ESCALE 3 - Approaches to Ministry Goals

We are going to have our annual Pastors and Leaders conferences in Belo Horizonte, instead of Governador Valadares this year, from 17-19 September. This will give us opportunity to speak about

ESCALE’s in situ (in loco) training courses and guide us to better serve the grassroots leaders whom we aim to train. Our aim is to have an international speaker every year. We had hoped that Jem

Howil or David Vecchitto would come this year but we understood it was impossible for them. We pray that next year at least one of them will be able to be with us.

As far as the in situ training is concerned, we have been invited to visit and sometimes preach in different churches where pastors and leaders need Bible training. Although there are many grassroots leaders crying for help we are unable financially wise to attend all of them. We are trying to stick to those in situ training we already have and striving to do the work as better as possible. We prioritise those places where the local leaders have no other opportunity to study the Bible.

Both in Belo and in Governador Valadares we have trained some new Bible teachers who help to take the training to other regions. They are in turn training the grassroots leaders in their region and in its proximities. The other activities ESCALE is developing are:

Enrollment of New Participants
We’ve been processing application with interview of participants and mentoring minister; visiting and ministering in different churches; explaining how the programme works and inviting those who want to be trained.

Follow-Up and Visitation
We understand that we have to continue visiting future and former students’ congregations to encourage their preaching and teaching ministries as well as to promote their involvement with the local churches.

In Situ Training
It is happening either over one weekend per month or every other month, as well as over 10 days twice a year. During each training section one or two modules are taught. The weekend modules go on Friday evening, Saturday the whole day, and Sunday morning. At the moment we have 9 in situ training centres: in Governador Valadares, Bangu, Ecoporanga, Resplendor, Ipatinga, Vespasiano, Arapongas, Miranda and Ouricuri. Apart from that, we also have a “ESCALE Preacher’s Club” in Belo Horizonte, every Wednesday. We are encouraging the leaders in Governador Valadares to establish the same there.

Weekend Away Retreats
Every year, ESCALE holds a one or two-day retreat for all its staff members, former and actual students as well as their families, from Belo Horizonte and neighbouring towns. This helps to enhance our fellowship in the Lord. We are already deciding upon where we are going to meet in December this year and, in other to cut down on costs, we might hold a barbecue at Nelson & Marcia’s home.

Assessment and Graduation
Assessment is done every time a participant has completed a module, through written and oral assignments as well as an interview between participant and his mentor. ESCALE certificate is given to those who successfully conclude each module. Later, some students are selected to take the teacher’s training course. Then, those who feel God’s calling are invited to join up the ESCALE team and help to pass the training on to others in their regions.

Production of ESCALE Teaching Materials
It means lots of reading, typing and concentration. Our aim of having ESCALE’s own material is being fulfilled and our effort to have each teacher using the same material to teach is being accomplished. As for the translation of David Jackman’s DVD lectures into Portuguese, we have translated the first DVD’s “Preaching & Teaching the New Testament”, which is “The Gospels”. In the “ESCALE Preacher’s Club” we study it together. Translation consumes a whole lot of time and work but we are enjoying it especially when we gather to study it together.