“For this I will praise you, O Lord, among the nations, and sing praises to your name.” (2 Samuel 22:50)
King David wrote these words as a psalm of thanksgiving after God had delivered him from his enemies. His song of victory points us to an even greater King – Christ – who has defeated the powers of darkness once and for all. As our catechism reminds us, “Christ executes the office of a king, in subduing us to Himself, in ruling and defending us, and in restraining and conquering all His and our enemies.”
What good news this is. Christ not only conquers the forces of evil around us but also the stubbornness and rebellion within our own hearts. Like David, we can sing, “For this I will praise you, O Lord, among the nations, and sing praises to your name.”
The powers of darkness are no match for the light of the Gospel. And what a privilege it is, for all of us together, to bring that light to those living in poverty, despair, ignorance, shame, and fear.
The work of Equipping Leaders International continues to grow rapidly. More pastors, churches, and partners are asking for training than we can currently reach. This fall, our entire faculty, around eighty members and their spouses, gathered in the mountains of North Carolina for our Annual Conference. It was a meaningful time of refreshment, encouragement, and strategic planning as we looked ahead to the coming year.
Since then, we have continued our work across Latin America, with recent training sessions in Ecuador and upcoming ministry in the Dominican Republic later this month. We are grateful for how God continues to expand the reach of this ministry and for every partner who makes it possible.
Training in Ecuador
Our partnership with the Rescate Ecuador ministry continues to be a great joy. For four years, ELI has been working with this ministry to train a core group of about twenty-five pastors who serve in small villages throughout the Chimborazo province, high in the Andes Mountains.
The August training was our best-attended session yet. We typically expect twenty-five to thirty participants, but this time we welcomed thirty-eight. Alongside my ELI colleague Manuel P, we spent three full days teaching Bible Study Methods—a course designed to help pastors interpret Scripture accurately and faithfully.
We explored how to study different parts of Scripture, including the historical books, the prophets, the Psalms, and the Gospels. The pastors practiced their new skills in small groups, studying selected passages and applying the principles they learned. By the third exercise, many of them were beginning to grasp the tools of biblical interpretation more deeply.
We look forward to returning soon to teach the follow-up course, Christ-Centered Preaching. It is a joy to see these pastors growing in confidence and faithfulness as they learn to preach the Word of God more clearly and effectively to their congregations.
Looking Ahead with Gratitude
As 2025 comes to a close, we are filled with gratitude for the faithfulness of God and the generosity of His people. Every trip taken, every training held, and every pastor equipped is the result of shared partnership in the Gospel.
Your prayers and generosity allow us to reach leaders who are bringing the hope of Christ to their communities. As we enter 2026, we do so with great anticipation for how God will continue to use this work to strengthen His Church around the world.
Together, we praise the Lord among the nations and sing praises to His name.
