Preparing the Future
Seminary Sertanejo in Sousa
Training for the Sertao in the Sertao
Program
Training for evangelism and church leadership with special focus on the challenges of the Sertao region.
Students
Godly Christian residents of the Sertão who lack the funds or academic credentials for other seminaries.
Location
In Sousa, Paraiba Brazil, which is located in the Brazilian Sertão, about a six hour drive from JUVEP base camp.
Introduction
The Seminary Sertanejo de Sousa is a ministerial training school in the Northeastern Brazilian Sertão (arid poor region). Targeting “Sertanejos,” (local people) this low cost evangelistic seminary dispenses with the need of the student to leave and go to the great urban centers to prepare for the ministry. Historically, those students who do go from the Sertão to the big city, seldom return to the poor Sertão, where the needs are so urgent.
This Sertanejo Seminary offers biblical and theological training, both at the basic level and at the advanced level. Programs have courses of Basic Training in Theology, Leadership of Children’s Department, Ministerial Formation and Theological Training (equivalent to Bachelor of Theology), to natives of the Sertão.
This Sertanejo Seminary is located in the city of Sousa, in the Upper Sertão of Paraíba, about 438 km from the state capital, João Pessoa. The city of Sousa has an estimated population of 69,000 inhabitants, serving the municipalities of the Valley of Dinosaurs, as well as dozens of rural communities.
WHY A THEOLOGICAL SEMINAR IN THE NORTHEASTERN SERTÃO?
The northeastern Sertão is an extensive and populous region, with a minimal evangelical presence, where few municipalities exceeds the mark of 5% Christian. This is a challenge that demands leadership that fosters the involvement of each Christian in missionary work. One of the major concerns of the local church is the need for well-trained workers with good biblical knowledge. We all know that this is a fundamental question for the church in any region. All churches need to be strong, to have a balanced natural growth, to multiply, to enjoy a healthy community life and a good relationship with the society in which it is inserted.
Many of the productive Sertanejo workers are simple people of little schooling. They do not fit within the pedagogical requirements of a regular theological school. On the other hand, when some of the more educated are able to reach a regular theological school, it is usually located in a great city. After adapting the city life, the majority of the graduates do not return to life in the Sertão. This leaves the Sertao further lacking Godly leadership. Of course, we will always have a few young Sertanejos in whose lives we must invest for leadership elsewhere. Yes, we must welcome sending them to some major theological school in the big city. From that foundation, they can undertake a blessed ministry to anywhere in the world. Others, however, are needed back home. The need is critical.
Taking into account the very low per-capita income of the Sertão, where most people earn up to a minimum wage per month (about $300 USD), theological training for this public should take into account their profound financial limitations.
Therefore, it is necessary to establish alternative schools of theological training in the Sertão, in the model of the Sertanejo Seminary.
Support is greatly needed to provide scholarships to worthy candidates with a passion to serve the Sertão.
BRIEF HISTORY
The Sertanejo Seminary started its activities in 1998, in the city of Itaporanga (PB). This was done by the missionary Dunalva Libério, sent by the Mission JUVEP. Dunalva organized a group of lay workers to study the Bible systematically. The study was in accordance with a curriculum that would meet the most urgent needs of the region’s churches. In this first format, the seminar was named CTLS (Sertão Leaders Training Center), and the course offered was basic in theology.
During this period, several pastors and leaders of the region sat down on the benches of the seminary. As successive classes concluded the basic course, the need was felt to offer more. This was for those who wanted to continue their theological studies with the opportunity of deepening. Thus two other courses were added to the activities of the Sertanejo Seminary. First was ministerial theology and the bachelor of theology, currently denominated, and respectively, Ministerial Formation Course and Theological Formation Course. In addition to these, in 2014, a course was started for the preparation of children’s department leaders, called “Children’s Department Leadership Course.”
Throughout these 18 years of existence, dozens of workers, pastors, leaders and vocations were trained by the Sertanejo Seminary. Many of these Godly people could only study because of the seminary’s view that lack of money should not deter a worker. If called by God, the seminary should offer theological training. We were able to offer low-income workers (most of them, by the way), scholarships for all the courses of the seminary. This is thanks to the financial support of churches and Godly supporters. They understood the importance of investing in the formation of leaders in the rural context, In this way, practically nobody who wanted to prepare to serve God more effectively, stopped studying.
Our joy today as an institution of theological teaching is to see those who once were our students exercising the ministry. They are bearing good fruit in the Kingdom of God. Churches are being strengthened through the faithful exposition of the Word. Missionary awareness being spread by the churches through the ministry of our students and alumni.
OBJECTIVES OF THE SERTANEJO SEMINAR
Through the Sertanejo Seminary we hope to achieve, through the action of the Holy Spirit, in the regions of influence of the one, the following results:
- Spreading the good news of Jesus in the Sertao.
- Strengthening of the local church and building disciples;
- Multiplying the number of new churches and new believers in the coming years;
- Improvement of the skill of local leadership in the region;
- Promotion of missionary vision and commitment to the promotion of salvation;
- Significant impact on society, through a church that understands better and intensely experiences its mission as an agent of spiritual and social transformation.
FUND-RAISING
Student fees – Part of the resources of the Sertanejo Seminary comes from the tuition fees of our students; but as the economic reality of this region of Brazil is very difficult, most of them receive a scholarship. This makes the monthly fees cover only a small part of the expenses;
Partnerships – What really facilitates the activities of the Sertanejo Seminary are evangelical churches and brothers and sisters (individuals) committed to the expansion of the Kingdom of God and who wish to invest in strengthening the Church of Christ in the impoverished northeastern Brazil through the donation of financial resources.
Sponsor – It is possible to “adopt” and sponsor a single student or broadly support the seminary. In either case, we will work hard to keep you well informed of challenges and successes.
PARTICIPATE IN THIS MINISTRY
The Sertanejo Seminary is an institution of great importance for the development of the indigenous leadership of the region centered on the municipality of Sousa. This is a strategic ministry, the results of which will have a multiplier effect. In this way, those who invest in the maintenance of an institution such as the Sertanejo Seminary will make an excellent investment in the Kingdom of God, whose results in the short, medium and long term only eternity will reveal.
Today we have many needs at the Sertanejo Seminary, and we face the challenge of honoring our monthly commitments. If you are interested in investing in this work, please contact us.