Over 40 Nazarene leaders participated in the Nazarene Strengths Institute workshop held on Brazil’s Campinas District in late August. The workshop offered a variety of activities for leaders to learn more about and develop their natural talents.

“The Nazarene Strengths workshop was a great blessing to my life,” said Samuel Ribeiro, men’s ministries leader at Castelo Church of the Nazarene. “Not only did it help me to discover the gifts that God has given me but also how to apply those in my professional career. Since I attended the workshop, people around me have noticed a difference in my demeanor. This is the fruit of such an excellent project offered by the Nazarene Strengths Institute.”

The participants had previously learned about their top five strengths, which are naturally reoccurring patterns of thought, feeling, or behavior that can be applied to a person’s work.

The training allowed the participants to reflect on achieving excellence in their work and ministry. Several individual and team exercises were used to increase the participants’ knowledge and use of their God-given talents.

“Partnerships and teams built on strengths value the contribution of each member and build interdependent and trusting relationships,” said Calebe Luo, national Nazarene Strengths Institute coordinator for Brazil. “As leaders, our work is to value differences and use the best gifts and talents of each member of our teams. Doing so allows the Body of Christ to grow and mature. That is how Christlike disciples are made in the nations.”

--Church of the Nazarene South America Region