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THE MAGAZINE THAT EDIFIES YOUR LIFE

March 2018 / Edition 770

evangelistico

OFFICIAL PUBLICATION

WORLDWIDE MISSIONARY MOVEMENT

TESTIMONY

A ray of hope for Hilda INTERVIEW

Agustín Laje: “Feminism is based on hate” DEVOTIONAL

You have left your first love

How to fight this modern-day evil?

LONELINESS

When God blesses your marriage, a beautiful and endless love story begins.

FRIDAYS 18H PERU 21:30 GMT MISSIONARY MOVEMENT 2 WORLDWIDE America • Europe • Oceanía • África • Asia

editorial

WHAT WILL YOU

HAVE ME TO DO? Rev. José Arturo Soto B. International President of the MMM

“And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.” Acts 9:5-6.

C

onvinced of what he was doing, Saul of

God has called and given His saints a spe-

Tarsus persecuted Christians with no

cial power, “…God would make known

mercy trying to get their faith in Jesus out of

what is the riches of the glory of this

them (Acts 8:3). Saul ignored, indeed, that he

mystery among the Gentiles; which is

was a puppet in the hands of the devil and that

Christ in you, the hope of glory: Whom

the latter was using his religious fanaticism to

we preach, warning every man, and tea-

perpetrate attacks against Christ’s Church.

ching every man in all wisdom; that we

God was waiting the right moment to

may present every man perfect in Christ

meet Saul. And the moment arrived when

Jesus: Whereunto I also labour, striving

Saul was on his way to Damascus in order to

according to his working, which worketh

attack and arrest the Christian refugees shel-

in me mightily.” (Colossians 1:27-29). The

tered in that place. When Christ appeared in

dynamic in this ministry does not lay in the

front of Saul, the latter opened his heart and

academic degree or in the economic status,

ask a question that would change his existen-

but in the power of God inside of each and

ce forever, “What will you have me to do?”

every one of us.

(Acts 9:6). That saved soul was immediately at the disposal of his Savior.

Dear reader, can God count on you? Are you using your potential for God’s glory

Saul of Tarsus’ conversion became an im-

and the benefit of both the world and the

portant and essential milestone in the history

Church? It is time to work and unearth the

of the Church and opened the door to a wider

talent that has remained hidden for so long

vision of God’s purpose for His Work.

inside us. Amen.

march 2018 / Impacto evangelistic

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evangelistic Founder Director: Rev. Luis M. Ortiz MARCH 2018 / EDITION N° 770 (USPS 012-850) OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE WORLDWIDE MISSIONARY MOVEMENT The World-Wide Missionary Movement, Inc. is a non-profit church with a vision to plant new churches in the United States of America and its territories, and also with a missionary vision to plant new churches wherever God opens new doors all over the World. PUBLISHED MONTHLY BY Movimiento Misionero Mundial, Inc World-Wide Missionary Movement, Inc San Juan, Puerto Rico Washington, D.C. Periodicals Postage Paid at San Juan, Puerto Rico 00936

POSTMASTER: send address changes to Impacto Evangelístico P.O. BOX 363644 San Juan, Puerto Rico 00936-3644 Phone (787) 761-8806; 761-8805; 761-8903

BOARD OFFICERS OF WMM INC. Rev. José Soto President Rev. Humberto Henao Vice president Rev. Rubén Concepción Secretary Rev. Gustavo Martínez Treasurer Rev. Álvaro Garavito Director Rev. Rómulo Vergara Director Rev. Luis Meza Director Rev. Clemente Vergara Director Rev. Carlos Guerra Director CHURCHES ESTABLISHED IN: Germany Argentina Aruba Australia Austria Belgium Belize Bolivia Bonaire Brasil Cameroon Canadá Chile Colombia Congo Ivory Coast Costa Rica Curacao Dinamarca Ecuador El Salvador Spain United States The Philippines Finland

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The Worldwide Missionary Movement is a religious nonprofit organization duly registered in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and in the federal capital, Washington DC, with headquarters in both cities and in every state of the United States and other countries where we have established missionary Works. Important The offerings and donations in cash, equipment, real estate and bequests by will, in the benefit of the Worldwide Missionary Movement, Inc.’s Work, are deductible from the income tax, and receipts issued by the WMM are recognized by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) of the Federal Government of the United States of America and of the Free Associated State of Puerto Rico. n

Visit our website Obtain uplifting information about God’s Work and keep up with the latest news. A customized access from anywhere in the world: www. impactoevangelistico.net n

If you wish Write to us at our postal address: Worldwide Missionary Movement, Inc. PO Box 363644 San Juan, P. R. 00936-3644 n

Copyright © 2009 Impacto Evangelistic Movimiento Misionero Mundial, Inc. (World-Wide Missionary Movement, Inc.) All content of this magazine and each subsequent edition are duly registered at the Library of Congress, Washington, DC USA. All rights reserved. Total or partial reproduction in any form and translation into other languages without prior permission of the Director are prohibited. Under international copyright agreements, they are crimes punishable by law. n

Doctrinal Statement The Worldwide Missionary Movement adheres to the fundamental doctrines of Scripture, such as: n

Legal deposit made on the National Library of Peru Nº 2011-02530 Christian Pentecostal Church-Worldwide Missionary Movement: Av. 28 de Julio 1781 - Lima 13 - Peru Printout: Quad/Graphics Perú S.A. Av. Los Frutales 344 - Lima 03 - Peru MISSIONARY MOVEMENT 4 WORLDWIDE America • Europe • Oceanía • África • Asia

• The inspiration of the Holy Scriptures: 2 Timothy 3:15-17, 2 Peter 1:19-21. • The Adorable Godhead in Three Persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit: Matthew 3:16-17, 17: 1-5; 28:19, John 17: 5, 24, 26, 16:32, 14:16, 23, 18:5, 6, 2 Peter 1:17,18; Revelation 5. • Salvation by Faith in Christ: Luke 24:47, John 3:16, Romans 10:13, Titus 2:11, 3:5-7. • The New Birth: John 3:3, 1 Peter 1:23, 1 John 3:9. • Justification by Faith: Romans 5:1, Titus 3:7. • Water Baptism by Inmersion, as commanded by Christ: Matthew 28:19, Acts 8:36-39. • The Baptism in the Holy Spirit subsequent to salvation, speaking in tongues according to: Luke 24:49, Acts 1:4, 8, 2:4. • Divine Healing: Isaiah 53:4, Matthew 8:16, 17, Mark 16:18, James 5:14, 15. • The Gifts of the Holy Spirit: 1 Corinthians 12:1-11. • The Fruits of the Holy Spirit: Galatians 5:22-26. • Sanctification: 1 Thessalonians 4:3, 5:23, Hebrews 12:14, 1 Peter 1:15, 16, 1 John 2:6. • Ministry and Evangelization: Mark 16:15-20, Romans 10:15. • Tithing and Maintenance of the Work: Genesis 14:20, 28:22, Leviticus 27:30, Numbers 18:21-26, Malachi 3:7-10, Matthew 10:10; 23:23. • The Rapture of the Church: Romans 8:23, 1 Corinthians 15:5152, 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17. • The Second Coming of Christ: Zechariah 14:1-9, Matthew 24:30, 31; 2 Thessalonians 1:7, Titus 2:13, Jude 14, 15. • The Millennial Kingdom: Isaiah 2:1-4, 11:5-10, Zechariah 9:10, Revelation 19:20, 20:3-10. • New Heavens and New Earth: Isaiah 65:17, 66:22, 2 Peter 3:13, Revelation 21:1.

SUMMARY Search us in

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30 / HERO OF FAITH. The Jew who evangelized Brazil DEVOTIONALS 40 / YOU HAVE LEFT YOUR FIRST LOVE Rev. Rodolfo González Cruz

42 / CHRIST TRIUMPHED Rev. Gustavo Martínez

Neverendign loneliness

6

Gender ideology corrupts freedom

Hero of faith

24 / LITERATURE. Newborn

Analysis

18 / HEALTH. Ear infections

Cover note

16 / CURRENT AFFAIRS. Billy Graham: A key man in a key moment

A ray of light through the bars

34 20

40 /LET’S GO TO GETHSEMANE! Rev. Manuel Zuñiga 65 / OTHER EVENTS.

14 / Infography.

66 / LETTERS-AGENDA.

march 2018 / Impacto evangelistic

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Recent news from England has put up for discussion a subject that had been overlooked by modern society: loneliness. The English government has created a new ministry to deal with this issue, one of the greatest of our times.

In the beginning of January 2018, the English government announced the appointment of a “Minister for Loneliness” to deal with a problem affecting nine million people, that is 13.7% of the English population. The idea is to devise a method to measure the impact of loneliness and determine the necessary solutions. Surprising news in a world that has attained unprecedented levels of communication through the hyper-connection to the Internet and social networks. However, loneliness remains an issue of modern society caused by public policies that have affected the heart of family, especially in Europe. People feel lonely. Three years ago, documentary “The Swedish Theory of Love” by Erik Gandini sent the first wake-up call on the loneliness situation. Sweden is commonly seen as a role-model country and, according to the UN, it has one of the lowest levels of poverty worldwide and an exemplary redistribution of wealth. Nevertheless, Swedish people experience existential voids. According to the documentary, 40% of Swedish live alone and the suicide rate is one of the highest in the world, despite their excellent economic situation and standard of living. So, what is the root of this phenomenon? The film states that it is caused by the Swedish model based on individuality and independence that began in the ‘70s as a public policy. People throughout the world were astonished by the documentary, as it WORLDWIDE MISSIONARY MISIONERO MOVEMENT MUNDIAL 6 MOVIMIENTO America • Europa América Europe • Oceanía • África • Asia

LON

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NEVER-ENDING

NELINESS Marzo march2018 2018/ /Impacto ImpactoevangelĂ­stico evangelistic

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revealed that factors other than poverty such as loneliness could cause distress and break a person. The Swedish model failed to consider this.

