Can you imagine spending long, exhausting days plowing and preparing a vast field? Can you imagine then carefully planting your crops and waiting for weeks to see that crop begin to sprout and grow ever so steadily? See yourself pulling weeds, keeping away the birds and small animals that would love to feast on the tender new shoots. As the heated summer days give way to the cool fall, you know harvest time is nearing. Imagine the time comes to start harvesting the fruit of all the labor, toil, and patience. As you begin to fill the first baskets and rejoice in the bountiful, plentiful crop, you suddenly turn your back on the ready harvest and walk away to look for another unkept, unworked field. The remaining harvest sits untouched on the vine while you and others deliberate about the next ‘more exotic’ challenge in some adjacent field.
This is what our missions movement has done in large part in Latin America. In the early 20th century, missionaries boldly planted the first gospel preaching churches in Latin America. They faced persecution and often imprisonment. Over the following decades more and more attention was given to this area of the world. In the 70s and 80s many missionaries began to see hundreds and even thousands come to Christ. In the 90s the momentum continued. But things have radically changed in the last decade. Now, most have lost interest in Latin America. When it came to crunch time in the harvest, at the peak of evangelism and church planting, most missionaries walked away.
As a young missionary serving in Chile, we have seen people saved essentially every week for six years and multiple men called to full time ministry. There is no doubt that if more workers would concentrate their church planting efforts in Latin America we could see thousands, if not hundreds of thousands come to Christ in our lifetime. We are in the early stages of a total religious revolution in Latin America. Now is the time to up our efforts not to retreat and abandon.
In the next post, we’ll see why this shift has happened and what have been some of the consequences to this shift.
Read more about Latin American missions at bcwe.org and thelatinbridge.com
Gracias pastor por compartir este buenísimo artículo y gracias por amar nuestro país.
Cristian, espero poder despertar a muchos a las oportunidades en America Latina.
Jason, great article and even greater truth. May the Lord raise up many, many more laborers for Latin American missions.
Here to Serve,
Jeff Bush
Thanks for the article. There are have been times in Bolivia when we have seen people saved on a regular basis and then long periods of nothing. Hearts are hard but as the prophet said, the Word is like a hammer!
Thanks for the article. There are have been times in Bolivia when we have seen people saved on a regular basis and then long periods of nothing. Hearts are hard but as the prophet said, the Word is like a hammer!
Awesome article there. Thanks for the insight. Really loved it and plan on telling many others. Thanks for your ministry. Hopefully we will see some world class christians raise to this challenge.
I ran across this link on twitter. While I admire your passion and commitment to the Gospel advancing in Latin America, I think you go a little too far to say “abandon” just yet. I would say the vast majority of evangelical churches in the US still support and do missions in Latin America. I am certain this is true in ifb churches. I would assume this would continue if for no other reason than the close proximity to the US and the affordability of travel. I rejoice that there have been great victories in Latin America “hundreds and even thousands” for many decades now. Is there not reason now to rejoice over an emphasis in harvest where there has never been so great a harvest? Is it not God stirring the hearts of goers and senders to places across North Africa, the Middle East and Asia? I think it selfish to mockingly label them as something “more exotic” as if Latin America has lost some sort of sex appeal. I live and serve in a place where I cannot travel beyond a certain point without extreme risk of being kidnapped by al Qaeda and working among extremism. While you rejoice (and I) over salvations every week in Chile here people are dominated by Islam and have had no great religious revolution. Perhaps the day has come when Latin America and others send a great multitude of missionaries to these “more exotic” places. Just some thoughts of mine.
Brian, Thanks for your missionary zeal among some of the least reached people groups of the world. I think you are doing a fantastic job! By no means do I think that we should divert troops from the Middle East and Asia to go to Latin America… It’s not an ‘either / or’ proposition. It’s a ‘both / and’ proposition. I’ll post more on that later. We are working on the same team for the same King. Your win is my win and vice versa. By the way, exotic’s primary meaning is foreign, strange, and unusual. Have a great day and God bless!
I ran across this link on twitter. While I admire your passion and commitment to the Gospel advancing in Latin America, I think you go a little too far to say “abandon” just yet. I would say the vast majority of evangelical churches in the US still support and do missions in Latin America. I am certain this is true in ifb churches. I would assume this would continue if for no other reason than the close proximity to the US and the affordability of travel. I rejoice that there have been great victories in Latin America “hundreds and even thousands” for many decades now. Is there not reason now to rejoice over an emphasis in harvest where there has never been so great a harvest? Is it not God stirring the hearts of goers and senders to places across North Africa, the Middle East and Asia? I think it selfish to mockingly label them as something “more exotic” as if Latin America has lost some sort of sex appeal. I live and serve in a place where I cannot travel beyond a certain point without extreme risk of being kidnapped by al Qaeda and working among extremism. While you rejoice (and I) over salvations every week in Chile here people are dominated by Islam and have had no great religious revolution. Perhaps the day has come when Latin America and others send a great multitude of missionaries to these “more exotic” places. Just some thoughts of mine.
Brian, Thanks for your missionary zeal among some of the least reached people groups of the world. I think you are doing a fantastic job! By no means do I think that we should divert troops from the Middle East and Asia to go to Latin America… It’s not an ‘either / or’ proposition. It’s a ‘both / and’ proposition. I’ll post more on that later. We are working on the same team for the same King. Your win is my win and vice versa. By the way, exotic’s primary meaning is foreign, strange, and unusual. Have a great day and God bless!
Thanks so much for your posts. My son has learned about you in his RA class at church. He now spends quite a bit of time reading about your mission and your posts. Thanks for all you do and God Bless you!
Thank you for your encouraging words! I’m excited to hear about your son’s interest in missions!!
Thanks so much for your posts. My son has learned about you in his RA class at church. He now spends quite a bit of time reading about your mission and your posts. Thanks for all you do and God Bless you!
Thank you for your encouraging words! I’m excited to hear about your son’s interest in missions!!
Incredible Article. Thanks for writing it and sharing your heart! Looking forward to the other parts! I also agree with your last comment “It’s a ‘both / and’ proposition.”
Incredible Article. Thanks for writing it and sharing your heart! Looking forward to the other parts! I also agree with your last comment “It’s a ‘both / and’ proposition.”