Project Locations
Catalyst Missions exists to glorify Christ through the building up of believers to lead the church around the world. The desire of all Catalyst personnel is to see biblical discipleship and leadership reproduction taking place. As an organization, we do not want to do anything that is not sustainable or reproducible by the indigenous leaders. That being said,we have much work taking place in much of the Global South.
Do you know the term Global South?
The Global South is all area south of the equator, including South America, Central and Southern Africa, and Southeast Asia. Given the need in this part of the world, Catalyst seeks to focus our attention in these areas. Catalyst is currently working in Indonesia, Nigeria, South Sudan, Ivory Coast, Nicaragua, and Bolivia.
The following is background information and 2018 goals for our ministry locations:
Indonesia: The work in Indonesia began in 2015, with a brief vision trip by our Director of International Ministries and a current board member. We were connected through the current VP of Academics at Jakarta Baptist Theological Seminary, Iksan Lasmanto. A local ministry that supports a children’s home and boarding school agreed to partner with us. We have held 6 trainings at this location over the last 2.5 years, and are planning to wrap up the training in Sept. 2018. Over the last 2.5 years, over 60 different ministry leaders from a local regional area have been trained using the Catalyst Missions 9 module training material. As we prepare to end the work in Kupang, we are anticipating the work moving forward in Indonesia. Exploration for online training has begun to take place. In March, there will be a meeting with potential trainers from Jakarta that would allow the Catalyst work in Indonesia to exponentially multiply.
Nigeria: The work in this West African country began in 2016. Andy, the Director of International Ministries, took a vision trip to Kaduna City in Kaduna State. After connecting with a Nigerian pastor studying in the US, Andy made the long trip to meet with ministry leaders of the Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA) denomination. What he found was a very well structured denomination that lacked a focus on biblical discipleship for church and ministry leaders. After 3 days of meeting, seeing the city, and hearing about the desire for training church planters, Catalyst Missions personnel decided it was clearly God’s direction to partner. In 2017 Catalyst made 2 training trips to complete the Old Testament and New Testament trainings. These are the two beginning modules. Right now, Catalyst has a talented and gifted Regional Coordinator who is helping direct ministry in this country. Catalyst is looking forward to two more trainings this year, Biblical Theology and the History of Christianity.
South Sudan: While the work in South Sudan is currently on hold, the work continues to go on through our Regional Coordinator. In South Sudan, Catalyst has been able to complete 4 trainings. Given the critical nature of the country’s stability, we have not been able to be in country for over a year. During the trainings that have taken place, we have seen a good number of refugees from the North soaking in the material. We desire to go back to South Sudan in 2018, but we will have to wait and assess the country’s stability.
Ivory Coast: The wonderful French speaking country has yet to be visited by Catalyst personnel. However, in February, we are sending a small team of 2 to accomplish two things. One, establish a new training site in Yamoussoukro, Ivory Coast. The second is to give James Wheager, our on the ground Regional Coordinator, the materials needed to continue to the work. The plan is to equip James to execute modules 2 and 3 with the same leaders as training one. Currently, James is training online with Catalyst personnel, which is a cost effective way to multiply the work. We are very excited about the prospect of the work moving forward in West Africa.
Nicaragua: The work in this country is still in its infancy, but there is awesome potential. Catalyst Missions has partnered with a local missionary to help establish the work moving forward. Later this year the first 2 trainings will be taking place with local ministry leaders. Our Executive Director recently made a trip to the country to help establish our plan moving forward, and he came back encouraged about the opportunity to have a significant impact. This country may be considered “evangelized,” but to what level is that equipping biblical? That is the real issue we are facing in many of our training locations. Some teaching, training, and evangelizing has taken place in the past, but unfortunately much of what has been taught is not truth. Needless to say, we believe the need is great.
Bolivia: In some ways this has been our most successful work. When we arrived in Bolivia a little over 2 years go, there was a foundation that just needed a little leadership. Doug Landrum, our Executive Director, provided guidance and instruction to local ministry leaders. In 2018 we are planning to see our first matriculating class in Bolivia. Many of the ministry leaders have already begun to multiply the trainings they have received, and several new training sites have been started without the need for Catalyst Missions personnel being directly involved. We currently have two Regional Coordinators in country, and they are multiplying themselves in significant ways. We have work going on in a local prison and across many cities throughout the country.
I want to encourage you to stay tuned as we will unfold greater details about each location, Regional Coordinators, and future work. We have some fantastic testimonies and wonderful stories that we will share over the next year. If you would like more information about Catalyst Missions, please feel free to reach out to us and check out our website, www.catalystmissions.org. Thanks for reading, and we hope you will consider partnering with us!