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NEVER-ENDING LONELINESS

Last year, a group of researchers in the US published an extensive report warning about the consequences of this issue. Loneliness is like a never-ending eruption,

seems to recite the document published in August 2017, for which about 300,000 people were assessed in the US, Europe, Asia and Australia. It states that loneliness could be a major public health ha-

cover

discussed possible treatments for loneliness. “In 1978, when the Task Panel report to the US President’s Commission on Mental Health emphasized the importance of improving health care and easing the pain of those suffering from emotional distress syndromes including loneliness, few anticipated that this issue would still need to be addressed 40 years later,” states the document. Professor David Sbarra from the University of Arizona (United States) declared that, “governments should start a discussion on strategies to build positive communities, to encourage marriage and other types of household-related compromises that can prevent isolation.” Hardly anything was done, though. There is much research on this urgent matter. A paper wrote by the experts Antonio Abellán and Rogelio Pujol, from the National Research Council of Spain, revealed that “the percentage of elder people who live alone in Europe is 31.1%”— a not inconsiderable figure. In an article published in 2016, psychologists John T. Cacioppo and Stephanie Cacioppo also talked about the subject and posed the following question: Can social networks open new ways to connect with others? They answer that it depends on how we use these tools. “When people use social networks to enhance their personal interactions, they can help decrease loneliness, but when

“Governments should start a discussion on strategies to build positive communities, to encourage marriage and other types of household-related compromises that can prevent isolation.” Hardly anything was done, though.

zard, even greater than obesity. “There is robust evidence that social isolation and loneliness significantly increase risk for premature mortality, and the magnitude of the risk exceeds that of

many leading health indicators,” said lead author Julianne Holt-Lunstad. A 2015 research by authors from the University of Chicago (United States) and the University of Leuven (Belgium)

they replace real human relations, they get opposite results. Picture a car. If you drive to have a good time with friends, you will surely feel less lonely, if you just pass by and greet people from afar while

march 2018 / Impacto evangelistic

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watching them have a good time, you will feel as lonely, or worse,” they explain. CONSEQUENCES

Loneliness does not discriminate, but the elderly are the most affected group. According to scientific research published in 2017, loneliness is as damaging to health as smoking 15 cigarettes per day. In a 2017 study conducted on people aged 50 or more, that was published in MISSIONARY MOVEMENT 10 WORLDWIDE America • Europe • Oceanía • África • Asia

Loneliness does not discriminate, but the elderly are the most affected group. According to scientific research published in 2017, loneliness is as damaging to health as smoking 15 cigarettes per day.

the International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, geriatric psychiatrist and researcher Nancy Donovan said than loneliness is linked to a worsening cognitive function over a 12-year period. “There is now strong evidence relating greater depressive symptoms to increased progression from normal cognition to mild cognitive impairment and from mild cognitive impairment to dementia,” declared Donovan while ex-

cover

In times of loneliness, faith in God is a great company. Even though we cannot feel His presence, we can trust His Word and know that He will never leave us. As believers of Jesus Christ, we know in our heart that we are never alone.

plaining her findings and those of other researchers. Another finding also suggests that loneliness could be a symptom relevant to preclinical Alzheimer’s disease. Donovan and her colleagues found a relationship between the scores of participants for a three-question survey on how lonely they felt and the amount of amyloids in their brains. Beta-amyloid accumulation is considered a main symptom of

Alzheimer’s disease. According to the The New York Times, a 2013 research found that loneliness can impair health by raising levels of stress hormones and inflammation, which in turn can increase the risk of heart disease, arthritis, Type 2 diabetes, dementia and even suicide attempts. Among older people who reported they felt left out, isolated or lacked companionship, the ability to perform daily

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WHAT TO DO? 2 Timothy 4 tell us about a man that is alone: Paul. He had been imprisoned and accused of sedition, having to appear before Caesar. We read in 2 Timothy 4:6: “… The time of my departure is at hand.” Paul was awaiting his execution in the Mamertine Prison, in Rome. Let’s see what he did in that situation: 1. Paul says that we need friendship when we are alone: “Come shortly unto me… Take Mark, and bring him with thee… Come before winter…” (2 Timothy 4: 9, 11, 21). Paul knew that he would not survive the winter. It is true that we do need moments to be alone, but God did not create us for aloneness: “It is not good that the man should be alone…” (Genesis 2:18). 2. Paul says that we need sympathy when we are alone: “The cloke that I left at Troas with Carpus, when thou comest, bring with thee…” (2 Timothy 4:13). Paul was in Rome and it was about to be cold; Paul wanted his cloak. Maybe you know someone who is alone and needs some kind of help, some food, some gesture... But it is not only about being present, but also about being really there for that person. 3. Paul says that we need courage when we are alone: “… Bring with thee… The books, but especially the parchments,” (2 Timothy 4:13). Some people find courage in words. If you like books, especially the Bible, you will find verses such as Psalm 27:10 (“When my father and my mother forsake me, then the Lord will take me up”), or Hebrews 13:5-6 (“… I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me”). 4. Besides friendship, sympathy and courage from God’s Word, what we need the most is Christ: “Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me; that by me the preaching might be fully known, and that all the Gentiles might hear: and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion. And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom…” (2 Timothy 4:17-18). Beloved, no matter how lonely you feel, you are never alone. If you believe, God Almighty is with you, always.

www.eldesafiocristiano.blogspot.com

activities like bathing, grooming and preparing meals declined and deaths increased over a six-year study period relative to people who reported none of these feelings. CHRISTIANITY AND LONELINESS

Loneliness can become a shadow or loom over us after a storm, ready to tear us apart. In times of loneliness, faith in God is a great company. Even though we cannot feel His presence, we can trust His Word

and know that He will never leave us (Hebrews 13:15). Hold on to that joyful hope as the Bible says: “Fear thou not; for I am with thee” (Isaiah 41:10), “I will not leave you comfortless” ( John 14:18), “Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? Yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee” (Isaiah 49:15). Always remember that God is with you. (Tomado de www.bbc.com/mundo/noticias)

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13 of

Sources: Eurostat, WHO, xataca.com, elcolombiano.com

Infography: JUlio De La Cruz Pizarro

people feels lonely in this society of hyperconnection and social networks..

a ““When person is

sad and irritable, he might be crying out for help or connection with someone.”

“

MISSIONARY MOVEMENT 14 WORLDWIDE America • Europe • Oceanía • África • Asia

Lonely but connected: the paradox of loneliness when having one thousand “friends”

Percentage of people living alone in Europe 50

Germany Holland

40

France Belgium EU 28

30

Italy England

20

Spain Ireland Portugal

10

0

2007

2008

2009

30%

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

32,2% of the population of the European Union lives alone.

more risk

The possibility of suffering from a stroke or any coronary heart disease increases due to social and affectional isolation.

13 100 of

aged people live alone, according to a study conducted in the City of Mexico.

Loneliness is a phenomenon now affecting the European population; according to recent studies, it is as harmful as smoking 15 cigarettes per day.

15 cigarrillos al día.

LONELINESS

“The sad reality of modern life” Anyone can suffer from chronic loneliness: a 12-year-old boy attending a new school, a young boy who grew up in a town feeling lost in the big city, an executive who is too busy on her career not having a good relationship with her family and friends, and an aged person whose partner has passed away and is not able to visit anyone as his/her health does not allow

it. The generalization of loneliness is incredible. International studies reveal that more than 1 of 3 people in the western countries feel usually or frequently lonely. A 10-year study, which began in 2002 in a metropolitan area, shows that this proportion is actually closer to 1 of 4 in some areas, which is still too high. march 2018 / Impacto evangelistic

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BILLY Graham passed away at the age of 99. He was a spiritual adviser of a dozen of American governors, shared God’s message in the most remote places in earth as missionary and was one of the most renowned pastors of the century.

I remember watching Billy Graham’s evangelistic campaigns on TV when I was a child. I remember hearing George Beverly Shea singing ‘His Eye is on the Sparrow’. I also watched many movies of the Billy Graham Association, which provided me with a theological reading and an evangelistic message. Billy Graham has a great impact on the life of presidents and national leaders as well. In addition, I remember he was advisor of United States’ presidents. He was with president Nixon right until his resignation. Some years later, when I was a student in the Fuller Theological Seminary, I heard Billy Graham was once member of the Seminary’s board of directors. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. also praised him for integrating human races in his campaigns and not allowing in his massive worships a segregation caused by the common prejudice of that time. Although he was not involved in the civil rights movement, he clearly rejected the “separate but equal” principle of racist whites, which was common back then in the United States. Graham was innovative in the proclamation of the Gospel; he developed a message and a massive evangelism model that motivated a Christian generation and which was used by the Lord to make thousands of people express their faith in Jesus Christ. He was also a man that admitted his mistakes. When he involved too much in a political position and was related to a specific ideology, he knew how to apologize and work towards bipartisan relations. His message based on hope and connecting MISSIONARY MOVEMENT 16 WORLDWIDE America • Europe • Oceanía • África • Asia

BILLY GRAHAM A KEY MAN IN A KEY MOMENT

current affairs

people instead of choosing party ideologies and create divisions. Many of us thank the Lord for helping a man like Billy Graham. He influenced an entire generation and was used by God in a unique way. Many of us also miss having that spirit which connected and worked with Christians with different traditions. We are not looking for another Billy Graham, because we know God works in different ways in every generation, but we do need men and women with his willingness. Now that there is division, we need leaders like Graham who are willing to work to unify churches and the nation. We need people that apologize for confusing political positions with the Gospel. We need Christians that love their neighbors so much without considering races, religions or backgrounds they would do anything to share Jesus’ message of love with them. With information from Protestante Digital. Author: Juan Francisco Martínez

march 2018 / Impacto evangelistic

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THEY usually occur in children and involve upper airways. They are one of the main causes children receive medical assistance and their consequences can be permanent.

