Adventist Leaders in Mexico Launch Nationwide Evangelism Strategies and Initiatives for 2024

 February 29, 2024 | Tuxtla Gutiérrez, Chiapas, Mexico | Yannina García and Inter-American Division News Staff

In an online event livestreamed on every platform across the five major church regions in Mexico, top Seventh-day Adventist leaders introduced the 2024 National Evangelism Plan “Hope for Mexico” to its more than 800,000 baptized members, from Tuxtla Gutiérrez, Chiapas, on February 10, 2024. “Hope for Mexico” aims to impact the nation through various youth, health, and communication initiatives throughout 2024.

It is the fourth consecutive year that the Adventist Church in Mexico embarks in strategic initiatives to impact the country for Jesus, regional church leaders said.

Around 300 people attended the launch in person, while thousands followed the proceedings online. During the event, Pastor Ignacio Navarro, president of the Chiapas Mexican Union and president of the Adventist Church’s administrative office in the country introduced “Jesus Is Enough,” the theme and logo of an evangelistic initiative that is set to crown the “Hope for Mexico” year of activities.

Pastor Navarro challenged church members to get involved and fulfill the church’s God-given mission. “I want to invite everyone to get involved in this beautiful task—to be spokespersons for God, to become messengers of hope, to tell people who live in despair that Jesus is enough to change and transform them and give them eternal life, because that is what He has promised,” said Navarro. “Let us all get involved for as long as God gives us life and let us place all we have in God’s hands—our talents, our experience, our capabilities, our time. Let’s allow God to use us in this sacred work.”

Strategies and initiatives

During the online event, church leaders introduced some of the strategies, resources, and activities planned for the year, which include a special week where the church will witness to others through various activities. The annual Global Youth Day is also set to be a space to witness, as every participant is expected to help distribute millions of copies of the missionary book of the year, an abridged edition of Ellen G. White’s The Great Controversy.

Throughout 2024, evangelism will also include an emphasis on wholistic health, including physical fitness activities for World Health Day, reported Navarro. At a national level, leaders have prepared a special series of Bible studies that each willing member will be able to share. It will lead persons interested step by step through a Bible course that will prepare them to make a decision to give their lives to Jesus if they desire to do so.

Navarro also shared that they have been working on resources for people who lack a strong Internet or TV connection. With the focus on reaching every corner in Mexico, a special series of books and videos will allow people to listen to Bible messages. Finally, the national evangelistic series will be preceded by a musical concert, among other planned activities, leaders said.

In the host region

As the host church territory, the Chiapas Mexican Union will ensure every department and ministry in the church gets involved, according to Navarro. Each quarter, one department will take the lead of missionary activities by getting all the other ministries involved. Currently, Sabbath school and personal ministries is leading in the first quarter. Women’s ministries and youth ministries will also lead later this year.

Another activity launched in Chiapas is a focus on centers and houses of hope. These are places that seek to bring the church to the community through spiritual and social activities, so that people can be interested in knowing Jesus better, Navarro said.

The city of Tuxtla Gutiérrez in Chiapas will also be the venue for the national evangelistic series September 14-21, 2024. It will be the first nation-wide evangelistic event after the 2023 “Don’t Give Up, There’s Still Hope” series in Mexico City. According to regional church leaders, the evangelistic efforts during the first half of 2023 resulted in 21,000 baptisms.

Speaker of the 2024 series

During the Feb. 10 program, leaders introduced Luis Orozco as the speaker for the 2024 evangelistic series. Orozco has been a district pastor, youth leader, and conference president, and presently is youth ministries director in the North Mexican Union.

Pastor Orozco challenged church leaders to consecrate themselves before the beginning of the national evangelistic effort.

“This first message is for you, church leader, pastor, elder, leader in charge, and personal ministry director,” said Orozco. “We need to constantly look to Jesus with the understanding that it is His power that does the work. While we are to work earnestly for the salvation of the lost, we must also take time for meditation, prayer, and study of God’s Word,” he emphasized.

Heartwarming testimonies

The presentation program included testimonies by people who found Jesus and decided to follow Him during one of the previous national evangelistic campaigns. Among them was Roselia Hernández, who met Jesus through the Facebook page of a local Adventist Church in Chiapas. On that page, she saw an ad for the 2023 evangelistic campaign. Hernández followed the series online, and the messages touched her heart.

“After the campaign, I decided to visit an Adventist church even though I had never been to one,” she shared. “When I arrived, church members received me very well. I had lost my father recently, but I found a new father, God, and I felt I was no longer an orphan.” Hernandez shared how two months ago, she decided to be baptized, and today she is an active part of her local church’s women’s ministries.

Sirian Castillo also shared her testimony. She explained that during the national campaign last year, she read a message by Gabriela W. Morales, asking for prayers for her son. Castillo then sent Morales a private message, thus starting a conversation that eventually turned into a friendship. Despite living in different states, they began to study the Bible online together. Eventually, Morales accepted Jesus and Castillo traveled to be with her on the day of her baptism and see her friend for the first time. Now, Morales’ family has joined the Bible study group as they seek to learn more about Jesus.

Inviting friends is key

Pastor Orozco stressed that an opportunity to get involved is contacting friends through every medium and platform to invite them to the national campaign. But that is not enough, he emphasized.

“If you are wondering how to get involved, let me tell you that you need to give of your time to contact people, do a follow-up, open your house, bring friends, and make disciples,” Orozco said. “I invite you to be an ambassador of hope during this campaign. Jesus is sufficient and can use us,” he said.

In the last part of the program, speakers from previous evangelistic series, including Pastor Edgar Benítez and Pastor Daniel Torreblanca, together with Pastor Navarro, prayed for Orozco, asking for the anointing of the Holy Spirit upon him.

Countrywide commitment to mission

The presidents of Mexico’s five major church regions or unions, Pastors Luis A. King, Jorge García, Abraham Sandoval, David Celis, and Navarro joined the broadcast to commend and challenge church members in each territory, highlighting the importance of the media in spreading the Adventist message.

“We can witness the wonderful way in which the Holy Spirit touches hearts as we approach the end of probation,” Pastor King, president of the Northern Mexican Union, said. “God is using every means possible to reach people. That is why technology is now becoming relevant for our time as a tool to share the gospel.”

Pastor Celis, who is president of the Southeast Mexican Union, confirmed the willingness of church leaders and members across Mexico to get involved. “Our five unions are willing to preach the word of the Lord as we follow every step of this missionary roadmap for 2024,” he said.

To find out more about the Adventist Church’s evangelistic series and initiatives in Mexico this year, visit esperanzamexico.com