MOVEMENTS IN MEXICO - August 2009

Greetings friends and family in the name of Jesus Christ, our King and Savior!

RECENT HAPPENINGS

July 25-31: Visit to “EZ.”
A group from Kerrville Bible Church (KBC) teamed up with this year’s students at To Every Tribe's CPCP (Center for Pioneer Church Planting) for a week of serving, teaching and relationship building in the agricultural village (farming village) of E.Z.
http://www.kerrvillebiblechurch.org/
http://www.toeverytribe.com/

The group from Kerrville has always been well prepared and this time was no different. Their proposed daily schedule for the week included a VBS-type program (songs, chronological Bible story-telling, puppet scripts, dramas, games and craft activities), talks with the young people (teenagers), house visits and soccer.

The CPCP students complimented the entire program with teaching sessions in the evening for the adults of the village. The women of the CPCP headed up a daily teaching/craft time for women only (strictly prohibited to the men).

Immediately following the women’s meeting, the men of the CPCP headed up a chronological teaching for all of the adults of the village. Both the women’s meetings and the adult meetings that followed were nicely attended. By the end of the week we even saw a few of the village men in attendance.

Encouraging reports came back from the women’s meetings and some of the house visits. There was also an encouraging level of interest during the adult meetings.

The chronological teachings were encouraged by New Tribe Mission’s teaching series called Firm Foundations.
http://www.ntmbooks.com/revised_firm_foundations_series

SETTLING IN
It looks like I will be spending the next few months traveling back and forth between the ministry offices and the Mexican villages (near the border) where we have been spreading the message about Jesus Christ.

I hope to frequently visit the village where I used to live to encourage the believers there as well as build a playground system for the kids of the village.

I will also be actively involved with helping to integrate (incorporate) a local congregation (Divine Providence Church) with these same Mexican villages.
http://www.divineprovidencechurch.org/

This church group has voiced an interest in increasing their involvement in these nearby villages.

Because of the large number Spanish speakers in this congregation, the possibility is high that evangelism and bible studies could take place in Spanish (which means no translation needed).

Once friendships are made between people in the village and the folks in the congregation at Divine Providence, more visits (by Divine Providence Church) to the villages could certainly begin without having to work around our schedules here at To Every Tribe. In other words, Divine Providence church could make visits to the villages on their own. Now that is exciting!!

The vision is to continue to visit these villages on a regular basis for overnight stays with the hopes that God will open doors for conversations about what Jesus Christ did on the Cross.

In November and December, I am scheduled to attend some training in Colorado regarding language aquisition and team building.

PRAYER NEEDS

1. Missionaries: Please ask the Lord of the Harvest to send out laborers into his harvest fields. Not only western missionaries but also national men and women that are compelled to spread the message

2. LP: Many of you knew Don Victor in LP (the small village one must pass through in order to arrive at Media). It has been six months since his death and times are still very difficult for his widow, Andrea, as well as the rest of the family there in LP. Please continue to pray for them.


3. Media: The two women who were baptized on May 31, 2009 continue to ask for prayer. They continue to ask for prayer as women in the faith.

4. Media: The two believers in Media (mother/daughter) are also reporting that there are some problems within the small Pentecostal congregation there in the village. Pray that God is honored through his word and through the lives and testimonies of these two women even though others in the village are questioning the inconsistencies seen with the Pentecostal group.


I know I write this often but I do thank you for partnering with me in this effort of sharing with others peoples the news about Christ. Continue to pray for the rest of the nations and those being persecuted as a result of their testimony in favor of the Truth of Christ. May God give you the courage and boldness to forsake all and follow him......... and remember:

"...since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses [those whom came before us], let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, depising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood." (Hebrews 12:1-4) ESV

MOVEMENTS IN MEXICO - June 2009

From Chris Berger: To Every Tribe missionary in Mexico

Greetings friends and family,

I wrote this update from the small Texas town of Los Fresnos where I spent the past few days (May 25-27). I originally had plans to join a team from To Every Tribe in the Coicoyán area during these dates but the trip was cancelled as a result of the threatening Swine Flu. The cancellation of that Coicoyán trip allowed me to join up with another small team of men from Shreveport, Louisiana. The goal was to do some evangelistic ministry in Media Luna, the small fishing village where I used to live. More on that just a bit later…

SPANISH LANGUAGE ACQUISITION
Language learning continues in Guadalajara, Mexico and I have been utilizing several activities to challenge me in this.

