Training Leaders Around the World...

The Thompson Bible International Institute (TBII) came into being when, in 1982, Dr. John Jauchen was ministering on a remote island in the Philippines and noticed that good study tools were rare, but in great demand. Dr. Jauchen then looked through the various Study Bibles available at the time and felt that the Thompson Chain-Reference Study Bible was one of the best one-volume study tools for people who were teaching and preaching on a regular basis.

 

The Thompson Bible Seminars, initiated by the TBII, provide intensive training on how best to use this study tool; participants also get their own copy of the Bible to take home with them. CLC in Latin America has been very supportive of, and involved in running, these seminars. Phil Train, the International Co-ordinator for TBII, is a very good friend of CLC in Latin America and has been instrumental in the partnership between the TBII and CLC. He is also a much-appreciated speaker at CLC conferences.

 

The following reports are just a taste of CLC’s involvement in Thompson Bible Seminars from the past few years — taken from information sent by the respective CLC National Directors.

 

Like Mexico, Bolivia is a fairly new CLC country, but they are already promoting and involved in the Thompson Bible Seminars.

 

CLC Chile regularly takes books to one of the prisons in the capital city, Santiago. The aim is to provide a complete library of reference books for each individual prison block. Claudio, a member of the CLC team, is committed to carrying out this ministry. In 2014, CLC arranged for prisoners to attend a Thompson Bible Seminar, and we praise God for the opportunity to hold this event.

 

Since 2010, CLC Colombia has arranged and hosted Thompson Bible Seminars and, to date, about 14,000 pastors, church leaders and many other people have been trained throughout the country. In these seminars, leaders are shown how to use the Thompson Chain Reference Bible. It is fascinating to hear testimonies of how the seminars have edified and encouraged people in their pastoral training. Pastors speak of their ministerial life being in two parts – before and after the Thompson Bible Seminars. This year we now have a Colombian missionary prepared to take this training to Spain, Europe and Equatorial Guinea in Africa.

 

In 2015, CLC Ecuador, with support from CLC Panama and in partnership with the TBII, took the Thompson Bible Seminars to Cuba. Around 300 pastors, evangelists and church leaders attended. Thanks to generous financial support, these seminars, and the Thompson Bibles given out, were completely cost free for participants. The Seminars were led by Hector Burke and David Navarrete (CLC Ecuador).

 

Here is a quote from a Cuban pastor following this event:

“…the invaluable Thompson Chain Reference Bible that I now have the privilege and responsibility to have in my home – something that both God and the ministry of TBII have placed in my hands for the glory of God. This Bible has become, from day one, an indispensable part of my life and ministry and also in the life of my family. For me, the Thompson Bible is a very rich gold mine, and an invaluable tool for the ministry of the Word, teaching, missionary work and personal and devotional study.”

 

CLC will start to work closely with the Thompson Bible Seminars in México. The plan is to have a CLC book table at every seminar held in the country. The Thompson Bible Seminars in México are represented by another ministry but, thanks to the good relationship we have with them in other countries, they are more than happy to allow CLC to partner with them.

 

CLC Panama has been involved in supporting Thompson Bible Seminars for almost ten years, with around 50 events and training for 3,500 church leaders to date. The seminars have reached far and wide in the country, including training for members of the national police force, prisoners and indigenous communities. In 2016, CLC Panama is supporting Hector Burke as he takes the Thompson Bible Seminars to Liberia, in collaboration with APT (African Pastoral Training). Hector is the co-ordinator and a teacher for the TBII and a member of CLC Panama.

 

We continue with the development of the Thompson Bible Seminars which have been a boon to the leadership of the Venezuelan Church. For CLC, this partnership with the TBII has been a blessing and has allowed us to continue making the CLC ministry known.

 

In 2016, the Thompson Bible Seminars were brought to Spain for the first time, and CLC Spain facilitated and hosted these meetings that were held in Madrid and Barcelona. A total of 117 Christian leaders benefitted greatly from these events.