A Calling to Love and to Serve
My wife, Magdiel, and I have a beautiful daughter named Hadassha. We live in Marinette, Wisconsin, and I am ministering at Twin City Baptist Church as an associate pastor overseeing the Hispanic and youth ministries. I also serve as a teacher at Faith Christian School in a nearby city.
In Marinette, we have a shipyard that builds ships for the U.S. Navy. It provides a lot of manufacturing work for people from all over the world. Many Hispanics from outside the U.S. – and inside the U.S. – have moved to Marinette to work at the shipyard and for other companies that offer tremendous job opportunities in our area.
Helping Others Recognize Their Need for God
My burden for the Hispanics is that they will understand that fearing God – knowing about God – is not enough. I want them to realize that they're sinners needing a Savior. My burden is that they will understand the Gospel, make a profession of faith, come to Christ, and see the beauty of Christ. I want them to realize that even though they come from broken homes and marriages, God can redeem those relationships. Even though they struggle financially, God has an answer. It is my burden that they will understand this reality and embrace it.
The degree that I am pursuing is a Master's Degree in Biblical Counseling. I chose that degree because I have met so many people with different counseling needs. In our ministry, we're currently working with Hispanics, and I found myself unequipped to be able to help them. That motivated me and gave me a passion to better equip myself to assist them with their needs.
A New Pathway with Fresh Opportunities
We have a Puerto Rican family who lives in our neighborhood behind our church building. The man has several kids, and the lady that he's with right now has three kids, not all of whom are from the same father. I thought, “How do I deal with people who, even though they are one home, all come from different broken homes?” That was the primary question that made me consider pursuing a counseling degree. I realized that psychology did not have the answer - only the Bible does. That's when I came across the Master of Arts in Biblical Counseling that Bob Jones University Seminary offers through SCOPE. I went on the website to look at their scholarships, and they transferred my credits. Before I knew it, I was enrolled in the seminary at BJU, taking Foundations of Biblical Counseling.
I have seen my husband using the skills that he is learning in his classes. He has given people a new hope that God can do amazing things in their lives.
Magdiel de Salas - Adriel's wife
SCOPE works so well within the context of ministry because of its flexibility. I can take classes, minister to my family, take care of my church responsibilities, complete my work, and do all these things without conflict in my schedule. Whether you're in the ministry or just leading a full life, SCOPE can help you attain your goals. It will allow you to manage your daily responsibilities and maintain your coursework. If you want to further your education and strengthen your biblical worldview, I encourage you to apply to a
SCOPE program. It has been an effective way to help me achieve my goals and be equipped for my ministry.
I believe it's critical that Adriel get a degree and get a Biblical worldview in counseling. Being able to address people where they're at is so important. Having teachers that will take him to the scriptures and will anchor him to the truth is essential in the ministry.
Matthew DeCleene - Adriel's Pastor