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Returning to the United States after nearly five years working
in the field, as professors and pastors, we were invited to visit
different churches, both Hispanic and Anglo. We spoke with young
people, women and family groups.
These are our insights:
- Probably this is a biased one. We saw some very lively churches
that are investing money in mission, both locally and overseas.
They're sending mission groups and supporting missionaries.
Our question is: Are they sending mission groups and investing
in mission because they are lively or are they lively because
of this?
- We visited some churches that are open to new ideas and they
are growing. Some examples: (1) One church has a traditional
service full of people in the sanctuary and, at the same time,
holds a contemporary service in the gymnasium for other people.
The sermon for both groups is the same. In the gym, it is projected
on a screen. (2) Two traditional churches are growing because
of the attention that the leadership is giving to children,
youth, and young couples through day-care service, mission trips
for the youth, and hiring a young woman minister. Our question
is: Are those churches growing because they are giving space
for new programs and people or do they give space because they
are growing?
- It is not a secret that the Hispanic population is growing
in the United States, but sometimes the Hispanic churches are
not growing at same rate. We visited two Hispanic churches that
are open to new ideas: (1) Giving English classes to new immigrants
and helping them to settled down. (2) Investing in training
the lay leadership and young people.
From our experience in Latin America and our visits to some PC(USA)
churches, a good way of growing is to be committed to overseas
and local mission, to be open to new groups in church, to help
them by giving them space, and to be ready to join efforts. A
wealthy Anglo church of elderly people is ready to share their
facilities with a Hispanic church full of young people and children.
The two churches are separated by age, culture, and language,
but they are united in Jesus Christ and commitment to serve other
people.
In Jesus Christ,
Sara and Guido Mahecha
The 2003 Mission Yearbook for Prayer and Study, p. 240
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