The Discovery Center in TJ
Our fun group from the Discovery Center in Tijuana (Centro de Descubrimiento in Spanish)
Jesus asked us to pray for more workers in Matthew 9:37 & 38. I participated in a Discovery Center in Tijuana this week. The Discovery Center is designed to evaluate people who are interested in planting churches. You could say that these people are the answer to what Jesus asked us to pray for.
“Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.””
Matthew 9:37-38 ESV
It’s exciting to be part of an answer to prayer. At this particular Discovery Center, there were four couples that we were evaluating. I love hearing their testimonies. It’s a joy to get to know them and learn how God has been working in their lives up to this point. Some of those that come have a very strong and definite call to plant a church. Others are interested, but they are exploring and asking the question, “is the Lord calling me to plant a church?”
A Network of Church Planters
The church planting candidates working on planning out a project to plant 5 churches
All four couples that came through the Discovery Center were approved, which means that the team that evaluated them believes they have the skills, the gifts, and the character to plant a church. One of the couples is ministering in Mexicali. The same city where we just built the church in Hannah’s memory. This particular couple is already planting a church, but they have been doing it on their own. They want to be part of a supportive network of churches.
Ministerios Transformación is wonderful at coming alongside those that are either interested in starting a church or already in the process and giving them a place to belong and grow. We’ve worked with them over the years to provide help in training and mentoring. I’ve enjoyed watching them grow and mature as a ministry.
This year they’ve started a church planting training center for all their new church planters. It also is a place to prepare people who are exploring or may be interested in church planting in the future.
Partnering with Friends is Healing
Dawn and I give thanks to the Lord for the opportunity to serve alongside our friends at Ministerios Transformación. On the last day during our debrief they told me that they didn’t consider me an outsider, but one of them, even though I was the only American involved. The love and care that they exhibit ministers to both Dawn in me in a deep and profound way. I believe the Lord is using them to bring much healing to us since Hannah moved to heaven.
The Dedication of the Hannah Diaso Church Plant
Pastor Mere and Edna
This Sunday we will be dedicating the new church in Mexicali that we built in Hannah’s memory. Please pray for Pastor Mere and Edna as they launch this new ministry. We pray that as the name Ministerios Transformación implies that there will be true and lasting life transformation in the community they are ministering in. Thank you, Lord, for your promise to build your church!
In His Grip, Dave
Beyond Borders 