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MISSION GTO SEPTEMBER 2022 UPDATE

GOOD TIMES IN GUANAJUATO

by: John Pigg, US-based Mission GTO Director

Les Ferguson, Sr. and I have just returned from Guanajuato, Mexico and thankfully God blessed us with another successful mission trip. From August 30th to September 14th, we spent 14 days with our Mission GTO Director, Fernando Arroyo, traveling throughout the cities of the state of Guanajuato, preaching and teaching in eleven mission churches.

From left: Esteban Arroyo (Fernando's son & translator), John Pigg, Fernando Arroyo, Les Ferguson, Sr.

In the book of Acts, Luke reported that once they had completed their missionary journeys, Paul, Barnabas and Silas returned to visit the churches of Christ they had established everywhere they traveled for the purpose of "strengthening the disciples.” Following that same mission strategy, we try our best to keep personal contact with the 22 churches that have been planted. We keep contact not only to encourage them to remain steadfast in the faith and keep growing spiritually, but also to motivate them to keep working hard in reaching and teaching lost souls. On each trip we try to visit as many of the 12 self-supporting churches as we can in order to learn of their progress and to fellowship with our brothers and sisters. We also find it important that we maintain oversight of the nine Mexican missionaries that we now pay so we can give accountability to all our donors that support us with the necessary funds to operate this great mission ministry.

MARRIAGE SEMINAR WAS A HIT!

One of the purposes of our September mission trip was to conduct a seminar in the Delores church on “Building Strong Marriages, for Strong Families, and for Strong Churches.” Brother Les Ferguson, Sr. presented four lessons over the span of two nights. We had about 80 in attendance the first night and over 100 the next night. There was enough interest in this topic that we have decided for Les to conduct another seminar at the San Miguel de Allende church during his Fall 2023 trip. It will focus primarily on the husband and wife relationship and each of his or her responsibilities to enrich their marriage. It never fails that on every mission trip, couples with failing marriages request counseling, and that was no different this time around. In one marriage, the husband had committed adultery, but the wife still loved him and was willing to forgive him, but they needed help in dealing with repentance, forgiveness and reconciliation. The next day they let us know that they were going to follow the biblical principles and practical suggestions we had given them and try to work it out to God’s glory!

A GREAT PREACHERS' MEETING

One of the highlights of our mission trips is meeting with all our missionaries and their wives, as well as many church leaders in a two day workshop in which we challenge them to continue to accomplish the evangelistic goals of Mission GTO. We also motivate them with biblical and practical lessons as we encourage them to “maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” that Paul discusses in Ephesians. We were blessed with 33 in attendance the first day and 40 on the next day.

During the meeting, we pray, sing, share meals and enjoy fellowship with each other. It was a blessing to witness them greeting, hugging, giving holy kisses to one another, growing in brotherly love and bonding together. I presented two lessons on what Christ expects of preachers and some principles for more effective personal evangelism. Les gave a lesson on the blessed Lamb of God and how that should spur on biblical faithfulness in preaching and living the Christian life as examples to others. All lessons were well received.

4 NEW CHURCH PLANTS IN 2022

Last January, we sent two missionaries to other cities to start two new churches. And during this trip, we were blessed to be able to visit with them! We visited Raul and Janette Leon in the city of Jerecuaro (pop. 50,000) and Leonardo and Daniela Fernandez in the city of Acambara (pop. 109,000). We also visited the city of Abasolo (pop. 92,000) where we have rented a place to begin a new church. Our missionary family, Hector and Maria Gonzalez, started a congregation two years ago in Penjamo (pop. 155,000) and travel there two days a week to evangelize and conduct worship. Finally, we visited the city of Romita (pop. 108,000) where we have rented an apartment and meeting place for a future full-time preacher and church. Our missionaries, Rene and Cleo Rameriz, who started the church of Silao (pop. 204,000), will also be evangelizing there two days a week.

Everyone specifically asked that I share to all our supporters how thankful they were for your financial support and your prayers.

Please keep Mission GTO in your prayers as we carry out the great commission to go, disciple, baptize and teach (Matt. 28:18-20).

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