HARVEST LANGUAGE CENTER
I continue to assist in teaching some of the classes at Harvest Language Center (www.harvestlanguagecenter.org). It is a Spanish language school run by missionaries Jeff and Lisa King and is designed for other missionaries. So I help teach Spanish to other missionaries. In doing so, I get challenged by the questions asked by the students and I learn as I teach. It has been a good learning opportunity.

BIBLE TEACHING/BIBLE STUDY (preaching)
I have been invited a couple of times to speak with a group of young adults in a local congregation. I have been asked to help with some training in evangelism before I leave for Los Fresnos, TX in July. Lord willing, I will be able to do that also.

EVANGELISM/STREET TALK
And still another activity is simply engaging people in the streets and in the different plazas (malls) and the open public areas. I have made it intentional to frequent the same places (coffee stands, muffin stands, fruit water stands, etc) so as to develop some kind of relationship with the employees. Also, I am involved in some open-air preaching/witnessing in one of the open public plazas in Guadalajara during the weekends. After preaching, we talk with anyone interested in hearing more about the Gospel of Jesus Christ. There have been some rather interesting interactions during these encounters. It is incredible to see how false teachings of all kinds make people deeply blind to the truth of Christ and grace. But God´s Word is a double edged sword…

STREET EVANGELISM – Guadalajara, Mexico
Some good friends of mine, Josef and Lina Urban, regularly “open-air” preach in the streets of Guadalajara. They have become a dearly loved couple with whom I enjoy good fellowship. Josef is studying Spanish in Harvest Language School. Lina’s parents are Mexican (although she was born in California) and she translates for Josef while he preaches. I have joined them in some of their ministry in the streets. In this picture, I am the bald guy to the far left of the picture. Josef and Lina are the two people to the far right of the picture. The people in between us are some of the brothers and sisters from a solid Bible teaching house congregation where I was attending. You can see some of Josef and Lina´s videos at: http://www.puregospeltruth.com

OAXACA TEAM FORMATION
An effort is underway to form what we are calling Team Huatulco/Team La Barra for the coastal region of the southern Mexican state of Oaxaca. At this time, team members appear to be Jim Blomstrand (MN), Chris Johnson (NJ) and myself, Chris Berger (OH).

The team dynamic will be interesting to start out since we are all single men but there is the possibility of adding a family that is currently studying at To Every Tribe´s Center For Pioneer Church Planting (CPCP).

To Every Tribe’s energies are predominantly focused on unreached and hard-to-reach people groups and tribes (where the name of Christ has not been heard). Our hope is to see God worshipped and respected as God the Creator among all people groups (Malachi 1:11). This includes evangelism as well as guiding and teaching any believers to depend upon God’s Holy Spirit and His Word in all areas of faith and life practice (making disciples...teaching them to obey all the Christ commanded).

Based upon what we see in the New Testament letters, our efforts (our vision) will be focused on facilitating the growth of local congregations in being self-governing/teaching (with more than one elder/pastor, i.e. plurality), self-supporting/self-sustaining and self-planting/propagating.

Since salvation process is a super-natural work of God himself, we effort to do all of these things according to His will and purposes. We want to make it our first priority to present a clear Gospel message (plant and water the seeds) and to be ready to guide the believers as God causes them to grow (make disciples).

As a team, we are shooting for early 2010 as the “on location” goal. The team hopes to begin working to establish a base out of the coastal tourist town of Huatulco, which will be a strategic location between the two Mexican states of Chiapas and Guerrero.

For more information on the tourist town of Huatulco, Mexico you can go to the following link: http://www.advantagemexico.com/huatulco/index.html.

Lord willing, we will continue to work with some of the new believers in one nearby village as well as begin to journey into the more mountains regions and villages to carry the message of God’s grace and salvation through His Son, Jesus Christ. Oaxaca is a largely mountainous state along the southern Pacific coast of Mexico between the states of Guerrero and Chiapas. Oaxaca, Guerrero and Chiapas are known to be difficult areas in which to penetrate with the gospel message and have numerous officially documented cases of persecution of all sorts. Voice of the Martyrs (VOM) has Chiapas listed as a restricted nation, yet the states of Guerrero and Oaxaca are not. You can read more about what this means on their website: http://www.persecution.com

MAY 28-31, 2009
As a result of the cancelled mission trip to the Coicoyán area scheduled to begin this past June 1, I was able to travel from Guadalajara, Mexico back up to Los Fresnos, Texas to help guide a small team of men into the fishing village of Media Luna (where I used to live).

