MISSION GTO UPDATE NOVEMBER 2024
SCIENCE & GOD SEMINAR A SUCCESS
In our 2023 Mission GTO plans, Fernando Arroyo recommended a statewide outreach on apologetics. During the October mission trip, Les Ferguson, Sr., and I joined Mike Houts for an all-day Science & God Seminar in San Miguel de Allende, with Fernando’s son Stephen interpreting. Mike, a frequent speaker on Biblical creation vs. evolution and member of the Madison, AL Church of Christ mission committee (which supports Mission GTO), captivated over 400 attendees from mission churches across Guanajuato. Starting at 9 a.m. and finishing at 5 p.m., the seminar explored science's alignment with Biblical creation, with Mike presenting the Gospel after each segment. The meeting place was above a chicken restaurant which allowed everyone to break for lunch, only taking one hour. The seminar continued with a packed Sunday service, where a young man was baptized afterward.
Before the seminar, Les and I visited several mission churches to encourage them in their work, and we were warmly welcomed by both long-time and new believers. The churches deeply appreciate the ongoing support from U.S. congregations.
NEW MISSION IN JANUARY 2025
Mission GTO continues to expand evangelistic outreach across Guanajuato, moving closer to our goal of planting a church in every city of 20,000 or more. In the New Year, we plan to start a new church in Manuel Doblado (population 42,255). We’re thrilled that Fernando’s sister, Alicia, and her husband, Uriel Diaz, will join our team of missionaries in January. They graduate from the Biblical Institute in Toluca, MX, this December with strong recommendations and are also university graduates. Although they have no children yet, they hope to start a family soon. Please keep them in your prayers as they embark on this exciting mission!
RECENT CHANGES IN STRATEGY
Foreign mission work requires an overseeing eldership to periodically reassess progress. In October, brother Les Ferguson, Sr., and I met with Fernando, our State Director, to discuss some changes that we hope will bring greater success in specific cities.
Two years ago, we sent our missionary in Pénjamo, Hector Gonzales, to evangelize in Abasolo (population 42,000) two days per week. Despite his skill in personal evangelism, Hector has struggled to gain traction there, with no new Bible studies or conversions. Therefore, we decided to reassign him to Huaminaro (population 21,000), where he has already found a welcoming response, new contacts, and opportunities for Bible studies. Fernando, Les, Hector, and I gathered at the central gazebo (shown below) there to pray for God’s blessing on this change.
Additionally, we reassigned Roberto Caballero to start a new mission in Romita (population 66,000). He had been working in Irapuato (population 452,000), which had been self-supporting until a recent leadership loss prompted their request for missionary support. While Roberto, as a single preacher, made progress, he needed additional support. Thankfully, Fernando located a young missionary couple, Antonio and Ximena Martinez, recent graduates of the Biblical Institute in Toluca, who will move to Irapuato in December. Because Irapuato is the third-largest city in Guanajuato, we felt it essential to prevent any decline in the church's growth. Please pray that these strategic transitions will bring many new souls saved and strengthen Mission GTO Mexico’s impact.
ARROYOS RETURN TO USA JAN. 17
Every two years, we bring Fernando Arroyo to the U.S. to report to the LHD Church in Ridgeland, MS. This year, his wife, Toni, and son, Stephen, will join him for a three-week stay. I’ll be reaching out to our church partners in Mission GTO to arrange his visit schedule. Every church that meets Fernando becomes even more enthusiastic about supporting the mission.
WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT OF MISSION GTO!
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