Over the past four years, Equipping Leaders International has had the privilege of working alongside Pastor Alvaro, a faithful and visionary leader in La Paz, Bolivia. What began as a partnership has grown into a shared mission. Pastor Alvaro now serves as National Faculty with ELI—standing shoulder to shoulder with our global team of trainers. His passion for multiplying Gospel-centered churches and equipping leaders doesn’t stop at Bolivia’s borders—he’s already working with a new church in Argentina!
This March, Pastor Alvaro invited ELI faculty members Chuck Emerson and Pastor Caleb to teach in La Paz on a topic that is deeply relevant but often overlooked in many church contexts: the Theology of Work.
For many believers in Bolivia, work is simply viewed as a way to survive. The idea that God cares deeply about their jobs, careers, and day-to-day labor was eye-opening.
Over four evenings, from Wednesday to Saturday, Chuck and Caleb taught approximately 150 attendees—pastors, church leaders, and laypeople—through a biblical lens on how God sees our work.
The teaching followed the arc of God’s redemptive story: Creation, Fall, Redemption, and Consummation—with a focus on the role of work in each phase. God Himself is a worker, and He designed us in His image to reflect His creativity, order, and purpose in our labor. The truth that all of life is spiritual, including the ordinary tasks we do each day, struck a powerful chord with many in the room.
Small group discussions and thoughtful questions showed just how deeply this message resonated. Many attendees shared that they had never considered their daily work as something of value to God. The idea that their job could be part of advancing God’s Kingdom was transformational.
The sessions weren’t just lectures—Chuck and Caleb included short skits to depict common workplace situations, sparking laughter, empathy, and deeper insight. There were also moments of small group prayer, as participants lifted up their co-workers and workplaces to the Lord.
More than a dozen churches were represented at the conference, and the response was overwhelmingly positive. This was the first time we taught this module, and the strong reception confirmed it’s a timely and much-needed message that can be shared across cultures and continents.
Beyond the classroom, Chuck and Caleb were welcomed with warm Bolivian hospitality. A highlight of the trip was a lunch invitation to Pastor Alvaro’s father-in-law’s home, where they were served a traditional Bolivian dish called falso conejo (“fake rabbit”—actually beef, and delicious!). After the meal came an unexpected treat: a private mariachi concert in the living room! Pastor Alvaro’s family is musically gifted and performs Christian mariachi music for weddings and special events. With accordion, trumpet, violin, a massive guitarrón, and Alvaro’s wife as lead singer, it was a joyful celebration of culture and faith. (Even Pastor Caleb gave the trumpet a try!)
We’re grateful to God for the doors He continues to open in Bolivia and for leaders like Pastor Alvaro who are faithfully investing in the next generation of church leaders. Please continue to pray for this growing movement—and for more opportunities to share the Gospel-centered vision of work across Latin America and beyond.
