While I have been talking with other church leaders in Albania one of the topics that have stayed in my mind for a long time was that some of the missionaries that came in Albania were not properly trained to lead the new local church. I knew what they meant: some of the missionaries I met have never been in church leadership prior coming to Albania and haven’t been with degrees in theology.
SO when some problems neded answers it seemed to the Albanian counterpart they they were not offering good solutions.

In fact I have enjoyed their blessings, and surely I wished they could be more “perfect” -did I say that? Perfect!

As new christians from a post-communism generation we were looking for the “moses” who can do everything – can be nice, welcoming, acceptable, teaching and preaching, nice kids, inviting for lunch etc. When we were young in faith that was great, then we begun growing and thought that now we can discern for ourselves and can see clearer that our leaders are not as we expected -they were not PERFECT.

None is perfect and every matyre person and Christian knows that, but when it comes to the personal interaction can we think that our leader is not perfect – as we are or do we have higher expectations fot those who lead?

Does the training change the way the missionaries work and live and behave?

But for what kind of training are we talking about? A seminary, a Christian University or a College. Does it count the Bible Studies?

Living in the West for 3 years now I can see that in Western churches to be a pastor ( a professional one) you need to have degrees. So if you believe you are called and go to a training institution then you are able to lead.

What the bible says?

What kind of model are we following when we are thinking on training and preparing people for ministry and specially for church planting?

Are we looking for shapes or material that can be shaped?

Going back to my frinds in Albania. I think that even when missionaries were not properly trained they got an exellent training while they were doing God’s work. 
God has no problem to train the willing servant and man times He does in an unusual personal way.