One of the central emphases of this instruction is the responsibility of leadership to guard the doctrinal purity of the church, confronting every influence that may distort the gospel. This task is neither optional nor secondary, but essential for preserving the testimony of Christ amid diverse and challenging cultural contexts.

The Ruling Elder Within the Biblical Order

Within the Presbyterian structure, the ruling elder is understood as an institution established by Christ Himself for the governance and edification of His Church. This role transcends any merely administrative function; it is a deeply spiritual calling that requires discernment, maturity, and commitment to the truth.

Church government is exercised collegially in the session, where elders, together with ministers of the Word, seek God’s direction under the supreme authority of Christ. This model ensures balance, accountability, and faithfulness in decision-making.

Comprehensive Functions of the Elder

The ministry of the elder unfolds across multiple dimensions that reflect the fullness of pastoral care:

• Spiritual governance: Active participation in the doctrinal and disciplinary direction of the church.
• Pastoral care: Close accompaniment of members through exhortation, prayer, and ongoing oversight.
• Ecclesiastical discipline: The biblical application of correction with the purpose of restoring the believer, preserving the purity of the church, and honoring God.

Practical Dimension: Ministry in Action

The exercise of eldership is not limited to formal meetings. On the contrary, it involves continuous oversight of congregational life. The elder is called to know the spiritual condition of the members, maintain consistent pastoral contact, identify needs, and address critical situations with sensitivity and wisdom.

Likewise, the elder plays a key role in fostering active participation within the church and advancing the mission. This includes motivating the congregation toward evangelism and supporting the development of new leaders who will ensure the continuity and expansion of the work.

Counsel and Discipline: Extensions of Shepherding

In daily ministry, the elder applies the Word of God to the concrete realities of believers through biblical counseling. The goal is to guide toward genuine repentance, strengthen faith, and promote a life of obedience.

Regarding ecclesiastical discipline, it is exercised under clearly established biblical principles:

• Restore the sinner
• Preserve the purity of the church
• Honor the name of Christ

This process must be carried out in an orderly and just manner, always oriented toward restoration, avoiding both negligence and undue harshness.

Responsibility and Evaluation of the Elder

The elder not only exercises authority but is also subject to constant evaluation in spiritual life, doctrinal faithfulness, and ministerial performance. His ultimate responsibility is before Christ, to whom he will give account for the care of the flock.

A Strategic Guideline for the Church in South America

The teaching presented, being shared as a directive for the South American region, underscores an unavoidable truth: the mission of the church requires biblically established leadership. It is not enough to start works; it is essential to consolidate them through the training and establishment of elders who meet the standards of Scripture.

A healthy eldership ensures:

• Order in the church
• Effective care of the flock
• Doctrinal faithfulness
• Sustainable missional projection

In this way, a church that seeks to impact cities and nations must prioritize the establishment of upright leaders, committed to God, His Word, and the expansion of the gospel.

For where there are faithful elders, the church not only grows, but remains steadfast and multiplies for the glory of Christ throughout South America.

One of the main agreements reached was the structuring of a working model for the Brazilian mission, which includes the formation of a central team. The importance of this lies in the collaborative effort that will begin throughout the South American region through these two countries. Brazil will be responsible for appointing four key members for general coordination, as well as integrating 24 members.

Brazil will also take on the responsibility of appointing two additional key members to consolidate the General Coordination, joining the two already designated. Subsequently, it will be necessary to select three additional members for the Mission Department, with the goal of achieving a better division of tasks and forming a leadership team of seven people. In addition to this structure, the third objective established during the meeting was the consolidation of a total of 24 committed and active members directly involved in the mission field. To achieve these results, the action plan requires weekly meetings at the national level, focused on strategic planning based on the country’s reality. Furthermore, meetings with South American leaders will continue to follow the guidance and direction necessary to strengthen the Brazilian structure.

As a first step, Brazilian leaders will focus on organizing the educational foundation and training students. It is understood that a person’s first contact with the community is essential for developing resilience and clarity regarding their purpose in the missionary ministry.

The coming days will also be dedicated to organizing and optimizing databases of messages and Bible studies. The objective is to ensure that members are properly prepared for active missionary work, acting wisely in evangelization efforts. Evangelization is understood as the driving force that enables reaching new people, ensuring both the quantity and quality needed to achieve the proposed goals.

