wfn.org | MBM grant helps growth of El Paso church

[Beth Hawn]

Microsoft Mail v3.0 (MAPI 1.0 Transport) IPM.Microsoft Mail.Note
To:  'Worldwide Faith News'
Date: 1999-03-03 13:58
Priority: 3
Message ID: 277CC4747765BE11810A7611E65C8882
Conversation ID: MBM grant helps growth of El Paso church

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March 3, 1999
Mennonite Board of Missions
Beth Hawn
219-294-7523
<NEWS@MBM.org>

MBM grant helps growth of El Paso church

ELKHART, Ind. (MBM) - Mennonite Board of Missions has awarded a $5,000   
grant
to help Amor Viviente U.S.A. with church-planting work in El Paso, Texas,   

where over the past year Amor Viviente has developed a congregation of   
more
than 100 youths and adults.

The grant was one of 21 grants to 12 conferences in 1998-99 given through   
MBM's
Evangelism and Church Development department to encourage church   
planting.

"We've gotten a very good response from the people here in El Paso," said   

Hector Urbina, an MBM field staff member who oversees the program.

Marvin Lorenzana has been leading the church-planting effort, which
includes seven cell groups that meet each week and a discipleship program   
the
church is using to train leaders. The church is also very involved in a   
rescue
home for those with problems of alcohol or drug addiction.

"In our congregation we have people who were involved in drugs. Not only   
using
 them, but selling them," Urbina said. "We have a lot of testimony from   
people
who already were in jail and in a lot of pain. They met the Lord and they   
got out of
jail and they have been coming to church. The fact that we are reaching   
out to
these people is a great benefit to the community."

"We are also working with another group from across the border. It works   
among
alcoholics, drug addicts and their families," Urbina said. Reaching   
across
 the border to Mexico is also a long-term goal of Amor Viviente,   
according to
Urbina.  "Our goal is basically for this congregation to have the   
capacity to
establish another congregation in Mexico. We want to use our congregation   
as
a training center."

For the immediate future, the goal of the church is to become   
self-supporting
over the next year.

"The grant from MBM has been a great blessing. There has been an effect   
on
people's lives here," Urbina said.

Through its Evangelism and Church Development department, MBM provides
financial and technical assistance to conference-based church planting
systems. MBM's ECD staff assists sites and personnel, coaches church
planters (and other coaches) and supports leadership development efforts.

Mennonite Board of Missions, based in Elkhart, Ind., promotes the whole
gospel for a broken world as it builds communities of faith through 933
workers and volunteers in 27 countries.  With ministries of witness,   
nurture
and healing, MBM has been a world wide web on behalf of the Mennonite
Church since 1899.

* * *

Mike Knaack