Cultivating a Vision

Before a soldier goes to war, he spends months or years learning to use his weapons and preparing his mind and body for battle. Similarly, a Christian must often spend many years in training before he enters his God-given ministry.

Diego Ramos, 24, has a vision to start a creation evangelism ministry in his home country of Brazil. At present, however, he’s preparing for the work ahead of him.

Diego earned a physics degree with the specific goal of using science to serve the Lord. As a public high school teacher in Ceara, Brazil, he defended creation against evolution and taught his students truth at every opportunity. He still felt burdened, however, because few creationist resources are available in Portuguese to equip teachers properly. “I started realizing that . . . a scientific basis [alone] wouldn’t be enough for a biblically based creation ministry.”

To start a strong creation evangelism ministry, Diego realized he needed solid biblical training in addition to the scientific acumen he already had. His vision is to equip believers both to defend their faith against attack and to evangelize the lost through the creation-gospel message. “Defending creation is important,” he says, “but we can’t miss the Great Commission.”

On some friends’ advice and after prayerful consideration, Diego enrolled in the master of divinity degree program at the Master’s Seminary in California (www.tms.edu). Beginning his studies through the college’s distance education program, Diego is grateful now to be finishing his studies on campus.

While at school, he keeps busy translating creation resources into Portuguese, speaking at churches, and providing resources through his recently launched blog.

Even while he remains buried in textbooks, God can use these Bible-based resources to pave the way ahead of him “casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God” (2 Corinthians 10:5). Diego looks forward to the day when he can put his training to use teaching his fellow Brazilians that they can trust the Bible—and the good news they find there.