Missions History & Present Need
Baptist Mid-Missions (BMM) pioneered the Dominican Republic (DR) in 1950. Today, the fruit of their work is over 100 churches. Due to the amount of churches today, nationals need a Bible college. Then since nationals are too busy in their churches, they need missionaries to help them devoting themselves full-time to lead and teach at the Bible college. The Bible college offers a high quality university undergraduate level training.
Missionary History
In 1950, Baptist Mid-Missions (BMM) pioneered the Dominican Republic (DR) as the first Baptist mission board. BMM missionaries were in the DR until 1993 when the last couple retired, with the fruit from 1950-1993 being 30 churches planted. In 2007, a single BMM missionary started serving in the DR. In September of 2016 the Roys landed in the DR, and in January of 2017, their co-workers, the Peavys then arrived.
Present Mission Situation and Need
From 1993 to 2014, the number of churches that are the fruit of BMM has grown from 30 to over 100. The churches vary in size from 10-15 people to about 350. From these like-minded churches, an association of 30 churches had asked help from BMM to transition an already existing part-time bible institute that is serving the association, to a Bible college. Since the college started, another 30 churches have joined to roughly give a constituency of 60 churches. The plan was to have Jeremie start teaching by himself with two or three Dominicans who graduated from a 55 credit Masters of Arts in Biblical Studies in May of 2015. However, there are now 13 teachers. Currently, classes are taught with students present in five churches (plus two individual students in two other cities) via live internet transmission (as depicted below), and it is seeking add a main campus by purchasing land and building (where the red x is on the map).
The need is great for this Bible college. There are a few evangelical colleges and seminaries on the island. However, without this college, this constituency would not get theological education in those other institutions. There are several churches pastored by faithful church members without adequate theological training. Also, some pastors pastor a second church. So there is a great need for this Bible college to train pastors to strengthen existing churches and plant more healthy churches.
The college now offers two part-time undergraduate level programs which are taught over three years. Classes are taught using existing church classrooms on Saturdays and Mondays. However, for accreditation purposes and a deeper discipleship, the college board is seeking to establish a main campus with a limited dormitory capacity on top of the current satellite model. The college currently needs help raising funds for the property and and building to have deeper impact on the next generation. The amount is quite steep, as the property costs $457,000 and the construction $165,000.
There is a need for missionaries because many pastors work a secular job in addition to pastoring, and cannot devote themselves to full-time teaching. Some pastors also have a Christian school in which they are involved in, and one pastor has an orphanage. Therefore, they greatly need missionaries to lead the Bible college, and teach there as well.
The need is great for this Bible college. There are a few evangelical colleges and seminaries on the island. However, without this college, this constituency would not get theological education in those other institutions. There are several churches pastored by faithful church members without adequate theological training. Also, some pastors pastor a second church. So there is a great need for this Bible college to train pastors to strengthen existing churches and plant more healthy churches.
The college now offers two part-time undergraduate level programs which are taught over three years. Classes are taught using existing church classrooms on Saturdays and Mondays. However, for accreditation purposes and a deeper discipleship, the college board is seeking to establish a main campus with a limited dormitory capacity on top of the current satellite model. The college currently needs help raising funds for the property and and building to have deeper impact on the next generation. The amount is quite steep, as the property costs $457,000 and the construction $165,000.
There is a need for missionaries because many pastors work a secular job in addition to pastoring, and cannot devote themselves to full-time teaching. Some pastors also have a Christian school in which they are involved in, and one pastor has an orphanage. Therefore, they greatly need missionaries to lead the Bible college, and teach there as well.
Facts about the DR
Geography: The Dominican Republic shares tropical island Hispaniola with Haiti roughly at a 2:1 ratio. Hispaniola is the second largest island in the Caribbean after Cuba, and the Dominican Republic is the third largest country in the Caribbean.
