February 15 - Small Church Plant in the Big City

Up until recently, there were few Adventist congregations in Montevideo. Certain parts of the city were completely untouched by the Adventist message. But it was here that the Adventist Church of Goes started.

We are planting new churches
in strategic locations,

in places we haven't worked for years.

Many people here thought it was impossible
to start new groups of believers.

But people like Nestor,
are demonstrating that this is possible.

Nestor is a former businessman
and a retired taxi driver

in Montevideo, Uruguay.

He is also a talented guitar player,
who used his gifts

to do something difficult in this city.

Nestor decided to plant
a new Adventist church here.

Up until recently, there were
few Adventist congregations in Montevideo.

Certain parts of the city
were completely untouched

by the Adventist message.

It seemed impossible to reach people
in this highly secular society

with little interest in religion.

But it was here that the
Adventist Church of Goes started.

Nestor and the other missionaries
working with him

wanted to use Christ’s method
to reach the community.

So they mingled with the people
and met their needs

by starting an Urban Center of Influence.

We had a lot to offer the community:
smoking cessation courses,

healthy cooking classes,
guitar lessons, and spiritual counseling.

We served food to the homeless.

We offered them guiso,
a traditional dish in Uruguay,

made of lentils and rice.

We invited them
to spiritual activities too,

and we saw that God led
and brought people to us.

Many people who were reached
by the missionaries

began to study the Bible,

and in just the first year of activities
of the Goes church plant,

five people were baptized.

The number of visitors kept growing,

and the newly formed congregation
started to pray for a bigger building.

In 2016, God answered their prayers

through your contribution
to the 13th Sabbath Offering.

Adventist members around the world
supported this project,

and a building was purchased
in a busy street between many shops.

Since then, the Church of Goes
has met in a large hall.

Approximately 40 people
attend Sabbath worships

and welcome visitors
from the surrounding region.

Goes is practically a family.

I always feel welcome in this church.

Here, I learned the true faith,
I learned who the true Jesus is

and the true church of God.

Because of this, I felt confident
to become an Adventist

and follow the commandments,
as Jesus asked us.

The world moves very fast,
there is time for nothing.

And when you find a place,
a refuge like this house of God,

the people feel good, feel satisfied,
and decide to take part.

Through the new church of Goes,
God is blessing the city of Montevideo.

Nestor is thrilled to see
this congregation growing,

but there are other areas of the city
that need to be reached.

So Nestor and the local leadership
have planned a church plant

in the La Aguada neighborhood,
where more than 200,000 people live.

God wants us to open new paths
and conquer new lands.

Just as the "heroes of our faith"
in the past.

We must continue to conquer,
because time is short

and Jesus is soon returning.

The challenge is similar around the world.

Until every member
becomes involved in mission,

the world may remain largely unreached.

Please pray for more people to allow God
to use them, like Nestor did.

Pray also for the millions
of people living in the cities,

that they may desire to know Christ.

And thanks for your support
of the 13th Sabbath Offering.