IN 2021, YOU MADE AN IMPACT IN THE NATIONSWe couldn't have done it without you. Thank you for your prayers and your financial support. People all over the world have no access to the life-changing hope of Jesus, leaving them trapped in their pain and brokenness. “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few.” Jesus’ words still ring true today. Addiction, abuse, human trafficking, and poverty are just some of the physical afflictions that represent the spiritual destitution of those without access to the gospel. That is why we exist - because we believe that no one should live without hope in Jesus. In 2021, you enabled us to touch the lives of the hurting. Thank you for trusting us to be your hands and feet to the broken. MOUNTAIN GATEWAY MISSIONS  We can’t even begin to put into words how blessed we are at what Jesus did in Mexico and Nicaragua this year. The effects of a pandemic have continued to impact our “normal” ways of ministering, but we have seen the radical hand of God at work in spite of all obstacles. We work in very rural areas, often without internet access, serving impoverished communities. International travel restrictions have limited our ability to spend as much time as we would like outside of the US, but the leadership that has been demonstrated by our Mexican and Nicaraguan pastors has us in tears. Our mission is to search for the lost, discipling people one by one and equipping them to disciple others, until the Kingdom of God is established in their families, communities, and nation. We are seeing that happen. The Lord has done great things in the hearts of believers, and we have seen an increase in His miraculous power! MEXICO We have an active ministry presence in 19 communities in Mexico. The national leaders are growing, maturing, and taking on responsibility to see the Gospel advance in their nation. Our leaders are now raising up leaders!
We saw an incredible outpouring of the miraculous power of God in Mexico:
THE VILLAGE GLOBAL Our missionaries, Jason and Nicole Fitzpatrick, who pioneered The Village Global sent us this report:
NICARAGUA In Nicaragua, we have an active ministry presence in 8 counties in 6 states. Our national pastor and his discipleship team traveled through the communities to encourage the believers. Discipleship groups are growing and the believers are loving on, celebrating, and supporting one another in the faith.
We saw an incredible outpouring of the miraculous power of God in Nicaragua as well:
Through your giving, we were able to purchase much needed equipment for distributing relief packets to those still devastated from 2020 Hurricanes Eta and Iota, as well as transport our national pastors and discipleship teams. We were also able to build a worship auditorium that will host church services, Bible Schools, children’s programs, and other ministry events.
MOUNTAIN GATEWAY TRAINING MOUNTAIN GATEWAY ACADEMY Answering Jesus’ call to carry the cross is difficult and it can be hard to actually know how to put the Great Commission into practice. But we know that to see the lost come to know Jesus, we must embrace not only the joy of the Gospel but also the call to die to ourselves. The Mountain Gateway Academy is an 11 month program that equips students with the tools they need to succeed anywhere in the world, under any conditions. This is how we train missionaries - although you don’t have to be called to be a missionary to go through the program. After 11 months with our instructors, those who feel called to go into all the world will start the MG Mission Track. We are committed to giving each student the opportunity to engage with Jesus in such a way that He transforms them.
MOUNTAIN GATEWAY WILDERNESS INTENSIVES We took 3 teams on MG Wilderness Intensives during July and August. A Wilderness Intensive is 12 days of backpacking in the wilderness to focus on personal and spiritual development so teams learn the leadership and relational skills they need to be more effective and fulfilled. Here are some testimonials from those trips: The Lord spoke much through my instructors and some of my [fellow] students. I was encouraged early on in the value of my voice and that I should use it more. Over the week I got to practice this and speak up more. I started to really realize that the Lord gave me my voice and that I am able to contribute. This has been growth for me, that I will endeavor to hold on to. Thank you all! - Steve I left on this trip with a desire to push myself physically, mentally and see beautiful scenery and I came home with all that but more importantly a new relationship with the Lord. Thank you Mountain Gateway for an unforgettable experience and opportunity to grow beyond our liminality and window of tolerance. - Mike MOUNTAIN GATEWAY PRAYER We launched Mountain Gateway Prayer last year, and we are thrilled at the engagement we have received from you guys. Prayer is one of the most important things believers can give to the Gospel effort. Missionaries who do not receive prayer support from the home-front are 71% more likely to leave the field. This should give us the courage to know that prayer works! Disappointments and unanswered questions are a part of life - but you really can see hearts awakened to the Gospel and missionaries stay on the field in response to your prayers. Something happens when you pray that wouldn’t have happened if you didn’t. Because if you remain undaunted in prayer in spite of life’s disappointments, you can see the hand of God move on the earth.