Walter Menchola Vásquez (*)

The Spanish Association of Pediatrics defines otitis media as the presence of exudate (serous, mucous and purulent substance) in the middle ear. The duration of exudate and other acute symptoms allows the classification of the clinical types of otitis. Acute otitis media (AOM) is a viral or bacterial acute infection affecting the middle ear that appears suddenly and does not last much time. It causes ear pain (earache), secretion, fever, irritability, crying, loss of appetite (anorexia), vomits and other symptoms. It lasts less than three weeks. The Worldwide Health Organization (WHO) estimates that between 65 million and 330 million people have suppurative otitis and 60% of them will suffer from hearing loss. It also estimates that around 51,000 children under five years die due to complications caused by intracranial infections. Risk factors increase AOM episodes, such as abrupt changes in temperature, male gender, low birth weight, children attending nursery schools, craniofacial alterations, allergies, malnutrition, exposure to tobacco smoking and pollution. AOM’s main symptoms are pain in the affected ear and presence of exudate. The ear pain is the cardinal symptom; the sick person shakes the head and touches the ear; there is fever, irritability, loss of appetite, he/she has nausea related to MISSIONARY MOVEMENT 18 WORLDWIDE America • Europe • Oceanía • África • Asia

EAR

INFECTIONS cold or flu symptoms. In breastfed children, the crying is permanent and can be the main manifestation. TREATMENT

First, the pain needs to be relieved (analgesia). In case of breastfed babies, it must

be noted that constant crying is their way of expressing pain. The AOM, in 80% or 90% of the cases, is cured spontaneously. However, the times depends on the germ and the age. In children under 2 years, this treatment does not cure as fast as in older people.

health

TYPES OF OTITIS MEDIA • Subacute otitis media lasts from 3 weeks to 3 months. • If the exudate continues for more than 3 months, the disease is called Chronic Otitis Media (COM). • When the disease lasts more than 3 months, its name is Chronic Otitis Media (COM). The selected antibiotic must be related to the resistance in the area. As a consequence of the overuse of antibiotics, many strains of bacteria causing AOM are resistant, which is why the doctor must choose the most appropriate one. In addition, the duration of the medi-

cal treatment has changed. For children under 2 years suffering from serious or recurrent AOM, the treatment should last not less than 10 days; in other cases, from 5 to 7 days. If there is a relapse too soon, the same treatment should be applied for a longer time. The vaccination

against the flu virus is also recommended for children with recurrent AOM. The timely diagnosis and the adequate treatment allow children to overcome these diseases which can leave permanent consequences such as hypoacusis or hearing impairment, which cause a serious impact on social and economic aspects.

Internist, Master in Public Policies and Management. Source: Worldwide Health Organization (WHO)

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ARGENTINIAN writer Agustín Laje has become the fierce scourge of the left and gender ideology supporters. His statements put feminist, proabortion and “progressive” postulates in check. He is an important pro-life and profamily advocate.

Miriam Calderón Spanish journalist who published the interview on www.actuall.com

Agustín Laje’s Black Book of the New Left, written together with Nicolás Marquez, is now in its 12th written edition in Argentina. In it, he disproves the arguments of the self-proclaimed advocates of freedom, thus becoming the target of the most radical left feminist criticism. A few weeks ago, he gave an interview to Spanish journalist Miriam Calderón, which was published on Actuall’s website. There, he talks about controversial subjects that have made him known worldwide. We present here some extracts of the interview. What are the consequences of the imposition of gender ideology on European and American countries? Its consequences are huge and affect various domains. […] Gender ideology corrupts political freedom, through mechanisms such as “gender quotas;” freedom of speech, with the increasing penalization of the politically incorrect; freedom of conscience, by means of laws that condemn the expression of religious beliefs that offend “sexual minorities;” economic freedom, with increasingly more cases of businesses that are fined due to gender-related accusations, such as the baker’s shops in Colorado and Oregon that refused to make a cake for an homosexual marriage; educational freedom, with parents losing more and MISSIONARY MOVEMENT 20 WORLDWIDE America • Europe • Oceanía • África • Asia

GENDER I

CORRUPTS more sovereignty over the education of their family; etc. If we pay attention, these freedoms are disappearing due to a speech that has kidnapped the government and has exaggerated its scope, using its police-like

power to impose itself on civil society. If children are educated in this direction, what could be the consequences in the long-term? School is one of the most important socialization institutions in modern so-

interview

aimed by gender ideology, cannot be easily attained with generations previously socialized in other contexts, but it is possible with virgin minds that are exposed to power relationships that they are not even able to understand; indeed an action of extreme violence. I do not dare to think of the long-term consequences. Why do you think that feminism does not aim to encourage equality among men and women? Because no speech that is based on hatred towards the other party can truly aim for equality. Current feminism is directed more by hatred towards men than love for women. Just by reading its contemporary theorists, we realize that current feminism perceives its political fight not as “politics”, but as “war.” In politics, opponents are still obliged to coexist even in dissidence, but in

In short, the left used to seek to destroy specific economic systems because this was thought to be the right way to make a revolution. The new left realized that it is more feasible and safer (for them) to destroy culture first; the rest will come along.

IDEOLOGY

S FREEDOM ciety. Children spend more active time at school than they do at home. Left thinkers such as Gramsci and Althusser realized this. About school, the latter said that no other “ideological state apparatus” keeps a mandatory audience for so

many hours a day, so many days a week, so many months a year, and so many years in a lifetime. May I add that, in effect, school is the engine of every social engineering: the radical modification of people’s mind, as

war, enemies aim for mutual annihilation. It is this ideology that prevails and sometimes comes to light among some feminists. For example, Huffpost editor Emily McCombs tweeted on December 29 that she wanted to “band together to kill all men” as part of her New Year’s resolutions; and co-founder of Justice for Women Julie Bindel called not long ago for putting all men in concentration camps. These are not necessarily exceptions: it is a prevailing speech that tries to remain moderate for strategic reasons, but sometimes cannot be restrained.

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You have stated that some feminism “supports the pedophile cause.” Could you explain this? If gender ideology (which comes from gender feminism) states that culture has become the most relevant aspect of sexuality and that self-perception has become the “liberation from the chains of gender,” then we are under the yoke of an ideology that makes sexuality depend on absolute subjectivism. In this context, the possibility of vindicating pedophilia is engraved in the logic of gender ideology. If culture and not nature is relevant to sexuality, then human sexuality knows no limits. It is nature that sets objective limits, while cultural limits are by definition historical constructions that can vanish. Therefore, pedophile groups are making their way to legitimacy through gender ideology. If sexual orientation and identity depend on self-perception, MISSIONARY MOVEMENT 22 WORLDWIDE America • Europe • Oceanía • África • Asia

then why should we forbid any adult to perceive him or herself as a child and act accordingly? Unfortunately, this not a hypothesis, there are already cases in Canada. Taking as example the speech of websites from groups such as NAMBLA, an international pedophile organization based in the U.S., we can verify that they use the arguments of gender ideology as if they were tailor-made. No wonder why some feminist groups in the Netherlands asked and signed requests for the legalization of pedophilia. In Spain, renowned feminist activists such as Lola Pérez have vindicated pedophilia on more than one occasion. In Argentina, Jorge Corsi, a “feminist psychologist” who was perhaps the most important local exponent of gender ideology, is currently in prison for pedophilia. In Germany, the Green Party supported pedophilia.

What do you mean by “new left” and what is its purpose? The “new left” is the new shape adopted by the old left to survive the theoretical, practical and strategic crisis that it went through during the second half of the 20th century. It is now a culturist left that has replaced class struggle with the problems of “minorities;” this offers a greater ideological flexibility and an easier adaptation to dissimilar contexts. This new left does not aim for an armed revolution from faraway strategic places such as the highlands or the jungle, as it did in the 20th century, but for a subtle, stepwise, low-profile cultural struggle at university, at school and on the media. In short, the left used to seek to destroy specific economic systems because this was thought to be the right way to make a revolution. The new left realized that it is more feasible and safer (for

interview

them) to destroy culture first; the rest will come along. In only 48 hours you received many death threats after posting a video that summarized the history of feminism. On Gay Pride, Facebook shut down your account due to the hatred of some of your enemies… What would you say to them? I would tell them that their actions simply prove my point. They give free evidence to my readers and myself that what I write is no invention. As they say, to learn who rules over you, simply find out who you are not allowed to criticize. Gender ideology is not an “approach” nor a “perspective,” and much less an “invitation,” an “offer” or a “subject to debate.” Gender ideology is an imposition not open for discussion that has been agreed on behind people’s back. You state that the left’s goal is to attack the family and that, by destroying it, a Total State is achieved. Why? This is for sure one of the goals of the new left, because family is an institution of tradition. Cultural revolution is, by definition, a revolution against tradition. In their early years of life, new generations are socialized inside the family. In the middle thirties, the Frankfurt School’s Studies on Authority and the Family already knew the importance of family as an obstacle to left revolution. Broken families are functional to the

tearing of a tradition; the tearing of a tradition simplifies social engineering; the simplification of social engineering consolidates cultural revolution. And without families, there is no intermediary between society and the State. Pro-abortion supporters try to convince through language that abortion is a right. How do you disprove this statement? Nobody has the right to kill an innocent human being. Society is not possible where this is not explicitly or implicitly acknowledged. It is argued, however, that what is within the mother’s womb for nine months is “part of the mother’s body” and, therefore, it is her right to decide over her own body. Serious mistake: not the Church, not an encyclical, not a papal bull, but scien-

ce itself has proved “that” is not “part” of the mother’s body, but it has its own unique genetic load: it is a human being and, as such, it needs to spend those nine months within the mother’s womb as part of his or her life cycle. How would you explain to anyone that the so-called homosexual marriage is not a human right? I would try to make them see that what has been done to human rights is an atrocity. Human rights are to Law what inflation is to Economics. As regards the latter, when we print unsupported currency, the value of our money decreases. Something very similar happens with human rights: when we invent more rights (they are but inventions shielded by coercion), the first rights we had lose their value in a process that we could call “inflation of rights.” If everything is human right, nothing is human right. Homosexual marriage is in its own terms a contradiction. The institution of marriage has its meaning in its own signifier: “Matrimony” (or marriage) comes from “matrix,” i.e. from the idea of the maternal uterus, the idea of maternity. Marriage is the affective union between human beings that entails stability and potential maternity. I say “potential” because some marriages, for different reasons, cannot or do not want to have children, but that does not void the inherent “potential” of the nature of the bond itself. In that sense, homosexual marriage is impossible, because there is no “potential” between same-sex people to give birth to new generations of human beings.

Gender ideology is not an “approach” nor a “perspective,” and much less an “invitation,” an “offer” or a “subject to debate.” Gender ideology is an imposition not open for discussion that has been agreed on behind people’s back.

