Raising Up Harvest Workers
Rod and Sherry Boyd

Jesus said, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field” (Mt. 9:37-38). The need is so great and there are too few workers! God has called us to raise up leaders among our Spanish-speaking brothers, who God is calling to take their place as harvest workers here and around the world. We are privileged to enable leaders, equip teachers and provide resources to make this possible. For the 20 Spanish-speaking countries in the Latin America and Caribbean region, ministerial training – the preparation of pastors, missionaries and church workers – takes place in a network of more than 1,000 Bible schools, extension sites and training centers. There are currently 35,000 students preparing for ministry in these centers. Most of these men and women will become pastors and ministry leaders in the 40,000 Assemblies of God churches in the region. However, many will evangelize and plant new churches in under-reached areas. Some will become missionaries to un-reached people groups around the world and go places closed to AGWM missionaries. The strength of the Latin America ministerial training program is the army of nearly 6,000 volunteer teachers. The vast majority are pastors who take time from their busy schedules to invest in current and future harvest workers. They are not full-time teachers and have not received adequate preparation to teach. In fact, our Latin American leaders have consistently identified teacher training as the area of greatest importance and need. The Latin America Resource and Training Center began the PROCEPA program in 2008 in response to this need. PROCEPA is the training and certification program for Bible school professors in Spanish-speaking Latin America. Teachers are required to take 10 two-hour workshops to earn their basic certification. In addition, they are required to take six workshops ever two years to renew their certification. Many are able to attend PROCEPA workshops that are offered at the Educators Summits we conduct every two years. But most attend workshops at national PROCEPA seminars. Teachers and leaders have enthusiastically embraced the PROCEPA program. As we finish the sixth year of PROCEPA, we are happy to report that there are now more than 3,500 teachers enrolled and participating in the program! 2013 was especially busy and productive for PROCEPA. There were PROCEPA workshops conducted in eight countries during the year: El Salvador, Uruguay, Panama, Mexico, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Costa Rica and Nicaragua. This year alone, enrollment increased by 1,170! A total of 368 have completed their basic certification. We believe there will be another 400 that will complete their basic certification at the two Educators Summits next year (March 10-13, 2014 in El Salvador and Sept. 8-11, 2014 in Uruguay). Of the 368 that finished their basic level, 156 have begun their refresher workshops. Please pray for us as we lead the PROCEPA ministry. As we reported earlier, Miguel and Maria Morales will be joining us in Panama in the coming months. They are currently itinerating in the United States, raising prayer and financial support. We have asked Miguel to direct this ministry and can’t wait for his “boots to be on the ground”! We are also grateful to a large group of missionaries and national leaders who regularly teach PROCEPA workshops. But we need more workshop leaders! Please pray that the teachers who receive PROCEPA training will return to their classrooms, more inspired and better equipped to teach and challenge their students to prepare themselves as harvest workers for God. And together let’s ask the Lord of the harvest to send more workers into the harvest!