Capitol Ministries

38 CM 2018 | International A FTER BEING NAMED NORTH AMERICA DIRECTOR, PER- RY GAUTHIER WAS A BIT DAUNTED BY THE SCOPE OF THE GEOGRAPHIC AREA UNDER HIS LEADERSHIP, AND BY HOW TO BEST SUPPORT THE MINISTRY LEADERS WHO WERE SCATTERED ACROSS THE MILES. But only a bit. No one who knows this talented, faithful, and tenacious ministry team was surprised to learn that Pastor Gauthier and Faith, his wife and ministry partner, found the solution in the Bible. "We were quite conscious of the enor- mous responsibilities and the gigantic geographic scope of the United States and Canada," Pastor Gauthier said. "And while we were discussing this, Faith said, 'We have to know these people, we need to know how they are really doing, how their families are, what challenges and obstacles they are facing, and how we can help. We have to go and visit them all and pray with them.' And I realized this is exactly what Paul told Barnabas in Acts!" Aer some days, Paul said to Barnabas, "Let us return and visit the brethren in every city in which we proclaimed the word of the Lord, and see how they are." Acts 15:36 e visit was between Paul's first and second missionary journeys to the capital cities throughout the ancient world. Pastor Gauthier thought, "at's a brilliant idea! Men who are called to be Ministry Leaders are independent and have an entrepreneurial spirit, but there are many ways we can help them, and they must know that they are supported." And so, in 2017, the Gauthier ministry team visited 31 U.S. state capitals, spending time with existing Ministry Leaders and elected offi- cials and networking and recruiting in states where ministries haven't yet been planted. And this year they did it again. In 2018, the Gauthiers visited 22 U.S. capitals and, in addi- tion to supporting and upliing Ministry Leaders and provid- ing additional training when necessary, from those visits new ministries were started in Arizona, Vermont, and Delaware, and a successful transition was made with an incoming Minis- try Leader in the successful long-established Oklahoma minis- try. So far, Pastor Gauthier has concentrated his efforts on the United States with a goal of working in Canada sometime in the near future. e trips have refined the thinking about the Ministry Lead- er position to include, in addition to degreed pastors, skilled, talented, entrepreneurial, and dedicated laymen — strong Bible teachers with the hearts of evangelists. In addition, a priority has been placed on expanding and deepening existing ministries. Perry Gauthier North America Director Nebraska Mount Rushmore NORTH AMERICA

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