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HYMN composed by Ira Forest Stanphill which highlights the importance of the Gospel and refers to what Christ offers to the faithful in heaven. Its author went across the United States to preach the Gospel and visited more than forty countries. Written in 1949, “Mansion Over the Hilltop” is a hymn that transmits the message Jesus Christ left to humanity while he was on earth. With a pleasant, biblical and simple poetic style, the American composer and musician Ira Forest Stanphill, creator of this song, proposed a worship that reaffirms the importance of the New Testament and the letters written by the apostles after Jesus’ death. Composed for a special request, Stanphill’s poem has a peculiar creation. According to the author’s testimony, Reverend Albert Ott requested him to write a song about the houses in heaven waiting for the Almighty’s faithful as he had heard a story from Gene Martin. As a result of such request, the author created a composition in just a few hours. The story that Gene Martin told in a temple of Texas referred to the meeting between a rich man, who had gone bankrupted, and a poor girl at the door of a noisy house. According to Martin, in that meeting, the man had felt sorry for the misery in the little girl’s house. However, the little girl told him her father was building a mansion over a hilltop. Based on Christ’s promise of preparing a place for believers in his father’s house, Stanphill created a melody that tacitly implied the biblical passage of John 14:2-3. Furthermore, the song is an invitation for those living far away from the Gospel to surrender their lives to the Creator in order to escape from all evil and be surrounded by Almighty’s love, which offers happiness and joy. MISSIONARY MOVEMENT 24 WORLDWIDE America • Europe • Oceanía • África • Asia

music

MANSION OVER THE HILLTOP I’m satisfied with just a cottage below A little silver and a little gold; But in that city where the ransomed will shine I want a gold one that’s silver-lined. Chorus I’ve got a mansion just over the hilltop In that bright land where we’ll never grow old; And someday yonder we will never more wander But walk the streets that are purest gold. Tho’ often tempted, tormented and tested And, like the prophet, my pillow a stone; And tho’ I find here no permanent dwelling I know He’ll give me a mansion my own. Refrain: I’ve got a mansion just over the hilltop In that bright land where we’ll never grow old; And someday yonder we will never more wander But walk the streets that are purest gold. Don’t think me poor or deserted or lonely I’m not discouraged, I’m heaven bound; I’m just a pilgrim in search of a city I want a mansion, a harp and a crown.

MANSION OVER

THE HILLTOP

The talented musician Ira Forest Stanphill, born on February 14, 1914, served the Lord since he was a little child. During his Christian childhood, he played the piano, the organ, the ukulele and the accordion to the delight of the people who congregated

at the temple his family and he attended. Later, when he was 17 years old, he dedicated to compose, sing and participate in evangelistic campaigns. Stanphill, who was ordained as Lord’s minister on April 28, 1939, worked very hard to spread the good news throughout the world. During his long life, which ended on December 30, 1993, he went through the United States to

preach the Gospel and visited more than forty countries, in which he confirmed his dedication to the Highest using his voice and testimony. Popularized in the 1960s, “Mansion Over the Hilltop” is an essential hymn of congregational music in the 20th century. Since its creation, it has been adapted by well-known American artists.

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THIS book by Pastor Jack Hayford explains in detail the essential features of a life that grows in God. Based on the Holy Scriptures, it goes down the path to be walked by those who accept the Almighty as their Redeemer and Savior.

The first basic element for living in God’s family is to grow in your acquaintance with our heavenly Father. You accomplish this through conversation with him. In the Bible, Paul the apostle described this kind of friendship: “When I think of the wisdom and scope of his [God’s] plan I fall down on my knees and pray to the Father of all the great family of God” (Ephesians 3:14, 15). Paul not only mentions the family’s Father, but shows the way to get to know him well. This way is something that is both a great privilege and a fundamental need for growth in Christ: prayer. Even as our physical bodies require breathing, our spirits require prayer. As part of the vast work of evangelism done by American Reverend Jack Hayford, “Newborn” explains the essential features of a life that grows in Jesus-Christ. Published by Tyndale House Publishers, the book discusses the relationship with God and the way to use the Holy Scriptures for spiritual growth. In addition, it describes in detail immersion baptism. One way to get into God’s Word is to read through the Gospel of John during the next seven days. There are twenty-one chapters, so three chapters a day will be enough. This may sound like a lot, but you will find that the thoughtful reading of three chapters takes less than fifteen minutes a day. You can easily achieve it and, at MISSIONARY MOVEMENT 26 WORLDWIDE America • Europe • Oceanía • África • Asia

NEWBORN

literature

One way to get into God’s Word is to read through the Gospel of John during the next seven days. There are twenty-one chapters, so three chapters a day will be enough. This may sound like a lot, but you will find that the thoughtful reading of three chapters takes less than fifteen minutes a day. You can easily achieve it and, at the same time, make it excellent habit.

the same time, make it excellent habit. Once you have finished John’s Gospel, go to the next book, Acts (the fifth book of the New Testament). John’s Gospel describes Jesus devoted life to people. Acts also describes His life exposed to people. Pastor Hayford was a loyal servant of the Lord that created a manual that deserves special attention because of its easy-to-understand structure that describes life in communion and friendship with the Lord. Divided into ten chapters and a colophon that includes John’s Gospel, this book goes down the path to be walked by those courageous people that accept the Al-

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mighty as their Savior and Redeemer.

contributions to gospel music.

NEW LIFE

TOGETHER WITH THE LORD

Jesus said that there is joy in heaven when someone accepts Him as Savior. Our repentance causes great happiness and celebration around God’s throne. Jesus also said that we should celebrate here on earth as well, a celebration with all our family where everyone gathers and enjoys with us our obedience to Christ’s commandment: baptism. It may be odd to say that baptism in water is a “celebration,” but it is. Jesus tells us to submerge in water right after we have been reborn as a way to declare that we are from that moment on His followers. “Newborn” is an endless source of Christianity, an oasis of good news for brand-new members of God’s family, a useful tool for our first steps in evangelical faith. This book, based on Hayford’s Christian experience, is an invitation to discover the Almighty’s love, which gives redemption, purification, regeneration, justification, adoption, acceptance and eternal life. One of the most beautiful words in our language is “freedom.” Despite our frequent perversion of the term, the Bible describes a pure liberation from the oppressing power of our guilt and sins in our souls, entering a new day ruled by Christ. To be born in God’s family gives us the privilege to choose. As a new disciple of Jesus, responsible decisions start with the observance of the immersion in water. Two things happen when you obey the commandment of baptism: 1) you assert your decision to receive Jesus as your Savior; 2) He fills you with His love and power. Preacher Hayford, born on June 25, 1934, considered that being newborn or reborn means that our inner spirit has come to a new relationship with God. Hayford is part of the National Religious Broadcasters’ Hall of Fame thanks to his important work to spread the Gospel. The renowned theologist is also acknowledged for his

Those who were reborn in God’s family want to do things right. It is not about gaining his favor; He had already showed us His favor with his love, pardon and acceptance in Christ. It is fact that the Holy Spirit brings a new perspective to the lives of the people who have recently accepted His presence. Wanting to do the right thing requires

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God’s Word clearly states the sequence of our obedient response to God as newborn members of His family. First, we must repent, welcome our Lord Jesus-Christ as Savior, and be pardoned for our sins. Second, we are called to be baptized in water. Third, we welcome the Holy Spirit.

something else than fulfilling religious services, acting piously or making more good deeds than the others. The yearning for justice is another important reason to get baptized right after making the personal decision of following Christ. From a biblical perspective, the author of “Newborn” explains the steps to take by those who want to become part of Christ’s flock. Hayford says that the message of the Savior states, firstly, that it is essential to acknowledge the sinful nature of mankind. Afterwards, the preacher highlights that baptism in water and acceptance of the Holy Spirit are mandatory. God’s Word clearly states the sequence of our obedient response to God as newborn members of His family. First, we must repent, welcome our Lord Jesus-Christ as Savior, and be

literature

pardoned for our sins. Second, we are called to be baptized in water. Third, we welcome the Holy Spirit and the life of Christ that comes with Him, His love and power. We find an example of these three realities (being pardoned, baptized and filled with power) in the summary of the Scriptures on the birth of the Church during Pentecost (Acts 2:1-29). Jack Hayford, exponent of God’s Word on the media and renowned writer, has written more than fifty Christian books that have had a great impact on Jesus’ followers. As an important contributor to the education of new generations of believers, the American exegete urges us in “Newborn” to set free from sin and devote to God. Why do we must get baptized by immersion? Immersion (to submerge your whole body in water) is a practice that we perform as it is related to the Greek verbs “bapto” or “baptizo,” which in the New Testament are used to refer to baptism. According to the Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, by Gerhard Kittel, this verb was often used to indicate a total and complete immersion. The word “bapto” was used to refer to a completely sunk vessel or to a cloth that had to be completely submerged to absorb a new color.

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SOLOMON Ginsburg, son of a rabbi, successfully spread God’s Word among the population of the biggest country of South-America. After his conversion, his work contributed to establish the faith in the Lord in Brazil. Ernest Gordon

Many years ago in a Polish village, a rabbi’s boy of thirteen years was listening to the discussions of the learned Talmudists gathered in his father’s home. He happened to open at the 53rd chapter of Isaiah in the Old Testament before him. Noticing on the margin the scribbled remark, “To whom does the prophet refer?” he passed on the question, innocently enough, to his father. The latter looked up in surprise. When the question was repeated, the father snatched the book from the boy’s hand and slapped his face. Years passed. The boy, now mangrown, emigrated to the London East End. One Sunday afternoon, he was accosted on the street by a Jewish Christian who asked him if he would not like to have the 53rd chapter of Isaiah explained to him. He recalled the rebuff of his boyhood days. So he listened to the explanation and later read the New Testament, was convicted of its truth, confessed Christ, and as a consequence, was driven from home with curses, broomsticks, and hot water. When the community in Poland heard of his apostasy, they sent a delegation of graybeards to convince him of his wickedness. Finding him immovable, they proceeded to disinherit and excommunicate him. “Cursed be he by day, cursed by night: cursed when standing and cursed when lying down; cursed when eating and cursed when drinking” and so on through a long formula. His heart sank within him, but it was for a moment only. Suddenly he saw the Lord upon the cross with outstretched arms and over the cross MISSIONARY MOVEMENT 30 WORLDWIDE America • Europe • Oceanía • África • Asia

hero of faith

THE JEW WHO EVANGELIZED

BRAZIL

the words in shining letters, “Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us” (Gal. 3:13), and his heart was filled with joy. Later, his brethren according to the flesh proceeded to make real the spoken curse. When addressing open-air meetings in East London, he was attacked, thrown down, and kicked until nearly dead. When he came to himself, he was in a garbage box, skull cracked, and body covered with bruises. On another occasion, he was invited to a shoe factory to speak to Jewish workingmen. The invita-

After he had sold a few hundred of these, he was warned that he had better leave the land. The Jesuits were preparing to imprison him. So he embarked for Rio de Janeiro, reaching the Brazilian metropolis in June, 1890. He was a colporteur making the barest living by selling Bibles and religious books.

tion, however, was but a trap to destroy him. The Jewish shoemakers rushed on him with hammers, knives, and lasts and threw him down a spiral staircase with the deliberate intention of killing him. But he caught the railing as he fell and escaped by sliding astride the banister. INDOMITABLE CONVERT

