August 26, 2018
Our core group of pastors has grown to more than 45 with another 20 working with us. Mentoring pastors and assisting their church growth and family stability is our fundamental purpose. We have increased our mentoring capacity by using social media which allows daily contact with us and each other.
Our churches are located in impoverished areas with limited Financial means to support church growth and evangelism. Our pastors tell us that on average, more than 60% of the residents in the community surrounding the church, have no more than one meal a day and most of those going hungry are children.
FPI evaluates the appropriate needs of the pastors and churches when making personal in-country contact during our regular visits to the DR. Only after our evaluation is complete and the type and amount of assistance is decided, do we begin discussing theseprojects with potential partners and donors.
In 2013, Faith Partners International laid the ground-work to establish a Sister Church relationship between Asambleas de Dios en Central in Santiago and New Hope Evangelical Presbyterian Church in Fort Myers, Florida. Central and Pastor Pedro de la Rosa along with many of his church leaders have worked with us for several years. They have an amazing ministry planting twelve daughter churches, raising leaders, training missionaries, and developing pastors in the Santiago area. Faith Partners is planning to undertake a mission trip to Haiti in 2019 with a team from Central and New Hope.
With so much activity now, we have decided to add one-day workshops (one in the north followed by one in the south) for our pastors in September beginning this year. These workshops will allow us to hear from our pastors and address important topics without waiting for our annual pastors conference in February.
One topic of discussion at the workshop this September will be the Youth Leadership Program and how our pastors can support their new youth leaders.