The Free Methodist Church in
Latin America
Latin America Leaders
Monthly Prayer Guide
IML Website (en Español)
Developing Healthy Leaders
Empowering Transformational Churches
Prayer as a Path to Restoration
In Latin America, our God-given vision is to participate with Him in the restoration of our region. Latin America is a region experiencing significant change in all realms of life: social, political, economic and environmental. It is indeed evident we desperately need God’s restorative work in our midst. Only He can truly restore broken people, relationships, churches, societies, and a broken world, but He invites us to participate with Him in bringing this restoration! Because the scope of such ministry is great, everything we do must begin, proceed, and end with prayer.
We are encouraged to a deep, continuous and honest search for God! We are hungry and thirsty for His presence. We desire to transmit this longing so it permeates each leader because leaders who pray produce followers who pray. A growing number of volunteers serve as a prayer network, standing in the gap for the Free Methodist Church (which goes by the Spanish acronym IML). Praying, seeking, crying out for God’s direction and the complete restoration of Latin America!
We are seeing God answer our prayers. More than 1,000 community churches were planted, and nearly 9,000 people came to Christ in the past three years. But we celebrate many other answered prayers – supernatural protection from devastating fires in Chile, provision of travel visas in seemingly impossible circumstances, and miraculous healings. One group recently prayed without ceasing for the presence of God in the Paraguay Leaders’ Retreat. The results were renewed commitments, encouragement, unprecedented unity and fresh new leadership in a conference that was growing stagnant.
Forty-five volunteers from 17 countries form our regional Prayer Network, allowing people to connect quickly and pray in common accord for specific and general requests. They hold monthly prayer gatherings via Zoom so anyone in the region can attend. Those gatherings have specific prayer circles whose primary focus is to “hold up the arms” of national and area leadership.
But prayer isn’t simply relegated to a group of volunteers. The laity and leadership at all levels are coming together – on our knees, in private and corporate prayer, pleading that God will “do it again” and bring lasting restoration in Latin America. Will you join us?
Ricardo and Beth Gómez, Latin America Area Director
Jardy Castro, Area Prayer Coordinator
Latin America Area Director
Ricardo Gómez
Countries
GIVE
Give to Church Planting and Development (CPD)
Give to Extra Mile Projects (EMP)
Argentina
Brazil
Chile
Colombia
Costa Rica
Haiti
- Haiti Bible Institute
- Dessalines Rural Health
- Haiti Goat Project
- Haiti Medical Scholarships
- Haiti Providence University
- Help Haiti Heal
Mexico
- Casa Hogar Tabitha (Tabitha’s House)
- Mexico City Strategic Initiatives
- Guadalajara Church Plants
- Nogales Ministries
- Rancho Betania Conference Center
“RA” Creative Access
“X” Creative Access
Give to Extra Mile Projects (EMP)
for the Latin America Area
About the Leaders' Sabbaticals Project
Our vision is to participate with God in the restoration of Latin America. One way we do this is by developing healthy leaders. There are high caliber leaders throughout the entire region participating in pastoral care groups and ministerial formation opportunities. To further the health of leaders, our goal is to enable three key leaders per year the opportunity for three-month sabbatical. Some of our leaders have been in ministry for more than 30 years with no break. This is just one more piece of helping our leaders renew their ministry vision and establish healthy life rhythms. They will be eligible to apply for sabbatical every seven years and must have a clear plan and budget approved by the Area Director to qualify.
About the Asbury Scholarships Project
The Free Methodist Church in Latin America is happy to partner with Asbury Theological Seminary (Wilmore, KY) to offer a Certificate in Pastoral Leadership to a cohort of 20 students. We desire to deepen our church’s biblical and theological foundation in Latin America and prepare key leaders to pursue advanced degrees. Students will pay a portion of the tuition and fees. However, even with generous scholarships from Asbury and very appropriate cost structures, the economics of Latin America relative to the costs of a U.S.-based education requires help to defray costs, at least for the first cohort. The total cost for FMWM Latin America to assist 20 students in completing the 2 ½-year program is $33,750.
About the Community Church Planting Project
Community Church Planting (CCP) is part of a group of rapid church planting movements that have been quietly and fervently changing the world we live in. CCP has seen 1 million baptisms and 30,000 churches planted in the last 10 years. The CCP program focuses on multiplying disciples, pastors and churches among the unreached communities of the world.
The Free Methodist Church began its partnership with CCP in Central Africa where there have been over 200,000 members added. In 2011 initiatives were launched in the Middle East and Asia. Since then CCP has been introduced in Europe, Latin America and now the United States. Contributions are focused on translating materials and equipping leaders rather than supporting pastors.