Religion: The main religion is Catholicism. About 80% of Dominicans claim to be Catholics. However, there is a growing trend of nominal Catholicism. About 6% of Dominicans are Protestants. About 5% are non-religious, about 5% practice cults like 7th day Adventists and JWs, and 4% practice other religions.
Demographics: In 2007, the population of the Dominican Republic was 9,760,000. The capital city, Santo Domingo, had a population of 3,014,000. The second and third largest cities are Santiago de los Caballeros with a population of 756,098, and San Cristobal with 275,000. The Dominican population is 73% multiracial, 16% white, and 11% black. As to language, all Dominicans speak Spanish. However, some speak a dialect called Dominican Spanish, and some of Haitian descent speak Haitian Creole. Violent crimes tends to be treated lightly. As to health, malaria is present in some areas of the Dominican.
Economics: The Dominican has the second highest economy in Central America and the Caribbean. In 2007, its GDP per capita was $9,208. Agriculture, natural resources, and mining are the Dominican’s strengths, as are government services. Lately, the service sector with tourism has been a significant economic asset. Despite this strong growth, the country has much government corruption and resource mismanagement. Also, though the Dominican has a large middle class, there are many very poor people, creating a wide gap between the rich and the poor. Communications and technology are well developed. The electricity system, however, is weak. Bigger cities and tourist areas have developed more reliable systems in recent years, but many Dominicans still experience power outages because of obsolete systems that suffer transmission failures. The Dominican has highways that span the country and allow for efficient transportation. The Dominicans have the second largest army in the Caribbean next to Cuba, and also have a well-established police.
Culture: The Dominican culture can be described generally with the following descriptors: appearance and shame, high power distance, collective, rich versus poor, expressive, uncertain and short-term oriented as opposed to stable and long-term, corrupt, and religious. The Dominicans love baseball, the leading sport.
History/Politics: Christopher Columbus established the first European permanent settlement on the Island of Hispaniola. Hispaniola was inhabited by an indigenous group call the Taínos when Columbus arrived. The Dominican Republic was under Spanish rule from 1492 until 1821, when it obtained independence from Spain. In 1916 the U.S. took control of the Dominican to help them recover from prior unstable political leaders. The U.S. helped to establish Horacio Vásquez Lajara as president. He was in office until 1930. Under him, the people were given political freedom, the economy grew, and the country experienced peace. Then Rafael Trujillo dictated over the Dominican Republic from 1930 to 1961, when he was assassinated. His dictatorship was known as one of the bloodiest rules ever in the Americas. Trujillo’s assassination left the country in an unstable state, going in different political directions. Late in 1962, the first elections known to the Dominican Republic were held, and democracy became official when Juan Bosch was publicly declared as president in February of 1963. Bosch immediately started a major reconstruction, establishing freedom for the people and a liberal constitution, amongst many other things. Only seven months after being elected, Bosch was overthrown by the military. The country was ruled by the military for nineteen months until the people revolted in April, 1965 because they wanted Bosch back. Days later the U.S. intervened, fearing the Dominican would become a “second communist Cuba” if left to herself. The U.S. helped the democracy to be established, staying a full year after Joaquín Balaquer had been elected. Joaquín Balaguer was elected from 1966-1978, and again from 1986-1996. Balaguer helped to rebuild much infrastructure. However, he repressed human rights and liberties. In 1979, Antonio Guzmán Fernandez from the Dominican Revolutionary Party defeated Balaguer in the elections and the country began to experience some relative freedom and basic human rights. In 1996, Leonel Fernandez won the elections, giving the Dominican Liberal Party its first win. During his four years, the country grew economically. Skipping ahead to 2012, Danilo Medina, from the Dominican Liberal Party, was elected under the promise of investing more in social programs and education rather than infrastructure. Though Medina has done much good, the infrastructure of the country still is very corrupt.
Haiti/DR: There is much illegal immigration from Haiti to the Dominican. The Dominican is doing quite well economically relative to Haiti, which is very poor. There is a general unhealthy relationship between the two countries.
