The Vision

The adage goes, "Give a man a fish, feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, feed him for a lifetime." Yet if we would translate that into ministry we might say, "Invest in a man, a life is changed. Invest in a pastor, a thousand lives are changed."

Imagine a place that focuses on strengthening pastors. Imagine that every year over 1,500 Latin American pastors could be built up in the areas of theology, leadership and church administration. Imagine that another 1,500 North American pastors and their spouses each year could be encouraged in practices that will lengthen their ministries, strengthen their marriages, and make them better at what they do.

Now, imagine that you could be part of making that place happen.

The Brook Ministries, Inc.

Why Costa Rica?

Costa Rica provides an idyllic setting. It has no military, great food and water, a stable economy and a near perfect climate. In addition, it is centrally located, providing easy access to all Americans (South, Central and North).

It is also an important place to begin our work. Since 1992, there has been virtually no numerical growth in evangelical congregations in Costa Rica. And with only 12.4% of the residents in a personal, saving relationship with God, that means millions are still lost in religion and empty works.

The statistic is unusual because when evangelical work first began in Costa Rica a hundred years earlier, the church grew at an impressive rate, with thousands of individual churches being started, and hundreds of thousands of new believers. Yet for 16 years now there has been no numerical growth. The leadership gap is obvious.

One Costa Rican theologian noted recently that pastors there seem to follow the fads, some of which are weird, while others are downright heretical. And while there are some seminaries, most are beyond reach for bi-vocational pastors.

Leadership

Founder and President Steve Lucas is a veteran pastor with more than twenty years of ministry experience, most recently serving on staff of a mega-church in Plano, Texas, for nearly twelve years. Steve graduated from Dallas Theological Seminary with a Masters in Christian Education, and Piedmont Baptist College with a Bachelors in Biblical Studies. Besides serving as a pastor, Steve has also taught as an adjunct professor at Dallas Baptist University.

As the leader of The Brook Ministries, Steve's passion is contagious. Believing that the church is truly the hope of the world, Steve stepped down as a pastor, hoping that through The Brook he could multiply what he and others had learned in ministry, in order to make many more pastors better at what they do. Known for his teaching, Steve's desire is to encourage and empower pastors throughout the Americas, to keep them in ministry and add value to their ministries. "I consider myself blessed that God has allowed me to be a pastor," Steve shared recently. "I can't think of any greater calling in life. The idea that together we can now help other pastors thrills me to my core. The Brook will change lives."

To learn more about Steve Lucas, check out his personal blog, Yesterday Lucas. Also, be sure to check out The Brook Blog.

The Board of Directors:

• Jeff Simpson (Chairman), co-owner of Day Six Creative, an innovative and unique design firm located in the Dallas/Ft. Worth metroplex.
• Heather Simpson (Treasurer), co-owner of Day Six Creative, and a Certified Public Accountant.
• Angela Lucas (Secretary), a public school teacher, and wife of President Steve Lucas.
• Steve Lucas, Founder and President of The Brook Ministries, Inc.
• Bill O'Connell, former accountant and partner at Deloitte Financial Advisory Services, now retired.
• Larry Walker, a bi-vocational pastor and Certified Mortgage Banker currently employed with international consulting firm BearingPoint, Inc.