The team consisted of five men from the Shreveport, Louisiana area. Three of the men on the team had been to Media Luna before and wanted to focus on sharing with the men of the village about the saving work of Christ on the Cross. This tends to be a more difficult task in Mexico since the Mexican men commonly view “religion” as a thing for women and children. There were some open doors and closed ones. It was good trip to the village.

A couple of months ago, I was contacted by Steve Henry (another missionary in the area) about two ladies in the village of Media Luna.

Steve and his wife, Robin, (http://www.rockportbaptist.org/pdf/steverobin0303.pdf)
are working in the neighboring village of La Poza (which is the village one must pass through to arrive at Media Luna).

When I left, they were willing to maintain contacts in the village of Media Luna, since it is not far away and since there are many people from Media Luna that visit Robin´s medical clinic. This, of course, would be in addition to the work they were doing in La Poza.

Steve was contacting me about the possible baptism of a lady in Media Luna by the name of Minerva (Oscar´s wife).
Minerva and her daughter, Ariana, had been the most interested in the Gospel of Jesus Christ during my entire time in the village. In fact, Oscar, (Minerva´s husband and Ariana´s father) was one of the men that seemed to respond in 2006, and was baptized.

Even though he does not seem to be showing the fruits that come with the new birth, his wife and daughter have shown evidence of being drawn to Christ. Steve contacted me about if I could come up and do the baptism. I encouraged them to continue on without me (not to wait for me), since I was not sure if I could make it to the village. Later, Steve contacted me to tell me the date that had been set for the baptism and it turned out to be the same time that we were going to be in the village with the small team of men.

We learned that both Minerva and Ariana were going to be baptized. We entered the village on Thursday afternoon and left the village on Sunday afternoon, just after the baptisms.

It has been approximately nine (9) months since I left the village of Media Luna to continue language study. The two ladies (mother and daughter) are showing evidences of growth and fruits of the spirit and of the new birth.

They have asked for prayer regarding their continued growth and knowledge of Jesus Christ. Some in the village are expecting Minerva and Ariana to fall back into their old way of life similar to what seems to have happed with Oscar. When I left nine months ago, some had made the comment to me that as soon as I left, they probably would not continue on in the faith. Please pray that they are protected from attacks of Satan and his army of demons and that they are able to live a life worthy of the calling to which they have received (as daughters of the King).

Minerva and Ariana are attempting to share with their other family members and while they have not seen much response, they do have hope. In fact, I just received a text message late last night (June 5, 2009) from Ariana that God seems to be working on one of her brothers. His name is Miguel. Please pray for him.

THANK YOU
Thank you so much for your prayers. Remember that our battle is not against flesh and blood (we are not fighting the person) but against spiritual strongholds and powers. Yet, we know that our God is the ultimate power and his plan cannot be thwarted.

So storm the gates of Hell and declare war on the enemy in the name of Jesus Christ and be about the work of calling out of darkness and into light the children of God. Remember, Jesus is with us to the ends of the earth. Let´s go there and see what we can find.

DANGER! FLU VIRUS! Will You Go To Heaven.....or Hell?

Wednesday, April 29, 2009

The entire country of México (and the world) has been put on HIGH alert as a result of this rare strain of the Flu virus that is "floating" around.

Depending upon with whom you speak here in Guadalajara, this is an epidemic of global proportions.

Two of the major newspapers here in Guadalajara ("Mural" and "El Informador") show the concern that is being caused by this flu virus. Everyone has been forced to think about death, since at last report, over 20 people have died of this flu virus in México City.

Hebrews 9:27-28 explains to us two types of news: Bad news...and EXCELLENT news! The bad news is that it is appointed/determined/a 100% chance that each person is going to die once and after that THE judgement. The EXCELLENT news is that Jesus Christ satisfied the judge´s anger/wrath for all those who believe that it was true, for all those who depend upon what happened that day on the cross and are living a life worthy of the calling they have received in Christ Jesus.

