THE DECADE
A Decade of Empowerment and Multiplication
2021–2030
Equipping indigenous believers. Empowering native churches. Transforming communities through the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
The Decade is Bread of Hope’s long-term ministry strategy to strengthen Wayuu believers, indigenous churches, and communities in La Guajira, Colombia.
Our vision is to see healthy, multiplying indigenous churches where believers understand God’s Word, leaders equip others to make disciples, and local churches bring the hope of the Gospel to their communities.
We believe lasting ministry grows when indigenous believers are equipped to lead, disciple, and serve their own people. Our role is to come alongside them, providing biblical training, practical resources, and ongoing support as they carry out the work God has entrusted to them.
OUR VISION
We are working toward three connected outcomes:
Healthy Disciple Multiplication
Believers growing in their understanding of Scripture, following Jesus, and investing in the spiritual growth of others.
Healthy Gospel Propagation
Indigenous churches sharing the Gospel faithfully, developing local leaders, and reaching their communities through intentional, relationship-centered discipleship.
Healthy Community Development
Indigenous churches identifying community needs and leading appropriate initiatives that demonstrate Christ’s love and create opportunities for meaningful relationships and Gospel witness.
THE CHALLENGE & OUR APPROACH
The challenges facing individuals, churches, and communities are interconnected. Our strategy addresses each of these areas through a unified approach centered on the Gospel and the leadership of indigenous believers.
THE INDIVIDUAL
The challenge: Growing in biblical understanding
Some people who identify as Christians have had limited opportunities to understand the Gospel clearly. Confusion about salvation, grace, and faith can affect how people understand their relationship with God and what it means to follow Jesus.
Our approach: Equip believers with God’s Word
We provide biblical and ministry training that helps indigenous believers understand Scripture, communicate the Gospel faithfully, and grow as disciples who can teach and disciple others.
THE CHURCH
The challenge: Strengthening discipleship and local leadership
Indigenous churches need ongoing opportunities to develop biblically grounded leaders, strengthen relationships among believers, and cultivate expressions of church life that are faithful to Scripture and meaningful within Wayuu language and culture.
Our approach: Empower healthy, multiplying churches
We come alongside indigenous churches to strengthen discipleship, develop local leaders, and encourage believers to use their gifts in serving one another and reaching their communities.
THE COMMUNITY
The challenge: Responding to local needs
Wayuu communities face a range of social, economic, health, and environmental challenges. Meaningful responses require understanding local realities, respecting community knowledge, and involving the people most directly affected.
Our approach: Support indigenous-led community development
We support indigenous churches as they identify community needs and lead appropriate initiatives that serve their neighbors, build relationships, and demonstrate the love of Christ in practical ways.
OUR STRATEGY
EQUIP • EMPOWER • TRANSFORM
These three pillars describe how we pursue our vision. Each builds on the others, moving from biblical understanding in the individual, to stronger churches, to community engagement led by indigenous believers.
EQUIP
The Individual
Biblical understanding. Faithful discipleship. Equipped leaders.
We equip Wayuu believers and emerging leaders to understand God’s Word, grasp the message of salvation by grace through faith, and use their gifts to disciple others.
Through Sembradores (Seed Sowers), we provide indigenous leaders with Bible and ministry training to help them interpret Scripture, teach it faithfully, and put it into practice in their churches and communities.
Our goal is to develop faithful, capable disciples and teachers who can continue equipping others.
EMPOWER
The Church
Gospel-centered discipleship. Local leadership. Church multiplication.
We come alongside indigenous churches as they strengthen discipleship, develop leaders, and take increasing responsibility for their ministry and outreach.
Church leaders are encouraged to invest intentionally in others, help believers grow in their understanding of Scripture, recognize and develop spiritual gifts, and equip others to serve.
Our goal is to see healthy indigenous churches that make disciples, develop local leaders, and participate actively in reaching their communities.
TRANSFORM
The Community
Local initiative. Practical service. Gospel witness.
We support indigenous churches as they identify needs in their communities and consider practical, locally appropriate ways to serve their neighbors.
Depending on local priorities and partnerships, initiatives may include health and wellness, education, water and sanitation, or other community development efforts.
These initiatives are opportunities for churches to serve people with dignity, build meaningful relationships, and demonstrate Christ’s love while sharing the hope of the Gospel.
Our goal is to encourage community engagement that is shaped by local knowledge, led by indigenous churches, and rooted in a desire to serve faithfully and sustainably.
THE DECADE TIMELINE
From Equipping to Empowerment to Transformation
The Decade reflects a long-term commitment to strengthening indigenous leadership and supporting the growth of healthy, multiplying churches.
2021–2024 | EQUIP (Laying the Foundation)
Launching the strategy, building relationships, and developing greater indigenous participation and leadership in ministry.
2025–2027 | EMPOWER
Strengthening indigenous churches through Gospel-centered discipleship, leadership development, and increasing local ownership of ministry. This phase includes the transition toward indigenous-led Sembradores training.
2028–2030 | TRANSFORM
Supporting indigenous churches as they identify community needs, lead appropriate initiatives, and continue multiplying disciples and leaders.
2030 | Looking Ahead
Our vision extends beyond the end of The Decade: indigenous believers and churches increasingly equipped to lead, disciple, serve, and reach their communities and beyond.
THE FUTURE WE ARE WORKING TOWARD
We believe the long-term health of indigenous churches is essential to the continued spread of the Gospel among the Wayuu.
We want to see believers grounded in Scripture, leaders equipped to teach and disciple others, and churches taking increasing ownership of their mission. We also want to see these churches serve their communities with compassion, wisdom, and a commitment to demonstrating the love of Christ.
This work requires patience, partnership, and a willingness to invest in local leaders over time. Our role is not to replace indigenous leadership, but to strengthen it, coming alongside Wayuu believers as they faithfully serve their churches and communities.
JOIN US IN THE WORK
The Decade is a long-term investment in indigenous believers, healthy churches, and communities reached with the Gospel.
Through prayer, generosity, and partnership, you can help equip indigenous leaders, strengthen local churches, and support their efforts to make disciples and serve their communities.
Together, we can help indigenous churches grow in health, multiply disciples, and carry the hope of the Gospel to future generations.
