4 Value Pillars
Not a week. A path. It begins with one pastor and reaches the people he'll never stop shepherding: his family, his church, a generation.
01 The Word transforms
The Gospel is the only force that changes a life from the inside. Which means the people teaching it are not doing important work — they are doing the work everything else depends on.
02 Formation reaches the whole person
Doctrine without character produces informed people who lead badly. Sendero forms pastors in Scripture, in character, in marriage, in how to shepherd without wounding. Head, heart, and hands.
03 The shepherd needs a shepherd
Pastors carrying spiritual responsibility for entire communities should not carry it under-resourced, unlistened-to, and alone. Being fully received is not a program feature. It is a theology.
04 The path belongs to Ecuador
This was never meant to center on its founders. Ecuadorian leaders now carry this work forward themselves. That is not an outcome. It was always the direction.
Biblical Training courses at Sendero
We have two locations:
One at our base at the foot of Cotopaxi mountain in the central Andes, and another in Catamayo, situated in the southernmost province of Ecuador near Peru.
Church Based Leadership Training:
We launched a pilot program this year that will allow pastoral graduates to utilize the biblical portion of teaching they have received by making it available to their own congregations, with graduated pastors doing the weekly teachings over a three year period of time.
First Year
Our Three Year Curriculum
Head
Summary of the Old Testament: An overview of the Old Testament, going through divisions, global topics and emphasis in each book.
Summary of the New Testament: An overview of the New Testament, going through divisions, global topics and emphasis in each book.
Christian Doctrine: An overview of basic doctrines that are part of the theological fundamentals of Evangelical Doctrine.
HEART
The Calling: A focus on God's calling.
The Devotional Life: The importance and practice of having an intimate relationship with God.
Spiritual Disciplines: Emphasizes disciplines of fasting, time alone with God, etc.
Hands
How to Develop a Missional Life: The importance of having a missional life that is authentic in act and deed.
Evangelism in the Local Church: The importance of establishing a DNA for the Church with natural and authentic evangelism.
Discipleship in the Local Church: Focus on how to achieve The Great Commission within the entire church.
Second year
Head
Hermeneutics: Principles of the Biblical Study. How to study Scripture in order to understand its original meaning and how to apply it to contemporary life.
Homiletics: Expository Preaching. Principles in how to preach from Scripture, letting it speak for itself to change hearts.
Systematic Theology I: Doctrines of Scripture, God and Jesus Christ. A deep study of these doctrines and an examination with today's perspectives.
HEART
The Pastor-Leader and His Marriage: Designed to help the pastor/leader protect and keep his marriage as a priority, and base it on the Gospel.
The Pastor-Leader and His Family: Designed to help the pastor/leader protect and keep his family as a priority, and base it on the Gospel.
The Pastor-Leader and a Life of Integrity: The need to have a life of integrity from the inside out.
Hands
Personal and Ministry Administration: A biblical perspective on administration in life and ministry.
Developing a Church That Ministers to The Family: A practical look at establishing a church for the entire family.
Developing a Church of Authenticity and Integrity: A personal emphasis on establishing a Church DNA with authenticity and integrity in all ministries, leaders and members.
Third year
Head
Systematic Theology II: Doctrines of Anthropology, Pneumatology and Soteriology. A deep study of these doctrines and an examination with today's perspectives.
Systematic Theology III: Doctrines of Ecclesiology and Eschatology.A deep study of these doctrines and an examination with today's perspectives.
Missiology: The Study of the Church and Missions. A study of the Church's Mission from its beginning to today.
HEART
Principles of a Servant-Leader: A focus on biblical leadership and the best example found in Jesus, the Supreme Servant-Leader.
Pastoral Ethics: Dealing with matters such as: counseling, finances, integrity with time, etc.
The Man and Church Planting: The character of a biblical planter, the importance of the man planting, and the role in planting a church.
Hands
Developing a Strategy to Multiply Churches and Leaders: A practical look at strategies to multiply leaders and church planters.
Structuring The Church Biblically and Effectively: Emphasis on keeping biblical foundations while the church focuses on being active in its mission.
Planting New Churches: Introduction: An overview on how to develop strategy and the steps to plant an effective and organized church.
Training Cycles
