El Salvador is known as one of the most dangerous countries of Central America. The gangs control different areas, making it unsafe to travel easily from one part of town to another. Pastor Joel Guzmán believes this violent context could be an advantage for the Church in El Salvador. The people who have been or are victims of violence are looking for refuge and the Church has the privilege to share a gospel of salvation and unfailing love. As Psalm 46:1 says, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble" (ESV). The Church can approach the broken with the news that God loves them and cares for them.

Joel is the coordinator for the Church of God in the central region of the country. The denomination has been in the country for 73 years and there are around 430 planted churches but they know the work could be better.

The need to involve his district in planting more churches came from their prayers that they needed something more. Multiplication Network Ministries (MNM) and their program was a way of confirming that prayer.

"First we had the awareness seminar to which we invited the pastors of every church and the church planter retreat. After that we began the training with the modules for anyone who committed to plant a church. As they learned in the training, every pastor began to look for a community where they could plant their church," Joel says.

From his experience of using the training material and the seminars, Joel shares that as a denomination they recognize that they have found a comprehensive tool in MNM's resources that has allowed them to follow a deeper and more intentional trajectory with their work. "We never had follow-up for our church planters before. MNM has designed their program so that they do not feel so alone while they are planting a church because each one has mentor."

Satisfied with how the program is already impacting their leadership, Joel states, "MNM is good news for the Church because it offers a complete process. It is also good news for the lost because it is a plan to reach them.”