A large team of American Christians headed south of the border last week to share the Gospel with hundreds of poor Mexicans and to build homes for families who had previously lived in shacks.
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(Photo: Aaron Shapiro)Volunteers raise the frame of the dining hall in Baja, Mexico during the Baja Blitz 1000, May 21 - 26, 2008.
The volunteer church teams built 21 homes, a dining hall, and a storage unit in Baja, Mexico, during an evangelism event called “Operation Saturation and Baja Blitz 1000,” from May 21 to May 26. The event was organized by California-based Baja Christian Ministries.
The goal of the outreach event was to saturate two valleys in Baja – Terrazza and Rojo Gomez – with the love of God and to challenge 1,000 locals to complete the Bible study workbook called, “The Purple Book.”
“The whole outreach was a form of saturation of love and good deeds and Gospel outreach in those areas, and I think it was very, very effective” Bob Sanders, founder of Baja Christian Ministries, told The Christian Post on Tuesday.
“We had a little rain part of the time, but I think overall our prayers were answered and large areas were impacted by the Gospel of Jesus Christ.”
Some 500 volunteers participated in the home-building and outreach events, and managed to present the Gospel message and challenge 800 locals to complete “The Purple Book.”
Sanders said remaining ministry team members will continue the outreach to fulfill the goal of 1,000 this month.
Local churches will do follow-ups with those participating in “The Purple Book” challenge after the American church teams leave.
Among the memorable success stories of Baja outreaches, Sanders recalled hearing about local men who used to beat their wives stopping the abuse after beginning “The Purple Book.”
“We are all sinners and we all need help and sometimes when the Gospel is articulated clearly then people know how to come to a place of change and repentance, and begin to have more of a reverence of God,” Sanders said.
Popular Christian band Newsboys – a long-time supporter of Baja Ministries – also joined in the building project. Church members from Newsboys lead singer Peter Furler’s church, Bethel World Outreach Center in Brentwood, Tenn., also participated, along with others from Every Nation Churches – a global family of churches and ministries with a focus on evangelism – of which Bethel World Outreach is a member.
“I’m thankful for people who come down to build houses and to build lives for Jesus Christ through sharing the Gospel and discipling people,” the BCM founder said. “[Mexico] is a local, third world country that we can access pretty quickly and easily without a lot of expenses from airfare and other things … and make a huge impact in people’s lives.”
Baja Christian Ministry was founded in 1992 by Bob Sanders who had been ministering to the poor in Mexico since 1984. The Christian organization is dedicated to serving the physical and spiritual needs of the impoverished in Mexico in the name of Jesus Christ. BCM has provided over 1,000 homes to families in greater Tijuana, Mexico. It’s goal is to evangelize and disciple 1 million souls in the Baja peninsula and build 10,000 homes, church buildings and other projects to serve God’s people and the poor over the next 20 years.
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Comments
this is a very good project . As a leader in the Southern Baptist i recommend every church to follow the good example. God will bless. Everyone should be involved and do not kick anyone out .
oh, what happened to thousands of dollars that is given to the church every sunday? why are televangelist & pastors can afford to buy multimillion dollar homes, luxury cars & sometimes private jets while others are living in shanty homes. these people who live in shanty homes are SINNERS while pastors & televangelists are HOLIER. the more holy you are the rich you become.
Yes, may the multitudes hear the gospel of Jesus Christ and be spared from hearing another gospel. May they be sheltered from being taken captive by vain traditions, superstitions, complex rituals, pagan practices under the guise of Christianity, and the commandments of men that lead from the truth.
JHS,
I will agree with what you wrote.
StupidScholar,
Most birth certificates in Shantytowns come from the Catholic Church since there is not enough money for administrative groups from the Government to handle this job, so especially in shantytowns they are almost always 100% Catholic since the only way to get a birth certificate is to be baptized.
Moreover, JHS brings up a good point. If some of these people are not practicing, then I am happy they get any of the Gospel and I am also happy they might get a new faith in Jesus Christ. These evangelicals though will build houses and leave. This is what is the norm for American missionaries as opposed to Catholic missionaries. Most American Protestant missionaries go to third world for a short period of time, then leave. There are a minority of Protestant missionaries who make it their life but this is truly rare, while Catholic missionaries are almost always Religious nuns, sisters, Priests or brothers. These Religious always stay for the long hall and I know of many Protestant missionaries who were of my Church when I was Protestant would rely on these religious for comraderie, food and shelter.
It is a shame that some Christians think Catholics are not Christians. A Passionate faith minus education will lead to ignorance of not just Catholics but other Protestant Christians too. Again, I'm glad they did good work there.
As a Catholic I really don't worry about these groups, if the people are not going to mass or not even catholic, as many in Mexico, then these groups did nice charity work and exposed people to another side of the gospel, if these people are practicing catholics then they can take the free house, and keep going to mass anyway.l
Chris,
While I'm sympathetic with your plea here, I hope you realize that not all Evangelical groups, pastors, or leaders signed up with ECT. I would assume the same would be true on the Catholic side. To claim that these people 'didn't keep their word' is presumptuous. If they didn't give their word in the first place, then how could they not keep it?
I too am saddened that so many Protestants feel that the Catholic Church is completely apostate and are convinced that Catholics aren't true Christians. However, that is the reality. It is not hypocritical for these folks to act on their beliefs. While I would disagree with their presuppositions here, I must also disagree with your assessment of these Evangelicals.
Finally, where in the article did it say these people were Catholics? How do you know? Do you just assume that Mexican = Catholic? I'd be hesitant with such generalities.
Peace,
BJ
<a href="http://stupidscholar.blogspot.com">Stupid Scholar</a>
These "Do Good" missions are fronts to spread the PROTESTANT GOSPEL, which is not the full Gospel given to the Apostles and passed down in the Church that Christ founded which is the Catholic Church.
I'm glad they built houses for these people who desperately need shelter, but using charity to undermine these people in their Catholic faith is outright proselytization. This is wrong and the Evangelicals and Catholics working together dialogue agreed to not proselytize each others groups since both recognized each other as Christians.
This is an example of one side not keeping their Word.