Timothy Training Starts in Cuba

One Cuban church leader recently reported how the Timothy Leadership Training Institute’s resources helped him to draw 16 new members to his church and another reported a 40 percent increase in tithes and offerings.

The two are among the initial church leaders to take advantage of TLTI training now that the institute has expanded its work into Cuba.

Developed by Calvin Theological Seminary professors, TLT is a leadership development program for church leaders around the world who don’t have ready access to theological training.

For various reasons, Cuba has become more open in recent years to the work of such faith-based groups as the TLTI.

Luis Pellecer, the Christian World Missions Latin American Regional Leader, brought the TLT training to Cuba in March of this year and again in early October.

"There has been a lot of enthusiasm in every participant. They love the program and are excited with the results they have seen so far," said Pellecer, who is a master trainer for the TLTI.

Through TLT, said Pellecer, there "is a renewed zeal to evangelize people and enthusiasm to serve the Lord."

Pellecer did the training at the CRC denominational building, in Jagüey Grande, Matanzas. Twenty-four pastors and leaders gathered for three days in March to study Christian Stewardship.

"Through interactive participation, individual and group exercises, every participant learned the biblical principles for good stewardship of all resources God has entrusted us," Pellecer reported of the March trip.

In addition, at the end of the training on stewardship, he said, each participant drafted an “action plan” for the next six months. These plans must be SMART: specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and have timely goals.

Such goals could involve paying the pastor’s salary on time, building churches from church offerings, planting new churches, or developing community-based agricultural- and economic-development programs.

"This is an indispensable requirement, which makes the TLT program unique," said Pellecer. "All students had the opportunity to share his plan with others and pray for one another, asking God’s blessings and direction in the implementation of each plan."

Besides Christian stewardship, TLT teaches pastors and church leaders how to grow a church and biblical preaching. TLT teaches pastors and church leaders to train lay leaders in their churches how to get involved in church administration and how to use the biblical tools of discipleship.

In October, Pellecer taught a TLT module on "Biblical Preaching." He also heard the testimonies from church leaders, reflecting on how their action plans from March had worked out.

There was the one from the pastor who had seen 16 new people come to his church and the one who experienced a growth in tithes and offerings.

But there was also a testimony of a church leader of how two families in a congregation were unemployed and in great need.

To one, the congregation provided them with a small loan that the family used to raise two pigs. To the other family, they offered a cleaning job. "Both families are now in a better financial shape," said Pellecer.

Reycel, an evangelist, also testified that TLT has helped him reach out to young people. Now he has a group of 14 participating in Bible studies.

TLTI’s curriculum has spread to more than 50 countries, training about 10,000 in 18 languages.

Luis Pellecer says he hopes to return to Cuba in March 2012 to lead the next manual, "Teaching the Christian Faith."