VERTICAL BRIDGE WORKS For generations, the reality of missionaries leaving the field because of the lack of funds has hindered the spread of the Gospel. Two thousand years after Jesus gave us the Great Commission, 7,372 people groups still haven’t heard the Good News. Missionaries can’t handle the expense, and native pastors are unable to carry on the ministry in the clutches of poverty. That is why Mountain Gateway dreams of using business to advance the Gospel in the nations. It is why we launched EDG Coffee. Owning our own farm lets us:
Major wins in 2021:
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRAYERS AND FINANCIAL SUPPORT People you have never met will meet Jesus because you enabled us to go. Jesus traveled through all the towns and villages of that area, teaching in the synagogues and announcing the Good News about the Kingdom. And he healed every kind of disease and illness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them because they were confused and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. He said to his disciples, “The harvest is great, but the workers are few. So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields.” Matt 9:35-38 NLT
Life and Peace, Britt and Audrey Hancock
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Today, we are OVERCOME by the goodness of God at the miracle He has done in our Nicaragua work a couple of weeks ago! We have had 9 people raised from the dead during our time in Mexico - this is the first time we have seen this particular miracle in Nicaragua.
Because of the hurricane relief efforts, we started working in villages along the river, Prinzapolka. We have been discipling a husband and wife that have shown promise to become leaders in that area, and the wife, Linda* was visiting one of the villages. A six year old boy was playing near the river, where there was a strong eddy. The adults repeatedly told him to stay away from the water. He didn’t listen, and fell in and got sucked under. The little boy drowned. When they were finally able to pull him out of the river, he was dead. His body was bluish-purple. Blood was coming out of his nose. Everyone was weeping. Linda desperately began to try to suck water from the little boy’s lungs. No use. Linda is a baby Christian. On of our mature pastors, Julio* has been praying with her and her husband every morning. Julio had a prophetic word for her that morning during prayer, that she was a Deborah and that she would see many miracles along the river. Linda began to cry out to God in her heart. HE WOKE UP. The little boy who was blue, cold, dead, woke up, and came back to life. Everyone in the area freaked out! The boy is doing wonderfully! JESUS IS ALIVE! Life and peace, Britt and Audrey Hancock The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor. Matthew 11:5 
We are remembering the things of old (Isaiah 46:9) and we are rejoicing in His new mercies every morning (Lam 3:22-23).
In 1999, 10 years before Mountain Gateway was founded, Britt was with some other missionaries to Mexico at a campaign. They had been praying for people for hours when a mother walked up with her son, who was around 10 years old. He had been born completely deaf, which left him mute as well. The missionary whom Britt had accompanied to the campaign put his arms around the boy, hugging him in prayer. Britt placed his hands over both of the child’s ears. As they were praying, the boy jerked as if he had been struck, his eyes huge. He shouted Fuego. The first words he had ever spoken. Fire. He leapt up, yelling fuego, fuego, fuego! He ran through the crowd, touching dozens of people, praying for them. Not only had God given him the ability to hear, He had opened his mouth and given him the ability to speak and understand. Jesus is alive! Life and peace, Britt and Audrey Hancock The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor. Matthew 11:5 
One of our pastors, Chucho, brought us to witness and pray for his neighbor, Josefina, who was “very sick.” Britt and Chucho hiked through the jungle to an impoverished hut, where they faced a cold, almost hostile, reception from the sick woman’s husband. She was seated behind a wall made of plastic sheeting, with only the tips of her fingers visible.
Britt began to tell her of the love of Jesus and she accepted Him into her heart. Through the course of the conversation, Britt inched his way closer to the plastic barrier till he could look at Josefina. His heart went out to her. White patches, scabs and scars covered her face and hands. Gently, Britt asked if she had leprosy. She told him she did. Britt and Chucho invited her to come out from where she was hiding her face, and they laid their hands on her, asking Jesus to heal her body. Josefina began to come to Chucho’s house for church every week, sneaking in the back after dark and listening to the life-giving message of Jesus from the dark kitchen. She would venture up to the edge of the light at the end of the night, head down and face and hands covered, to receive prayer. At church two months later, Josefina walked in the front door of the house, in broad daylight, and approached Britt directly. “I am healed, and I can see!” she declared. Her face and her hands were clean, her eyes clear and unafraid. Britt learned she had been almost completely blind, and Jesus had not only given her new skin, but new eyes. Jesus had cleansed her. Jesus is alive. Life and peace, Britt and Audrey Hancock The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor. Matthew 11:5 
We are sharing old stories in accordance with Isaiah 46:9, which tells us to “Remember the things I have done in the past. For I alone am God! I am God, and there is none like me.”
