Mobile Impact Teams
Mobile Impact Teams (MIT) began in September 2005 with the purpose of fulfilling the great commission spelled out in Matthew 28:19: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” The teams are designed to give members in-depth experience in missions and the opportunity to fall deeper in love with Jesus while serving.
Each team is made up of 3-6 former ACTS students and will serve for up to one year on the international/domestic mission field. The team will be involved in church planting or be anchored to the local church, and maintain a primary focus on evangelism and discipleship. The teams will work alongside foreign nationals that have shared vision and are capable of continuing the work.
Current Team: San Miguel de Allende
ANTIOCH BIBLE COMMUNITY
San Miguel de Allende, Mexico
San Miguel de Allende is the “Philadelphia” of Mexico; the location of Mexico’s independence. But what is not widely known about this Colonial city of 70,000 is that approximately ten percent are Americans. They come from all over for many different reasons. Some just to live out their retirement years; others who want to follow their creative muses -- painting, writing, and sculpting; some to attend art or language school; and others in a “search for truth” in one of the many cults or “alternative” religions available to them in San Miguel. A year ago, what was noticeably missing was a dynamic body of believers who love Jesus and are fully devoted to His Word, worship and serving.
In February 2009, Great Commandments Ministries (GCM) sent a team of seven young adults down to San Miguel de Allende to plant an english speaking church. Antioch Bible Community began meeting in early March 2009 and has been meeting each Sunday since. With an eclectic mix of people--missionaries, “snow birds”, young couples, single moms, retired folks, yoga teachers, artists--the church continues to grow. It is the prayer of Antioch Bible Community to be a church where God is exalted in worship and teaching of the Word, a church where people feel welcome and hear the Good News of the Gospel; a church where people get saved, fall in love with Jesus Christ and serve Him with their lives!
After these seven young adults served for a year, and started making their seperate ways home, they began asking the Lord to provide leadership for the church. After some very supernatural events, the Lord connected Scott and Tammy Provins with GCM. With shared vision, passion and excitement for the ministry in San Miguel, both GCM and the Provins felt such peace and confirmation from the Lord about serving Him in Mexico. Scott will be serving as the primary teaching elder of the church, while Tammy will serve in women’s ministry and administrative tasks. The Provins' will be joined by Mark James, a former ACTS student, who will serve Antioch Bible Community in worship, teaching and outreach.
The Church Planting Team:
Brad Boothe, Dan & Kristin Hayes, Tanner Smith, Chris & Abby Sutton and Adina Feriante
Scott & Tammy Provins
Mark James
Updates From the Field
5/15/2009
When I came down to Mexico I thought that I was going to help start a new English speaking Church. Apparently I was wrong. In fact I’ve realized that starting a new church isn’t what is needed at all. Starting a church looks more like a business than anything else: raising recruits, developing strategy, growth charts, advertising, pounding the flesh, and building my own kingdom. Before long we worry more about maintaining attendance than building up the body. For me, this happens subtly, subconsciously and with good intentions, but it’s this type of church that Christ would have cleansed (see John 2). The fact is, God calls us His church, and He already established it a few thousand years ago. He calls us His bride and made us pure and holy, without spot or wrinkle (Eph. 5). We don’t have to strive to get people to come, rather God will add to our number as we continue in Bible study, prayer, fellowship and breaking of bread (Acts 2). San Miguel doesn’t need me and the rest of my team to build a new church, it needs us to BE the church as God intended it. We need only to be faithful. And God is drawing people to himself: One young woman has attended almost every service we’ve had. She is very interested in studying the Bible, and has been greatly encouraged by our friendship and teaching. We got to talking to our waiter at a coffee shop. He recently married a Christian girl and wants to know more about her faith. He found out why we were here and said, “I need a pastor.” He’s been to the last 2 services. An older couple, in their 60s, have been in San Miguel for 8 years and haven’t found a place where they could study the Bible in English and fellowship with other Christians. They attended last week for the first time and enthusiastically offered to bring dessert this Sunday. “It’s hard for some to be taught by people half their age,” the man said, “but it’s Truth, so it doesn’t matter who it’s coming from”. Please continue to pray for us as we serve the community of San Miguel and share the love of Christ.