Global friends help pastor study theology
LISBON , Portugal
As son of the founding pastor, Moisés Mente has been involved in Igreja Evangélica Irmãos Menonitas da Amadora (Amadora Evangelical MB Church) since it began, but he’s still learning. “Bible school has offered me the basic tools to perform effective ministry, always grounded in Scripture,” says the young pastor. Mente is one of recipients of ICOMB’s Global Scholarship Fund (GSF) which disbursed $40,000 to 11 individuals and four schools for the 2013/2014 school year.
“It’s extremely important that the minister of God is thoroughly equipped to perform effectively in his ministry,” says Mente. The BA student, who has taken the mantle of pastor in the Amadora church, is currently studying theology at Instituto Bíblico Português do Tojal (Tojal Bible Institute), a nondenominational Bible school near Lisbon.
The MB conference in Portugal (Associação dos Irmãos Menonitas de Portugal) – which sponsored Mente’s application – has five churches and a membership around 200. It was an easy decision to support Mente for the scholarship, says AIMP leader José Arrais.
“Talking about Moisés always brings a smile to my face,” says Arrais, noting how Mente shares his gifts in youth work, preaching and music (playing several instruments and occasionally composing worship songs).
“He brings great authority when it’s time to develop new ministries in our conference,” says Arrais. “Our communities love [his preaching] because he explains in a very easy way what God is saying through his Word.”
The Amadora church serves mainly African immigrants (Mente senior is originally from Portuguese-speaking Angola), many of whom use the country as a stepping stone to finding
employment in less economically depressed parts of Europe. Mente therefore ministers to a changing congregation of high needs people in transition.
…..
