On November 7, 2015, Mexico’s first graduating class in the Certificate program for Youth Ministry held their graduation in the First Church of the Nazarene in Monterrey, Mexico. There were 19 graduates in the Northeast District of Mexico.
There were many leaders at the event including Rev. Milton Gay (Coordinator of NYI for the Mesoamerica Region), Fabiola Sanchez (Coordinator of NYI for Mexico), Rev. David Diaz (Superintendent for the Northeast District of Mexico), and Ana Rizo (Coordinator of the Youth Pastor Program for the district), among many other pastors and leaders who came to support the students.
On Nov 27, a second graduation for the same certificate program in Youth Ministry was held in Guadalajara, Mexico. Twenty-five students graduated from the program this year in the West District of Mexico.
Dr. Jorge Banos, SENDAS representative; Gabriel Yip, the Vice President of SENAMEX (Seminary in Mexico); and Rev. Samuel Cadena, District Superintendent; along with Rev. Milton Gay, Coordinator of NYI for the Mesoamerica Region, presented the certificates and prayed for the youth ministry leaders.
Dr. Jorge Banos shares, “The attendance at the event was extraordinary, there were a good number of the local NYI Presidents there, as well as the pastors and the district leaders.”
The program consists of fourteen courses, all focused on ministering to youth and teens. The students completed the program in a year and two months. The program is a joint program between SENDAS and NYI Mesoamerica Region.
This program is the first step for these leaders in advancing their knowledge in the area of Pastoring Youth. Now the students are ready to continue their studies with the Bachelor degree with concentration in Pastoring Youth.
If you are interested in the program in Spanish, visit this website (in Spanish) to view the courses required for the certificate program in Youth Ministry.