With faith, unity, and dedication, this alliance is projected as an instrument to produce lasting results, develop mature leaders, and reach new lives. What begins now represents more than just a work plan: it is the expression of full confidence that God continues to guide His work, opening paths, aligning purposes, and confirming that this is a favorable time to move forward with boldness, excellence, and hope.

Written by Isaac Aranda

With seven months remaining until the General Assembly in October, this gathering was not only a space for evaluation but also a moment of spiritual alignment, where each goal was considered in light of the calling: “Until all know Him.” Leaders reflected on the progress of the work across the continent, recognizing that this is a decisive time to strengthen what has already been sown.

During the review, key areas were highlighted, such as expansion into new cities, the consolidation of presbyterial structures, and the strengthening of indigenous leadership. Each indicator was understood not merely as an administrative result, but as evidence of God’s work in the midst of the mission.

Special emphasis was placed on the need to move diligently toward the goal of impacting 250 cities, establishing churches that not only grow numerically but also reach maturity in their spiritual identity-being self-sustaining, self-governing, and committed to the proclamation of the gospel.

Progress in the financial area was also addressed, underscoring the importance of developing a solid economic foundation to support regional expansion. Leaders agreed that order, transparency, and responsibility in resource management are visible expressions of a well-grounded faith.

Biblical teaching also held a central place during the session, reminding all that genuine transformation arises from the Word. In this regard, the commitment to promote discipleship and Bible studies as the foundation for growth in every nation was renewed.

One of the most significant moments was the reaffirmation of the indigenous mission model, where the missionary, like a root, sustains and nourishes the local church until it becomes strong and mature. This approach calls for working with a vision of permanence, where the fruit remains even after the initial work steps back.

With their eyes set on the General Assembly in October, the leaders recognized that the next seven months represent a crucial window to consolidate what has been achieved and to respond faithfully to the calling received. Beyond the goals, there was a call to live this season with renewed dedication, knowing that it is God who builds and sustains His work.

The session concluded in a spirit of unity and commitment, reaffirming the vision of seeing the continent filled with the knowledge of Christ and embracing the challenge of being faithful instruments so that His Kingdom may be permanently established in South America.

Written by Moses Gonzalez

The participants are being trained with a clear and reproducible mandate: to be sent into various South American nations in order to equip local leaders, who will in turn establish and lead national education teams. The objective is the development of sustainable, indigenous structures of biblical education that ensure long-term doctrinal integrity and leadership continuity within each context.

This effort responds to an urgent and observable need. Evangelistic outreach and systematic Bible studies are advancing rapidly throughout South America, accompanied by a growing openness to the gospel-particularly among younger generations. As increasing numbers of Latino youth respond in faith to the Lord Jesus Christ, the demand for well-trained teachers and structured discipleship frameworks has become both critical and immediate.

In this context, the OLI is developing and delivering the Leaders Curriculum, a comprehensive and theologically grounded body of material. This curriculum includes the Core Biblical Studies as well as detailed Commentaries on the books of the New Testament, designed to provide both doctrinal depth and pedagogical clarity. The aim is to standardize and elevate the quality of biblical instruction across the region while maintaining fidelity to Scripture.

Through this focused training, OC Colombia is making a significant contribution to addressing the shortage of qualified Word teachers in South America. By equipping these 30 leaders, the OLI advances a broader vision: the establishment of a biblically robust, well-discipled, and missionally effective Church throughout the continent.

The 2026 regional vision is explicit: to transform non-pioneer cities into active, self-sustaining ministry centers. Expansion is therefore not measured primarily by territorial reach, but by spiritual depth. Progress in Bolivia, where students have systematically completed the study of the Book of Romans, demonstrates a foundational principle: sustainable expansion flows from theological formation. Maturity precedes multiplication.

The regional landscape remains diverse and requires differentiated strategy. Colombia and Brazil continue to function as structural anchors, supported by a critical mass of Committed Members (CMs) and developed infrastructure. Peru and Chile show organized growth capacity through presbyterial structuring and administrative consolidation. Argentina and Venezuela advance under complex external conditions yet display tangible signs of spiritual renewal. Bolivia and Uruguay remain in formative stages, prioritizing doctrinal grounding before rapid deployment.

A significant milestone occurred in Cajamarca, Peru, where the formal signing of membership covenants marked the transition from evangelistic outreach to established church structure. This development reflects institutional maturity and covenantal responsibility within the community.