About the Developing Healthy Leaders Project
Giving to the Developing Healthy Leaders fund allows the Latin America Area to create and deploy a thoroughly Free Methodist curriculum to our pastors and church leaders. The area offers in-person courses across 17 countries. Coursework is also offered virtually to international cohorts, helping build solid biblical foundations for new believers who are sharing the saving gospel of Jesus with their families and friends. Additionally, the Latin America area partners with Asbury Theological Seminary (Wilmore, KY). Qualified Latino leaders can receive a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree, thus strengthening the theological foundation of the area’s leadership.
Additionally, the area provides mentoring and pastoral care to strengthen the formation of pastors and church leaders, including offering emergency funds to those church leaders who find themselves in need of family therapy and counsel.
Goal: $24,530
About the Emergency Fund
Latin America Emergency Fund is designed to help with the medical needs of Mission District Leaders and superintendents in a medical crisis if/when insurance doesn’t cover the expense.
About the Empowering Transformational Churches Project
A transformational church participates intentionally in the community to demonstrate God’s love and participate in the transformation of their neighborhood. Recognizing that each person carries God’s image, they are active in their sociocultural contexts, modeling and promoting love-driven justice. This initiative of empowering transformational churches is helping local churches live out and participate with God in the restoration of Latin America.
Your donation will empower transformational churches by:
- developing training in community transformation
- providing coaching for churches developing projects community transformation projects
- providing funds to launch new transformational projects
About the Roots: Children's Ministry Project
The number one request from Free Methodist children’s workers in Latin America is for a solid and effective curriculum to use with the children they serve in kids’ clubs, Sunday schools, and Christian schools. An experienced international team is working on translating and contextualizing the “Roots” curriculum, produced by Light and Life Publishing, which helps children ages 3-12 to know Jesus personally and not just know about Him. Your gift will help train the next generation of Free Methodist leaders by funding translation, development, and training costs to allow this dynamic curriculum to be implemented.
About the Scholarship Fund
This fund will receive and disburse funds to assist emerging young leaders in their academic development.
About the Strategic Initiatives Project
The most effective way to resource the Latin America Area is through giving that invests in national leaders, international missionaries, urban initiatives and long-term sustainability. Giving in this way allows us all to participate with God in the restoration of Latin America through developing healthy leaders, multiplying committed disciples, and empowering transformational churches. Funds are directed to the greatest and most strategic opportunities in the Latin American Area.
Missionaries
Casto & Flor Marlene
Casto has served the FM Church for over 25 years. The church he pastored has become the largest and fastest-growing congregation in Latin America. His track record for training, mentoring, encouraging and empowering leaders, has resulted in more than 20 new churches in his own country. Now he serves as a mentor for superintendents in Puerto Rico and Chile.
Guy & Betsy Crawford
Guy and Betsy Crawford provide pastoral care and support to FM missionaries in Latin America. Their role includes encouragement and spiritual nurture via emails, phone calls and field visits; special care in emergencies or times of crisis; and organization of prayer networks.
J.R. & Becky Crouse
Based in Quito, Ecuador, the Crouses assist the Free Methodist Church in Ecuador and the Latin America Area (LAA) through leadership development, education and transformational development.
Jose “Gaby” Estrella & Dalia Sanchez
Jose “Gaby” Estrella and Dalia Sanchez are joining the Latin American mission team to contribute in multiple strategic ways. Gaby’s primary role will be as a digital storyteller, harnessing his background in photography and videography, and utilizing these tools to help tell the story of what God is doing throughout Latin America. Dalia will apply her many years of experience in education as she joins teams that support and expand the ministry to children and students throughout the area.
Kay Stotts Godoy
Kay Stotts Godoy is passionate about the holistic development of children, especially spiritual development. She oversees a team of missionaries and Latin American children’s leaders working on producing and implementing the Raices (Roots) curriculum throughout the continent. This Free Methodist children’s curriculum helps boys and girls connect with God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit personally and grow deep, spiritually strong roots in Him and His Word.
Ricardo & Beth Gómez
Based out of Medellín, Colombia, Ricardo Gómez serves as area director for Latin America. He oversees the U.S. missionaries and national leaders in 17 countries as they implement the shared vision to participate with God in the restoration of Latin America by developing healthy leaders, multiplying committed disciples and empowering transformational churches. Beth serves alongside him in the areas of administration and communication.
Shane & Katie Jewell
Shane Jewell was called to full-time missionary service as a young boy. He and his family are now preparing to transition to Bogotá, Colombia. They hope to deploy to Colombia in August 2022.
John Jairo Leal & Susana Castro
John Jairo Leal and Susana Castro are ordained pastors in the Colombian Mission District and have served as pastors and church planters in Medellín. Currently, John is director of Community Church Planting with Impact Latin America. Susana is the pastor of Camino de Vida church and facilitates pastoral care in Latin America.
