January 10, 2012 – Miami, Florida, United States….Libna Stevens/IAD
Christian Gamaliel Perla has been preaching since he was five years old. Perla is still in disbelief that his love for sharing the gospel has taken him this far. At just 14, he spoke to top church leaders and staff at the Inter-American Division (IAD) headquarter office in Miami, Florida, today as part of a week-long spiritual emphasis program in the new year.
Perla, who is originally from El Salvador but lives in Costa Rica, reflected on the story of David facing Goliath found in 1 Samuel 17, and presented three principles to the more than 80 church leaders and staff in attendance.
“You must be like David, who was concerned in honoring God, who put on the armor of faith, relied on God for strength, communed and trusted God for his life,” said Perla.
“Stand up and be strong and let Inter-America know wherever you serve now that there is an Almighty God who can conquer the battles for you,” he added.
Perla further encouraged church employees to begin each day with God. “We were born to serve. Every morning as you begin the day speak to God and let His light shine in us,” added Perla, who leads a small group of 10 children every week on the campus of the Central American Adventist University in Costa Rica, and participates in several ministries.
Perla represents a core group of 7,000 active child preachers throughout the territory who preach the gospel in churches, lead small groups and witness in their communities.
It is this core group of active children as well as the more than one million children who attend Adventist Churches every week, which has prompted church leaders to support those who oversee children’s activities throughout the 21 unions or regions in the IAD territory.
In order to strengthen children’s ministries, the IAD will hold its first children’s ministries leadership convention in a few months. More than 450 children’s ministry leaders and teachers will have to opportunity to strengthen their skills to disciple the thousands of children ages 0-14 who love Jesus, said Dinorah Rivera, children’s ministry director for the church and organizer of the event.
“Our church is on its way to emphasizing and recognizing the importance of investing in our children as they proclaim the everlasting gospel and as a way of retaining them in the church,” said Rivera.
Inter-America’s Children’s Ministries Leadership Convention will include seminars, workshops, special speakers, inspirational music, and recreational activities. The event is scheduled to take place on July 10-15, 2012, at Camp Kulaqua in High Springs, Florida.
For more information, visit http://childmin.interamerica.org
View photos of the day in at our flickr photostream here
