About Us

When the walls in Jerusalem had been broken down, God called Nehemiah to rebuild them.

Like Jerusalem’s walls, many of Nicaragua’s physical, social, and spiritual structures have been broken down by natural disasters, civil wars, and corruption.

Mission

We challenge the church to expand their understanding of the gospel in order to take over the holistic transformation of their surroundings.

How We Do This

We facilitate opportunities for spiritual formation and ministry development to the church for the holistic transformation of their surroundings

Identity Statement

The Nehemiah Center is a community of learning and service that contributes to the formation of leaders and continuing training of pastors using a biblical and holistic worldview, and that cultivates local, national and international collaboration for Christ-centered cultural transformation of communities and nations.

Vision

We see Nicaragua transformed through the church proclaiming and living out the fullness of the gospel.

Our Gift

We call forth the church to discover its potential and live out the fullness of the gospel.

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Core Values

Centrality of the Church

We hold that the local church is the principle agent ordained by God for the advancement of His Kingdom on earth (Acts 1:8), commissioned by Christ for the proclamation and demonstration of the Gospel (Romans 10:11-17). Each church is called to live as the incarnated body of Christ, and her members are called to live intentionally, making a difference in all spheres of life and society (Ephesians 4:11-16).

Biblical Worldview

We see the world and all of creation through the Bible’s perspective. The creation of God is good, and even though corrupted by human sin, it is being reconciled to God through Christ (Colossians 1:15-20). For this reason, the Nehemiah Center seeks the lordship of Christ in all aspects of life (Isaiah 9:6-7) and sees the church as the body of Christ, called to be His ambassador of reconciliation in the world (2 Corinthians 5:17-20).

Holistic Mission

We seek the transformation of the culture of the local church, family, and professional sectors into the culture of the Kingdom of God (Romans 12:1-2) so that, together, all spheres impact the different ideologies, values, and practices of society (1 Cor. 3:5-7) through a servant-hearted leadership.

Servant Leadership

We recognize that Jesus is our model of servant-leadership (Mark 10:45) and that He shows us how to influence the lives of people and communities with love, humility, integrity, and respect (John 20:21). We acknowledge the gifts and abilities as well as the weaknesses and needs of ourselves and others and the necessity of transformation in our lives and contexts.

Collaboration

We value and model the diversity and unity of the body of Christ (John 17:20-21). We encourage and cultivate spaces for mutual learning and cooperation on a local, regional, and global level for the common good and for the fulfillment of the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20) and the Great Commandment (Matthew 22:34-40).

Our History

1998

In October of 1998, Hurricane Mitch had blown in Central America. A Category 5 hurricane, Mitch devastated Nicaragua

1999

The Nehemiah Center was launched in 1999 as an interdenominational ministry to respond to the devastation that followed Hurricane Mitch. In the wake of catastrophe, the Nehemiah Center offered Nicaraguans a biblical worldview—a belief in a God who loves not just His church, but His entire creation. Following a vision conference, the center offered a series of workshops, to build not just healthy churches but also robust businesses, schools, and families. Some believe the Nehemiah Center’s best work in its first decade was in assisting pastors and church members to build healthy family relationships. The center focused much of its work in the cities of Chinandega and León.

2010

In 2010, the Nehemiah Center entered a second decade of working with Chinandega and León churches. In its new five-year plan (2010–2015), the center included continuing to strengthen these churches and schools with workshops on education, family and marriage, and church health. The center also planned to assist members of the churches of León and Chinandega to become agents of urban transformation in their communities. A third part of the plan was to launch biblical worldview training in Estelí, 150 kilometers north of Managua, a prominent stop on the Pan-American Highway with a temperate climate and a population of 119,000.

2015

In 2015, the Nehemiah Center moved towards a new strategic direction. The revised vision focused on collaborating with churches to strengthen them in their mission in God’s world. Included in that vision was continuing to build cross-cultural relationships between Nicaraguan and North American churches for their mutual transformation. According to the new strategic plan, the work of strengthening churches would switch from Esteli to Managua, where the Nehemiah Center was located.

Now

In the first decade, the Nehemiah Center was born out of the vision of three very different missionaries to Nicaragua in the wake of a natural disaster, Hurricane Mitch. As the center ended its second decade, it faced a new disaster: social and political upheaval. During the second decade, the Nehemiah Center has adapted to changing times. But its purpose has remained firm: transforming lives in service to the Lord of all.