Religion: The main religion is Catholicism. About 80% of Dominicans claim to be Catholics. However, there is a growing trend of nominal Catholicism. About 6% of Dominicans are Protestants. About 5% are non-religious, about 5% practice cults like 7th day Adventists and JWs, and 4% practice other religions.
Demographics: In 2007, the population of the Dominican Republic was 9,760,000. The capital city, Santo Domingo, had a population of 3,014,000. The second and third largest cities are Santiago de los Caballeros with a population of 756,098, and San Cristobal with 275,000. The Dominican population is 73% multiracial, 16% white, and 11% black. As to language, all Dominicans speak Spanish. However, some speak a dialect called Dominican Spanish, and some of Haitian descent speak Haitian Creole. Violent crimes tends to be treated lightly. As to health, malaria is present in some areas of the Dominican.
Economics: The Dominican has the second highest economy in Central America and the Caribbean. In 2007, its GDP per capita was $9,208. Agriculture, natural resources, and mining are the Dominican’s strengths, as are government services. Lately, the service sector with tourism has been a significant economic asset. Despite this strong growth, the country has much government corruption and resource mismanagement. Also, though the Dominican has a large middle class, there are many very poor people, creating a wide gap between the rich and the poor. Communications and technology are well developed. The electricity system, however, is weak. Bigger cities and tourist areas have developed more reliable systems in recent years, but many Dominicans still experience power outages because of obsolete systems that suffer transmission failures. The Dominican has highways that span the country and allow for efficient transportation. The Dominicans have the second largest army in the Caribbean next to Cuba, and also have a well-established police.
Culture: The Dominican culture can be described generally with the following descriptors: appearance and shame, high power distance, collective, rich versus poor, expressive, uncertain and short-term oriented as opposed to stable and long-term, corrupt, and religious. The Dominicans love baseball, the leading sport.
History/Politics: Christopher Columbus established the first European permanent settlement on the Island of Hispaniola. Hispaniola was inhabited by an indigenous group call the Taínos when Columbus arrived. The Dominican Republic was under Spanish rule from 1492 until 1821, when it obtained independence from Spain. In 1916 the U.S. took control of the Dominican to help them recover from prior unstable political leaders. The U.S. helped to establish Horacio Vásquez Lajara as president. He was in office until 1930. Under him, the people were given political freedom, the economy grew, and the country experienced peace. Then Rafael Trujillo dictated over the Dominican Republic from 1930 to 1961, when he was assassinated. His dictatorship was known as one of the bloodiest rules ever in the Americas. Trujillo’s assassination left the country in an unstable state, going in different political directions. Late in 1962, the first elections known to the Dominican Republic were held, and democracy became official when Juan Bosch was publicly declared as president in February of 1963. Bosch immediately started a major reconstruction, establishing freedom for the people and a liberal constitution, amongst many other things. Only seven months after being elected, Bosch was overthrown by the military. The country was ruled by the military for nineteen months until the people revolted in April, 1965 because they wanted Bosch back. Days later the U.S. intervened, fearing the Dominican would become a “second communist Cuba” if left to herself. The U.S. helped the democracy to be established, staying a full year after Joaquín Balaquer had been elected. Joaquín Balaguer was elected from 1966-1978, and again from 1986-1996. Balaguer helped to rebuild much infrastructure. However, he repressed human rights and liberties. In 1979, Antonio Guzmán Fernandez from the Dominican Revolutionary Party defeated Balaguer in the elections and the country began to experience some relative freedom and basic human rights. In 1996, Leonel Fernandez won the elections, giving the Dominican Liberal Party its first win. During his four years, the country grew economically. Skipping ahead to 2012, Danilo Medina, from the Dominican Liberal Party, was elected under the promise of investing more in social programs and education rather than infrastructure. Though Medina has done much good, the infrastructure of the country still is very corrupt.
Haiti/DR: There is much illegal immigration from Haiti to the Dominican. The Dominican is doing quite well economically relative to Haiti, which is very poor. There is a general unhealthy relationship between the two countries.