Lausanne World Pulse – The Ibero-American Church Is on its Way to the III Ibero-American Missions Congress (La Iglesia Ibero Americana de camino al III Congreso Misionero Iberoamericano)

By David Ruiz

For the past twenty years we have witnessed a very unique event: The awakening of the Ibero-American Church toward world missions. Today, more than 7,500 Ibero-American missionaries are working cross-culturally. Each month more than three million USD are raised by their supporting churches and sent to them. Thousands of candidates continue to work to fulfill the requirements to serve on the field, and many more pastors continue to guide their churches as they strive to go to the ends of the earth.

COMIBAM’s Vision and Mission Statement
COMIBAM Internacional is a leadership development and capacity building ministry. Interdenominational, it promotes cooperation, networking and partnership between all those involved in missions in Latin America, Hispanic North America and the Iberian Peninsula.

COMIBAM’s vision is to see the Church of Ibero-America transformed into a missionary force. COMIBAM’s mission is to help the churches of Ibero-America (IBA) become a missionary people, capable of taking the gospel of Jesus Christ to all nations. COMIBAM does this by providing vision, technical and organizational know-how, essential training, materials and information to participating churches.

From the beginning, COMIBAM Internacional has played a key role in the transformational process of missions. In 1987, when the I Ibero-American Missions Congress (COMIBAM ‘87) was convened in Sao Paulo, Brazil, more than 3,100 church leaders gathered to listen to a clear and convincing Macedonian call. Many of them heard the challenge of evangelizing the Muslim world for the first time and as a result, an amazing mobilization process ignited and grew. Hundreds of missionaries were sent and missions conferences were regularly held in countries throughout the world. Important gatherings were celebrated to provide responses for the Church in terms of screening, training, Adopt-A-People programs and sending structures.

Ten years later, during the II Ibero-American Missions Congress (COMIBAM ‘97) in Acapulco, Mexico, a similar number of leaders met to evaluate their performance as a sending base. Participants had the opportunity to listen to the testimonies of missionaries who spoke about the process they had to endure to reach the field. Local church leaders also shared their views on how the “sending” side could be improved in order to help to establish a stronger local church. As a result, a re-engineering process was initiated which produced a regional structure for effectiveness in response to the local needs. The Ibero-American Missions Movement (IBAMM), a networking organizational focus, was established, and a new strategy of mobilization called “Transformation of the Church” was initiated as an appeal to the Ibero-American churches for obedience.

“From a missionary field to a missionary force” is the rallying cry of those deeply committed to seeing Ibero-Americans take their place among the world harvesters. Until now, this IBAMM has concentrated its efforts on mobilizing, training and sending. Recently, it has also started to develop its own member care models. As the movement has extended and deepened its roots, the fruit of its endeavours has begun to mature and reproduce.

Continuous analysis of this fruit is essential for the vigorous spread of the movement. There needs to be an understanding of how the soil was cleared and prepared, how the seed was planted, how the growth was achieved and how the harvest was gathered.

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