This indomitable convert to Christ was Solomon Ginsburg. He went later to Dr. Guinness’ Harley House, East London, to prepare for foreign work and, when a favorable opening came, dedicated himself to the evangelization of Brazil. For over thirty years, he served the Lord with ceaseless devotion and wonderful success in that vast land. He believed the Roman Church to be the great hindrance to the evangelization of both Jew and Gentile, and not the least of the Jew. He wrote in his autobiography, “I was once walking with my father through the streets of Warsaw. We were passing a Catholic church out of which a great number of people were coming. He took me into the building and called my attention to multitudes kneeling and praying to an idol, in the form of a hu-

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man body. He then asked me to repeat to him the second commandment and I did. Then he said: “These Christians affirm that theirs is the true religion; but you have sense enough to see how far they are from the truth.”.” So the converted Jew followed God’s leading to Brazil—by way of Portugal, for he stayed some months in the mothercountry for language study. He soon mastered Portuguese, and with Jewish intensity started then and there on mission work. Though but a month in the land, he had composed a tract in Portuguese, “St. Peter Was Never a Pope,” and began selling copies on trains and in the streets. When three thousand had been disposed of, he wrote a second, “The Religion of Rags and Bones,” with severe animadversions on relics and idolatries. After he had sold a few hundred of these, he was warned that he had better leave the land. The Jesuits were preparing to imprison him. So he embarked for Rio de Janeiro, reaching the Brazilian metropolis in June, 1890. He was a colporteur making the barest living by selling Bibles and religious books. At Cabo, he sold out his stock on four successive Saturdays. On the fifth Saturday, he noticed a crowd of rowdies making for him, clubs in hand, and led by the parish priest. He evaded them and took the train back to Pernambuco, selling Bibles all along the road and reaching home with satchel empty as usual. Today there is a splendidly organized Baptist church in Cabo.

sands of strangers in town. Gambling, drinking, and crime were the order of the day. Ginsburg set up his little Bilhorn organ in the most public part of the marketplace and started singing hymns. A crowd collected and began to throw coins to him, thinking that he was singing for money. This gave him his chance to tell them of a free gospel without money or price. All ears and hearts drank in the message as he developed it from point to point. Later, we find Mr. Ginsburg evangelizing in Campos, laying the foundation for the Baptist Church there. In San Fidelio, a large town in the state of Campos, he was arrested and condemned to a dungeon, six by fifteen feet, into which were crowded forty criminals. In the town of Nazaré he again narrowly escaped assassination. The local priest had arranged with a ban-

PASSIONATE PREACHER

dit to kill him while he was preaching in the open air. Ginsburg was informed of the conspiracy but stood to his guns and preached for two hours. The hired desperado, it seems, had taken a drink to nerve him for his murderous task. This fortunately put him to sleep and when he awoke, the meeting and his opportunity were both over. Later, strange to say, he was converted and with tears streaming over his cheeks, told the church the whole story of his engagement to murder. Years afterwards, when in the state police, this same man was sent to

He would go into the most dangerous quarters of Pernambuco with the gospel, into dens of thieves and cutthroats that even the police feared to enter. One of his converts of those days was a giant desperado, well named Herculano, whose profession was that of hired assassin for an influential politician. This man, after his conversion, became an earnest and quiet Christian. The train took him on one occasion to Queimados, the terminal of the railway. It was Saturday and market day, with thouMISSIONARY MOVEMENT 32 WORLDWIDE America • Europe • Oceanía • África • Asia

Ginsburg set up his little Bilhorn organ in the most public part of the marketplace and started singing hymns. A crowd collected and began to throw coins to him, thinking that he was singing for money. This gave him his chance to tell them of a free gospel without money or price. All ears and hearts drank in the message as he developed it from point to point.

hero of faith

protect Mr. Ginsburg at Limoeirio, where a band of assassins were again threatening the evangelist’s life. Ginsburg was not the only one persecuted. Converts in all parts of Brazil also had to face fiery trials. Churches were burned, believers flogged, and at times their homes set on fire. Record is made of their being turned out of beds at night into their yards where masked ruffians, leather whips in hand, awaited them. Often these fell lifeless. When Solomon Ginsburg was converted in London, he was cut off from his livelihood, and with other Jewish converts was given work in a pressroom for his bare living expenses. This proved a valuable experience later, for it gave him the practical training that stood him in good stead when he took charge of the Baptist

When Solomon Ginsburg was converted in London, he was cut off from his livelihood, and with other Jewish converts was given work in a pressroom for his bare living expenses. This proved a valuable experience later, for it gave him the practical training that stood him in good stead when he took charge of the Baptist Mission Press in Brazil.

Mission Press in Brazil. Out from this press goes a constant stream of evangelical literature. Throughout his life and ministry, Solomon Ginsburg laid in Brazil one of the strongest foundations of faith in the Lord. Thanks to his tenacity and dedication to the salvation of pagans, the Gospel was spread throughout a great part of Brazil, and the good news of the Almighty reached thousands and thousands of idolaters. After his death on March 31, 1929, the converted Jew was widely known as the most important preacher of the giant of South-America.

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SHE was captured for being the leader of a dangerous gang in the United States. Pushed by her friends back in Peru, she had become a thief when she was still very young. Nevertheless, she knew the Lord’s Word in prison and mended her way. She now serves God.

Susan Amau Photo: Evelyn Ángeles and family archive

She heard “Bingo” behind her back and was in no time surrounded by cops. She was handcuffed and taken to a prison in San Francisco. She was convicted of theft to five years in each city where she had committed her crimes. Her final sentence was 20 years. Hilda Mallqui Ortega paid dearly the audacity to visit her niece that was serving a sentence in the U.S. She thought that she would not be caught, but she was wrong. There was a warrant for her arrest and the police immediately recognized her. That was the end of her criminal career that had started in Peru when she was a child. When she was a little girl, it was common for Hilda to be surrounded by thieves, so she grew up thinking it was normal. Despite her parents’ advice, she dropped out of school just like her siblings and became a thief herself. She quickly learned the tricks of the trade and became the most daring among the girls of her age in the El Agustino neighborhood. Living a chaotic and reckless life, 15-year-old Hilda had her first child. But the young man she was in love and had two children with, mistreated and abandoned her. Alone and helpless, she turned to alcohol to forget her pain. After a while, she joined a gang and WORLDWIDE MISSIONARY MISIONERO MOVEMENT MUNDIAL 34 MOVIMIENTO America • Europa América Europe • Oceanía • África • Asia

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A RAY OF LIGHT THROUGH

THE BARS

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met another man. Many years passed by and she had other children. One day, having had enough of leading a bad life, she and her partner decided to look for a better future and moved to the United States. They truly wanted to change their lives and decided to work and make their living honestly. She had not worked much throughout her life, but she tried for her children. Three years later, her sister, who had been taking care of her children, travelled to the U.S. to meet her. She led her astray once again and both of them started to steal again, dragging Hilda’s partner along as well. Everything she had achieved in those three years was gone in a matter of days. Hilda did not recognize herself, she was even worse than before back in Peru. She organized a gang and committed crimes MISSIONARY MOVEMENT 36 WORLDWIDE America • Europe • Oceanía • África • Asia

all across America. She made and wasted a lot of money, but her wealth could not fill the void in her heart. She seemed cold, authoritarian and abusive on the outside, but when she was alone, she was weak. She would cry because she missed her children and wonder why fate was so cruel to her. One day, she was about to commit another crime, when she received a call. Ervin, his youngest son, had died. Despair overwhelmed her and she left the country to meet her children. She cried bitterly and swore to never leave them alone. Months later, she was back in the U.S., but this time with her daughters. But she did not change, and her name was now among the most wanted. She left her partner and her home was ruined. Fortunately, her daughters Yesenia, Jenifer and Brenda chose a different path.

One day, her mother was caught. BEHIND BARS

Alone, without any visits, she would constantly cry after her capture. She could not sleep at night and she kept liste-

life stories

it good for?” An odd sensation took over her and she immediately tore apart all the images she had. That night, she was finally able to sleep. Hilda dreamed of water falling from the sky to her cell into her mouth, renewing her. The next morning, she felt curious about the Bible and got a copy thanks to a woman who visited the prisoners. Hilda had told her about her experiences and she advised her to let Christ enter her heart. One afternoon, she kneeled before the Lord and prayed; then, she went to the bathroom and licked toilet while crying bitterly. When she could talk again, she said, “Lord, I’m a very proud

When she was a little girl, it was common for Hilda to be surrounded by thieves, so she grew up thinking it was normal. Despite her parents’ advice, she dropped out of school just like her siblings and became a thief herself. She quickly learned the tricks of the trade and became the most daring among the girls of her age in the El Agustino neighborhood.

ning to a voice saying, “Kill yourself! Kill yourself! You are worth nothing!” The voice tormented her and soon enough she became the crazy woman that would walk by the cells announcing her death. She spent twenty days in that state.

One day, she noticed the images of saints of the other prisoners. She heard a voice that said, “If this is your God, tell Him to take you out.” He cried in desperation and said to herself, “If this is not God, what is then? If this is not God, what is

woman, so if this is the way to pay for my sins and be forgiven by You, so be it. I surrender to you, give a chance to live…” After a moment of silence, she got up, took a notebook and wrote down all the crimes she had committed. She tore out the page and threw it into the toilet, she flushed it and then begged to God, “Lord, take all my sins and forgive my crimes.” A few days later, she began to fast and pray. She had faith and was convinced that both were essential to receive God’s glory. A year and a half later, she was moved to a shared cell and the other prisoners forbade her to read the Bible, but she kept doing it in secret. One day, a pri-

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soner gave her such a thrashing that she felt as if a big serpent, similar to a dragon, left her body. Nobody seemed to notice. LOVE BEHIND BARS

