Guatemala Partner Churches and Organizations

Evangelical National Presbyterian Church of Guatemala (IENPG)

Founded in 1882, the IENPG was the first national church to result from Presbyterian mission work in Central America. The IENPG has one synod, composed of 6 Spanish-speaking and 11 indigenous-language presbyteries, and approximately 60,000 members. The IENPG's Christian service program, Diaconia, works with presbyteries in development, health, and agricultural training. Women's organizations address the needs and concerns of both indigenous and ladina women. Over the years the church has also been active in evangelism, including a mission to Honduras. For decades the IENPG has operated two schools, "La Patria" in Guatemala City and another school with the same name in Quetzaltenango.

The Evangelical Presbyterian Seminary in San Felipe emphasizes the Presbyterian/Reformed tradition in its training program for lay leaders and pastors. The Maya-Quiche Bible Institute at San Cristóbal and the Mam Center at San Juan Ostunalco were founded in the early years of mission work and remain good places for study and training.

In May of 1995 the IENPG contributed a martyr to the cause of democracy. Manuel Saquic, an indigenous Presbyterian pastor and president of the Kakchiquel Presbytery's Human Rights Office, was killed by a death squad. The Human Rights Office threatens the power structure—which has enjoyed almost total immunity from prosecution—because it is a public forum where people can go to register complaints about rights abuses. Presbytery workers with the Human Rights Office give workshops in the countryside to teach people about their constitutional rights.