A Blast from the Past

LATTE Team (2006)

Professors Ralph,  Natán, 
Larry, Lorenzo, & Philip

The following description of the LATTE program was first written for a meeting in January of 2006. As we approach the 10th anniversary of the LATTE program's official start next year, we look back to past descriptions and accomplishments of the LATTE program. Look for more "blasts from the past" throughout the next 12 months.

In 2002, when the first warnings about budget shortfalls and cuts began to circulate, the Administrative Committee for Latin America called a meeting together with all five of its field coordinators to consider options. After discussing many opinions and reaching a consensus regarding the indispensable part of our work to continue serving our fields, even if one no longer had resident missionaries, the idea for LATTE (Latin American Traveling Theological Educators) was conceived. Calls to form part of the LATTE team were issued to the five Latin American missionaries who were then responsible for the theological education in the Spanish speaking missions we had at that time. After a series of meetings planning curriculum, course load, and course responsibility, the teaching trips began in July of 2003.

Based on input from the fields our Administrative Committee established the following goals for LATTE:

1. Maintain theological education in fields that might no longer have resident missionaries.
2. Maintain contact with fledgling national churches when no resident missionary is present.
3. Train nationals to be pastors and other trained workers for the national churches.
4. Provide "post-graduate" instruction to graduated pastors:
• continuing education to improve their ministries.
• preparation for some of them to be seminary professors, according to the needs of the national churches.
5. Visit contacts from counties where we don't have a presence to investigate the possibilities of training them to gather and shepherd their own groups, and provide such training where possible.

To reach those goals, LATTE's ministry would consist of the following ways in which we serve our Lord:

1. Establish a core seminary curriculum for all our Latin American fields.
2. Serve the various fields as requested by the national churches in consultation with their resident missionaries or the missionary contact person for the field where there is no resident missionary.
3. Make teaching visits to the several fields as necessary for teaching the curriculum.
4. Confer with the appropriate national church leaders regarding the theological education needs of the church.
5. Offer instruction on the Bible Institute level where the national church is not yet ready to assume that responsibility.
6. Offer brief seminars for graduate national pastors in subjects where they request help, and also in areas where LATTE professors or resident missionaries detect needs.
7. Visit and then teach contacts from countries where we don't have a presence.

Preparing Leaders

"Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true".

The classes with the congregational leaders have begun with prayers that the Holy Spirit will work in these leaders the desire to study the Word and to teach these truths to others. There exists a great deal of confusion about "biblical" truth since the people have been exposed to many different, false teachings. 

Many hearts are still burdened with trying to fulfill the works of the law: fasting, tithing, working for their salvation. After hearing a presentation of basic law and gospel, some have commented that the "scales were falling off their eyes". The Holy Spirit is leading them to see that Jesus has already completed all the law for us. 

We pray that these leaders continue to grow in their faith in the Savior and that they would be motivated to teach these truths to others.

Serving with Zeal

Seminarian Gerardo previously served the congregation in Ciudad Juarez as a student pastor.  In the fall of 2010, he and his family relocated to study full-time in the seminary.  Currently, he is continuing his training in Torreón where he is working with a mission congregation and studying under Pastor Esequiel.

Why did you decide to study/prepare for the ministry?

"That is a question I often ask myself.  I think... in the beginning when, I met Rosa [my wife], and she's the one who introduced me to the church in Ciudad Juarez.  At that time, Pastor Guién was pastor -- who is now in glory.  He constantly invited me to become a member.  It took a while because at first I didn't want to, but finally with his encouragement I became a member of the congregation.  I slowly got more and more involved.  After Pastor Guién, there was Pastor Marío.  And I kept getting more and more involved because there was a need in the church.  It was Pastor Guién who especially convinced me to enter into the ministry.

At that time, we went to a conference in Puebla.  And there, I felt that it was possible, and Pastor Guién kept on encouraging me by saying, 'You are the one...' and inviting me to serve the Lord.  Finally I answered, 'Yes.'

I attended various conventions, and Pastor Esequiel said yes, I would enter the seminary.  But there was a lot of back and forth, and time went by.  I went to more conventions as a delegate, but they didn't accept me in the seminary right away...

Well...  what more can I say?  I moved here [to the seminary] and that is how I am here -- by the grace of God."

What are you currently studying?

