By Dennis Carlson
OAXACA, MEXICO (December 20, 2001) – Distance learning is a concept considered “cutting edge” by some in the field of pastoral and theological education. To Covenant Church leaders in Oaxaca, however, the concept has been employed for many years, only with a different twist.
For years these leaders have had to travel great distances to learn more about the bible and how to more effectively lead their 30-plus congregations scattered throughout this southern Mexican state. Approximately 30 leaders gathered two weeks ago at the Torre Fuerte Iglesia del Pacto (Strong Tower Covenant Church) in Oaxaca City, the state capital, for their quarterly pastoral training weekend.
Pablo took an overnight bus up from Tehuantepec in the Isthmus region, some six hours away. Liborio traveled about five hours down from the Sierra Mountain area where the Mixe people live. Gregorio had to walk several hours out from his Chinanteco village to the main road and then travel another five or six hours by bus into Oaxaca City. A handful came from right within Oaxaca City, while a few others came from only an hour away from prominent Central Valley towns like Tlalcalula and Mitla. Ruben, Memo and Olga are all leaders within the Lectores de la Biblia (Readers of the Bible) movement. Rather than having a church building of their own, they intentionally meet in homes to read and study the bible, reminiscent of Covenant forebears of the 19th Century in Sweden. This has proved an effective means of evangelism.
This month’s leadership training seminar was the third in a series entitled Panorama of the Bible. While many biblical and ecclesiastical topics have been covered, there was a desire to put the whole biblical story in proper perspective. In recent years, Covenant missionary Tom Kelly (Mexico City) has been the principal teacher. From the reign of Solomon in the united kingdom to the division between Israel and the southern kingdom of Judah, from the fall and captivity of each to the return from exile under Ezra and Nehemiah (up through the inter-testamental period), Kelly traced the major biblical narratives and applicable lessons from first and second Kings through the minor prophets. A variety of teaching techniques were used, including dramatic readings of scripture, small group studies (see accompanying photo) and a challenge team competition to see who could identify the un-named prophet from bits of information from his life story.
This month’s leadership training seminar was the third in a series entitled Panorama of the Bible. While many biblical and ecclesiastical topics have been covered, there was a desire to put the whole biblical story in proper perspective. In recent years, Covenant missionary Tom Kelly (Mexico City) has been the principal teacher. From the reign of Solomon in the united kingdom to the division between Israel and the southern kingdom of Judah, from the fall and captivity of each to the return from exile under Ezra and Nehemiah (up through the inter-testamental period), Kelly traced the major biblical narratives and applicable lessons from first and second Kings through the minor prophets. A variety of teaching techniques were used, including dramatic readings of scripture, small group studies (see accompanying photo) and a challenge team competition to see who could identify the un-named prophet from bits of information from his life story.
Kelly holds both a Master of Divinity degree from North Park Theological Seminary (NPTS) and a Masters Degree in Latin America Studies from the University of Texas. He has been traveling to Oaxaca for 20 years, since he first became a short-term missionary in 1982. Initially, Jerry Reed, then-Covenant missionary and now professor of evangelism at NPTS, was also traveling eight or nine hours by road from Mexico City to teach the pastors on a monthly basis. Over the years, David Mark, now Covenant world mission regional coordinator for Latin America, has also been a part of the extension teaching corps. Only a couple of years ago was the format shifted from one-day monthly meetings to three-day quarterly meetings to make better use of time and minimize the travel challenges.
Covenant mission work in Mexico began in 1946. The ministry in Oaxaca developed largely under the ministry of Andy Rojas who also traveled great distances to train pastors. From his home in Texas near the Mexican border, Rojas evangelized Oaxacan farm workers, who in turn traveled across the country planting churches in their home states. Rojas would make regular trips, often requiring long bus rides, to Oaxaca to train, shepherd and encourage church leaders. Those initial gospel seeds have blossomed into more than 30 churches in Oaxaca, many located in remote mountain villages where mother tongue languages such as Zapoteco, Mixe and Chinanteco are spoken. In all, there are more than 150 distinct dialects spoken in the state of Oaxaca. Over the last 15 years, a number of the pastors have also studied using TEE (Theological Education by Extension) materials.
Many of the pastors and church leaders of the rural Covenant churches of Oaxaca have never had an opportunity to complete high school. Most will never dream of owning a computer. And yet the gospel has taken root in their lives and villages, and they are willing to do whatever it takes to equip themselves to spread the gospel and shepherd the flock – even if it means traveling great distances to keep learning!
(Editor’s note: Dennis Carlson is a Covenant missionary who recently arrived in Oaxaca to build on the historical ministry foundation of this region, applying his own experience in pastoral training while in partnership with the Covenant Church of Zaire/Congo from 1990 to 1997.)
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