Interview “NO ONE CAN CHANGE THE

“NO ONE CAN CHANGE THE FUNDAMENTALS” INTERVIEW

Eliseo Aquino

The Worldwide Missionary Movement (WMM) is gaining ground all over the world. Missionaries can now save more and more souls for God in different countries, but success comes with new challenges that require a better pastoral training.

Reverend Albert Rivera informs that the Elim Bible Institute will soon obtain accreditation and international coverage. He also explains how God is blessing the country where the Worldwide Missionary Movement was founded.

This is an interview with Reverend Albert Rivera, national supervisor of Puerto Rico, for Impacto Evangelistic.

Pastor Rivera, how is the Movement advancing in Puerto Rico?

Thanks to the Lord, the Movement is still standing. There are sixty churches all over the island and we are working hard to establish new white fields in the municipalities (there are 78 in total) where we are not yet present.

The population has recently decreased, as many have left the country after Hurricane Maria. However, there has been an encouraging spiritual revival. National activities (retreats of women, youth camps, and local and regional campaigns) are still being held, and there has been an increase in church attendance. People realize now that they have to seek God’s presence to stay strong and move on, as we have learned from our founder.

The church of Puerto Rico is an emblematic church. 56 years after its foundation, how do you assume the defense of the Sound Doctrine?

We preach the same doctrine that we preached 56 years ago, when the Lord’s Movement was established. Our Doctrinal Statement, which contains the Work’s fundamentals, is in Impacto Evangelistic. We zealously protect them.

We know the difference between doctrine, dogma, creed, rule and opinion. We cannot share an opinion as if it were a doctrine; that must be clear. Absolutely no one can change our fundamentals. Here in Puerto Rico we protect them no matter what. That is why we are working so that the Elim Bible Institute obtains international coverage and accreditation.

Reverend José Arturo Soto, president of the WMM, said in a previous interview that he wants to standardize all the syllabi of the Elim Bible Institute in all the countries. Could you explain us how it will be done? We want all the institutes to have the same coverage, to share the same teachings, to teach the same subjects, to provide the same material, to follow the same approach. Misconceptions and misuse of biblical concepts come when every institute has its own book. We will make sure that all institutes are one in the doctrine. There are pastors in different countries who have never been trained in a biblical institute. Do you think that this slows downs the efforts of the WMM?

Certainly. We need pastors and leaders that know how to teach the Word properly. Everyone can preach nonsense, but true men of God preach with knowledge and, of course, with the guidance and direction of the Holy Spirit.

We want to implement the Bachelor’s degree in the Institute. This will give prestige to the Movement, as we will have a serious theological center with a Pentecostal approach. We want the entire Movement to have the same biblical foundations so that it is prepared to face heretical teachings.

In some places missionaries are required to have theological studies to officially stay in the country. Will this accreditation benefit all the brothers and sisters that study in the institute?

We have entered into a partnership with Universidad Teológica Bíblica of Puerto Rico. They gave us coverage and now they are helping us with the accreditation. In this way, Elim Bible Institute students will be granted a Bachelor’s degree and be fully certified as pastors. This will cover all the institutes of the Movement worldwide.

Our missionaries have to be trained to teach God’s Word with knowledge, as well as respect for other cultures.

The Movement has spread to other continents with different cultures and languages. Is it necessary to prepare future missionaries in languages and adaptation to new societies?

It is necessary and critical to train new missionaries in Theology at the Elim Bible Institute, but it is also important that they are ready to deal with new cultures. Our missionaries have to be trained to teach God’s Word with knowledge, as well as respect for other cultures. They also need to be taught languages to effectively share the powerful message of salvation.

We plan to hold workshops to train missionaries and brothers from the countries where the Movement is present. Having local leaders will contribute to the spreading of the Gospel. Similarly, we want to translate our material into the local language to make the teaching process of the Sound Doctrine easier.