Regional Snapshot
From Charles and Carmen Fleming

The Church in Latin America

By Hector Barrero

BOGOTA, Colombia—Our congregations in Latin America continue to submit themselves to Christ as he continues his work of transforming us. The commitment is to become congregations founded on grace. As they say, the journey from head to heart takes time but is worth it.

New people are being added to some congregations and these new members have brought renewed enthusiasm and vitality. Leadership is multiplying and is becoming more effective in preaching the gospel.

The word crisis best describes what is going on in the political and economic fields for the majority of the Latin American countries. Without a doubt this has affected the living conditions of members in Argentina, Colombia and Venezuela.

As so often happens, it is in the midst of these crises that people recognize their need for God, because they see no other hope. The WCG congregations, faithful to the calling of the Lord Jesus Christ, are taking the gospel of grace to those who are tired and wearied by economic or insecurity pressures and distresses.

In February, Carlos Espinosa, our senior minister in Argentina, visited members in Salto, Uruguay. Some 60 people met there to share the word of God and communion. They all rejoiced for the 15 people who were baptized last year in that city. An average of 40 people meet there weekly. They were joined by 12 of the 20 people who meet in Montevideo, the capital of Uruguay.

Mr. Espinosa also visited our congregation in Cafayate, Salta, in northwest Argentina. They had a series of meetings for strengthening, prayer and worship, a workshop on children’s discipleship classes and six baptisms. Thirteen members took communion. They also celebrated a wedding.

They shared moments of blessing and of encouragement. The members are grateful for the leadership at headquarters and for the articles in El Noticiero (Spanish WN).

In Buenos Aires, the capital, 11 people form a small group that visits the principal congregation in Ezeiza, where the church has a meeting room in which an average of about 30 people attend. In Bahia Blanca, to the southeast of Argentina, about 30 people also meet.

Pastor Guillermo Juy commented: "We maintain a regular attendance of 10 to 12 people. This year we had four baptisms, two of whom were teenagers 14 and 16 years of age."

El Salvador has been chosen as a central place for leadership meetings in Central America. In November, leaders from Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Costa Rica and Colombia, met in San Salvador to review the vision for the region. David Agreda is in charge of the team that translates and edits El Noticiero (Spanish Worldwide News), which keeps the members in Latin America informed and doctrinally up to date.

In Honduras, Mauricio Diaz, a bivocational pastor and an internationally recognized economist, leads a growing congregation. Marco Antonio Mejia leads a group in San Pedro Sula, a city in the north, where in less than two years we went from 12 adults and eight children to a congregation of 15 adults and 60 children.

This small group of members uses its financial blessings to support the work of the Colombian church. They sponsor a radio ministry in Colombia and the trips of Pastor Hector Barrero, who visits Puerto Rico.

Most of our congregations are seeing encouraging growth. We have a shared vision of building healthy churches that have the eight characteristics highlighted by Christian Schwartz in his survey of healthy churches around the world. Hector Barrero, our senior pastor in Colombia, is the national representative in Colombia for the Natural Church Development organization.

Nationally the attendance is 150, with 60 attending in Bogota. Much work is being done to develop different ministries geared toward evangelism. Pastor Barrero is active in the evangelical movement, serving on both local and national boards. The local board meets every three months with an average attendance of 70 pastors of different denominations to discuss leadership and church issues.

Pastor Barrero commented: "As vice president of this association, I have the opportunity to speak in these meetings about our church’s experience and the gospel of grace. Pastors invite me to speak in their congregations about legalism and grace. This is because some churches tend to practice old covenant laws."

Pastor Barrero is also in charge of the Billy Graham Association School of Evangelism in Bogota. It is a one-year plan to raise a new generation of young evangelists. Nearly 80 people of different denominations have attended the first two conferences and two more conferences are scheduled in July and October.

Seven people meet weekly in the Pacific coastal cities of Manta and Portoviejo to study the Bible and pray. They invite friends and others to join them. "As a congregation we desire to have more members," said Melba Muñoz, a member of the group.

Small groups meet in five cities: Cochabamba, La Paz, Potosi, Sucre and Santa Cruz. In Cochabamba, 10 people meet in a rented hall. Daniel and Carmen Arana work together with the Baptist church in Sucre.

Groups meet in four cities: Lima, Huaraz, Trujillo and Piura. In Lima, 31 people took communion in March. Jose Kasum Bustios, the pastor in Lima, noted: "We are consolidating a body ready and willing to carry out the mandate given to us by our Lord Jesus Christ." Two Dallas, Texas, Central members, Octaviano Nino and Odar Garcia, visited the group in Trujillo and encouraged and motivated the members there.

The Lord Jesus Christ is motivating the members in Latin America to work to extend his kingdom. The members are constantly being trained in evangelism and the results are evident.

In the midst of political, social and economic difficulties the Lord is blessing his church in the region. We are grateful for the support of members in other parts of the world.

CAFAYATE, ARGENTINA—
Young people enjoy activity.

BAPTISM—Member baptized
in Chihuahua, Mexico.

HOUSE CHURCH—Members of the Popayan,
Colombia, house church sing praises to God.

CONFERENCE—El Salvador.

RADIO PROGRAM—Hector and
Paulina Barrero record radio program.

ARGENTINA—Members meet in Bahia
Blanca. [Photo by Luis Chavez]

Copyright © Worldwide Church of God, 2002