That is when a sweet voice told her, “I chose you. By my love, go and sin no more. Preach my Word…” From then on, she felt the strong desire to preach God’s message. Her only master and loyal friend was Jesus; He prepared her for the mission. A great passion and love for lost souls was born in her heart. Sharing the good news became her daily task. She gathered the prisoners to talk to them about God. Hilda would go through the most dangerous cells and corridors to conquer the heart of the prisoners with God’s Word. As a result, one young drug addict changed her life completely and started to share the Holy Scriptures. Months later, she was transferred to New York, where her daughters could finally visit her. Three years had passed but she still had a lot of time left to serve. She was now being prosecuted for another case when the district’s attorney, who had recommended an 8-year minimum, learned on the day of the sentence that one relative had died. He left and was replaced with another, who, after listening to her case, said: “I do not condemn you,” and the case was closed. Some time later, she was deported back to Peru. One in Lima, she asked God for guidance. She did not know any church, so she asked Him to send someone to take her. A couple of days later, some sisters came looking for Hilda by her name. She welcomed them warmly and, without knowing which church they belonged to, she agreed to go with them. It was the church of the Worldwide Missionary Movement in El Agustino. She grew up spiritually and now serves the Lord wholeheartedly. Hilda, 44, feels grateful with God for the opportunity she was given by Christ. She preaches His Word, helps in the kitchen of the church, plays an important role in its administration and feels happy for God’s glory. MISSIONARY MOVEMENT 38 WORLDWIDE America • Europe • Oceanía • África • Asia

Everything she had achieved in those three years was gone in a matter of days. Hilda did not recognize herself, she was even worse than before back in Peru. She organized a gang and committed crimes all across America. She made and wasted a lot of money, but her wealth could not fill the void in her heart.

life stories

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“Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks; I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars: And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name’s sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted. Nevertheless, I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent. But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitanes, which I also hate. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.” Revelation 2:1-7

Rev. Rodolfo González Cruz

Ephesus means “desirable”. It was Asia’s most important harbor and the place the Greek mythology’s goddess Artemis also known as Diana of the Ephesians was worshipped (Acts 19:28,35). The city was called “the first and the greatest metropolis of Asia”, “the light of Asia”, “the vanity fair”. It was a real emporium, where the commerce of Roma and Greece with the empire’s eastern provinces was carried out. It was also famous for the great quantity of magicians and sorcerers it sheltered. Ephesus was extremely proud of the temple of Artemis, which was considered to be one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks… (verse 1). The message is sent to the angel representing the pastor, as he is responsible for the Church. It is wonderful to know MISSIONARY MOVEMENT 40 WORLDWIDE America • Europe • Oceanía • África • Asia

YOU HAVE LEFT

YOUR FIRST LOVE

devotional

Jesus Christ counts on His servants! He calls them, trains them, chooses them and shares His message with them (Mt. 4:19; Eph. 4:11-12). In addition, he has the overall control of churches: He is the head (Eph. 1:22-23; 5:23; Col. 1:18), the chief corner stone (Eph. 2:20; 1 Pe. 2:6), the foundation (1 Co. 3:11). I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou

canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars (verse 2). The Lord knew the arduous, exhausting and constant work this Church was doing; He also knew how it worshipped sacred things, how it took good care of His house and His Word; it did not stand bad things or bad people. The Lord highlights its ability to recognize fake apostles. And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name’s sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted (verse 3). There was dedication, sacrifice, perseverance when facing adversities; work was done for love to the Lord. Nevertheless, I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love (verse 4). However, despite your effort, you put aside the most valuable thing you had to keep: your first love. What is people’s first love? It is the communion with God, to have him above everything: “Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind” (Mt. 22:37).

As the time passed, this Church lost the devotion and fervor it had at the beginning. It voluntarily abandoned its love and dedication to Christ, as it allowed its own interests and priorities to be on top of the Lord ( Jm. 4:4-5); it lost its first love. This is serious for God, because love is greater than faith and hope (1 Co. 13:13). Love encourages us to adore in a pure and honest way (2 Tim. 2:22). Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent (verse 5). To repent is to recognize that we did wrong. It leads us to completely change our attitude; it renews us, transforms us and reforms our minds. God’s mercy is so big that drives us to repent and offers us the opportunity to reconcile with Him. God’s demand for repentance to the Church of Ephesus is serious. It is a clear warning; if it does not happen soon, the Lord will no longer be with them. But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitanes, which I also hate (verse 6). Who are Nicolaitanes? (nica= conquer, laos= town). They were people dividing the Church, they politicized everything and had people on their side for personal interests (Ro. 16:17, Tit. 3:10, 1 Co. 1:10). The Church of Ephesus did not take part in these practices; it rejected them. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God (verse 7). Everybody can hear, but not all can understand. We must pay more attention to the Holy Spirit’s message. This verse ends with a promise. Those who win the battle against the devil and his tricks will have access to reward: to eat of the tree of life. This Church was privileged, but unfortunately did not listen to the Lord’s warning, although its pastors were Paul, Timothy and even John.

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“Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.” Romans 5:12

Rev. Álvaro Garavito

God’s Word is the oldest book in the world. Its author is the creator of the universe, heaven and earth. Through His Word, the worst pandemic of humanity was announced about 4,000 years ago. Millions of men and women, old people, and young people, children and adolescents of all ages and all social status were destroyed by the worst and the most devastating pandemic on this earth called “SIN”; however, nowadays there are many people caught up in its traps and they will suffer the consequences of not fighting it back. Science has improved and when the internet is well used is a God’s wonder. Unfortunately, many people have been corrupted in their own houses; they have been poisoned with corruption, immorality, prostitution and pornography. The saddest part is that it affects not only sinners without Christ, but also moral, clean and pure people. This avalanche of dirt is burying moral values of adolescents, young people and even aged people; pornography is controlling everybody. There are also many churches in which people do not praise or preach, they go to sleep, as they are trapped in pornography, corrupted soup operas and movies that destroy humanity values. The Bible says, “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned” (Ro. 5:12). The book of Hebrews 2:14 states, “Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same…”; he had to come from the sky MISSIONARY MOVEMENT 42 WORLDWIDE America • Europe • Oceanía • África • Asia

CHRIST

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and be born as a man, live here as a human being with needs; he had to cry and laugh on this earth, being aware of the battles he had to fight, as “through death he might destroy him that who had the power of death, that is, the devil”. When Jesus lived that terrible and painful night in Gethsemane. It came out blood from his pores for fighting a battle as a man. When he was given to his enemies, he was taken to jail and judged and condemned to die at the cross. He would fight the greatest battle there to complete his mission: the freedom of mankind. Over there, at the cross, Christ fought against princedoms and powers, against governors of darkness, against evil armies of spiritual regions, against enemies who expected to hit his head. “And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it” (Col. 2:15). Christ spoiled powers; he took away authority from governors; he spoiled and vanquished them; he defeated them publicly. Dear friend, you are beaten because you want to. You are controlled by alcohol because you want to, you are controlled by drugs, prostitution, lies, traps, falseness, hypocrisy, witchcraft, pessimists, wizards; however, if you convert and abandon wrong paths and you will live. If you believe in Him, accept Him as your Lord and personal Savior. God bless you!

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“And he came out, and went, as he was wont, to the mount of Olives; and his disciples also followed him. And when he was at the place, he said unto them, Pray that ye enter not into temptation. And he was withdrawn from them about a stone’s cast, and kneeled down, and prayed, saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless, not my will, but thine, be done. And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him. And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.” (Luke 22:39-44)

Rev. Manuel Zúñiga

Luke 22:39 states, “And he came out, and went, as he was wont, to the mount of Olives; and his disciples also followed him”. The Lord arrived to Gethsemane, a vegetable garden on the shore of the Cedron Stream, and started praying around a plantation of olive trees. Gethsemane means oil mil or press in Aramaic. The main activity of this village was olive oil production, which was used for food, medicine and fuel. The Bible states that wise virgins said once, “Lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves” (Mt. 25:9), when talking about oil for their lamps. And the Father took his Son to the garden of Gethsemane. “And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly…” (Luke 22:44) and “…began to be sorrowful and very heavy” (Mt. 26:37). God gathers together those He needs in the Gethsemane. Luke 22:43 states, “And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him” and comforting him. Jesus’ humanity affected him and he said, “O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me…” (Matthew 26:39); in his prayer, he was asking his

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devotional

LET’S GO TO

GETHSEMANE! Father if there was another way to do things. However, God’s plan was not improvised; it was already determined before the fall of the first man. God never does things just for doing them; all His plans are well defined. When the most difficult moment was to happen, the Son started feeling that the burden was too heavy; it was not easy for him, as he was the son of a man. Jesus never fought as a God, he fought as a man against the devil; that is how he taught the devil that a man under God’s will can defeat him. When Jesus said, “O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou wilt” (Mt. 26:39), he was on his knees very worried, even “his sweat was as it were great drops of blood” (Luke 22:44). Doctors say that when we are suffering too much, our pores open up so much that capillaries break and we start sweating blood. Can you imagine how worried Jesus was knowing a difficult situation and cruel death awaited him? When Jesus said, “if it be possible, let this cup pass from me…” (Mt. 26:39), the devil and other demons celebrated their apparent victory; but we know that Jesus was on his knees before the Father and that he did not stand up, so the enemy had not defeated him yet.

When you are before God, you can tell him that you feel beaten, you feel lost, or that your best friends abandoned you, or they left you alone or betrayed you… Say whatever you want! But always say at the end, “not my will, but thine, be done” (Luke 22:42), because when you are on your knees confessing all your weaknesses and feelings to God, you have not been defeated, as long as you do not stand up; when you are in the middle of difficult situations and you tell God that everything depends on his will, then you have triumphed! The cry “not my will, but thine, be done” (Luke 22:42) was a big blow for the devil; the game was over for God’s enemy. When Jesus accepted that will, he was allowed to grab the enemy’s head, the head of the old serpent. Those who comply with God’s will will be given their enemies to defeat them, and we know that “through God we shall do valiantly: for he it is that shall tread down our enemies” (Psalms 60:12; 108:13). The Bible also states, “I waited patiently for the Lord; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry. He brought me up also out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings” (Psalms 40:1-2). God bless you!

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Fotos Cristian Simiti

A quick report of the work that Worldwide Missionary Movement is making in America and throughout the world. The Holy Bible states: “And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple... And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved”. (Acts 2:46,47).

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events

CREDIBILITY 2018 The Worldwide Missionary Movement in Panama held its 29th National Convention. Two new members of the WMM International Board were introduced in the event.

