I hate waiting. Long lines drive me crazy. Slow service can really test my patience.

So here I am, at the airport in Panama, waiting for a bus to take me to the conference center where the Global Proclamation Congress for Trainers of Pastors 2was about to begin. Waiting. For the past 6 months, I’d been very engaged with the Congress planning team. I’d also been asked to lead (with Doug Dunton) a 3-day workshop: Developing Pastors into Trainers. I was also a presenter at another workshop: Evaluation and Validation. So, I was heavily invested in this Congress.

But…here I am at the airport, waiting…waiting for the bus. Waiting for 2 long hours…

 

So, what do you do if you’re waiting for the bus? …the only thing you can do: strike up a conversation with another wait-er. “Hi, I’m Craig. Where did you fly from?” “Hi, I’m Neroshan Perera from Sri Lanka.” And thus began a God-ordained meeting…

Nero was the only representative from Sri Lanka at the Congress because a long, deep economic crisis prevented others from attending. The Lord miraculously provided for Nero. It turns out Nero is one of the key Christian leaders in the country – he’s a senior leader with the Assemblies of God (AG) denomination. He’s responsible for equipping and encouraging AG pastors and church planters. 

Nero described to me the condition of the church in Sri Lanka. So very sad. Many pastors are not grounded in the Word and eagerly embrace anyone who waves money at them. In this way, the Prosperity Gospel had taken root in Sri Lanka, with devastating effects. Impoverished people are talked out of whatever little they own with the promise of future health and wealth. Instead, they fall deeper into poverty and despair. As a result, the name of Christ is dishonored among the Buddhists, Muslims and Hindus…over 90% of the population.      

 

I shared with Nero how we train pastors to faithfully study, teach and preach God’s Word. He lit up…that is exactly what his country needs! By the end of the Congress, plans began to take shape for a “Taste & See” training in Sri Lanka the first week of October. Here’s what we’re telling those invited:

We are hoping that through this “Taste & See,” our Lord will raise up a small team of Sri Lankan trainers who have a burden and calling to equip pastors throughout the country. If it pleases the Lord to do so, our team from the Global Training Network (www.GTN.org) would commit to a multi-year training process to equip and coach these trainers. Could this become a way for pastors throughout Sri Lanka to develop both the passion and the skill to faithfully teach and preach God’s Word?  What difference would that make???

Would you pray that the LORD…

• selects the right people for this initial training
• builds trust and shared purpose and vision
• guides me (and Paul Adams) as we lead the workshop

Meanwhile…

 

• I’ve been to Spain and Ethiopia to coach and encourage other GTN Trainers.
• I’ve led 6 webinars for GTN staff.
• I’ve had a website built to serve pastor-trainers. www.craigparro.org You can view recordings of my webinars, there, if interested.
• I’ll be leading (with Paul Adams) a Bible exposition workshop in July with GTN leaders. I’m hoping some of them will catch a vision for the type of training we developed at WordPartners.
• I’ll be equipping pastors and leaders in Bulgaria and Bangladesh in the fall.
• I continue to co-pastor Imago Dei Church Chicago.
• And, Louise and I occasionally make our way to Colorado (there with Logan and Braydon in this photo).

Lots going on. Very encouraged. And, so very grateful for your prayers and support!

With much love and thankfulness in the Lord,

Craig & Louise Parro

Senior Staff
Global Training Network

Email: craigp@gtn.org

 

Global Training Network
P.O. Box 6507
Peoria, AZ 85385
GTN Office Phone: 623.217.3867

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Less is More

(bigger isn’t always better)

Dear Friends, Partners & Family,

2010: Honiara, Solomon Islands

When we began working with the South Seas Evangelical Church in the Solomon Islands, we had 7 men at the first training, key leaders representing their 600 churches in this South Pacific nation.

The day after the training concluded, Micah, one of the men, told me this story:

I met an old friend in the fish market today. He asked me what I was doing in town. When I told him about our training, he was surprised because he hadn’t heard about it. Micah replied, “Oh, it was a really small group, only 7 of us, plus 2 trainers from the U.S. and 1 from Australia.” His friend replied, “NO WAY!!!! There’s NO WAY Americans are going to come all this way to teach 7 guys. Americans love big crowds.” Micah responded, “No, no, no…you don’t get it. We first go deep with a few, in order to eventually reach the many who need training.”  …Micah got it!

Fast forward to…

September, 2023: Sofia, Bulgaria

I had begun working with Pastor Simeon Krastev back in 2015. Simeon had a passion for Biblical exposition and a burden to equip Bulgarian pastors to faithfully study, teach and preach God’s Word.

I had the privilege of helping with the first trainings of the group that Simeon organized. Bill Mills and others continued the work for a total of 4 years. Along the way, Simeon and I became really good friends.

Simeon and his team launched a new group last year. He asked me to come and help teach the group. I felt honored to be asked, but said, “No…I have a better idea. What if we go smaller? What if I work with your team of 4 pastor-trainers, to encourage you, help sharpen your skills, and help expand your vision?” …Simeon got it!

On one level, it’s crazy for me to fly all the way to Bulgaria to work with just 4 men, right? On the other hand, how else will all of the Balkans be reached? It won’t just be by sending more Americans over…it will only happen through men like Simeon, Ivo, Miro, and Blago.

The five of us spent the days together studying the book of Isaiah. They developed the workshop and they did almost all of the teaching. My role was one of coach and mentor and question-asker. The two key questions I asked:

• What would it take to get this training to every pastor in Bulgaria and the 12 Balkan nations?
• How might you develop some of the pastors that you are now training to become pastor-trainers?           

We talked about what makes for a good pastor-trainer. They’ve already begun to identify potential pastor-trainers in their current group. We talked extensively about how to develop those pastors into pastor-trainers…what that process might look like. I’ve offered to walk with them in that process.

What if the LORD were to raise up 4 more Bulgarian pastors-trainers over the next year or two? And then 4 more after that? And… wouldn’t that be glorious???

Simeon was so encouraged by our time together. He talked about the “mountain” that his team had climbed together…developing and teaching a workshop on the book of Isaiah. He shared how their vision had grown. That their understanding had also grown: less is more…invest in a few to reach the many.

Pray for these precious men. They are the key to seeing a Movement of the Word flow throughout Bulgaria and beyond. And rejoice …Simeon, Ivo, Miro, and Blago get it!

With love,

Craig & Louise Parro

Senior Staff

Global Training Network

Email: craigp@gtn.org

 

Global Training Network

P.O. Box 6507

Peoria, AZ 85385

GTN Office Phone: 623.217.3867

Donate to the Parros

 

 

 

 

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