Report of the First Leadership Encounter of "Dignidad América 2020"
First Leadership Encounter of “Dignidad América 2020”
Bogotá, Colombia, Febrero 4 and 5, 2013
This meeting was aptly named the “first Latin American (Christian) leadership encounter” of the present century. Two hundred and thirty top Christian leaders of practically every nation and of 30 Colombian cities gathered in Bogota to face together the task of transforming their nations.
The meeting was convened by two continental leaders: the preeminent Latin American evangelist Alberto Mottesi and Luis Bush, author of several international transformation initiatives. They were joined by the Colombian founders of “Proyecto Dignidad,” Ricardo Arias, a Christian statesman who directs the National Savings Fund and Pastor Eduardo Gómez, head of Latinoamérica Nueva.
Several Colombian government officials delivered messages, led by the President, Juan Manuel Santos and the Attorney General, Dr. Alejandro Ordoñez. Other foreign dignitaries also delivered messages, including the Minister of Interior of Honduras, Dr. Africo Madrid, the former presidential advisor of Paraguay, Dr. Carlos Walde, the prominent prayer leader Cindy Jacobs, the leader of urban church coalitions of New York , Pastor Joseph Mattera and the venerable Dr. Kim Bumil, presidential counselor and head of the Canaan Farmers School of South Korea.
Also present were leaders of several continental Christian leadership networks, among them Arnold Enns of COICOM, Hector Pardo of “Call-to-All,” Ricardo Luna, President of CONELA (who participated digitally), Rolando Justiniano of City Transformation, Braulio Portes of the Christianization Movements, Yarley Niño of the 4-14 Window, leaders of Transforma Latinoamérica and of la Red Christian Businessmen Network.
In the words of Alberto Mottesi, “the Lord gathered us here to begin a new day.” Veteran observers of evangelical growth in Latin America confirm that a new day is really dawning for the region.
In a way, this meeting represents the fruit of seeds planted for many years among the Christian leaders by the regional conveners and others who have been gathering the continent´s leadership to prepare the way for transformation. Alberto Mottesi has preached before 20 million people in more than 50 cities of Latin America, and since 1992 has been gathering also high level civic leaders in them. Luis Bush, on the other hand, has facilitated the creation of international Christian leadership networks such as COMIBAM in 1985, AD 2000 in 1990, Transform World in 2003, and the 4-14 Window in 2008.
Latin America´s Christian leaders have been gathering internationally with some frequency for over two decades. COICOM, the international fraternity of Christian communicators has gathered thousands annually since 1992. Campus Crusade for Christ organized several leadership summits, and Semilla convened Christians in politics ten times during the nineties. However, several elements distinguished this meeting from others:
- the caliber of leaders participating, a good percentage of whom have leadership at the highest regional and national level.
- the diversity of substantial leaders, from political, civic and business, not just ecclesial and ministerial fields.
- the intense and deep worship, and the frequent prayer that returned the participants once and again to the presence of God.
- the presentation of concrete principles, plans and models of transformation.
One plan in particular is worth highlighting, which is about to be implemented in Colombia. It aims at turning a million low-income tenants into homeowners, cultivating a culture of savings rather than borrowing while establishing healthy social rules in their new urbanizations.
A model worthy of emulation is the Character Foundation of Paraguay, which is financed with the double-tithes of several Christian entrepreneurs and is investing in fortifying the church, the pastors and reaching to the poor though dozens of social projects, such as 150 soup kitchens in Asunción.
The tone and the content of the presentations and of the informal dialogue among the participants show that the evangelical people of Latin America are maturing. Their leaders are ready to outline a clear agenda of work:
- To seek justice, foundation of peace, and to promote the prosperity of nations
- To work for the elimination of extreme poverty, corruption and violence.
- To protect life, strengthen the family, and to favor children and youth.
This agenda is much more concrete and ambitious than any declared until now in meetings such as this. More important, they committed to do it as part of their obedience to the divine mandate: “Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”
“Dignidad Colombia 2020” the project advanced by the hosts was presented as an inspiration for all to declare principles, make plans and create models under the rubric of “Dignidad América 2020.” The Colombians declared “The Colombia we dream” to be a “just, tolerant, egalitarian and peaceful” society, where “the care of human needs is primary”, whose public servants fear God and put first the common good, where truth prevails in private and public actions. They outlined their plans with proposals for a Colombian they described as “educational, agrarian, social, family-centered and under God.”
There were some deficiencies in the program, intended for 120 but attended by 230. There lacked sufficient space for the participation and dialogue among the attendees. Some protested the exaggerated tribute paid to the Colombian authorities, which at times seemed to promise the political support of the evangelical people. And there were relatively few young leaders, no doubt due to the high level of leadership invited and the fact that they came at their own expense. That absence was compensated by a symbolic expression of repentance carried out before three young leaders, who were commissioned to carry forward the “torch of Transformation.”