Human capital remains the region’s most strategic asset. Colombia sustains the largest volume of CMs; Brazil maintains experienced leadership; Venezuela demonstrates notable ministerial resilience; Argentina has experienced renewed evangelistic momentum, highlighted by new baptisms in February; Chile is cultivating generational succession; and Bolivia continues preparing native leaders for future expansion. The trajectory of regional growth is directly tied to the strength of this leadership pipeline.

The 2026 expansion framework integrates two complementary operational models. Argentina applies a “seasonal spiritual momentum” approach, deploying leaders following major liturgical retreats. Brazil emphasizes geographic proximity, prioritizing cities near São Paulo to ensure administrative support and cost efficiency. The convergence of spiritual fervor and logistical precision defines the recommended regional pathway.

Chile is preparing new ministry centers under defined presbyterial oversight, while Peru has implemented a clear executive KPI: the formation of at least one native student per pioneer city, ensuring that every new center is locally grounded from inception.

The evaluation period has also identified critical infrastructure needs in Venezuela and Brazil, alongside ongoing institutional transition in Argentina. Addressing these matters responsibly is essential not only for operational continuity but also for preserving public testimony.

In summary, this quarter has been characterized by foundation rather than spectacle. Structures have been strengthened, strategies clarified, and leadership affirmed. As South America advances toward the close of 2026, the region does so with greater organizational coherence, clearer missional direction, and firmer spiritual foundations. Expansion continues-now supported by a more resilient and unified regional framework.

During the course of the meeting, Pastor Moses announced that over four consecutive sessions, a training segment would be offered, led by the Faith and Family Ministry together with the Colombia Wellbeing Team. The purpose of this training is to equip leaders in the area of missionary self-care, using materials provided by the International Society of Missionaries. In this context, leader Fernanda Zambrano introduced the concept of self-care, emphasizing that it involves a conscious, responsible, and respectful attitude toward one’s own well-being, without neglecting the ministerial calling. She also explained the evolution of the missionary care approach, which has moved from a perspective focused solely on spiritual dependence to a holistic understanding that recognizes shared responsibility among God, the missionary, the organization, and the professionals who support ministerial work. It was emphasized that care comes both “from above,” by depending on God and surrendering our needs to Him, and “from below,” by lovingly, disciplinarily, and obediently assuming personal responsibility for physical, emotional, and spiritual health.

Subsequently, Pastor Daniela Ortiz expanded on this perspective by addressing the agents involved in the missionary self-care process, including God, the ministry team, the organization, family, and colleagues. She highlighted that although these actors play a fundamental role, it is the missionary who must create appropriate spaces and prepare their heart to receive support and guidance. In addition, she presented four factors that hinder self-care among workers: feelings of guilt when prioritizing personal care, the mistaken perception that effectiveness is exclusively linked to overwork, self-sufficiency that minimizes the need for support, and lack of organization along with the absence of healthy boundaries. Finally, she shared practical recommendations to strengthen holistic well-being, including healthy physical habits, strategies for emotional and mental balance, and consistent spiritual disciplines that nurture devotional life.

In a second segment, Korina Fayad, leader of the Business Office in Colombia, presented updates and strategies aimed at strengthening organizational self-sustainability in the different countries. She also reported that training processes for full-time serving members would begin during the week, encouraging national leaders to complete the corresponding registrations within the established timeframe.

As the third agenda item, leader Keyla Moreno emphasized the importance of national leaders implementing structured processes of care and discipleship with members in their respective countries. She announced an upcoming training specifically directed at cell leaders, with the goal of sharing strategies, methodologies, and tools that will strengthen pastoral accompaniment and the spiritual growth of local communities.

The meeting concluded with Pastor Moses Gonzalez, who reiterated the regional vision of prioritizing quality over quantity, highlighting that a spiritually healthy community is the foundation for sustainable and solid growth. He also reminded the leaders of the importance of the bivocational model as a balanced alternative that allows individuals to serve God with excellence while engaging in professional activities that contribute to personal and community support, citing the apostle Paul as an example, one of the most significant missionary references in Scripture.

Finally, a prayer was lifted, asking the Lord that through the Holy Spirit He would continue to guide and strengthen regional leadership, granting wisdom to practice mature, responsible, and balanced self-care, and equipping each leader to offer service that is pleasing, integral, and aligned with the Father’s perfect will. Amen.