Please Please Please let me encourage YOU to take advantage of the this opportunity to share about what happened on the Cross and what it means AFTER death for those who trust in, confide in, depend upon what Jesus the Christ did and finished. People are already thinking about it....... Death, I mean. I would say a good 50% or more of the people of this large city of Guadalajara are walking around with surgical masks on their face....even the priests of the Catholic church as seen on the front page of the newspaper "Mural" here in Guadalajara (www.mural.com). It is an interesting picture, especially since it appears that he (the priest) is coming out of his confessional box.

The newspaper "El Informador" today has an article on how the economy has been hit hard (in a negative way) by this flu threat. Restaurants are empty and shopping malls have seen a huge decrease in crowds (I have seen this personally since I often visit a few of the shopping malls to engage people about Christ and what happens after death). This same newspaper (www.informador.com.mx) also has a picture showing people in the grocery story stocking up on beans and rice in anticipation of the coming deadly virus.

God has opened the door wide open in an obvious manner so that we can walk through it and ask people about where they think they will go after death. Please join us in walking through the door!

Many people are scared and for good reason. They don´t know where they would go after Death. Your conversation with people certainly does not to be obnoxious or pushy.

Your question is simple:

"If you were to die today, where would you go after death?" And to get to the point even quicker, you could ask: "If you were to die today, would you go to heaven or hell?"

A good follow-up question would be "Why do you believe you would go to (heaven/hell)?"
"How do you know you would go to heaven/hell?"
"Why would you want to go to heaven (or hell)?"

These types of question you should ask yourself first. How would you answer these questions?

2 Corinthians 13:5 urges us to examine ourselves to see that we are in the faith.

The apostle John, in his version of Jesus´life on earth, tells us why he wrote what he wrote. He said in verse 31 of chapter 20 "But these (things) are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name." (John 20:31) (italics and bold mine)

Then in his letter titled "1 John," he again tells us why he wrote what he wrote. He says in chapter 5, verse 13 that "I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have enternal life." (italics and bold mine).

I was recently speaking with a youth group where I asked these questions to start out our discussion. Their answers helped me see that re-direction needs to take place. That youth group is experiencing some very messy and difficult things right now. These types of questions should never stop being asked and studied.

May God give you and me the courage to represent him well and in love. Remember, the gates of Hell cannot hold back God´s kingdom.

Your friend and servant and brother in Christ,

-Chris Berger

January 2009 - Movements in México

Proverb: “A tragedy is when one who receives a gift is more captivated by the gift than the giver.” -unknown

CHRISTMAS EN GUADALAJARA, MÉXICO, 2008

Contrary to popular belief, death is not natural. It is, in fact, a curse (Genesis 2:16-17 and Genesis 3:6-7)

In November of 2005, just before I left Harvest Language Center in Guadalajara to return to Los Fresnos, TX for the beginning of the first your of the Center For Pioneer Church Planting (CPCP) with To Every Tribe Ministries (TETM), I was informed that Lily (the grown and married daughter of the Cordova family with whom I was living) was pregnant and going to have a baby. There was, of course, much excitement amongst family and friends.

Before the baby was born (while I was a student at the CPCP), I started receiving prayer requests via email from the Cordova family for the little girl that was to be born to Lily. There were apparent complications during the pregnancy and on the day that little Ana Paola was born, those apparent complications were confirmed. Little Ana Paola required care 24/7 (see youtube link below).
http://mx.youtube.com/watch?v=5Szy8AbtZB8

On December 23, 2008, God took little Ana Paola (2 years, 8 months) from the Cordova family. Prayers were answered that 23rd of December, 2008 as Ana Paola was no longer suffering. Even though there was a great deal of mourning because of the physical separation between the family and the little girl, the Christian testimony that was shown by Lily and her husband, Salvador, caused some of the non-Christians in the family to be confused (The funeral service and cremation ceremony were conducted by three pastors connected with Lily and Salvador. Many family members present were Catholic and had brought along a Catholic nun). The services were very different from traditional Catholic ceremonies.

Needless to say, this past Christmas season took on a new meaning for the Cordova family. It was a time of celebration, they surely knew that. But that did not easy the pain. However, the difference was seen in how the Christian family members gave thanks to God for the time he gave them to be with Ana. Lily ended the service by echoing the words of Job: “The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away.” (Job 1:21)

NEW SESSION BEGINS AT HARVEST LANGUAGE CENTER - January 12, 2009

Monday, January 12, 2009 marked the beginning of a new language session in Harvest Language Center in Guadalajara, México.

