Ministers work as one, without borders

Dave Bohyer graduated from seminary in 1974, the same year Adam Hultstrand was born.

But even with 26 years' difference between them, the two Elgin pastors recently teamed up in a partnership crossing not only generational lines, but also cultural and denominational ones.

The Rev. Dave Bohyer, pastor of Grace Evangelical Church on Bowes Road, and the Rev. Adam Hultstrand, pastor of Community Baptist Church in the Eagle Heights neighborhood, traveled to Uganda last month with Leadership Vistas, a Texas-based organization that trains Christian leaders in underdeveloped nations.

Many African ministers don't have access to seminary studies or skills training, and simply do their best on faith and the few resources they may have.

So when American pastors like Bohyer and Hultstrand are willing to share the benefit of their knowledge, they're welcomed with open arms.

It doesn't even bother these leaders that they're not all of the same denomination.

"Here in America, each denomination would have their own separate training," Bohyer said, "whereas there, because there's a greater need, they're willing to come together and lay aside some of the minor differences in order to focus on what really matters."

More than 100 pastors, youth leaders and evangelists, both men and women, from six different denominations -- Anglican to Pentecostal -- sat in on the five-day conference.

Bohyer taught classes on preaching, and Hultstrand conducted training in spiritual gifts and mentoring. A third American, Pastor Brian Stout of Dallas, completed the team.

The entire package, including training, transportation, food and lodging, was provided to the Ugandan leaders free of charge by the Leadership Vistas general fund.

Bohyer and Hultstrand had to raise their own funds to make the trip, but that didn't prove to be a problem.

They even had more than enough extra to share with needy people in Uganda.

They found lots of opportunities for personal ministry.

One night when he was away from the conference, Hultstrand gave $100 to a young pastor who cares for a dozen or so street kids in an abandoned house with no electricity and no beds. The children all have HIV/AIDS, Hultstrand said, and the pastor's commitment to these kids "had a huge impact on me.

"His only source of income was a small pineapple farm. He's trying to give to these kids when he has very little to give himself."

Later, Hultstrand said, "he e-mailed me and told me he spent that ($100) on two months' worth of food for the orphans."

Community Baptist plans to send the pastor another donation, a Christmas gift, to help again with food and rent, Hultstrand said.

The pastors also took medical supplies and Bibles overseas, and the kids at Grace collected sports equipment for the orphans.

Another Elgin clergyman, the Rev. Bob Whitt of Family Life Church, wasn't part of the African conference, but told his church about the trip his colleagues were making.

Children at Family Life responded by raising a sizable cash donation.

"This is what's neat," Boyher said. "The relationship part of it extends in all these different directions."

Hultstrand's ordination was just this year, but many Africans were encouraged by his newcomer status.

"There were a lot of young pastors there who really had very little money or training," he said, "and they repeatedly were telling me, 'If you (a young man) can do it, then we have hope.'"

He was able to tell these leaders that even American churches have financial struggles.

Bohyer and Hultstrand became friends at the Elgin Evangelical Pastors' Prayer Group, an interdenominational fellowship that meets twice a month to pray for each other and the city. That's also how they got to know Whitt.

"One of the things we're working on here in Elgin is the unity of the body of Christ," Bohyer said, "and the same thing is happening (in Uganda). God is saying the same thing to them: You need to get yourselves together, you need to be praying together, you need to be working together.

"To me, that's the most interesting thing in all of this -- to see that we could do this together, Adam and I, with our churches behind us, and then connecting with Christians over there, and the relationships that will be coming out of this."

Hultstrand said what impressed him most, besides the unity of denominations and cultures, was the big smiles all around.

Ugandans struggle with poverty, AIDS and a large orphan population, but "the joy that they have in the midst of tremendous suffering and obstacles is inspiring to me," he said.

"My problems don't seem so big when I see their problems and how they overcome through faith."