The Worldwide Missionary Movement in Panama celebrated its 29th National Convention with more than 7,500 attendants. Under the motto “Credibility 2018”, the Work’s event was held in ‘La Arena Roberto Durán’ coliseum graced with the presence of the WMM International Board, led by Rev. José Arturo Soto. The convention, which coincided with the celebration for the 55 years of missionary work, took place from Fe-

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bruary 10 to 13, 2018. At the beginning, Rev. Soto, WMM International President, was the main preacher. Based on Genesis 18:17-19, he talked about “Credibility perspective” and stated, “Believe in Jesus Christ and your house and you will be saved. His Word does not change; it is always there as a torch that lights up the darkest place”. For the event’s second day, Rev. Eduardo Masías, National Secretary of WMM in Peru was in charge of preaching the Gospel for all the faithful. During his speech named “With God’s support and glory, there is credibility”, the Pastor said “there are people who have lost

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their trust in prayers, but a true son of God knows prayers can make darkness go away”. GOD’S WORD

Some hours later, at night, Rev. Gustavo Martínez, International Treasurer of the WMM, shared the good news through the preach “What difficult situation are you currently facing in your life?”, which was based on 2 Samuel 21:15. The preacher asserted “we are, in Christ, more than winners. Without Him, we cannot do anything. Without Him, nothing is possible. But with His support, we are strong”.

The third day, Rev. Carlos Guerra, National Supervisor of WMM in Costa Rica, was in charge of evangelizing. His speech was mainly addressed to young people and was named “The credibility of His promises”; the missionary stated “the same God that fulfilled His promises in the past will fulfill them today and in the future, because he is not a man that lies or a son of a man who regrets his promises”. Later that night, Rev. Luis Meza Bocanegra, National Supervisor of WMM in Peru and International Board Member, developed the topic entitled “The prophetic word, a wall surrounding the people of God”. In his speech,

events

which was supported by Ezequiel 13:3-5, he said “we needed spiritual walls which are only built by God’s powerful Word. The Lord wants men and women who preach the Word as it should”. NEW BOARD MEMBERS

To begin the last day of the 29th National Convention of WMM in Panama, Rev. Clemente Vergara, missionary of the Almighty’s Work in Africa, Europe and the Caribbean, was chosen to preach the Creator’s message. When speaking about “How hard it is to serve God”, he pointed out “we had the privilege of being united in a Work of God, which he built and designed”. Later, during the activity closing the event, in which Bethel Television Panama was officially launched, the new members of the WMM International Board were introduced. In the ceremony, the Reverends Carlos Guerra and Clemente Vergara, officers of the Work, were welcomed; in addition, the work carried out by the outgoing officers, Pastors Rodolfo Gonzáles and Margaro Figueroa, were recognized. To close the spiritual ceremony, which was attended by believers from Peru, Venezuela, Costa Rica, Puerto Rico, Colombia, United States and Nicaragua, Rev. Rubén Concepción, International Secretary of WMM, preached the Word through the topic “Four dimensions of Jesus’ credibility”. Based on John 1:1-5,14, he affirmed “what makes this Work credible and true is the testimony of men and women who were transformed by God’s power”.

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A TRIP INTO AMAZONIAN COMMUNITIES The WMM in Colombia brought the Word of the Lord to native peoples settled near the Papurí River. In addition, a children retreat and camp was held in the city of Mitú. To share the Gospel of the Lord, the Worldwide Missionary Movement in Colombia visited, from November 25 to December 2, 2017, a group of indigenous peoples settled along the Papurí River, a tributary of the Vaupés River located in the heart of the Colombian Amazonia. Pastor Eduard Sánchez, along with his children Eduard Samuel and Keren Sofía and a group of servants of the WMM in Colombia, brought the Word of the Almighty to the tuyuka, siriano, desano and bara ethnic groups, who listened to the good news of the Creator and received copies of the Impacto Evangelistic magazine. Days later, from December 7 to December 11, 2017, the Work in Colombia held a meeting, a retreat and a camp for children from different native communities in Mitú, capital city of Vaupés, which attracted the attention of the local population. The event, which was led by Sister Martha Medrano, was attended by about 150 children who were taught about topics from the Holy Scriptures. The sessions were held at the facilities of José Eustacio Rivera School.

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THE POWER OF GOD’S GRACE The Fellowship of Zone 2 of the WMM in Puerto Rico gathered in Río Grande part of the renewed Board of International Officers of the Work of God. On January 27, the Worldwide Missionary Movement in Puerto Rico held the Fellowship of Zone 2 in the municipality of Río Grande, located in front of the Atlantic Ocean. Under the motto “Credibility 2018,” the event was attended by International President Rev. José Arturo Soto, International Treasurer Rev. Gustavo Martínez, International Secretary Rev. Rubén Concepción, and International Director Rev. Margaro Figueroa. In the evening service, Pastor Soto preached the Gospel through a message titled “The Power of God’s Grace,” based on Jeremiah 52:31-34. In his speech, the servant of the Almighty emphasized that, “the Lord is our shepherd and with him we will lack nothing.” Then, Rev. Martínez preached the Word of the Savior with the message “We Can.” Based on Nehemiah 4:7-16, the preacher pointed out that, “God is looking for a Nehemiah to rise, to be filled with His presence to carry on with His work, because if He is in the lead, nothing and no one can stop His purpose.”

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THERE IS POWER IN UNITY The WMM in Italy held the 7th Fellowship of the presbytery made up by the temples of the regions of Lombardy, Veneto and Trentino. An evangelistic campaign also took place in Rome. From December 8 to December 9, 2017, the Worldwide Missionary Movement in Italy held the 7th Fellowship of the presbytery made up by the churches established in the regions of Lombardy, Veneto and Trentino, located in the north of the country. The first service was led by Pastor Wilson Cruz, who shared the message “Communion with the Spirit Generates Unity.” Then, Pastor Fernando Paredes evangelized the attendees through the preaching entitled “Unity in the Church.” The 7th Fellowship, whose theme was “There Is Power in Unity”, ended with Rev. Hugo Lope, National Officer of the WMM in Italy, sharing a message of Jesus Christ that made the Lord’s power touch the lives of the faithful of the Work of God. On December 10, Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II, located in the city of Rome, hosted the evangelistic campaign in which Brother Diego Baca announced the good news of Jesus Christ.

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OVERCOMING THE OBSTACLES OF LIFE The WMM in Curacao held an evangelistic campaign in Landhuis Klein Santa Martha, located in the city of Soto, which was blessed with the preaching of the Gospel. Pastor Mitch Hilario brought together a large group of believers at a campaign held by the Work of the Lord. Rev. Andrew Darrell shared the good news of God with the people of Curacao. His preaching, closely followed by the local congregation and a group of people thirsty for the Word, made some attendees decide to surrender to the Lord. Likewise, as part of the non-stop evangelistic work done by the Work, the WMM held a special worship in Curacao on February 18. At the service, the faithful of the Lord glorified the power of God. Pastor Darrell, who leads a temple in Guyana, shared the Gospel through the message entitled “Overcoming all the Obstacles of Life.� Based on Romans 1:16-17, the evangelist spoke about the obstacles that believers must overcome throughout life to grow in the grace of the Creator.

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BAPTISMS IN PUNTA LARA The WMM in Argentina held a baptism service in which new believers surrendered to Jesus Christ.

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On December 18, 2017, the Worldwide Missionary Movement in Argentina held a special baptism service in the city of Punta Lara, located in the province of Buenos Aires. At the event, five brothers from the church in Dock Sud surrendered to the Lord and promised to serve Him until the end of their lives.

The ceremony, which took place in the La Plata River, was led by Colombian missionary Rev. Marco Aurelio Beltrán who, along with other members of the Work of God, helped the new servants of Jesus Christ to descend into the baptismal waters and seal their union with the Creator.

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AUTHORITY UNDER THE POWER OF TESTIMONY The WMM in Spain celebrated the 16th anniversary of the church in Barcelona and the 10th anniversary of missionary work by Rev. Carlos Medina in that country. The Worldwide Missionary Movement in Spain celebrated the 16th anniversary of the main temple of Barcelona, from November 31 to December 2, 2017. The event was attended by brothers from the municipalities of San Juan Despí, Hospitalet, Mollerussa, Terrasa and the cities of Lleida, Reus, Pamplona and Zona Franca. In an environment full of faith, Rev. Carlos Medina, National Supervisor of the WMM in Spain, shared the Word through the preaching entitled “Authority under the Power of Testimony.” In addition, the occasion was used to celebrate the 10th anniversary of missionary work by Pastor Medina in that country.

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THE SEVENTH TIME The WMM in Germany celebrated the 6th anniversary of the temple in Hamburg with a spiritual event that was attended by faithful from the Netherlands and Belgium. Under the motto “The Seventh Time,” the Worldwide Missionary Movement in Germany celebrated, from December 8 to December 10, 2017, the 6th anniversary of the church in Hamburg, led by Pastor Enmanuel Garzón. The event was attended by faithful from the Netherlands and Belgium. At the activity, which brought together the members of the WMM in Germany, Rev. Luis Valderrama, member of the WMM in Italy, shared the good news of Jesus Christ with the faithful of God who arrived in Hamburg to praise the Lord.

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CHILDREN CAMPAIGN IN PERTH The WMM in Australia held an evangelistic campaign aimed at children in the fourth most populated city in Australia.

On January 20, the Worldwide Missionary Movement in Australia held an evangelistic campaign aimed at children in Perth. In this city, considered the fourth most populated in Australia, the Word is gaining ground and the Work of God begins to win souls. At the event, held by members from the church of Perth, children were given a biblical teaching based on Genesis 1:1. With the support of a group of Christian characters, the little ones learned about the creation and perfection of the Savior’s work.

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2ND NATIONAL CONVENTION IN MYANMAR The WMM in Myanmar held its 2nd Convention with the participation of Pastor Samuel Mejía, Missionary Supervisor of Asia. With the participation of around two hundred believers of God, the Worldwide Missionary Movement in Myanmar held its 2nd National Convention from December 2 to December 4, 2017. The event took place in the main temple of Rangoon, one of the most important cities in the country also known as Burma. The occasion was used to hold the baptism of four new Christians. Rev. Samuel Mejía, Missionary Supervisor of Asia, and Rev. Aris Solís, member of the WMM in Colombia, preached the good news of the Lord and talked about the progress of the Work in Asia.

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EIGHT FEATURES OF A VICTORIOUS CHURCH The WMM in Equatorial Guinea held a baptism service in the city of Niefang in which new faithful surrendered to the Almighty. On January 7, the Worldwide Missionary Movement in Equatorial Guinea held a baptismal service in the city of Niefang, located seventy kilometers away from the city of Bata. The event was led by Rev. Benjamín Engono, leader of the Work of God in Equatorial Guinea. At the event, carried out in the Wele River, Pastor Engono preached the Word of God through the message “Eight Features of a Victorious Church,” based on Exodus 17: 9-13. Among songs and praises, nine faithful of the Lord descended into the baptismal waters and joined the flock of the Creator.

