LAC Area New Staff and Trainer’s Training

New Staff really do represent the future of our movement, and to see their eagerness to learn and their enthusiastic participation is a great encouragement.

We recently completed a four-day Trainers’ Training session in Panama for 17 trainers from nine countries in our Area (Panama, Venezuela, Mexico, Dominican Republic, Honduras, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala and Chile). This was followed by an intensive 10-day module in which our 13 new LAC staff began their formation process using the new NST curriculum.

Our daily schedule during the NST module included a devotion time and training sessions in the morning, a 3-hour stint at the university during the midday for practical ministry experience and learning assignments, and more sessions in the afternoons.

The work at the University of Panama was planned in partnership with the Panamanian SLM team to help them launch a new movement there. Our goal was not simply to do evangelism and discipleship but to leave a foundation for a continuing ministry. We used a tool from the Catalytic ministry called the “Leadership Challenge” to help us identify students willing to respond to Christ’s call to reach their peers for Christ. By our last day, 29 students accepted Christ and 33 had indicated their willingness to help start a movement!

Here are a couple of things we learned that are helpful as a trainer:

(1) Work as a team. We can accomplish things way beyond our own ability and gifting when God provides a great team. Take advantage of the creativity of others for a better training experience! Some of the best moments were those when another facilitator did something unanticipated and really effective.

(2) Check frequently to make sure the trainees really do understand. What is perfectly clear to one is not necessarily clear to everyone.

(3) Explain where we are coming from, where we are going, and how we will get there. It is helpful to many people to understand the “big picture” of a training program from the outset rather than assembling that understanding piece by piece.

(4) If we want to maximize learning, we need to plan for participants to get sufficient rest.

Thank you to Eric Schlottman and Vania Medina for contributing to this summary.

Please pray for their continued work and follow up with the trainers and staff.
Also, thank you to Selegna Diaz for this great video summary of the time. Enjoy!