As I briefly mentioned in the last series of blog updates, I was able to be flexible enough to change plans a little to accommodate HLC´s invitation to help teach at the school for a short time.

http://www.mexconnect.com/mex_/chreares.html (link to Chapala, México)

There is a second school in the Lake Chapala area (approximately 45-60 minute drive from the school in Guadalajara, depending on traffic). On Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, three of us teachers travel to Chapala in order to conduct the school there. We usually arrive back at the main campus around 6pm-6:30pm on these days. With the several congregations that I regularly visit throughout the week, I am busier now than when I was a student.

OAXACA, MÉXICO
Many of you know that we, TETM, have and are continuing to reach out to areas in the state of Oaxaca, México. Oaxaca, México has consistently been presenting itself in a verbal way in the last couple of months, more so than in the past.

One of the new students in the language school this session came from a ministry based out of a town called Tlaxiaco, México (which is a town we have come to know and use as a kind of a base for when we go to visit the Coicoyán people in the mountains of Oaxaca near the border of the state of Guerrero).

YWAM In México (JUCUM – Juventúd con una Misión) has a very nice base in Guadalajara (actually closer to Chapala) that we pass each time we travel to Chapala. We found out about a mission conference that was to be hosted there whose focus was Indigenous Tribal groups in México. One of the things Jeff and Lisa are feeling led by God to begin doing is expand the language school (satellite schools, distributing information and packets at mission conferences, etc.)

So having the personal interest in Indigenous groups and missions, I volunteered to go and represent the language school at one of the tables at the conference. I was able to arrive early enough for one of the sessions and it turns out that a few of the guest speakers at this conference I knew personally from working with them in one way or another in the state of Oaxaca.

As far as the idea of satellite schools, Jeff and Lisa received a visit from a missionary working around the Puerto Escondido area (the coast of Oaxaca, México). He had come to know some missionaries that had gone through the language program at Harvest and was hoping to provide the training in the mission school they have in Oaxaca. So he came to Guadalajara to meet with and get to know Jeff and Lisa and visa-versa. A Harvest Language Center in Oaxaca, México?? Hmmm..

And back at the Center for Pioneer Church Planting (CPCP) at the TETM headquarters, there have been discussions of forming a team to go to Oaxaca, México.

Thank you all for your partnership. Thank you for your friendship.

Thank you for your endurance in this race and in these efforts to be faithful to the Cross and resurrection of Christ Jesus by joyfully living and carrying the message of Jesus Christ among all peoples.

Thank you for your prayers and financial support in these tight economic times.

Be faithful to the true gospel message. Live it! Breath it! Preserve it!

And as a good friend once said: “Don´t talk about it, BE about it!”

Proverb: “It is not about what you HAVE to do but about WHO you are; who you look like.” -unknown

#4-MOVEMENTS IN MEXICO - December 2008 - the FOURTH in a FOUR-part series

MEXICO UPDATE – Guadalajara, Mexico - PART 4: HARVEST LANGUAGE CENTER

http://www.harvestlanguagecenter.org/
http://wiki.worldflicks.org/guadalajara,_jalisco.html

Harvest Language Center is an INTENSIVE, FULL-IMMERSION Spanish language course that is run by missionaries for missionaries and any other interested persons. Here is a general description from their website about what they are about:

“The environment in which your language training takes place is important. At HLC, the directors and staff are Christians dedicated to serve and encourage you as you reach toward the vision that God has placed in your heart. Our teaching staff includes both native English and Spanish speakers from various social and geographical backgrounds. We offer an intensive language training program suited to, but not limited to the needs of a missionary candidate.”

In all of my searching, Harvest Language Center is the LEAST EXPENSIVE course I have been able to find.

The course consists of 4 levels that last 7 weeks each (includes holidays and breaks between sessions). The entire school lasts for 8 months from start to finish. At the time of this update, the cost (tuition) for one seven week session of the language course was $460 US Dollars. Room & board is seperate and the school will assist you in locating a place to stay, either with a family or in an apartment. (Check website for updated information):

http://www.harvestlanguagecenter.org/about.html

During the summer of 2005, I began the training at Harvest Language Center in Guadalajara, Mexico. I completed the first two levels (approximately four months) and came back to Los Fresnos, Texas to begin the CPCP (Center for Pioneer Church Planting) missionary training school with To Every Tribe Ministries. Upon completion of the CPCP, I went to Media Luna, Mexico.

