“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.”

ROMANS 12:1

Years of working together--Evangelina, Pastor Victorio, Russell, Pastor Mariano, Pastor Alejandro.

Place Your Life Before God

Each year, our summers are filled with lots of construction, children’s ministry, shoes and Bible distribution, medical care and Bible college classes. All of this requires that many people present their bodies as a living sacrifice unto God and count it as their responsible service to touch the lives of others in some way for Christ and the advancement of God’s Kingdom. We like the way the Message Bible words Romans 12:1:

“Here’s what I want you to do: Take your everyday, ordinary life - your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life - and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for Him.”

Everyday life for us may be different than yours. Having spent much of our adult years in Mexico, we do not work a typical 9 to 5 job. There have been many challenges throughout the years, but with extremely great reward. Each day involves physical labor, or it is surrounded by planning, coordinating, organizing and talking about the work in Mexico. We do this while eating, walking around and even in our thoughts when we are sleeping. As the Scripture states to place our life before God as an offering, we have chosen to live a life of servanthood before Him. We learned this early in our walk with the Lord. Being a servant often has involved long days of automobile travel while in MX or exhausting flights to and from the country. There have been many days of physical construction. There have been uncomfortable places where we had to lay our head at night to sleep on blankets, sometimes in tents in the pouring down rain. But when a person is doing the gifting of what God has called them to do, then it doesn’t seem that difficult. It may not be pleasurable to the flesh, but it has so much more in eternal rewards.

Our greatest sacrifice in life has never been the conditions we faced. It’s being away from people we love that’s most difficult. That means separation from family and friends in the US or from people that are dear to us in Mexico. For Charlotte and I, embracing what God is doing for us is the best thing that we can do for Him. Thank you for being a part of what God is doing in Mexico. Your calling in life may not be to work full time on the mission field, but whatever it is, embrace it whole heartedly with a servant’s heart. This is the best thing that you can do to honor and serve God.

Blessings, Russell

Children’s Ministry

There was lots of fantastic children’s ministry this summer in many locations of Chiapas and Oaxaca.

Children at VBS wearing their new shoes donated by COTR-Texaraka and distributed by Ascent Church.

Joy on children’s faces during ministry time.

Often our means of travel to some of the remote villages.

IBI Chenalho graduate Pastor Artemio and his wife planted and pastor a church in Yabteclum. Their church building was constructed by the Vineyard team this summer.

Tzotzil women in their colorful typical clothing of that region.

IBI August Sessions

Tuxtepec-Class of 2025

Christ Kingdom in the Church with Teacher Mauri, Linscombes, Professors Scott, Joe and Ron, Director Cesar, and Interpreters Berenice and Luis.

Chenalhó-Class of 2026

Many thanks to Professor Chuck Bass and Director Raul for teaching Basic Bible Doctrines. Luis Pinto with Interpreters, Rosy & Lorenzo.

IBI Student Sponsorships

For MXO, the greatest calling and need continues to be to train up pastors and leaders and to raise funds for their schooling.

A student sponsorship is $800 for the complete two year program and it takes more than one sponsor per student. An entire two week session is $5,000 per campus. If you would like to help, it can be monthly, annually or one time online or by mail. Whatever works for you.