LATCOM

Summary

LATCOM, Leadership and Communication Training in Latin America, was formed in 1984. LATCOM supplies missionaries, short term project teams, and Christian professionals to teach and work in their areas of expertise. The organization seeks to develop Christians and ministries in the host country to create and run self supporting, self governing, and self propagating ministries.

LATCOM has the following ministries in South America:
School of Leadership uses Christian principles and ethics, (1) to provide leadership training for the church and community; (2) to provide guidance to school children, their parents, and educators; and (3) to evangelize and disciple business, civic, and military leaders. Radio Centenario, short wave radio, reaching minority language groups in isolated villages, to evangelize nonbelievers, encourage believers, and develop lay leaders for the body of Christ.

VEA, presents Christian videos and seminars to tens of thousands of public and private school students, and also teachers and administrators, teaching morals and ethics from a biblical foundation. LATCOM is restoring the Ayoré community of Zapocó to a God centered life by developing leaders to revitalize the Church, help them to economic self-sufficiency, provide primary health care, improve their school, and help them establish a voice in their nation. The future retreat center, Fortaleza, will motivate and enable men, women, and children to know God, to serve Him, and to impact their society and world with Christian principles and values.

LATCOM is a nonprofit organization. Contributions to it are fully tax deductible to the extent allowed by law. It is a member of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA).

Contact Information: [ Back to top ]

Organization Details [ Back to top ]

Purpose [ Back to top ]

LATCOM, Leadership and Communication Training in Latin America, was formed in 1984. LATCOM supplies missionaries, short term project teams, and Christian professionals to teach and work in their areas of expertise. The organization seeks to develop Christians and ministries in the host country to create and run self supporting, self governing, and self propagating ministries.

LATCOM has the following ministries in South America:
School of Leadership uses Christian principles and ethics, (1) to provide leadership training for the church and community; (2) to provide guidance to school children, their parents, and educators; and (3) to evangelize and disciple business, civic, and military leaders. Radio Centenario, short wave radio, reaching minority language groups in isolated villages, to evangelize nonbelievers, encourage believers, and develop lay leaders for the body of Christ.

VEA, presents Christian videos and seminars to tens of thousands of public and private school students, and also teachers and administrators, teaching morals and ethics from a biblical foundation. LATCOM is restoring the Ayoré community of Zapocó to a God centered life by developing leaders to revitalize the Church, help them to economic self-sufficiency, provide primary health care, improve their school, and help them establish a voice in their nation. The future retreat center, Fortaleza, will motivate and enable men, women, and children to know God, to serve Him, and to impact their society and world with Christian principles and values.

LATCOM is a nonprofit organization. Contributions to it are fully tax deductible to the extent allowed by law. It is a member of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA).

Mission Statement [ Back to top ]

Leadership and Communication Training in Latin America' Mission Statement is:

Proclaiming Christ to Latin America through training, equipping, and motivating Christian leaders and communicators to reach their countries with the Gospel.


Leadership and Communication Training in Latin America' Vision Statement is:

Our goal is that every man, woman, and child, in the countries where it works, shall hear the Word of God so that they may clearly understand God's salvation plan in Jesus Christ

Program Accomplishments [ Back to top ]

LATCOM expresses the following program accomplishments:

• LATCOM’s leadership seminars are being held for community leaders in more than 120 villages and towns, and they have been invited to reach even more.
• LATCOM’s public school ministry has allowed them to touch the lives of over 62,000 youth last year.
• LATCOM is beginning a pilot program presenting Character First material to the elementary students in the city of La Guardia. They hope that with the success of the program they can present it to the Minister of Education and have the curriculum adopted nationally.
• In 2003 LATCOM held the first national Bolivian youth leaders conference. The second conference will be held in 2005.
• In April, EPLABOL (LATCOM’s Bolivian Board) begins training over 500 elementary teachers in the city of La Guardia, near Santa Cruz.
• LATCOM is seeking the possibility of a post-graduate accredited program on leadership to be taught through their National School of Leadership in Bolivia.

