Spain A Message of Peace

First Regional Convention in Barcelona

The frst regional convention was held in Barcelona on April 14–16, 2023, under the theme “The Message of Peace.” Among the participating churches of Barcelona were Virrei Amat, Su Presencia, Mallorca, and Figueres. Our newest mission feld in Girona was also present.

The goals of the convention were as follows:

• To have a time of fellowship and unity with the churches in the area

• Share our goals and information with the churches about the progress we have made

• To encourage and strengthen the churches to fulfll the mission and reinforce the core values of the church

Some of the convention activities included workshops specifcally focused on women, men, and children.

Among the special guests were National Bishop Edgar Rossini Ortiz; Pastor Elena Beltran from Peru; the national youth ministry directors, Isaias Rodriguez and America Morales; and the supervisor of Zone 3, Rosa Olivare.

BISHOP PEDRO PABLO SUAREZ GUTIERREZ | BARQUISIMETO, VENEZUELA

South America: A COGOP Pastor Answers Questions

I n response to the question, “What are your current challenges and opportunities in ministry?,” Bishop Suarez Gutierrez answered: “When you are called to ministry, you are always encouraged that you have the opportunity to minister to people who long for the guidance of the Holy Spirit. We are living in the last of the last days. With that being the case, we must grow in our dependence on God, and let the Holy Spirit guide us, even though that can be a great challenge. As we are more and more dependent on him, we will naturally take action to spread the gospel into every place and the result will be new churches planted. In my opinion, the huge crisis we are now facing and the societal troubles that have led us to suffer as a nation, as well as all the other everyday challenges, represent a range of opportunities all designed to promote growth in the Church of God of Prophecy in Venezuela. We are confronted with the need to prepare more workers for the launch and operation of new missions. We are excited to be a part of the vision and plan of our South America Presbyter Bishop Gabriel Vidal, who prizes and encourages consistency in church planting methods.”

When asked, “What do you believe are the most pertinent issues impacting the future of the COGOP?” Bishop Suarez Gutierrez said, “Stewardship and service are solid foundations for the establishment of our churches. If we impact the present in these two things, it is guaranteed we will impact the next generations. For that reason, service is considered, in ministerial terms, the true foundation of leadership. It is that added value that keeps us aware of our true calling as servants of God and as a church that builds a solid future. It is to look at others as God sees them. It is to plant in their hearts the divine purpose, which is incarnating Jesus in the communities using service as an effective means to bring them to God. It says in

Matthew 20:28, ‘Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.’ At the same time, stewardship, as a tool for the proper use of ministry resources, is a relevant plan for missionary expansion, which will provide for the growth of the Church. The fnances represent solid support for expansion as a church. Through the years and despite the impact of the passage of time, stewardship and service affect the future positively, which tells us we will do so by passing ‘the baton’ from generation to generation.”

Bishop Suarez Gutierrez answered the question, “How do you motivate your people to reconcile the world to Christ?” by stating, “We must awaken an interest in the hearts of believers to share the saving grace of Jesus. This initiates the process of reconciliation. Restoring the frst relationships that existed between God and man brings about a relationship built on three pillars: love, communion, and dependence on God. I am determined to encourage others to promote the voluntary approach between God and His creation, to break paradigms, to overcome obstacles, and to live through challenges.”

Bishop Suarez Gutierrez included the wisdom of 2 Corinthians 5:18–21 (NKJV) in his remarks:

Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation. Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God. For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

ACCREDITED MINISTRY DEVELOPMENT ACCREDITED MINISTRY DEVELOPMENT

Here’s a question you might be asking yourself: As a minister, do I really need a degree?

Maybe attaining a degree is something you have wanted to do for a number of years, or maybe it has just been on your mind recently. No matter what prompted this idea in your mind, it is a noble desire when you want to apply yourself to learning for the beneft of those you are serving.

It is absolutely true that a degree does not qualify a person to be a minister; God does! However, if we take to heart 2 Timothy 2:15 which says, “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth” (NIV), then it is incumbent upon us to do all we can to learn how to serve God’s people well and correctly interpret and proclaim the Word of God. Therefore, the more important question to ask frst is, Am I doing everything possible to present myself to God as one who is prepared for the mission I have been assigned to on this earth?

Should you feel that God is leading you to pursue higher education studies, the frst step towards answering this question is to ask yourself, What are my goals for considering the pursuit of a degree or certifcate program? It is important to know what you wish to accomplish by enrolling in a particular program. Is your desire to pursue higher education fueled simply by a desire to grow spiritually? Is your goal to take the steps necessary in order to become an expert in a particular feld, even if it takes you several years to get there? Is it to become a more effective minister and preacher? Or is your goal to teach others either in a church or institutional setting? Before you decide to enroll in a program, make sure you are clear about what your goals are for pursuing a particular degree or certifcate program.

The second step you should take towards fguring out if you really need a degree is to ask yourself, What are the benefts of the program I am interested in? Before you jump headfrst into signing up for a program, you need to be aware of the benefts of that particular program. You must ask yourself, What will

I gain by enrolling in and completing this particular program? Will this program make me a better pastor, preacher, teacher, or a leader of a particular ministry? If your goals for pursuing higher education and the benefts of enrolling in a particular program do not line up, it is a telltale indicator that the program you are considering may not be the one for you. Make sure you pay attention to the description of a particular program, as well as the learning goals and learning outcomes for that program. If you pay attention to these, you will gain a clear picture of the program before you make the decision to enroll.

Third, when you fnd a program you are interested in that meets your goals, you must do two things— pray and seek wise counsel. Why should you pray frst before enrolling in a program of study? Because God is the author of your story. Why would you want to leave him out of the decision-making process when he knows better than we do what we need most? As you begin to seek wise counsel, make sure you talk about this decision with your spouse/family frst. Your family will be affected greatly by the amount of time and energy required to complete a program of study, so make sure you involve them in this important decision. Talk to your pastor, mentors, and prayer partners. The more people you have advising you and praying for you, the more protection you have from making a mistake.

Now, to turn back to our original question: As a minister, do I really need a degree? Well, the answer is that you don’t need a degree to engage in ministry. What we need is to be in the will of the Lord. It is better to be in God’s will than engage in activities that keep you from being in God’s perfect will for your life. If our focus is to be in God’s will, maybe rather than asking, Do I really need a degree?, the better question to ask is, Is God calling me to pursue higher education? If we focus our attention on continuing to answer the call of God on our lives, he will let us know if pursuing a degree or certifcate program is something he can use to impact his kingdom.