In Faith and Humility: One Man’s Ministry in Argentina
Alejandro Peluffo had pastored a congregation in Lobos, Argentina for over fifteen years when he realized something was lacking.
"I realized that my preaching ministry was not powerful," he said.
Alejandro had been studying the writings of Luther and Calvin while preparing to teach at a conference. In their emphasis on the power and sufficiency of Scripture alone, he saw a contrast to a pulpit ministry that relied on wit and humor.
"I put a lot of material in my sermons just to be funny. I was under conviction seriously, so I asked forgiveness to my home church.
Alejandro went back to studying the Bible in its original languages, in the hopes of becoming an expositor. But it wasn't enough. Upon meeting Henry Tolopilo—then the Spanish pastor at Grace Community Church—Alejandro shared, "I have in my heart a burden for the Bible and for serious preaching. So can you help us?"
"Come to Shepherd's Conference," Henry replied.
“We have been praying for many years to have somebody from Argentina here to be trained”
At the conference, Alejandro hoped to gain some guidance from other Spanish-speaking leaders to pursue further training. But Henry's vision was more long-term. Alejandro recalled his proposal: "We have been praying for many years to have somebody from Argentina here to be trained and then go back to Argentina and plant a training center.
And we, all of us who have met you, we consider that you are the guy."
Well, this is my dream, Alejandro thought. But he also didn’t think he knew enough English to live in California. And how could he leave his church without a pastor?
"Well, you can learn English," Henry said, according to Alejandro. As for the church, Henry added, "We trust in the sovereignty of God, so we can pray about that, starting now."
With that faith, Alejandro took the invitation and came to attend The Master's Seminary (TMS) in June 2006. Always in his mind was the formation of a future training ministry.
This would become the Expositor's Institute in Argentina (IDEAR), a TMAI school that now has over 250 students from all over South America.
Back to the Bible
At TMAI, it is critical that our training center leaders lead by exemplifying a love for the church and commitment to God's Word.
Alejandro was characterized by these passions. But he also had an unwavering sense of commitment and perseverance for what needed to be done to turn a dream into a school.
When Alejandro completed his studies at TMS, he was eager to begin equipping other Argentinian pastors in expositing the Scriptures. And a small group of men was waiting. After Alejandro's return in 2013, they began meeting for seven hours each week to study through the Old and New Testaments.
"We did that for the whole year," Alejandro remembered. "They never skipped any meetings."
The next year, Alejandro organized a workshop on expository preaching. 60 pastors and church leaders came, and Alejandro offered preaching classes to them. To his surprise, 24 signed up.
However, these pastors lived all over Argentina—some even seven hours away by car. As the demand for training grew beyond what one man could reach, IDEAR expanded into recorded courses that could bring the same quality of teaching to pastors far away.
To open doors for the young training center, Alejandro continued to build relationships and offer his expository preaching workshop in other cities and at conferences. His lectures brought him to both Uruguay and Paraguay, where some local churches began a close partnership with IDEAR.
Bold, But Humble
Alejandro’s biblical commitments also put him in clear contrast to a tide of Spanish scholars questioning the inerrancy of Scripture.
“For us this is unacceptable,” Alejandro said. “It is going to erode your faith, and your courage, and your boldness to preach the Bible.”
For IDEAR, the truth—and conviction of the truth—had to be the basis of any ministry. Yet, when some pastors and churches resisted this Scripture-first approach, Alejandro never responded with anger. He wanted the training center to be marked not just by confidence, but humility.
"We want to be a blessing for the local church, and for that purpose we try to be as humble as possible," he explained.
Alejandro also focused on investing in a team of leaders characterized by this attitude. Today, IDEAR’s staff has grown to almost a dozen people, who in turn serve over 200 students. While the majority of these students are from Argentina and Paraguay, many have enrolled from other countries including Cuba, Venezuela, Ecuador, Peru, and Chile. These men are eager for the serious preaching of the Word in their congregations and communities.
“IDEAR is an answered prayer for those who recognized the shortage of equipped pastors and leaders in South America.”
Even with an expanded faculty, the demand for training has far outpaced the workers. Last year, IDEAR added an online, self-paced program to make courses accessible for laypeople, without the demands of completing a degree. Currently, 60 students are enrolled in the Edifica program.
Through this incredible growth, Alejandro has remained focused on the work he started with just 16 students. “We are trying really right now to create leaders—national leaders,” he said.
IDEAR is an answered prayer for those who recognized the shortage of equipped pastors and leaders in South America. But this same need exists throughout the world. The building of strong churches, the maturity of believers, and the fulfillment of the Great Commission requires trained shepherds.
Indigenous leadership is critical to ensuring TMAI’s long-term ministry around the world. In every country, our goal is to ultimately commit each training center to local men who have a burden for their nation and a vision to invest in future generations. These men are leading not just in the pulpit, but by their quiet example. We praise God that he can use even one man’s path of obedience to advance his Word among thousands.
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