Written by Fernanda Zambrano

The main objective of this meeting was to share the strategic guidelines that will shape the work of the coming year and to define a structure that allows for evaluating the real impact of the actions carried out in each office. To this end, the importance of working with clear objectives, defined goals, aligned strategies, and-most importantly-performance indicators that make it possible to measure progress in an objective and orderly manner was emphasized.

Throughout the working sessions, participants addressed the development of a general objective and specific objectives, accompanied by goals and strategies that serve as a common framework of reference for all offices. Likewise, the concept of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) was introduced. Although these will be developed in greater depth in future spaces, they are already presented as a fundamental tool for supporting the missional process.

A performance indicator is a clear reference that makes it possible to measure whether an action, project, or process is producing the expected results. Its main function is to provide visibility into the progress of the work, facilitate decision-making, and allow for timely adjustments when necessary. In the missional context, indicators help evaluate not only what is being done, but also the impact that work has on the people, teams, and communities being served.

Indicators are presented as a support tool for missional work, enabling the spiritual vision to be accompanied by order, clarity, and accountability in execution. By measuring results, offices can more easily identify areas for improvement, strengthen processes, and move more intentionally toward the objectives established for the defined period.

This approach seeks to ensure that the work carried out throughout the year does not merely respond to an agenda of activities, but instead produces practical and measurable results aligned with the overall vision of GO South America. In this way, each office and department will be able to evaluate its performance, correct course when necessary, and move forward with greater clarity toward the proposed goals leading up to the 2026 Regional Assembly.

This planning space reaffirms GO South America’s commitment to intentional, responsible, and results-focused missional work, where vision, strategy, and execution are integrated to advance in an orderly and sustainable manner in fulfilling the calling.

Written by Korina Fayad

In Chinese and Korean, zeal is described as having a “hot heart.” This burning heart is sustained by vision. Our church’s 30-year history shows that growth has come not through consolidation, but through division and multiplication, following the missionary pattern of the apostle Paul. This is the dream we must hold as we set our goals for 2026.

For OA South America, this dream is clear: to complete the mission network. Whether through establishing members, advancing self-support missions, or filling strategic gaps in cities, every effort must serve this purpose. Like the game Go, each piece may seem small at first, but becomes essential as the network connects.

This vision must be shared with deacons and taught to members so that all grow with the same missionary outlook-not settling into comfort, but embracing the call to be sent. Our focus this year is to identify those with spiritual fervor, raise them quickly, and dispatch them to strengthen national and global networks.

The long-term goal remains unchanged: first, complete the mission network; second, withdraw missionaries once strong native leadership is established, forming truly indigenous churches. Though the world continues to change, this direction has guided us for three decades and will continue to do so.

As part of this renewed focus, each country in OA South America will submit its first report of the year, establishing accountability and alignment from the beginning. These monthly reports will include:

Church pioneering status (pioneered and non-pioneered cities, plans, and summary statistics)
New CMs and new family churches established during the month
Missionary evangelism and church-pioneering status
OA center status (photos, facilities, capacity, and accommodations)
Any additional relevant updates

As we begin this year, the call is clear: to dream again, align our hearts, and labor faithfully toward completing the mission network. With zeal, focus, and responsible stewardship, we move forward together.

The central purpose of this retreat is to raise the standards of faith among leaders, bring order to key areas of ministry, and advance a restructuring of the mission system in order to move forward with greater clarity and effectiveness.

Throughout the retreat, participants will engage in times of spiritual leadership training, organizational alignment, and strategic reflection, all aimed at strengthening unity and improving the overall progress of the mission in Colombia.

The global church is encouraged to pray for this retreat-that God would grant wisdom, spiritual renewal, unity among leaders, and clear direction as they seek to faithfully advance His mission in Colombia.

During this second stop, a retreat with local leaders is scheduled, focused on strengthening the strategic advancement of the region and coordinating missional plans and guidance that support ongoing processes. Additionally, there will be times of personal counseling with single members and family churches who are playing an important role in the country.

We ask for your prayers for all the activities taking place in these days: for the preparation of the retreat, for the participating leaders, and for each encounter. May God guide every step, open new doors for growth, and continue affirming His purpose in Peru and throughout the Andes Node.