After spending nearly two years in Media Luna, Mexico (a small Mexican fishing village along the shores of the Laguna Madre/Gulf Coast in the Mexican state of Tamaulipas), I decided to continue my focused/intentional language study. The first logical step was to return to Harvest Language Center in Guadalajara, Mexico and complete the last two levels (levels 3 and 4). I have plans of taking one year or more in working towards fluency in the Spanish language. After completing Harvest, the intent was to find another language school that would help me utilize the grammatical tools I had received from Harvest and to put them into practice in a conversational format. I researched many different language schools in different parts of Mexico (including Chiapas, Oaxaca, Reynosa, and Queretaro) and had decided on a language school in Queretaro, Mexico (mainly because I have a good friend there, Jim Blomstrand).

During my time at Harvest Language Center this time around, I made myself available to help tutor and assist Jeff and Lisa King (directors of Harvest). During one conversation with Jeff King in the car coming back from another “school” they have in another town, he asked me what my plans where after the school. I shared with him the idea I had about continuing my language in Queretaro. He asked me to prayerfully consider coming back to help them in the school for a short period of time, which would increase my practice and learning opportunities.

While I thanked Jeff for the invitation, my initial feeling was to pass on the offer. However, after prayer and thought, I committed to come back for two levels (another four months). Jeff and Lisa also have desires to re-format and even expand the language school and I hope to be able to contribute in that process as well. We will see what the Lord has planned.

Queretaro, Mexico is still part of the plan but just for a lesser amount of time after my commitment in Guadalajara. My goal is fluency (or at least as close as I can get) and staying in Guadalajara has some extra benefits. It will allow me to continue relationships with friends, congregations, pastors and the teachers at the school (and all of the interaction IN SPANISH that I will have as a result). I have a feeling I may even be busier than when I was a “student.”

I look forward to the challenges ahead in Guadalajara, Mexico. I have hopes of returning to Media Luna for a short period of time (one year or so) and I have thoughts of Oaxaca (Coicoyan and/or La Barra de la Cruz). Of course, those are places that we know. We haven’t even begun to understand how many places there are that we do not know.

“Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. And pray for (me), too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ… Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should.” -Colossians 4:2-4

“…live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that (we) may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified (us) to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light.” -Colossians 1:10-12 Wow!

-Chris Berger

#3-MOVEMENTS IN MEXICO - December 2008 - the THIRD in a FOUR-part series

MEXICO UPDATE – Guadalajara, Mexico - PART 3: Trip to La Barra de la Cruz

Harvest Language Center (the Spanish language school in Guadalajara we are attending) currently consists of four levels. You can join the program according to the dates listed on their website (http://www.harvestlanguagecenter.org).

Between session #5 and session #6 (October 10th – October 21st), we (two other language students I was with from TETM and myself) journeyed down to La Barra de La Cruz to visit the believers there.

Because of the tension between some of the leaders in La Barra and what our ministry is attempting to do in the village, those La Barra leaders began threatening some of the local believers inside the village. As a result, the group from our ministry (TETM) that went down last decided to leave the village in an attempt to not subject the believers to unnecessary persecution. In fact, our team was told that there has been an official document written up that prohibited our entrance into the village (although this particular leader was not willing to produce the document). Our team went to the resort town of Huatulco, as their base. (http://www.ilovehuatulco.com/)
The believers from La Barra ended up coming out of the village to meet with the team in another nearby village.

On this trip to La Barra during our break between language levels, we were going to operate under that same premise: Stay in Huatulco, get word to the believers that we were in the area and see if they were willing to come out of the village to fellowship. Our plan – in the eight days we had – was to dig into the letter Paul wrote to the Ephesians.

We got word into the village and Eva, one of the believers, came out with her family to visit with us (her oldest son works and lives in Huatulco and so they stayed with him). Because it was the weekend, we saw many of the other La Barra people in Huatulco picking up supplies. Based on our time with Eva and her family as well as comments made by the other La Barra people we saw in town those days, we became convinced that it was permissible for us to come in the village during the day…we just could not spend the night. In addition, according to Eva, the believers were no longer fearful with the threats that certain leaders were making against them. SO…we went in.

