At first glance, the name “Ebenezer Discipleship Training Center” may seem a little strange. In fact, those who hear it for the first time often have a perplexed look on their face. However, when the testimony is heard of how God is providing for this ministry, it becomes clear that there is a lot of meaning in the name. If you travel to Haiti, the condition of the country instantly grabs you. The poverty, the living conditions, the sick and hurting people, and the immoral condition of those outside AND inside the church is right out in the open. Voodoo and many other mixed religions have turned the name of Jesus into more of a good luck charm instead of the One Name by which we must be saved (Acts 4:12).
In working with the pastors in Haiti, we found many who have passion for the gospel yet few who grasp even simple theology. Pastors are often at odds with each other instead of being united in Jesus Christ. In 2008, a vision was born. If we could train pastors in basic theology and in the common language of Creole (most seminaries in the country are taught in French), then we could raise up an army of native missionaries that could bear much more fruit than their foreign counterparts. This vision was shared with 70 pastors at a training session. After much weeping and praying, they shared that no one had ever told them that they were responsible for the gospel in Haiti! They were so excited and we knew that we were in God’s will.
The facility was the biggest obstacle as it would cost between $200,000 and $300,000 to purchase property. Something that seemed impossible, God made possible! At the same time the Lord gave the vision of the discipleship training center to the founder, He laid this same passion on the heart of a Haitian woman named Gladys, whose father was a major church planter for Ebenezer churches in Haiti. Since her father’s passing, she had been discerning what to do with some property he left behind. God brought these two people together through a mutual friend of both. Gladys donated the property and its buildings to Ebenezer DTC.
As we thought about a name, we researched what Ebenezer meant. The answer is in I Samuel 7. It was a time when Israel had turned away from the Lord and the country was in disarray. The people realized that they needed God and that they would not survive without Him, so they asked Samuel to offer a sacrifice on their behalf. As they gathered for the sacrifice, the Philistines came against them. The Israelites were afraid and cried out to the Lord. As they did, God threw the Philistines into chaos and they were defeated by God. Samuel then held out a stone and called it “Ebenezer”, the stone of help, because the Lord had brought them this far.
We believe this is still true today. Ebenezer stands as a testament to God’s faithfulness, and we believe that if the people of Haiti turn back to the Lord, the country can be saved. We believe this will happen from the inside out through Christian leaders who know the culture, language, and how to refute voodoo and other heresies within the country. God has brought us this far, and He will be with us in the future!