“VIVA MEXICO” Independence Day Celebration

Our church celebrated Mexico’s Independence with our annual festival on the night of September 15^th (to ring in Independence Day on September 16^th).

 

With a photo booth, games (like a dart throw and moonwalk), and a program with trivia questions and Mexican dress competition, the festival is fun

for the whole family. 

Food was abundant- a potluck of the most traditional and beloved Mexican snacks and dishes. 

 

What a turn-out! Many families attended the celebration – even families that do not regularly attend our church.  One mother and child attended that Paco saw and invited

off the street while he was entering the event!  Our prayer is that these events will show the love and unity of Christ’s body to believers and non-believers alike- drawing them to join part of Christ’s family through salvation. 

 

Working for God's Forgiveness?

As Paco and I were out walking around our town, we passed this sign in front of the Catholic church:

 

(translation)

“Requirements to earn Plenary Indulgence” (aka: requirements to earn complete remission of the punishment of sin)

1. Make a pilgrimage to the Cathedral or one of the specified Jubilee Temples in the state with an attitude of conversion. 

2. Participate in the Eucharist or in another liturgical celebration, reflecting on mercy and taking communion. 

3. Make the profession of faith (the Creed)

4. Pray for the Pope and his intentions. 

“This indulgence can be earned any day of the year and multiple times, and can be applied to those faithful deceased”

 

This banner directly promises forgiveness for sins based on human works!

The Bible explicitly, emphatically and repetitively states that remission of sins in by faith in Jesus’ Christ’s sacrifice and resurrection alone!  Not by human works!

Ephesians 2:8-9

“8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast.”

May the truth of God’s Word and salvation by faith in Jesus Christ spread through our town, and all of Mexico!

Youth Hotdog Fellowship

          The start of the school year marks the start of a new season for our youth group.  Our prayer and focus for the group this year is to reach out to the adolescents and youth of our church who do not attend our gatherings- drawing them into the body of Christ and the study of His Word (while discipling the older ones to show love to these distanced youth).

 

          At our kick-off fellowship gathering, we ate hotdogs, cake, and played a Wii sports tournament.  We loved seeing everyone participating- even the new youth!  We are praying that these new youth will be encouraged to join us for our weekly fellowship and studies- as we start to study together the book of Ephesians.

 

 

 

 

First Operation Christmas Child Training of the season

After the local churches have been invited to participate in Operation Christmas Child (OCC), they are gathered for an information and training session of using the shoeboxes and children’s literature to evangelize in their communities. 

 

At our first OCC information/training session in Tlaxcala, pastors and leaders

from 21 churches/home studies/cell groups arrived!  All seemed very excited to hear about the vision and resources offered through this ministry. 

Leaders from one church approached us afterwards to share their plans to reach multiple groups of children in their area- believing that God had sovereignly placed each leader of the church in contact with different

children (either at a school, around a family business, on the outskirts of town, etc.) that could receive a shoebox and hear the Gospel. We love to see the Holy Spirit already directing their evangelism efforts to specific children around them!

 

My favorite part of the session includes training the churches to

share the gospel message with children- in a clear, concise and visual way (understandable even to a young audience).  Such a joy to teach and provide materials for churches to speak of Jesus Christ in a Biblical, understandable way! 

 

We are praying for each for each of these churches that will participate in

OCC this year in our state of Tlaxcala!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Search for Churches Around Tlaxcala

         September marks the start of the 2016-2017 “Operation Christmas Child” season!  The ministry here begins with a search for local churches around our state that will deliver the shoeboxes and Gospel to the children of their communities. 

 

         Finding churches in Tlaxcala is not as easy as opening a telephone

directory: the search involves driving through every city, town, and village and asking the local people for “evangelicals” (or “hallelujahs” as they are often known).  The search is often slow- on dirt roads, dead ends, poorly marked streets, and cattle crossings!

 

        Though it is a tedious process, it

is a great way to know the different people and needs of areas around our state.  On this search, Paco even found a community that speaks another dialect besides Spanish.

 

         One specific community touched his heart on this search: El Pilar is a small, dirt-road town without a church, but with one family of

Christians who attend church in a neighboring city.  The mother received Paco excitedly, asking if he had material for children’s classes, because her daughter leads small vacation Bible school classes for the community children at their home.  Paco was pleased to announce the Operation Christmas Child offered exactly that!- material for them to evangelize and disciple the children of their community! 

 

        This ministry offers the opportunity for believers (even with little education and low income) the materials to extend the Kingdom of God in their church-less communities!

New Believer's Study in Misiones

Paco started a discipleship study for new believers at our church plant in the Misiones community.  Though our small church only includes two local families at this moment, they will be firmly planted in the truth of the Bible!

 

The study includes weekly Bible reading, verse memorization, and questions for each participant to do at

home, as well as group discussion and teaching.

 

Even in the first few classes, we have witnessed the work of the Holy Spirit! 

-The very first study reviewed the basics of the gospel of salvation through Jesus Christ, and asked the question: When did you receive salvation?  Even the believers who

had supposedly spent years in the faith were confronted by the question and some renewed their commitments to Christ!

-Gerardo, who accepted Christ just this April, has been copying Bible references mentioned in the study in his notebook to remember them.  He also admitted to staying awake to read his Bible a whole night! (he said he was hooked!) 

-Even 14-year old Andrea has participated with enthusiasm with the other adults- answering questions and memorizing Bible verses.

 

As each believer is encouraged during the study to share their faith with others, we are conducting a “Groceries-Evangelism Outreach” – each participant will have a box of

groceries to give to a family they know in need, as an opportunity to practically share the love of Jesus. 

 

May each of us at Horizonte Misiones grow through our study of the Word!