Disciples Making

BY DOUG PRIEST

Mitchell and Luis looked a little lost in the exhibition hall at the Lexington (Kentucky) Convention Center, home to the 2016 International Conference on Missions. They came from the Dominican Republic. Mitchell had come to the convention once before, eight years ago. But the convention had grown a lot in the past eight years, and there were 300 different exhibitors! It is no wonder they were amazed at all they saw.

These men are pastors. They belong to Centro Cristiano, an association of Christian churches in the Dominican Republic that has 23 pastors. Four of the pastors receive some funding from church partners in the United States. The pastors meet once a month for spiritual growth, sharing resources, planning, and updating one another on their ministries. Mitchell is the lone pastor in the group who has a degree, which he received from an Evangelical university in the Dominican Republic.

Mitchell, a believer for 32 years, has preached at Navarreta for 14 years, and Luis, who became a Christian 27 years ago, has preached for 13 years at Las Guaranas. They first heard about the International Conference on Missions from resident missionary