Idelfonso (Idel) and Inocenta, a believing couple, offered their home as a place to meet and study and discuss. Each of our meetings in La Barra averaged between 3-4 hours and then we would eat. Wow! What a time of good fellowship, good learning and good food in La Barra!

On Monday (day 1 of Bible study) we read the entire letter to the Ephesians and then began taking a closer look at chapter 1. By Friday, we were able to get half-way through chapter 5 before calling it quits and we left shortly thereafter to make it back to Guadalajara and language school.

To begin the whole trip, we were invited to a couple of meetings during the weekend in Huatulco with some professing Catholics. Those meetings were similar in length but were focused more on the Gospel of Jesus Christ, beginning in Genesis. There were several questions regarding Catholicism and how it was different from what we believed – a very good relaxed time of looking at what the Bible says (including the Catholic Bible). The most pressing questions from the two ladies had to do with the virgin Mary and also the statues that are abundant within the Catholic religion.

Please pray for La Barra, that God’s kingdom come and His will be done there, as well as where you are. On that first day into the village, we passed the two leaders who oppose our ministry the strongest. We waved (in an effort to great them) but they did not seem too happy to see us. The leaders did not approach us or confront us while were there.

We learned that there was a much larger problem they were trying to deal with: Kidnappings. And not just kids, but adults also. There had been several threats and a newly found list of names of people in the village who were going to be kidnapped for ransom. So, that problem seemed to occupy the time and worries of the leaders more than the problem we seem to be for them. In any case, please continue to pray for this little village. May God’s name be honored in La Barra de la Cruz and Huatulco!

LA BARRA: http://www.maplandia.com/mexico/oaxaca/dist-tehuantepec/barra-de-la-cruz/

#2-MOVEMENTS IN MEXICO - December 2008 - the SECOND in a FOUR-part series

MEXICO UPDATE – Guadalajara, Mexico - PART 2: CHURCHES & MINISTRIES

"In terms of religion, the Metropolitan Area of Guadalajara is professed Catholicism for the most part, with 94.67% of the inhabitants baptized in this religion. 2.77% belong to evangelical doctrines and Protestants, while 0.98% to Adventists, Mormons and witnesses of Jehová; there are 0.03% of Jews, 0.89% of non practitioners and 0.63% of believers or without preferences". See the last paragraph of the following site: http://www.guadalajaramidestino.com/index.php?id=48&id_titulo=79&option=com_content&task=view&lang=en

As in the United States, here in this large city there are many different “branches” of “Christian” church congregations (several of which I have visited and many more of which I have not). I have found myself regularly attending and observing more intentionally four of these congregations. (not in any particular order, a description of those congregations follows).

Congregation #1: a Presbyterian congregation called “Rey de Reyes” (King of Kings) with very solid intentional Biblical teachings. They currently have five services on Sunday throughout the day. There is also a very organized system of "Sunday school" that is more like a university class system in that you must begin and complete some of the basic/foundational general education classes before you are eligible for some of the other elective classes they offer. With good reason: the classes build on each other. Those general education classes teach what this particular church believes and teaches as found in the Scriptures. Their website is: http://www.reydereyes.org.mx/ (spanish)

I plan to continue my attendance and increase my involvement in a men’s group and a group of young adults.

Congregations #2 & #3 are Pentecostal-type congregations that are very intriguing. All of my experiences with Pentecostal congregations (in the USA and in Mexico) have been stomach churning in that they are in apparent disobedience to the Scriptures as those congregations encourage, with great emphasis (and often times consider them as requirements), the charismatic spiritual gifts of speaking in tongues, laying-on-of-hands healings, uncontrollable dancing (being “slain” in the Holy Spirit). The apparent disobedience is not in the sprititual gifts themselves but in how they are practiced. A large majority of these congregations are also led by women as the pastor.

I use the word “intriguing” because these two congregations I have been attending in Guadalajara largely recognize and follow (obey) Biblical principles, especially regarding the use and practice of these controversial charismatic gifts. So much so, that I have been engaging the pastor, Moses (Moises), of the church and have had some very insightful and encouraging conversations with him. Moses (Moises) is also one of my teachers in the language school.

