Ministry to Educate and Equip
Ministry to Educate and Equip (MTEE) is a ministry to educate and equip future leaders living in Central and Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union. It fulfills its mission through education, translation and printing, pastoral mentoring and ministering to children. Pastor Ron Bernier has most recently served as President on the MTEE Board of Directors.
Ukraine - Since 2004 Pastor Ron has served in short-term MTEE missions in Ukraine and Belarus, providing theological training, pastoral mentoring and local church leader development. Under politically brightening skies, Pastor Ron is adding to the growing Christian spirit in this land. His 8 return trips are the result of positive encounters with pastor students who invite him both to teach and share his faith. The connections the Lord makes keep widening!
Eight cohorts of students that Pastor Ron was involved in training have already graduated with Master's Degrees. Many are involved as teachers in the theological schools being set up all over Ukraine (32 schools to date), and will have great opportunity for missionary work in neighboring countries, particularly Russia. Whole new schools have been springing up in 2011 and 2012. Pastor Ron taught the first group of doctorate students who already have responsibilities as national teachers, and will begin to train other Master's Degree students. A second cohort of doctorate students is already underway. Pastor Ron will be instructing this group of students in February of 2013. In the broader view, Ukraine will be a significant center for the advancement of the Gospel.
Pastor Ron has also conducted Pastoral leadership training in several churches and denominations in the cities of Kiev, Smela, Skadovsk, Lviv, Harkov, Ukraine and Minsk, Belarus.
Commenting on Pastor Ron’s return trips, Paul Shotsberger, a director of the MTEE programs and Pastor Ron’s host said, "He was ‘back by popular demand.’ Overall, I see visits that have made a real connection. I believe that any of the pastors he taught and mentored would receive him warmly to minister in their local churches. And that has happened over and over again."