The Seventh-day Adventist Church in Inter-America celebrated the culmination of this year’s certification training program for local district pastors across the territory on Oct. 21, 2020. The annual event is part of a comprehensive certification program to better equip pastors as they minister in more than 23,000 churches and congregations throughout the fast-growing territory.

“This year again, more than 3,100 district pastors across Inter-America have completed 20 hours of certification program set out by the Adventist world church’s ministerial association as part of continuing education for them,” said Pastor Josney Rodríguez, Ministerial Association Secretary for the church in Inter-America. “That’s equivalent to 2.5 professional credit hours.”

The two-hour online event will highlight the success of the certification programs held across Inter-America’s countries and islands, the dedicated work and mission of the pastoral family, and will feature guest speakers from the Adventist world church and Division leaders, he said.

“The program has been special this year because the certification has also applied to the pastor’s wife as they together carry leadership responsibilities in the church together through Shepherdess International,” said Rodríguez.

The program falls on a month where church congregations across the territory are taking time to honor and appreciate the ministry of their pastor and his family. “Most of our pastors have two, five, 12, or even 20 congregations they lead and it’s a good moment to show appreciation for their leadership and commitment to the mission of the church,” Rodríguez said.

This article was originally published on the Inter-America Division’s website