Statement of Faith [ Back to top ]

Leadership and Communication Training in Latin America' Doctrinal Statement is:

We believe in the divine, verbal inspiration of the Holy Spirit and their authority for faith and practice in the lives of believers.

We believe in the unity of the Godhead and the Trinity of the persons therein, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

We believe in the Deity of the Lord Jesus Christ, and that He is true God and true man.

We believe in the lost condition of man, and his individual need of salvation from sin through the mercy and grace of God, and of the eternal condemnation of the lost.

We believe in the all-sufficient, substitutionary sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ on the cross of Calvary to redeem the world.

We believe in the bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ.

We believe in the bodily ascension to heaven of the glorified Savior.

We believe in the personal mission of the Holy Spirit for the regeneration and sanctification of the believer.

We believe in the living church of Christ on earth as the missionary agent for the evangelization of the world.

We believe in the personal return of Lord Jesus Christ, the hope of the church.

We believe in the power and providence of God to meet our every need."

History [ Back to top ]

The History of LATCOM is as follows:

• Dr. Charles Ramsey incorporated LATCOM as Latin American Professionals¹ Outreach in California in July of 1984.
• EPLABOL, LATCOM's counterpart in South America, began incorporation in Bolivia in September of 1984, beginning the unique model of ministry that would define LATCOM's missionary work. EPLABOL consists of a national and interdenominational board of directors who own and administer all of LATCOM's ministries in Bolivia. Our National Workers are Bolivian Christians who work for EPLABOL.
• Radio Centenario AM and Short Wave, a secular radio station was purchased in September 1984, and Christian radio began in Santa Cruz!
• In 1988 EPLABOL began administration of the LOGOS studio begun by Mission Communications. This permitted the mission to continue high quality production of professionally recorded Christian music, and to produce recordings of the Bible in the minority languages of Bolivia.
• In 1991 LATCOM and EPLABOL began the Escuela de Liderazgo (School of Leadership), a program designed to train Christian leaders in professional areas (accounting, administration, time management, program planning). It also promotes seminars that concentrate on bringing in key Christian leaders from throughout the world to train and motivate the church leaders of Bolivia.
• Through the EPLABOL board of directors COICOM (Evangelical broadcasters of Latin America) was born in 1992.
• In November of 1998 LATCOM and EPLABOL redirected the focus of the mission toward leadership development and away from mass communication. Our focus in radio became the evangelization of the 26 minority language groups represented in Bolivia. We are doing this through our short wave radio station in conjunction with three other missions.
• In 1999-2000 LATCOM and EPLABOL began a joint ministry to restore the village of Zapocó.
• In October of 2000 EPLABOL began Gente De Palabra (People of Their Word) a ministry geared to presenting the Gospel to the 20% of Bolivian society that make the political and economic decisions for the nation.
• In December, 2000 LATCOM transfers ownership and administration of VEA, a video ministry in the public and private schools of Santa Cruz, to EPLABOL. VEA reaches tens of thousands of students every year.
• In March, 2001 LATCOM and EPLABOL begin work on La Fortaleza, a conference and retreat center in Samaipata, Bolivia. It promises to be the first Christian conference center in all of Bolivia.
• In 2003, the Lord continues to open doors to present the Gospel of Jesus Christ in areas and places previous closed to other ministries, particularly to business, government, police, and military leaders.

Ministry Needs [ Back to top ]

LATCOM is in need of funds for the following:

• The Camp at Tambo – the LATCOM camp and conference center
• Character and leadership seminars
• The VEA video ministry that reaches 62,000 children a year.
• Homes for eighteen families in the village of Zapocó

Research Analysis

Transparency Grade [ Back to top ]

MinistryWatch.com 5 Star Financial Efficiency Ratings [ Back to top ]

Ranking Category	Rating	Overall Rank	Foreign Missions Sector
Overall Efficiency Rating		260 of 348	39 of 54
Fund Acquisition Decision		260 of 348	39 of 54
Resource Allocation Decision		of 348	13 of 54
Asset Utilization Decision		of 348	13 of 54