Hispanic Educational Ministries Conducts FIEL USA 2019
FIEL USA 2019, held in Mesquite, Texas July 31 – August 3, set important researched guidelines that served as crucial benchmarks during dialogue at the Global Forum of the Hispanic Congress. Under the central theme of Redefinition: A Pentecostal Church Pointing Towards an Integrated and Global Mission, several educators, pastors and Millennial theologians presented research papers on the ecclesiastical practice and contextual reality among the Hispanic/Latino constituents of the United States and Canada.
FIEL USA, an acronym which stands for Fellowship of International Educators and Leaders of the Church of God, is an educational outreach arm of the Department of US Hispanic Educational Ministries at the International Offices in Cleveland, Tennessee.
About 200 delegates from various cultural backgrounds were present for the event. The format consisted of Bible reflection devotionals, intercessory prayer with distinct focus on some of the issues that emerged during the past International General Assembly, academic monographs, a panel of socialized discussion with the speakers, and a very particular dynamic of dialogue and experience exchange at round tables. This gave everyone the opportunity to have a voice, to argue about the presented topics, and seek to search for a more personal meaning and practice in regard to the particular ministerial challenges many Pentecostal constituents are facing in present times.
All resources were highly prepared ministers, well informed and solidly grounded in the Holy Scriptures as well as in their ministerial fields of action. This time, FIEL USA 2019 set a historic spiritual holistic paradigm in trying to offer genuine and achievable alternatives to the future of the Church of God. The educational approach was Christian Pentecostal in nature within a multidiscipline exchange including several foundations (i.e., Theological, Biblical, Social, Ministerial, etc.). The lecturers, pastors, educators, leaders, and all who attended, started to picture a Theological framework of possible actions for a real and much needed relevant change in line with the challenges that poise the generational times and groups. The program pointed towards a possible restructuring of our Pentecostal ecclesiastical mission.
The educational summit served as a platform for respectful dialogue and deep insight at tables. This represents the equality and dignity of all members of the church in Jesus Christ, seated at the same table. Ministers and laity sat down to passionately and respectfully share their interpretations on challenging issues such as: the meaning and use of the concept ordained bishop, ministry and functional leadership role of the women in the church, internationalization (e.g., migration as a salvific missional tool). In an atmosphere of the gentle hiss of the Holy Spirit, delegates interchanged their wisdom based on the Word of God and experiences of actual times, to make a consensus about what all membership and leadership of the church could do to effectively fulfill the “FINISH” Commitment.
The content of the summit was used as an important supplement to the expressions at the Latino Global Forum held the day after the educational summit. This was historic in the sense that the content will be used by leaders to set a new more contemporary and contextual course for the future.
Dr. David Ramírez, Third Assistant General Overseer for the Church of God said, “This was an extraordinary summit where prominent theologians offered three strong presentations that led to reflection and dialogue on women’s leadership, the internationalization of the church, and migration as a mission tool.”
(Source: Dr. Enrique A. De Jesús, Director USA Hispanic Educational Ministries and President FIEL USA)
