1 Timothy 1:12-13
“And thank Christ Jesus our Lord who has enabled me, because He counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry, although I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent man; but I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.”
Since the day I was received in the family of God through faith in Jesus Christ as my Lord and Saviour I realized that I urgently needed to serve God. In January 2005 I opened my heart to Jesus and from that moment onwards I have been experiencing His transforming power. 10 years of drinking, smoking, doing drugs and living a life of mediocrity came to an end as I said Yes to Jesus and No to the world. I therefore believe in the transforming power of the gospel of God first hand. It was my wife (a new friend at the time) who introduced me to Christ through her witness and bold declaration of the Good News. I was compelled to believe in Christ as the Message cut through the core of my being. On that cold Sunday evening in January I encountered God, as the wind of the Spirit convicted me I was a sinner. Through the same Holy Spirit I then experienced the greatest joy and peace ever!
Four and a half years have now passed. Since then I have personally led over 400 people to the Lord, mainly strangers, as I shared the message of God’s grace. I never felt it was the words I said “but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power,” I was able to win their souls for Jesus. My wife Samantha and I have been traveling through various ministries into the nations preaching the gospel and teaching the church how to reach out and win souls more effectively and mightily for God’s glory. We have also preached the gospel to thousands in large meetings in Central America, Africa, Asia and Europe. In the summer of 2008 we pioneered our first church plant in my hometown Estella, in the region of Navarra in the North of Spain. That work is up and running and by the grace of the Lord growing healthily.
Since then our heart has compelled us to work in and through the local church for the expansion of God’s Kingdom. Our purpose is threefold. Firstly we provide support to the local church is in the area of evangelism. Secondly we help create house groups out of new believers, creating a network of cells of all over the city. Thirdly we equip and train the church in the area of evangelism and cell creation (please see our method). We want to see fruit that remains!
After half a year in my Christian life I was one day praying when I had a very clear vision. It was a very sunny crispy day, the sky was all blue and there was a large, white and ripe field of wheat that extended as far as my eyes could reach. I then saw a windmill, tall and mighty, it was still and I could see it had been inactive for some time, although it was in a very good condition. In other words, it was ready to be used but wasn’t being used. I then felt the presence of God and I asked Lord what it all meant. His words were very clear to me at the time.
-He asked me: do you see the field? I said yes.
-He also asked me: what does it look like to you? I said it’s ready. I then knew there was a harvest of people everywhere untouched every year.
-I finally asked: how about the windmill? That’s the church, He said.
-He also asked me: do you see any workers in the fields? I couldn’t see any.
-What do I need to learn here and what shall I do Lord? I asked.
-Firstly I want you to go and collect the harvest, God said. Secondly encourage and accompany, showing the way to a new breed of workers into the harvest of souls. I-will-be-with-you! He concluded.
Samantha and I feel we are now living in the fulfillment of such prophecy I received over three years ago now. The last four years for us have been a time of continual training that is still ongoing for the final harvest and a new breed of harvesters.
We are currently helping to expand the Kingdom through our friends from the “Vida Abundante” congregation in Tuxtla Gutierrez (see current missions) namely the capital of the Chiapas region in Mexico. Our service is always offered to the whole of the church in the city, as we understand that the biblical model is one church per city. In other words our service is not offered solely to one single congregation but to all that receive us in the city. We are to expand God’s Kingdom, not solely the numbers of a single congregation. The latter is the result of doing things God’s way.
If you feel you would like us to come and visit your city for a period of time (often around 3 months) as the church in your area is hungry to be equipped and sent out to the harvest field, and you can provide workers ready to learn about evangelism and train and disciple new believers, please contact us.
May God bless you and lead you!
Mario and Samantha |
