Latin America Update
VIDEO TRANSCRIPT
Benjamin Kreps:
Hey everyone, and welcome to the Mark Prater podcast where our aim is to connect our global family of churches with our Executive Director. Mark, I just got into the office a little bit ago and waiting for me was my copy of the Sovereign Grace Churches journal, hot off the press.
Mark Prater:
Yes!
Benjamin Kreps:
Just bought it off Amazon. I haven't had a chance to read it since I just got it, but looking at the table of contents, this looks like it's going to be a wonderful way for us to be strengthened and equipped. So thanks for your work on that. I do question the integrity of your process in choosing people to write for the journal because I'm actually in it! But nevertheless, I think I will benefit from it. I think we all will.
Mark Prater:
Oh Ben, you are in it because you have written a wonderful article on the love of Christ for his people. "Jesus Loves Me This I Know,” I believe that's the title of the article. I remember reading it and being edified by it. So I can't wait for our pastors and the members of our churches to read it. And, by the way, we wanted to look at the print version to see if there were any errors before getting it up online. So hopefully that will be done today or tomorrow. And I'll send an email out letting guys know it's up online and available to order. In fact, by the time you get this podcast, you may have received that email. But we're really super excited about this journal. I can't wait for our guys to read it.
Benjamin Kreps:
That's great. Well, Mark, over the past number of years we've all really enjoyed hearing about how God is working in Mexico and Latin America through guys in Sovereign Grace and the connections and the expanding influence down there. But you have an update for us about some something that's right on the horizon.
Mark Prater:
I do. I'm excited to tell you about it. Let me just say, first of all, thanks to our brothers in Mexico and Latin America who have just been laboring for a number of years: Carlos Contreras, Abelardo Muñoz, Hellman Avila, Joselo Mercado. All of those men have been laboring in Mexico and throughout Latin America for the gospel, but also representing Sovereign Grace so well. As a result of their labors, the last week of May, (May 26 through 28 or 29) there is an Emerging Leaders retreat that is being held at Sovereign Grace Church in Guadalajara, Mexico. There are pastors who are traveling from Mexico and throughout Latin America to this retreat. And those pastors have signed a letter of intent saying they are desiring to formally be adopted into Sovereign Grace.
So, Josue Caceres from Puerto Rico; Jacobis Aldana from Santa Marta, Columbia; David Del Castillo in Santa Cruz, Bolivia; Rodrigo Fournier in San Jose, Costa Rica; our brother Eduardo Sandoval, who we'll call Chespi, coming from Costa Rica; Alan Monge from Cartago, Costa Rica and then eight brothers from throughout Mexico are traveling to this retreat and it's going to be led by Carlos Contreras, Joselo Mercado and Rich Richardson. The purpose of the retreat is to teach on Sovereign Grace values. That's the first purpose—just to assimilate those guys into the culture that we share, the gospel culture shaped by our theological convictions. And then to pull those guys together to build relationally. We are a family of churches and we want to continue to build relationally. So there's going to be time for those guys to get to know one another. And I think it's just going to be a great retreat, a great use of time. And be praying for that if you think of it.
Benjamin Kreps:
Right. Wonderful. And this was in large part made possible because of something you talked about on a podcast, a little ways back, which is the Latin America development fund. Can you tell us a little bit about that?
Mark Prater:
Yeah, it is only possible because of the Latin America development fund. In fact, this wasn't even on the calendar until that fund had been created. So thanks to members who generously give to the Latin America development fund. That fund is managed by a committee formed by Carlos Contreras, Joselo Mercado, Rich Richardson—and Tommy Hill is on there as a non-voting member. And so they began once that fund was first formed. They began to think, how can we use this money strategically to build Sovereign Grace throughout Latin America? And one of the events they decided to do is this Emerging Leaders retreat that will happen in Guadalajara. So I think it's a great strategic decision on their part and it wouldn't happen without this Latin America development fund. So I couldn't be more excited. It's wonderful about this retreat— and if you've given to that fund or want to give to that fund—thank you, thank you, thank you!
Benjamin Kreps:
Right. Just wonderful to see more fruit of our partnership with brothers globally and also the fruit of our gospel culture and the generous giving that our folks engage in for the advancement of the gospel. So thank you, Mark. Thank you to the brothers down there, organizing this retreat and thank you all for watching. See you here next week, Lord willing. Bye for now.