"I am studying -- thanks to God -- and thanks to my professors, Pastor Larry, Pastor Natán and Pastor Mike  [They] are instructing me in the Word and in doctrine in order to save souls and preach the gospel.  Learning in order to teach."

Which courses?

"Liturgy, Catechism, Teaching the Faith, Sunday School, Genesis, Shepherd under Christ, and  Preparing Devotions."

How do you plan to serve in the ministry in the future?

"I want to serve wherever you place me, wherever you think there is a need, and wherever you consider me apt to teach.  I will do all I can with what I have learned and what I continue to learn throughout my ministry."

Continue to keep Seminarian Gerardo, his family, and his ministry in your prayers as he continues his training to serve.

New Trimester at Mexico Seminary

The seminary in México just began a new trimester.  LATTE Professor Natán continues to teach four days a week.  His schedule varies between 8:45 in the morning and 2:00 in the afternoon. He is currently teaching Homiletics, Pastoral Theology, New Testament Isagogics, and Reformation History. Most of these classes require additional preparation time for it is the first time he has taught some of these courses.

In additional to the onsite classes here in México, Prof. Natán also teaches a student in Puerto Rico through Skype two times a week. They try to maintain a regular schedule, but due to the nature of the student’s occupation, internet availability, and weather effecting utilities, often times classes are rescheduled.

As this is the second week of the new schedule, everyone is still in adjustment mode. What a privilege be a part of training reliable men to teach others the true Word of God. All praise and thanks to God!

And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others. – 2 Timothy 2:2

Note:  LATTE Professor Larry also teaches onsite at the seminary in México in additional to other online courses.

LATTE in Bolivia

What does is mean to be "confessional"? Do I understand what my church teaches? Do I believe the same teachings that other confessional Lutherans profess and proclaim? How can I know when someone is teaching false doctrine? 

These are all questions that people in La Paz, Bolivia  have about their faith. Our focus here is to teach the truth but also to help the people discern false doctrines they have been taught in the past. The LATTE classes have a double focus: teaching the truths of the Scriptures and at the same time helping the people identify where they have gotten off the path onto false teachings. Our prayer is that with the Lord's help the students will believe the clear teachings of the Bible.

For now, most of the work has been focused on the pastor of the congregation. He has a deep desire to be confessional and to teach true biblical doctrines to the people. Missionary Philip has spent many hours talking with Pastor Julio, learning the history of the congregation, sharing doctrinally sound materials, clearing up doubts that Pastor Julio has and teaching him biblically sound teachings.

There have also been other opportunities to share the basic law and gospel message with other groups that are active within the church. Many of the members are still confused about the basic message of salvation and when questioned frequently mention some type of "works" as necessary to be saved.

Philip has had many opportunities to clear up peoples' doubts and when they hear the clear message they realize how the idea of works righteousness had become a part of their beliefs and they are thankful to hear the message of salvation by grace-without works-by faith in Jesus.

The Lord has already blessed the work here as people begin to appreciate all that Jesus has done for them and we ask the Lord's continued blessing as we begin regular classes with the other leaders of the congregation.

Entrusting Reliable Men

You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others.

(2 Timothy 2:1-2)

One of the LATTE professors' goals is to make the seminary and other courses that we teach to national pastors as transferable as possible. We try to design courses so that a national pastor, after studying a course, can then teach that course to others.  This way the national pastor grows in his faith in Jesus, his Savior, and he is prepared to teach others.

Professor Lorenzo Teaching Students

This plan has worked well.  

In Bolivia, a number of our students are Lutheran Pastors with congregations. After studying a course in basic doctrine with the LATTE professor in the city of La Paz, these pastors were given a clean copy of the course plus a teacher's guide. The student pastors in turn returned to their congregations where they could make copies of the course and teach it to their members. 

In Quibdo, Colombia, the pastor asked if he could duplicate the materials of the online doctrine course he was studying so he could teach the same subjects - faith, conversion, justification, sanctification, and good works - to his Sunday school teachers and other interested members. 

Waldo Teaching Bible Class*

At times it may appear that the work of a LATTE professor is inefficient: he writes and then teaches a whole course to just a few students. Remember the plan the Apostle Paul taught to Timothy: "You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.  And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others."

*Note on photo above: Waldo is teaching the Bible class. He has been prepared entirely by his pastors, LATTE has not given him classes, we have only trained his trainers/pastors.