Multiplication Network Ministries (MNM) Founder and President Dr. John Wagenveld says, "The Coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic is affecting us globally as national leaders in newly planted churches are having to find different ways of ministering in their communities." Please note that all of MNM's leaders around the world have been cautioned to reduce exposure and be safe while following the regulations set by their countries' governments.

Pastors Enfris and Lili have led a church for the Church of God of Prophecy in Guatemala for some years. But recently, God awoke a desire within them to minister to communities that are not yet reached with the gospel. This passion for church planting has remained on their hearts and has become a part of their vision for growing the Church.

Enfris and Lili were introduced to the Take Your Church’s Pulse tool provided by Multiplication Network Ministries (MNM). When they used the tool to analyze their own church, Enfris and Lili realized that discipleship was a weak point. With this analysis in mind, Enfris and Lili began their church planter modular training determined to strengthen every area of their ministry.

In the course of their training, Enfris and Lili set out to plant a church in the community of Panaluya. “When we arrived in Panaluya,” says Lili, “we immediately saw there was no church in the community. The people looked at us as if we were aliens when we told them what we were going to do.”

In addition, the local people were deeply rooted in other religious traditions that made it difficult to get their ministry started but Enfris and Lili did not give up. “Many of the people told us how others had already tried to plant churches but were not successful.  We rejected all of that negativity. We knew that, if God brought us, He wouldn’t let us leave here until we saw the work through and planted the church,” says Lili.

Enfris and Lili persisted in the face of these challenges using the tools and resources they were provided through MNM’s training program. Today, the new church plant has around 35 people who meet under a mango tree. Many of them are kids and for Enfris, they are the church of the future: children who will grow up to become leaders and pastors in their own community.

Little by little, and through much prayer, they have seen the darkness recede in this area. “We do not stop confessing nor believing that one day we will see the members of this community before the presence of God,” Enfris says.

Enfris and Lili are sure their ministry in this community will continue to glorify God and bring others close to Him. “Now the local people have heard music that praises God and we know that God is always glorified. Our vision is to leave three leaders in this region and continue going to other small villages that still do not have a church to plant the seed for new communities of faith.”

Leaders like Enfris and Lili are eager to see God at work in all of Guatemala. Enfris and Lili are sure that church planting is not only a strategy of growth but also a tool of empowering and advancing the Kingdom in the lives of each person.