Leader Development

Two church planters trudge up a dusty Nepali road under the scorching sun. They are tired, but their faces are bright as they seek opportunities to share the gospel. Fewer than two percent of the 29 million people in Nepal are Christian, and of the 90,000 Nepali-speaking people in the U.S., about 90 percent are either Hindu or Buddhist.

The East Africa Partnership (EAP) works to improve the lives of those living in Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda in a holistic and sustainable manner. To fulfill their mission, EAP trains and supports 50 medical dispensaries and 9 hospitals in rural areas, provides scholarships for children to attend high school or trade school, and supports more than 200 orphaned children in a sponsorship program to provide shelter and food.

RCA Global Mission is sponsoring a leadership training program to help rise up the next generation of indigenous leaders.

God calls Christian communities to bear witness to the gospel of peace and reconciliation through service and discipleship. In Oman—a Muslim-majority nation—this call is lived out, in part, through the Protestant Church in Oman (PCO). The PCO was founded by the RCA and has been charged with the stewardship of all Protestant Christianity in the country, comprising more than 50 Protestant congregations. Josh has been called to be the RCA shepherd to this diverse and international body of believers in Muscat, Oman, as they seek to build bridges and love their Muslim neighbors.

Bob believes that God has been preparing him for this missional role his entire life.

In the 1920s, a new field of expansion opened in Chiapas with the help of missionaries John and Mabel Kempers of the Reformed Church in America (RCA). The National Presbyterian Church in Mexico developed important evangelistic work in Chiapas, first among the Spanish-speaking population and then among the Mayan-speaking people in the 1950s. Today Chiapas is one of the strongholds of the National Presbyterian Church. The number of members of the National Presbyterian Church in Chiapas alone is greater than the total number of RCA members.

A son and mother working together for peace and justice, Josh and Sally Vis seek a political conversation in the U.S. that is pro-Palestinian, pro-Israeli, and pro-peace. To this end, Josh and Sally educate individuals about the injustices of the Israeli occupation of East Jerusalem, the West Bank, and Gaza. They also offer individuals opportunities to support Palestinians, Israelis, and others who seek an alleviation of and ultimately an end to the Israeli occupation.

Phil and Olivia work with local partners to help meet Nicaraguans’ physical and spiritual needs.

Unprecedented growth among the Protestant churches in Latin America has created an urgent need for leaders who can mentor other leaders, disciple new believers, help transform society, and engage in cross-cultural mission. The Latin American Leadership Development Program (LALDP), a multinational and multi-denominational community of Latin American scholars, churches, and educational institutions, helps meet the need for advanced theological education in Spanish and Portuguese.

La Casa del Maestro, together with families and churches, seeks to equip and empower indigenous youth in Southern Peru. This is accomplished through a holistic and sustainable discipleship program that recognizes the true source of life and salvation in Christ. Youth learn to navigate the modern world, provide for themselves, and contribute to society in order to bring about generational change.

Albino serves as executive director of La Casa del Maestro and Sandy is the administrator.

In Manama, Bahrain, a doctor hurries through the stark hallway, a stethoscope around her neck. She stops in her patient’s room, checks the charts, and pauses. The patient is improving, thanks to the administered medication. But the doctor is worn down by the stress and tiredness that comes with nursing patients back to health.