IDE GB

IDE GB

Instituto Despertar e Enviar – Geração Benjamim

Generation Benjamin Ministries Training Center

“Ide” is the Portuguese word for “go.” It is the word that Jesus used when he said, “Go into all the world.” The name of the training center, “IDE,” is more than just the word “go,” but a monogram of the letters “I” for Institute, “D” for “despertar,” which is to awaken something in someone or to stir up and “E” for “enviar,” which means to send out. Our desire and purpose for this training center comes from a strong conviction in us of the potential of this generation and the need to train them and send them out. There exist here in Brazil various institutions in which a young person can go and be taught about the ministry and missions and have a dream stirred in them, but none that actually go so far as to send them out as missionaries or use them to plant churches. This is what we dream of doing. It is one thing to tell a young person what God wants to do through him and “train” him to do it. But, to stop short of offering or creating somewhere for him to put into practice his calling and training is nothing short of cruel. Resulting in the raising up of a generation of discontented youth who spend their lives frustrated at not having an opportunity to do what burns in them and in due time criticizing the very church that should be their biggest ally.

Imagine if we could train up these youth alongside of their local churches instead of the usual “in place of” and be a bridge between a church and youth that want to plant churches and being able to plant churches. Taking them from “wanting” to “doing.” Herein lies the purpose of the Institute, offering training and experience. Something that we feel we can provide. We can take these young people, specially selected (meaning that the calling on their lives is so obvious that their local church is willing to invest in them financially), train them up and put them somewhere to plant a church. All of this done in connection with and with the covering of their local church working jointly with us; our help and guidance. Imagine, young people planting churches throughout the world. I believe that it is not only possible, but also time. We have spent the better part of the last three years awakening a generation to their identity and calling. The time has come to train them and send them out to impact the world in which they were set apart to reach.

Below is a general oversight of the vision. Let me know what you think, as we are presently looking for a substantial piece of land in order to build this training center. We have money set aside that was given to us in order to build a home. After thinking and praying, we are considering, rather than buy a small piece of land here in the city, buying a much larger piece of land outside of the city that can be utilized for much more than just the building of our home, but for the building of the kingdom. We realize that the undertaking of this would be huge and the building of this center costly, much more than we have. And for this we ask your counsel.

IDE GB

Instituto Despertar e Enviar – Geração Benjamim

Vision: Train and Send

Purpose: To be a bridge between churches and young people wanting to plant churches and actually planting churches, in effect closing the gap between dreams and reality. Taking dreams and making them goals.

Who: Young people that have definite and recognized callings to be missionaries, church planters or serve in their local churches in a full time capacity. It is not for those that do not know where they are going or what they want to do. It is not for the spiritually immature trying to find themselves nor for those needing to straighten out their lives. We are not “Teen Challenge.” This is the location that will serve as the last stop and step before being “sent out.”

Method: Time of Training: 7 months

5 months of intensive training at the Institute (intensive seminary course

[MTI*], character training, experience in a local church, computer, English, music

Monday-Friday – studies

Saturday & Sunday – involvement in a local church, serving and putting into practice what they are learning

2 months on the field with support (a couple from the Institute) for

those that are planting churches (campus churches** and churches in

areas needing of a church)

Teams will plant churches, as this seems to be more fruitful and leave less opportunity for the enemy to come in and destroy the work through temptation or discouragement (Ecc 4:9-12).

1 year of financial help along with that of the local churches involved

helping with the initial phase of the church plant.

After the first year, the financial responsibility of the church will fall on the

mother church as well as the recent church plant and missionaries. We will

continue our connection with them through an apostolic role, offering help and

guidance.

* MTI (Ministry Training Institute) – A seminary training curriculum developed by Jim Clark of INLC in Baton Rouge, LA. Our own Donnie Shaffer not only translated all of this material to Portuguese, but also taught the seminary in Santarém for eight years, of which both Lisa and I graduated. It is an excellent and intensive course of studies.

** Campus Churches – Here in Brazil as anywhere else in the world, the college campuses are the places in which Christianity is most challenged, creating young people who reject any form of absolute truth and causing those who hold to Christian beliefs to question and doubt. The need for churches right on the college campuses is obvious and our desire to enter into this battle is great. We believe that this in and of itself could possibly be the biggest strike against the enemy right on his training ground.