We Need Trainers!

Each week, we have trainers who guide pastors, leaders, and anyone interested in becoming leaders through The Strong Leaders’ Workbook series, which consists of six modules totaling 94 lessons, with each lesson taking about 90 minutes to teach a group. ​ Currently, rural and impoverished pastors are taught by our Zambian trainer in Zambia, a group of Ugandans attends ZOOM sessions each Tuesday, and leaders from Guatemala, Nicaragua, and Venezuela attend ZOOM sessions on Wednesdays.  Our leaders do not receive any money for teaching, and the commitment to be available for a two-year period is impressive. Yet, sacrificially and unselfishly, they do so, and they love it. Why? Because the lessons are making a major difference in the lives of people who love God and want to become wiser followers of Jesus so they can, in turn, help others. And all of us who teach the lessons are blessed and encouraged in our own spiritual walks.

Meditation
Luke 6:40--A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like his teacher.
 
Imagine the value of being fully trained. Our lessons teach and develop aspiring and practicing leaders in Wisdom, Vision, Teamwork, Character, Attitude, and Conduct. They equip each person with the tools and confidence to apply what they have learned and conduct the same training with others—something our Kenyan, Ugandan, and Nigerian brothers and sisters are already doing. 
            
Here is the challenge. We don’t have enough trainers to meet the global demand among Jesus-followers who want to be trained. We are looking for retirees and leaders who love the Lord and are willing to commit time to our training so they can train others. In an age when attention spans are shrinking and conventional wisdom holds that it is too hard to secure commitment from people for anything longer than four weeks, we are doing just the opposite. We are making the hard ask. 
            
My West Point classmate, Jon Smart, who is one of our trainers, shared this: 
There are two aspects for me. From a selfish standpoint, I gain as much or more than what is being taught to the “students” I’m helping. This helps me. It is an honor to share my knowledge of leadership and topics within the curriculum; my career experience can be very beneficial. We can readily and easily relate the material and overlay our Christian experience so that it is beneficial to the attendees.
           
 If what I’m sharing appeals to and resonates with your love of leading, would you pray about completing our course and becoming an international trainer? It will take time; you’ll need to be faithful. But the rewards are eternal, and the fellowship is sweet. Please let me know if you would like to be involved.

Inspiration
“There is a vast difference between training people and developing them.  Training focuses on tasks; developing focuses on the person.  Training is unidirectional; developing is omnidirectional.”—Samuel R. Chand in What’s Shaking Your Ladder?

©2026 Daniel York.  ARR.  Reveration is the weekly devotional ministry of First Cause.  To receive these devotionals, go to www.firstcause.org and click the “Click here to receive weekly devotionals” box.  Unlimited permission to copy this devotional without altering text or profiteering is allowed, subject to the inclusion of this copyright notice.      
 
Ecclesiastes 12:10—"The Teacher sought to find delightful sayings and to accurately write words of truth.”  (Holman CSB)