this gospel centered book to disciple a new believer from Mexico. Additionally, she took our new lesson from 2 Timothy 2:2 and immediately translated it into Spanish and will teach it to two women: one from China and one from Venezuela.  

The five of us were joined via Facebook messenger and WhatsApp by Sue Swartz from Bradenton Florida and Cynthia Parajon from Nicaragua, who reported that she is duplicating the training in her home church. And lastly, we were joined by Angelica Freitas Tobias from Santa Cruz, Bolivia (Her testimony is below.) She is making disciples in Argentina and Bolivia and has asked permission to translate the lessons into Portuguese, as she will soon be going to Brazil to go to medical school!

While this is not a comprehensive discussion on how God is allowing us to use technology to multiply our work, we think it is a wonderful picture of stewardship and sustainable ministry. Further, while we still believe in-person training is absolutely necessary, why not couple residential training with the tools that are now available? Why not find a better way to use the resources? God is multiplying His Word for His Glory! If you would like to partner with us, please visit www.catalystmissions.org.