On November 14, 2008, there was a large "parade for Jesus" where thousands of people joined together to march through the streets of downtown Guadalajara to a plaza where the celebration was to conclude. I walked in that parade with a group from one of these congregations. The names of these congregations are: La Carpa (The Tent) and La Cosecha (The Harvest). I certainly look to continue visiting these congregations to observe and learn more about them and hopefully be an encouragement to them.
Congregation #4: I often times do my homework in a mall near the house where I live. I frequent the coffee shops in the mall and many times look for open doors to develop relationships with the employees. One of those employees, Marcela, has been asking good questions which may be an indication that God is working on her.

One day as we were talking more, she shared with me that a friend of hers had been inviting her to church and one day she went. As she was explaining to me in very general terms what the church was like, I asked her where it was. I wanted to check this place out to make sure the congregation was teaching solidly from the Scriptures so I could better encourage Marcela. She told me that the group met in a house (not far from where I lived, actually).

I showed up (on a Thursday evening) to the house and as I walked in that very first time, a video was playing in the foyer/porch area featuring John Piper and Paul Washer (among others). That was an encouraging initial sign for me. It is a friendly but very serious house church that has been meeting like this for over 20 years. As I spoke with the pastor, he explained a little about their conviction to follow the early church model. As I asked about the videos that were playing at the entrance of the house, he explained to me that the reason those particular videos were playing there in the entrance was because he recognizes the solid truth that those men are teaching. He then quickly commented that they are not “followers” of John Piper or Paul Washer but that they were followers of Christ Jesus. (Good stuff!)

We tentatively agreed to get together to learn more about each other when I return (Lord willing). The name of this congregation is “Generation 3:16.”

I have several other congregations with which to visit and Lord willing I will be able to do so. As you well know, it is almost a full-time job just trying to keep up with all that is going on. In any case, allow me to encourage you, wherever you may be, to reach out to other congregations in your community and encourage them toward maturity in their faith in the person of Jesus Christ as revealed to us in the Scriptures. (Scripture alone!)

Thank you all so much for your love, interest, prayers and support.

Please continue to pray that I wage war against and kill sin and may God “give (us) the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that (we) may know him better…that the eyes of (our) heart may be enlightened in order that (we) may know the hope to which he has called (us), the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe.” -Ephesians 1:17-19


-Chris Berger

#1-MOVEMENTS IN MEXICO - December 2008 - the FIRST in a FOUR-part series

MEXICO UPDATE – Guadalajara, Mexico - PART 1: CITY SITES & SOUNDS

On August 24, 2008 we made our way into the city of Guadalajara, Mexico. Guadalajara is located in central Mexico near the Pacific coastline in the Mexican state of Jalisco. It is known for its Tequila production. It is said to be the second largest city in Mexico with a metropolitan area population of just over 4 million people, second only to Mexico City, whose population is said to be just under a whopping 20 million people. For more information, check out:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guadalajara,_Jalisco
http://vive.guadalajara.gob.mx/indexi.asp

September 16th of every year marks the celebration of Mexico’s Independence Day from Spanish rule. The night of September 15th is a night filled with carnivals, music, lights, fireworks, cultural dancing, “other” cultural traditions and what is traditionally called “El
Grito” (The Shout/Cheer).

Between 11:00pm and 12:00pm midnight (depending on where you are in the country), the local “presidents” (mayor-types) of the towns and cities lead a “shout” of patriotism among citizens. The translation of the shouts would be similar to saying “Long live ???.” The local leader would start with the immediate municipal or county, followed by the city name, followed by the state name and then followed by the country.

In the case of where I was located, “El Grito” went something like this:
“Viva Zapopan!” (Long live Zapopan-county/municipal) – the locals would then yell "VIVA!". Next, the president/leader followed with “Viva Guadalajara!” (Long live Guadalajara-city) – the locals = "VIVA!", then “Viva Jalisco!” (Long live Jalisco – state) - the locals = "VIVA!" and finally “Viva Mexico” (Long live Mexico-country) - the locals ="VIVA!" ( "Viva Mexico" was repeated three times). Fireworks filled the air afterward.

From the capital of Mexico City, the President of Mexico (Felipe Calderon) does the same thing (from a balcony) live on television in front of thousands of people in the streets. It really is a night full of colors, music, culture, food, fun and tradition.

For more information:
http://www.inside-mexico.com/featureindep.htm