This is my second visit to Mexico. The first one being just over 6 years ago with Roger Bye. I had made many new friends including Lee Yarbrough, Sergio Lopez, and over the years have grown to know each other really well.
I had been invited this time to attend and speak at Impacto, which is the Newfrontiers Mexico (Nuevas Fronteras México) youth conference for ages 16+ in the city of Leon. The theme of Impacto was ‘Black & white’ and so we spent 4 days unpacking the gospel together and what it means to be an anointed people who are bringers of the good news. Throughout the whole weekend, young people were eager and open to truth, but were also really open to receiving the Spirit too. We saw people saved, coming back to God, receiving the spirit and both physical and emotional healings. On Saturday evening Ernesto Aguirre who leads a church in Guadalajara preached on "Walking to Please the Spirit" and the Holy Spirit moved powerfully in young peoples lives. We ended the conference with ‘Impacted by God, to Impact Others’. Another highlight was the worship, where we experienced the intimacy of God, great celebration and praise, along with prophetic words which spoke right into what we were sharing through God’s word. Mexico has many talented worship leaders and musicians but it was the togetherness of worship that made this time together so special. Sergio Lopez and his team led the weekend with great servant hearts and worked really hard to make what I thought, was a fantastic and memorable time together.
Following the end of Impacto, I stayed on in Leon with Lee and we spent some time with his son’s William and Matthew. Then on the Tuesday evening, I spoke with some churches together about loving and reaching like Christ. After the meeting, one of the elders explained to us that a guy had given his life to Christ and Lee and I had the privilege of praying with him. We continued to stay another couple of days in Leon for friendship and downtime together. We finished the time there over a breakfast with Pepe & Vero who are part of the leadership team at La Red church in Leon. I finished my time in Guadalajara by speaking at El Arca church. It was a great time together as we worshipped God with a strong sense of his presence with us. I spoke on ‘What Does a Grace Filled Church Look Like’ and led people to a response to know Jesus. There were 14 responses for salvation which was an amazing moment of God moving amongst us.
I have met so many amazing people passionate for Jesus, that it is difficult to leave with such distance between us. I spent the last few days with good friends Sergio, Patty, Jorge, Seraphina, Erik and Fernando, who are young 20-30’s, part of Newfrontiers churches in Guadalajara.
These young guys serve with a maturity and a heart for Jesus. They have looked after me really well and I love them dearly. I am looking forward to having Jorge and his wife Fina with us at Grace Church in August and another potential visit next year.
In finishing, I believe that our partnership and friendship with Mexico and other nations help to enrich us all. We can lose out on so much if we think it’s just about our own local town/city and churches. Christ’s commission to all of us is to be an apostolic people, sent into the places where we live but also to the nations. And that can be going and receiving nations amongst us. We are God’s mobile temple of the Spirit and his desire is to see the gospel covering the earth as the waters cover the sea (Hab 2:14). I love how God’s plan in doing this is through his family together across the nations and with the nations. Please continue to pray for Lee, Stacey and the churches in Mexico. The Yarbrough’s are a great couple and they need to know that together, we are a family who care, love, support and pray for them. Lee sends his love to everyone and looks forward to being amongst us all soon.
Allen Rossi
Grace Church Whitehaven