Mark and Becky Sterken serve with Shepherds Bible Institute in Haiti. They send the following ministry report.

On March 23 at the Le Pepiniere Hotel in Petion-Ville, Haiti, 47 pastors graduated with a theology and pastoral ministries diploma. Most of them had been displaced in the 2010 earthquake that killed over 200,000 people. When we started working with this group of men, many of them were still living in tents, uncertain where their families’ next meals would come from or how other basic needs would be met. These pastors are mighty men of faith who continued the ministry even in difficult and harsh conditions. When asked, “How were your daily needs met?” they said, “Only by the grace of God.” My heroes.

During the past nine years, many of these pastors have continued to pastor their own churches of more than 100 people and have started other churches without any formal Biblical training. Before this training, these men would preach about what they dreamt the night before. Today they are preaching doctrinally sound sermons directly from God’s Word. These pastors have received training on how to study the Bible, prepare and preach Biblical messages, understand the foundational doctrines, and apply these truths to everyday life. Their congregations have grown as people are now hearing truth from God’s Word.

Mark and Becky Sterken
Shepherds Bible Institute