A Church in Need
Miguel (pictured below, left) is a graduate of Berea Seminary who pastors a church in the Canary Islands, off the tropical coast of West Africa.
“He flew back and forth from the Canary Islands to the Iberian Peninsula for every class for all five years,” Berea’s president said. “This dear pastor has a passion for Christ and His word, a very teachable attitude, and a desire to see more men in his church receive the same training he did at Berea Seminary.”
But while Miguel has a heart to equip others with the word, there were several years in which he and his church were not doctrinally aligned. The church held certain practices that were not driven by the Bible, and it pained Miguel because the church was also struggling through a time of trial. “We desperately needed to implement changes,” he thought.
“At first, I wanted to rush things,” he added. So when he would find an opportunity to teach, he would take it expecting change to come quickly. When it didn’t, he grew discouraged and confused about what to do next.
“They told me to be faithful to preach God’s word and wait on Him to change hearts”
Thankfully, he was not alone. The Lord, through encouragement and counsel from Miguel’s professors and fellow pastors, reminded Miguel that He was sovereign over His flock. “They told me to be faithful to preach God’s word and wait on Him to change hearts,” he said.
So that’s what Miguel did.
With renewed faith in the Lord, Miguel stepped back into his church to continue loving the people and preaching the word.
A Church Transformed
In God’s timing, about six months later, the word of the Lord did remarkable work. Both the elders and the congregation became convinced from the Bible to change in ways that honored the Lord. Biblical changes were made, and as Miguel said, “The Lord, in His grace and through His word, caused these changes.”
Since that time, the church has been so transformed that Berea was able to launch their first extension site for their Certificate in Biblical Studies program at Miguel’s church (pictured below). Not only that, but Berea’s academic dean adds, “Twenty-five of our students were from that church.”
“It is amazing to see the work of God in a church like that,” he went on to say, “and we’re very thankful for what He’s doing.”
Praise the Lord for Godly Growth
Miguel’s challenges are not uncommon, but thanks to the grace of God, his church is now an example of what God can do through patient preaching (2 Tim 4:2).
We hope this testimony encourages you as you see more of what God is doing through the students you support.