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Other Events

COLOMBIA

ECUADOR

BRAZIL

VENEZUELA

Purchase of Stations

Fellowship in Quito

National Youth Convention

Anniversary of RSD Stereo Radio

On December 13, 2017, Radio Bucarica and Radio Única were officially transferred to the Worldwide Missionary Movement in Colombia after the two radio stations had been acquired in the city of Bucaramanga. The event was attended by Rev. Gustavo Martínez, the then International President of the Work of God, and Rev. Humberto Henao, International Officer of the WMM in Colombia. The ceremony for the transfer of the radio stations, which broadcast at 1050 and 1340 AM, was held in their respective studios. World leaders of the WMM emphasized that they will only broadcast the Gospel of God, and Rev. Martínez participated in the opening program transmission. The management and maintenance of the new stations of the WMM in Colombia were delegated to the presbyteries of the zones of Bucaramanga and its metropolitan area, which took up the challenge with great responsibility and commitment. In the evening, the members of the churches of Bucaramanga and its metropolitan area were called to take part in a thanksgiving service that allowed the Lord’s people to praise and thank the Creator for such an important blessing.

On January 19 and January 20, the Worldwide Missionary Movement in Ecuador held its 1st Fellowship in the temple of South Zone in Quito, led by Peruvian missionary Mac Silva, and celebrated the 3rd anniversary of evangelizing service by this servant of the Lord in Ecuador. The event was attended by faithful from Quito and by Rev. Marcos Rodríguez, President of the WMM in Ecuador, who preached the Gospel of the Almighty. A baptism service also took place and eighteen believers descended into the baptismal waters.

With the motto “Youth, Awaken the Gift of God that Is in You,” the Worldwide Missionary Movement in Brazil held its 19th Youth Convention from December 15 to December 17, 2017, in Manaus. At the opening of the event, Pastor Josimar Araújo Bindá, Officer of the WMM in Brazil, shared the Word of God with the message “Waking Up to Serve God.” At the second service, Pastor Fabiano Rodríguez shared the Gospel through the message “Obedience and Willingness of the Youth,” based on 1 Samuel 17:12-29. Brother Rodríguez leads the church of the municipality of Atalaya do Norte, located southwest of Manaus. At the third service, Pastor Eliseo Santos Barros, Officer of the Work in Brazil, presented the message “Waking Up to Not Waste Youth Away.” On the last day, Rev. Henry Ramis, National Supervisor of the WMM in Brazil, shared the message of God and urged the Christian youth to beware of the apostasy that attacks the faithful in the world.

From December 15 to December 17, 2017, the Worldwide Missionary Movement in Venezuela celebrated the 1st anniversary of the Red de Salvación Divina Stereo (RSD Stereo) station, which was officially launched on August 23, 2016 in the city of Caracas. The event aimed to thank the Lord for sharing His Word to the Venezuelan people on radio. At the ceremony, Rev. Nelson Molero, pastor of a temple located in the state of Táchira, preached the Word of the Lord. He also highlighted the importance of the evangelizing work done by the WMM through RSD Stereo, which broadcasts sixteen live and five pre-recorded programs 24/7 from the capital of Venezuela. RSD Stereo used to broadcast via the Internet between 2012 and 2016, and it is now a Christian station broadcasting at 105.5 FM thanks to the efforts of Rev. Ricardo Manrique, National Supervisor of the WMM in Venezuela. He had the vision of developing a radio ministry for the benefit of believers. With the motto “From Heaven to Your Heart,” the radio essentially broadcasts the Word of Jesus Christ

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REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO Baptism Service On December 25, 2017, the Worldwide Missionary Movement in the Republic of the Congo held a baptism ceremony led by missionary Rev. José Misimi, in which four believers decided to surrendered to the Lord. At the ceremony, Pastor Misimi preached the Word of Jesus Christ through the message “The Death of the Old Man and the Resurrection of the New Man,” based on Romans 6: 3-6.

JAPAN National Fellowship in Hamamatsu Under the motto “Going On with Credibility,” the Worldwide Missionary Movement in Japan held its National Fellowship on January 28 in Hamamatsu, a city located west of the Shizuoka Prefecture. Rev. David Veramendi, National Supervisor of the WMM in Japan, announced the good news. The event was attended by faithful from the churches in the north and south of the country.

ITALY Children Worship in Florence On December 24, 2017, the WMM in Italy held a special worship aimed at children from the church of Firenze 2. The event took place in the city of Florence under the motto “Conquerors.” Children were the main figures of this special service, as they were in charge of carrying out the devotional, the biblical reading, the prayer for the offerings and the preaching of the Gospel of God.

NETHERLANDS 10th anniversary of the Temple of Rotterdam From December 1 to December 3, 2017, the Worldwide Missionary Movement in the Netherlands celebrated the 10th anniversary of the temple of Rotterdam. The event was held under the motto “Stand Still and See the Salvation of the Lord” and organized by Pastor Abraham Roggeband, leader of this church. At the ceremony, Pastor Bladimir Benzant, a member of the WMM in Italy, shared the Word of God through the message “Take Away the Stone,” based on John 11:39-40. Other topics developed by the preacher were “Stand Still and See the Salvation of the Lord”, based on 2 Chronicles 20:17; “God Chose You,” based on Judges 6:12, and “Surprise Attack,” based on Ecclesiastes 4: 9-12.

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LETTERS TO US... cartas@impactoevangelistico.net

JANUARY 3-10 CONVENTION COLOMBIA 25-28 CONVENTION BOLIVIA

NOEMÍ PALACIOS God bless you for printing this precious magazine. It’s been such a help for me and those I’ve shared it with, friends and family. God continue to help you. From Santiago, Chile.

FEBRUARY 9-11 10-13 22-25 22-25

CLAUDIA MARTÍNEZ Brothers, I greet in the love of the Lord. I’m very happy with Impacto Evangelistic, the magazine that edifies our souls and is part of the Work of God. We’re pleased to support it. From Ica, Peru. I feel happy whenever a new issue is released, because God speaks to me through its biblical teachings. The testimonies touch me, the pictures of the progress of the Work inspire me and, above all, I feel encouraged to do something for the Lord. Go ahead, brothers, with this beautiful project. God bless you. From Bogota, Colombia.

MAY 4-6 CONVENTION JAPAN, Shizuoka (Hamamatsu) 24-27 CONVENTION THE NETHERLANDS JUNE 1-3 CONVENTION OF YOUNG PEOPLE AND PASTORS (HONDURAS)

MARCELINO LÓPEZ I can’t stop thanking God for the blessing and privilege of being part of this Work. I feel happy every time I see the pictures of the activities carried out in different cities, both in America and faraway places in Asia and Africa. From Mayaguez, Puerto Rico.

JULY 4-7 CONVENTION COSTA RICA, Heredia 5-8 CONVENTION BRAZIL, Manaus 5-8 CONVENTION NETHERLANDS ANTILLES, Aruba 10-13 CONGRESS USA, Virginia (Woodbridge) 18-21 CONVENTION UNITY OF PASTORS, MEN, WOMEN AND YOUNG PEOPLE, (Puerto Rico) 26-28 CONVENTION DOMINICAN REPUBLIC 26-29 CONVENTION MEXICO

MANUEL ROMERO

CARLOS AGUIRRE I’d like to thank the Lord for the opportunity to contact you, brothers from Impacto Evangelistic, and send you a missionary offering for the

HOMERO SOLER I thank the brothers who work in this magazine. God help you and give you wisdom to keep sharing the message of our God through it. From Antioquia, Colombia.

CONVENTION PARAGUAY, San Lorenzo CONVENTION PANAMA CONVENTION ARGENTINA, Cordova CONVENTION BELIZE, Orange Walk

MARCH 7-11 CONVENTION OF PASTORS AND WOMEN, (AFRICA) 28-1 (APR) CONVENTION GUATEMALA, Guatemala City 29-1 (APR) CONVENTION GUYANA, FRENCH GUIANA, TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO, AND MARTINIQUE, French Guiana (Georgetown) 29-1 (APR) CONVENTION AUSTRALIA

DIEGO PIÑEROS

Beloved brothers, God bless you and continue to give you wisdom and grace for this ministry, which has been a blessing for us and our friends. Your doctrinal publication and information have led many people to attend church. I invite the brothers in Christ to hand out this magazine in popular crowded places. Let’s make this spiritual information available to everybody. Invest in the salvation of souls, God will reward you. From Cali, Colombia.

GLOB AL AGENDA 2018

ministry. I’ve been reading the magazine for many years. I’ve received all the issues you’ve sent. From New York, United States.

RODOLFO SIERRA Go ahead with this beautiful message of salvation and keep the sound doctrine that will always characterize the Work and this wonderful magazine. God bless you greatly and richly. From Medellin, Colombia.

CAROLINA CÓRDOVA God continue to give you wisdom and understanding so that this message continues to reach many people. From La Paz, Bolivia.

EZEQUÍAS PIZARRO Hello again. I’m part of the Church of Jesus Christ in Cordoba. I want to greet the brothers who work in this magazine, which is a much more than just that, as it has converted innumerable people to Christ. God bless you. From Cordoba, Argentina.

AUGUST 9-12 CONVENTION SPAIN AND BLOCK A OF EUROPE Madrid 9-12 CONVENTION AFRICA, Equatorial Guinea (Bata) 15-18 CONVEGNO VENEZUELA 16-19 CONVENTION ITALY, Milan 23-26 CONVENTION HAITI, Port-au-Prince 23-26 CONVENTION ECUADOR, Guayaquil SEPTEMBER 10-12 CONVENTION PERU, Chiclayo 13-15 CONVENTION PERU, Arequipa 16-18 CONVENTION PERU, Lima 26-29 CONVENTION INDIA 30 WORLD MISSION DAY, simultaneous activity in all the countries OCTOBER 4-7 CONVENTION HONDURAS 5-7 NATIONAL FELLOWSHIP CANADA 19-21 FELLOWSHIP MADAGASCAR 24-28 CONVENTION MAURITIUS NOVEMBER 1-4 CONVENTION CHILE, Santiago 8-11 CONVENTION EL SALVADOR 15-18 CONVENTION URUGUAY, Montevideo 29-2 (DEC) CONVENTION NICARAGUA DECEMBER

You can download the free QR code reader from these platforms: n Past events n Future events MISSIONARY MOVEMENT 66 WORLDWIDE America • Europe • Oceanía • África • Asia

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JAPAN From May MISSIONARY MOVEMENT 68 WORLDWIDE America • Europe • Oceanía • África • Asia

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