Guadalajara: Profile of a Transformed Church

Jaime De Anda - Los Angeles, California

October 14, 2007

Editor's Note: This article was posted on The Mission Diaries: "A chronicle of works, events and ideas in Mexico and Central America Missions."

We kick off September [this article was originally posted on September 4th] with a profile of the church in Guadalajara, Mexico, where the local ministry leadership has implemented many exciting changes in leadership style and financial management, to build a church that could become a model to many others…

Guadalajara is Mexico’s third city in size. Located in the beautiful state of Jalisco, it is the birthplace of mariachi, the Mexican music bands known around the world. The Guadalajara Church of Christ began in 1990, being the first mission planting sent by Mexico City. The church has been instrumental in the planting of three other churches in Western Mexico: Tepic, Leon and Zacatecas. During the past two years, evangelist Juan Enrique Moguel (who was one of the first disciples baptized in Mexico back in 1987) and his wife Sofia have introduced several interesting reforms in the church. Here are some highlights from Juan’s article. (For the full article in Spanish, please go to the Guadalajara Church website (http://www.icgdl.org/gnoticias/noticia10.html).

The church sent off Gilberto and Angelica Tello to lead the church in Cancun, Mexico. After leading the church in Guatemala City for a few years, the Tellos had returned to their home country of Mexico and had spent ten months helping with the work in Guadalajara.

In early August we had a visit from Carlos and Rebecca Moyers of the Bayfield, Colorado, Church of Christ. (Bart and Becky, as many of us know them, were part of the original Mexico City mission team, were the first couple to get married in that church, and then led the church in Guadalajara in 1991.) The Moyers came with their son and daughter to teach a two-day family workshop.

After praying and also consulting several ministry leaders and influential brothers and sisters of the Leon, Tepic, Zacatecas and Guadalajara churches, we asked Francisco and Angelica Botello [pictured right] to move back to Guadalajara to co-lead the church with us. Both were converted in Guadalajara. Frank led the mission planting to Leon (Guanajuato) six years ago, and later on Angelica moved to Leon, where they got married. The Botellos will oversee the evangelistic efforts of the Guadalajara Church, while Sofia and I will focus more on shepherding, leadership training, and discipling our mission churches.

In keeping with Ephesians 4:11-13, we are striving to raise leaders who have gifts for different ministries and to build a team leadership culture. We hope to appoint Frank as an evangelist in the near future. We have a group of small-group ministry leaders who are not full time ministers but who participate in the main decisions about the church. These are brothers and sisters who have been faithful for a long time, who have raised their families in the church, and who are respected by the congregation. One example is Jose Carlos Alaniz, a school teacher who, after receiving his diploma from the Mexico City Bible School, is now in charge of our Bible teaching programs.

With 262 members, the Guadalajara Church is self-supporting. The church in Leon, with only 52 members, is also self-supporting! We have a financial committee that oversees the proposals, management and distribution of the yearly special contribution. This group has helped us create an environment of transparency with our finances, and this has greatly encouraged the church.

We have a deep commitment to mission work and responding to Jesus’ vision (Matt. 9:36-38). With the generous help of the San Diego Church of Christ, four months ago we sent a team of seven missionaries to plant a church in Zacatecas. That group now numbers fifteen [see picture below]. We want to keep supporting them financially for at least two years so that they can devote themselves to building a solid church.

Fernando Avila and Claudia Herrera, who were converted in Leon and then sent off to the Zacatecas mission, will return to Leon to lead that church. (Please read more about Fernando and Claudia’s sendoff and their subsequent engagement.)

We have been concerned for the church in Tepic. With little financial support, Martin and Paulina Bautista [pictured left with family] have remained there and have been true heroes. Guadalajara has decided to forward the mission support received from Los Angeles to the church in Tepic. In addition, we are going to send another couple to support the work there, and we will also plan monthly trips by Guadalajara disciples to go and encourage the Tepic Church.

And those are the highlights from Juan Enrique’s article. Again, for the full text in Spanish please go to this link: http://www.icgdl.org/gnoticias/noticia10.html