Latino students gather at WLS
Filed Under: Cristo Palabra de Vida, Hispanic, Latino, Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary, WLS
For the first time, a national theological training seminar was held at Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary (WLS), Mequon, for Latinos studying to be congregational assistants in their churches. Fifteen men and women attended the weeklong seminar, held June 16-20. These are just a few of the Latino students nationwide who are receiving theological training through WELS' Cristo Palabra de Vida program, designed to raise up leaders from the Hispanic community.
"Being here on the seminary campus is important for these people; it's a good place to bring them together so they get to know each other," says Prof. Mark Goeglein, director of the Cristo Palabra de Vida Hispanic education program.
Students came from California, Texas, Florida, and Wisconsin. During the week, each student could take up to three courses—a total of 13 is required to complete the congregational assistant program. Upon returning home, many will continue their training with pastors in their area.
"We are preparing these people to serve in their own their own church," says Goeglein. "When they finish, they function as a recognized, trained ministry assistant. They assist the pastor by serving as evangelists, teaching, leading adult bible groups, visiting members, or even serving as liturgists. It depends on the needs of the congregation as to how they will use this person."
Goeglein says after completing the congregational assistant program—which is the first step in pre-seminary training—some of the men want to become pastors and continue to study in coordination with the seminary's Pastoral Studies Institute, which provides training for non-traditional students.
Others, like Claudia and Pablo Torres, a married couple from Guatemala, just want to be better equipped to share God's Word. "The reason we decide to take courses is because we know a lot of persons who live here, who don't talk any English at all," says Claudia. "They need to know about God, who gave everything to me. And I don't want to stop keeping that Word inside of me, I want to share God's love with other persons."
For more information about Latino outreach and how WELS is training workers, visit www.wels.net/jump/latino
For more information about the Cristo Palabra de Vida program in Spanish, visit www.cristopalabra.com
