Dr. Jim Spivey, Senior Fellow at Carroll Institute, recently represented BHCTI at the fourth graduation ceremony of the Instituto Bíblico Bautista Sola Scriptura on June 28th, 2014. Of the fourteen students who graduated, two received Certificate Diplomas in Leadership, and twelve were awarded Certificate Diplomas in Ministry.
Abraham Barberi, director of the Bible Institute and graduate of BHCTI with the Advanced Diploma in Christian Ministry, commented, “We also praise the Lord for our continuous partnership with B.H Carroll Theological Institute. This year, all of the certificates given to our students were through B.H. Carroll. Dr. Spivey, Senior Fellow and Professor of Church History, traveled all the way to Matamoros to be part of the graduation and to award the certificates to the students. We are excited to see how the Lord will continue to strengthen our partnership as we offer theological training in Matamoros, and all over Mexico.” Abraham and his wife, Patty, are celebrating five years of ministry in Matamoros.
Dr. Jim Spivey adds his impressions of the Bible Institute’s graduation and the Barberis’ work in Matamoros.
Then He said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest.” This sounds like Matamoros, Mexico! Almost one million people, but few trained Christian leaders! Five years ago, the Lord called Abraham and Patty Barberi to do something about this. They answered the call, and God has greatly blessed their ministry through the ‘Sola Scriptura’ Baptist Bible Institute. Using a one-year college curriculum developed with Carroll Institute, during the past four years they have partnered with other teachers from Matamoros and Brownsville to train 100 ministers for gospel work along the Mexican border. What a joy it was for me last week to participate in the graduation of this year’s class! But the dream doesn’t end there. God’s vision is growing. Even now, the Barberi’s are recruiting another class, writing a second-year curriculum, and raising funds to expand the ministry along the border. Through their ‘One Mission Ministries’ they have built a first-class educational building with dormitories and a dining facility for 24 students. This will enable them to conduct a two-month residential program for students ministering deep within the Mexican interior where there is no other hope for training. This is ‘missional education’ in action! These students are missionaries-in-residence. They minister in their own culture while they train in their own language in a program that is affordable. They do not have to learn English, or displace to America, or assume a burdensome debt in order to minister right where they live. Thank the Lord for His vision and for partners like the Barberis who work hard to make it a reality!
Read more about the Barberis’ work in Matamoros with One Mission Ministries
