Info: +01 (210) 557-4295 | comprehendingthetimes@gmail.com
WHO WE ARE
Biblical Education for the Times We Live In
CT College – Understanding the Times - provides biblical, theological, and ministry education designed to equip pastors, leaders, and believers for faithful and effective service in today’s world.
We believe that access to quality theological education should not be limited by geography, economic circumstances, or ministry responsibilities.
Our programs integrate biblical knowledge, theological formation, practical ministry training, and leadership development to prepare students to serve with biblical conviction, spiritual maturity, and practical effectiveness.
Our mission
To equip leaders with biblical knowledge, practical ministry skills, and a Christ-centered vision to serve their churches, impact their communities, and influence their generation.
Understanding the Times - Removing Barriers - Equipping Leaders - Transforming Cultures
Founders and Leadership
Carlos &
María Inés Garzón
John Mark Prpich
Paul Otremba
Arturo Andrade
Kyle Bauer
Humberto Paz
Operations Team
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Manuel Segura
Community Manager
María Paula Castor
Academic Coordinator
Eimmy Mora
Video editing
Our story
Late 1980s to 2000
2019
2020
2021
2023
2024
2025
2026
In the late 1980s, Paul Otremba, in partnership with FMI missionaries and local leaders in Colombia, helped launch a Bible Institute with a vision to make biblical training more accessible to pastors and ministry leaders throughout Latin America. Using the technology available at the time, courses were recorded on VHS tapes, duplicated, and distributed to cities throughout Colombia, Peru, and other parts of Latin America.
By the early 2000s, as the demand for biblical resources in the region continued to grow, there was a strong desire to re-record and update the original courses. However, the high cost of video production at the time made the project financially unsustainable, and the initiative was temporarily placed on hold. The vision, however, remained.
In 2019, while pursuing her Master’s in Strategic Leadership at Life Pacific University, Maria Ines Garzón became increasingly aware of a significant need: many pastors and ministry leaders within the U.S. Latino community and throughout Latin America possessed the calling, passion, and experience to serve, yet lacked access to the biblical and theological education they desired.
Prompted by the Lord, she reached out to Paul Otremba, her former pastor from her years in Colombia. She did not know that God had placed a similar vision in his heart decades earlier. For Paul, the conversation represented a renewal of the vision that had begun many years before: to make biblical education accessible to leaders regardless of the barriers they faced.
In June 2020, while the pandemic was closing many doors around the world, new opportunities emerged through technology. Comprensión de los Tiempos began making quality biblical and theological resources available free of charge. Classes were delivered through Zoom webinars, professionally edited, and uploaded to YouTube, creating a growing library of permanent and easily accessible resources for Spanish-speaking pastors, leaders, and believers.
In 2021, the Comprensión de los Tiempos International Bible School was launched. Designed as a virtual, asynchronous Bible school and powered by the Moodle learning platform, the school introduced a comprehensive three-year program organized into modules that integrate biblical education with practical ministry formation. This new model made it possible for students to receive training while continuing to serve their churches, families, and communities.
In 2023, the Comprensión de los Tiempos School received official certification from the Foursquare Global Council.
In January 2024, the school received official certification from Life Pacific University.
In 2025, CT College – Comprensión de los Tiempos received Theological certification from the Asociación Teológica Hispana (ATH), further strengthening its commitment to providing high-quality biblical and theological education in service to the Church.
In 2026, CT College began developing its programs in English, extending the original vision beyond the Spanish-speaking world. This new initiative was developed with a particular desire to reach pastors and ministry leaders in Africa and other regions where access to quality biblical and theological education remains limited.
Dr. Kyle Bauer has played a key role in the development of the English-language program, connecting CT College with professors and helping design its academic structure and educational offerings.
In September 2026, CT College launched its first English-language certificate program in South Sudan, marking an important milestone in the College’s international expansion and opening new opportunities to equip leaders beyond the Spanish-speaking world.
