A GOOD BEGINNING
BMW began work in northern Mexico in the state of Chihuahua in the 1960s. God has blessed this ministry with eight congregations that are now under the leadership of national pastors. This has allowed BMW to move into other areas of the country. Donna Wohlfert is currently in Chihuahua concluding the BMW ministry there by serving the national churches as a Christian Education instructor and consultant. She will be moving to Guadalajara in the spring of 2009.
NEW VISION AND FOCUS
God has led BMW to target the least evangelized area of Mexico. In central and western Mexico there is a six-state region-known as the "Circle of Silence"-in which 2% or less of the population claim to be evangelicals. Most of these professing believers attend churches that are very weak in doctrine and Bible teaching. BMW's vision is to concentrate our church planting efforts in this spiritually desolate area of Mexico. Click to enlarge map
GUADALAJARA, JALISCO
Guadalajara is the largest city in this incredibly needy area of Mexico. It is the second largest city in the country, with a population of over six million. In 2002, BMW missionaries Dick and Angie Ludy moved from Chihuahua to Guadalajara to plant a church there. Along with Susan Rodriguez, they have started a cell church in a new area of this urban center. Becky Vannest, a tentmaker who has since returned to the USA, assisted with the youth ministry for some time. Two sisters, Corrie and Bethamy Anderson, will be joining them shortly, and the Marco Gudiño family is currently raising support in preparation for joining the Zapopan team.
The opportunities to start churches in the area are limitless. If BMW had 10 more church-planting teams in Guadalajara it would only begin to meet the need. We also need to reach out to the rural areas and eventually move into the neighboring states. The State of Jalisco has 124 municipalities (counties). Several of these counties have no believers at all, and many others have only a handful of Christians.
For more information on BMW in Guadalajara go to www.dickludymexico.com
HUIXQUILUCAN, MEXICO
On the edge of the "Circle of Silence", the state of Mexico and greater Mexico City constitute an area of great need simply by virtue of their population. Greater Mexico City has approximately the same population as Canada (30 million) and it is concentrated in a relatively small geographical area. 
The ancient, charming and bustling city of Huixquilucan is nestled in the highlands just west of Mexico City. Looking through the mountains pass, one can catch glimpses of the office towers of the capital as they pierce the thick clouds of smog hanging over the city on most days.
Fernando and Cindy Napoles have established a growing congregation in Huixquilucan and are seeking to disciple Mexican believers and equip them for ministry. They also opened a cultural center in the heart of downtown where they use English and music classes as a means of evangelism.
In addition to their church planting efforts, the Napoleses desire to direct a six-week summer internship program which will give college students exposure to a number of aspects of cross-cultural ministry, language acquisition, rural and urban ministries, youth and church ministries and missions philosophy. The details of this program will be forthcoming.
ZACATECAS, ZACATECAS
The population of this scenic Mexican state is 1,367,692. Greater Zacatecas City and its adjacent city of Guadalupe are home to 400,000, but there are 600,000 residents within a 35-mile radius of the capital. Other large urban populations are about an hour from Zacatecas City. Aguascalientes, a city of about one million and the capital of its own state of Aguascalientes, is only ninety miles from Zacatecas City.
The state of Zacatecas is located in the north central part of Mexico and straddles the Tropic of Cancer. Zacatecas City is more or less in the center of the state, approximately 415 miles southwest of Laredo, Texas and 480 miles southeast of Delicias, Chihuahua, where the Larry Baird family has ministered for fifteen years. The State of Zacatecas is bordered by the Mexican states of Coahuila and Nuevo Leon on the north, San Luis Potosí on the east, Aguascalientes and Jalisco on the south, and Nayarít and Durango on the west. It is a major gateway to the central part of Mexico because of two main highways that intersect at Zacatecas City from northern states. Four more highways continue south or east into central Mexico from
this point.
The state of Zacatecas is as odd-shaped as many others in Mexico, and on a map it looks ironically like a person walking with a heavy load on his back. Along the southern border, there are several indentations which makes for interesting driving. Zacatecas' 28,225 square miles make it slightly larger than West Virginia. Click to enlarge map
EVANGELICAL PRESENCE
Zacatecas State is located in the heart of the "Circle of Silence." The 2000 Mexico census places Zacatecas State at 1.94% Protestant (slightly less if one only considers Evangelicals). It ranks fifth of all thirty-two Mexican states with the fewest Evangelicals, and the need for church planting there is great.
BMW IN ZACATECAS
Church planting in Zacatecas takes into account all of the above factors as well as the fact that other BMW missionaries are ministering in nearby Zapopan, Jalisco, which is about four hours by car from Zacatecas City. Larry and Lilia Baird and their family moved to Zacatecas in August, 2007. Kevin and Crystal Elworth just joined them in December, 2008. The Bairds' goal is to plant churches with the focus on national involvement from the beginning of the church-planting process. It is also their goal to train nationals specifically to plant churches in this region and thereby multiply their efforts.
Following their one-year orientation, the Elworths' initial focus as they serve with the Bairds will be university outreach. The ministry vision the Lord has given them for the city of Zacatecas, in addition to acquiring additional ministry skills through the mentorship of the Bairds and assisting them in the early stages of this urban ministry, is to establish relationships with these students through various means. (A special emphasis will be making contact with students from rural mountain regions.) As young people understand their need of Jesus Christ and trust Him as their Savior, Kevin and Crystal will seek to disciple them, and eventually go with them back to their homes and equip them to reach their own communities. Eventually, they desire to minister in the rural areas of central Mexico, particularly in the mountain villages that have yet to receive any gospel witness. They would like to found a pastoral training center in a rural setting, but church planting will be the focus of their ministry using various Scriptural, innovative methods as God directs.
If you would like to help in Mexico or if we can be of help to you, please contact Rob Heijermans, Area Director for the Americas.
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