Dennis & Kyle Leon
Dennis and Kyle Leon moved to Esterillos, Costa Rica, with a vision to see everyone in every community have access to a living church by multiplying disciples, workers and churches. God has used them to lead to Christ and disciple many new believers, resulting in a multiplying network of churches and home groups now called the 360 Mission District. They also help communities improve their physical wellbeing through counseling, job training, microfinance, tutoring, scholarships, medical assistance, emergency aid, work opportunities and children’s centers
David & Ginegda López
David and Ginegda “Yeya” López are international missionaries who relocated to their home country last year. David is an ordained elder with a successful track record of multiplying disciples, leaders and churches. He is the coordinator for multiplying committed disciples in the Free Methodist Church of Latin America and promotes church planting throughout the region.
Dan & Hope Owsley
Dan and Hope Owsley have served in four major regions of Brazil over the past three decades, helping to start churches and organize conferences. Their ministry has included teaching Bible and theology to church leaders, mentoring men and women in ministry, sharing the gospel, and discipling new believers. In 2020 they moved to the state of São Paulo to help restructure the Free Methodist seminary. Both Hope and Dan are teaching there, and Dan acts as academic coordinator. They are both involved in their local church and are mentoring church planters (Free Methodist Venezuelan refugees) in northwest Brazil. Hope leads several Bible studies and is also part of a team adapting the Roots curriculum for Free Methodist Sunday schools throughout Latin America.
Juan Carlos Rodriguez & Yaneth Aguirre
Pastor Juan Carlos and Yaneth Aguirre have started a new adventure by moving to Paraguay from Mexico. They will be guiding leaders of the IML (Free Methodist Church) through mentoring and implementing the vision and mission of the Latin America Area. The vision also includes the promotion of new transformation projects having an impact on communities. In addition to Paraguay, they will work in Bolivia, Guatemala, Creative Access Country-X and Creative Access Country-RA.
Thad & Nikki Roller
The Rollers live and minister in Cajicá, just outside Bogotá, Colombia. They are passionate about seeing leaders, disciples and churches multiplied in their community and throughout Latin America. Thad’s primary role is to help train, mobilize and support pastors, leaders and church planters in Colombia, Guatemala and Mexico. Nikki’s main objectives include infusing the church-planting movement with a culture of deep prayer and working on multiple teams, including Third Culture Kid care and the translation and adaptation of the Roots curriculum for the Latin American context.
Rodrigo & Tanya Rosado
The Rosados live and serve in Buenos Aires, Argentina, where they lead a new project – The Harbor. The Harbor seeks to be a vibrant international community where there is biblical transformation and student leaders are empowered through holistic strategies leading to the multiplication of committed disciples. Their responsibilities include pastoring a multicultural church, overseeing university housing for emerging leaders in collaboration with ICCM and developing a Community Church Plant network in the city. In addition, Rodrigo serves as mission district leader for Argentina, and Tanya serves as transformational church coordinator for Latin America.
Brook & Susan Selby
Susan is a gifted leader and administrator. God uses her to bring health and fruitfulness to individuals, groups, and organizations by creating systems and structures to disciple people into more peaceful, trusting, and God-honoring ways of doing relationships.
Brook, an ordained elder in the Free Methodist Church, has served as the pastor of Mountainview Community Church in White Haven, Pennsylvania, for twelve years. Brook raises disciples and leaders by helping them identify what God is already doing in their lives, assisting them to take the next step of faith in following Jesus’s lead.
Rich & Laurie Sheriff
Rich and Laurie serve in San Pedro de la Paz, on the edge of Concepción, Chile. Rich is an elder in the Keystone Conference. After years of pastoring in the U.S. and leading short-term mission teams to various parts of the world, the Chilean Conference of the FMC invited the Sheriffs to come full time and plant bilingual churches. Along with church planting, they work in leadership development and encouraging local FM pastors, families and churches.
Dan & Dee Ann Snyder
Dan and Dee Ann Snyder currently serve as associate missionaries to Haiti. While involved in a Michigan medical practice, Dan raises funds and annually makes several trips to Haiti Claire Heureuse Hospital in Dessalines. Dee Ann works in support ministries
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Santiago Chile VISA Team: Expansion of church
The church in Santiago, Chile is looking for help to complete a construction project expanding the church (new classrooms, as well as areas for the worship team and the youth group).
Santiago Chile VISA Team: Expansion of church
The church in Santiago, Chile is looking for help to complete a construction project expanding the church (new classrooms, as well as areas for the worship team and the youth group).
Santiago Chile VISA Team: Expansion of church
The church in Santiago, Chile is looking for help to complete a construction project expanding the church (new classrooms, as well as areas for the worship team and the youth group).
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