Outreach Stories

by Juan Sarmiento

During our youth, many of us heard stories of remarkable Christians that risked their lives to witness to Christ often in difficult and remote places. People from Scotland, England, and the United States that responded to God’s call to serve in a culture different than their own. Although churches from “traditionally sending countries” continue to send missionaries, recent statistics place countries like Brazil and South Korea among those that are growing the most in the number of missionary vocations. During my recent visit with the Presbyterian Church of Mexico, I had the opportunity to interact with delightful people that are courageously crossing geographical and cultural borders motivated by God’s boundless love. Here are some of them:

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Reflecting on unity and mission four centuries after the Synod of Dort

By Juan Sarmiento

The Reformation is a vibrant movement in Latin America. By many accounts, Protestants represent around 22% percent of the population in the region. The National Presbyterian Church of Mexico alone registers more than two million members. Social scientists point to the rapid urbanization process as prompting many to seek a faith seen as more progressive than traditional religiosities as a possible reason for the trend. Others indicate that the ensuing surge of independent charismatic churches with leaderships that downplay theological reflection in favor of subjective spiritualities as another possible reason. As much as the growth of Protestant churches in the region since the 1980s is celebrated, there has also been a growing disillusion with the increased doctrinal fragmentation and confusion of recent decades.

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