Witch Doctors. Sex Traffickers. Church Planters. (part 2)

“Where Alex is ministering is a tough place. I would never send an American or foreigner to plant a church there.” said Pastor Mike Vincent of Calvary Chapel Rosarito who also ordained Pastor Servin. “They need people that know the language and the culture…someone that’s from Mexico.” Pastor Mike was sent out as a missionary from his home church in Orange County, California 13 years ago. Beginning as a home fellowship, the church in Rosarito has grown into a robust church of 1,200 in a city of 80,000.

“If I could do anything different in planting the church, I would have trusted God more and had a bigger vision.” - Mike Vincent

I sat down with Mike Vincent to discuss what God is in doing in regards to church planting in Mexico and how the local church is able to train men to be sent out. 15% of Rosarito’s funding is invested into Church Planting and aside from his role as lead pastor, Mike spends a majority of his time discipling other men. “Since the beginning I knew that we would be a church that plants other churches. Our first church plant was six years into our time here. I thought it would have been sooner, but God knew what He was doing.” In thirteen years they have planted eleven churches, seven of which have a building for Sunday services, two in home fellowships, and two that have opted out. “If I could do anything different in planting the church, I would have trusted God more and had a bigger vision. I stressed more in my early years but I see now that it really is God’s church. It’s His deal.”

Clearly the approach in Rosarito to see Mexico reached is having impact. The church is multiplying. So then, how are men practically trained for such an endeavor? To see that planters would have practical training and hands on knowledge, Calvary Chapel Rosarito offers a program that’s designed to equip participants with the ability to step onto the streets and expand the work of the church. Every Monday prospective planters preach fifteen minute messages with follow-up critique with the last hour of the two and a half hour instructional consisting of lecture and mentorship.”Church planting isn’t for everyone. Not everyone that completes the program is sent out. It’s a long term commitment and they’re guaranteed to make mistakes, but that’s how they get better.”

Further along the Baja coast, lies another Calvary Chapel whose bloodline is rooted in church planting. From Juan Domingo, a missionary for thirty seven years in Mexico, to his son Jonathan who now serves as the lead pastor, multiple churches have birthed out of Calvary Chapel Horizonte. Including plants such as Mérida that has blossomed into fifteen other churches, a bible college and outreach in Cuba. In addition, a church plant in Querétaro that has a congregation of 1,200 and five other churches planted.

“We take more of an organic approach to planting churches.” said Pastor Jonathan Domingo who is part of the Calvary Church Planting Network along with Pastor Mike Vincent. Calvary Chapel Horizonte established an affiliate campus of Calvary Chapel Bible College in 2007 with the vision to see disciples rooted deeply in God’s word to reach the world for Christ. As CCBC Mexico continues to grow both numerically and in campus capacity, graduates return to their home states throughout the nation with 80% of them remaining active in ministry.

“In the past, foreign missionaries were more effective and educated in coming to Mexico, but that has changed. Today, Mexicans are better educated and don’t have to adapt to culture and the language barrier.” As a port city that rests 2 hours south of the U.S. border, Ensenada is a very churched culture. Though it has roughly 450 churches, many have begun out of division. “Many want to get out of a situation but churches that are planted out of discontent are doomed to discontent. Churches should begin out of vision not division. Men need to be connected and naturally propel outward as they grow from within their church.”

“…All the while we are called by Christ to go to them, love them, sacrifice for them, bring the gospel to them.”

John Piper said it well, “…All the while we are called by Christ to go to them, love them, sacrifice for them, bring the gospel to them. The Great Commission is not child’s play. It is costly. Very costly.” God is doing much throughout the nation of Mexico. Men are being raised up to be sent out. Churches are being planted where there has never been a church before. Yet many still have not heard. Literally millions in desperate need of the gospel. “Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.”