We are also sharing new stories. Lamentations 3:22-23 says, “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” Today, we are sharing a new story from a believer in Nicaragua. Sara, the aunt of one of our pastors in Nicaragua, had a derrame cerebral - or brain hemorrhage - that left one side of her body completely paralyzed. The doctors told her that she would never walk again. The pastor and his family began to pray. They prayed for her healing for 6 months, with no response. She stayed paralyzed. One day, after a dramatic miracle in which Jesus rescued the pastor from men who were trying to kill him, the pastor went back to his aunt's house - full of renewed faith - and prayed yet again. That day Sara was able to move her foot, then her fingers. Now she is able to walk to her kitchen! She is no longer paralyzed! Jesus is alive! Stay obedient. Keep moving forward, Britt and Audrey Hancock The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor. Matt 11:5 
Jesus is alive. He is the same, yesterday, today, and forever. And we have been reminded lately of His power - to heal, to transform, to save. So we are going to be sending out a series of short miracle stories. Some of them are old stories (Isaiah 46:9), some of them are new stories (Lam 3:22-23). All of them display the unchanging power of Jesus at work in our lives. Today, we are sharing a new story from one of our Nicaraguan pastors: I was visiting the mother of my sister Naomi, who was suffering from blindness. Her eye was completely red and had been streaming with blood. For about a month, we went to her house to pray. During that time, I saw Naomi’s suffering with my own eyes; saw the worry of her mother. I’ve been so impacted by this. I had never seen such a miracle before. And now we are discipling them, so that they don't only live in a miracle, but that they live in a relationship with Christ. Circumstances change - Jesus stays the same. He really is alive. Life and peace, Britt and Audrey Hancock If you would like to become an Impact Partner and equip national pastors like this man, you can click the button below to give to the gospel effort. The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor. Matt 11:5
 The year 2020 will stand out in history. It has been a year of change, of rapid response to circumstances, of quiet patience in Jesus. And in the midst of so much turmoil, the Lord has seen fit to bless the work Mountain Gateway is doing and launch us farther into His destiny for us. We couldn't have done it without you. Thank you for your prayers and your financial support.  COVID 19 dramatically impacted our ability to minister in Mexico and Nicaragua. Legal barriers and official regulations reminded us of our utter dependence upon Jesus. We work in very rural areas, often without internet access, serving impoverished communities. The pivot to “online church” was impossible. BUT GOD. In spite of all of these challenges, we have seen the Lord do great things in the hearts of believers! We will continue to send more detailed updates, but here is an overview of what Jesus has done in MG Missions: MEXICOWe have an active ministry presence in 17 villages in Mexico. In those villages, 12 people gave their hearts to Jesus!! 6 Mexican families have dedicated themselves to Gospel work. The national leaders are taking more and more responsibility to see the Gospel advance in their nation. (This is the goal!) We experienced a miracle of racial reconciliation. Bathrooms were constructed on the church property. We purchased a used truck for the ministry in Mexico and assigned it to a national leader who is working in 6 villages. He’s been walking to all these villages faithfully for years. Please pray for us as we navigate gathering for worship while remaining compliant with the county’s regulations. This summer, we went to minister with our missionaries who founded the Village Global to celebrate the graduation of 12 Village children. It brought tears to our eyes to watch children who had been tortured receive their diplomas in beautiful dresses and clean suits. We will send out a more detailed update from Nicole, but here is a quick recap: Over 30 children were rescued this year. We helped the Village Children's Home buy a van, cover school tuition for children, buy books and uniforms, and build a 6 bedroom boys dormitory, a small bridge, an iron entrance gate, and a kindergarten classroom. We were also able to build 2 homes for families in need and build dorms for The Village Drug and Alcohol Rehab. Over 40 men and boys have received help this year from the Village Drug Rehab. We help cover the national missionary costs for house churches that continue to make disciples in a total of six states. NICARAGUAWe have an active ministry presence in 8 villages in Nicaragua. In those villages, 62 people gave their hearts to Jesus!! 6 believers chose to proclaim their belief in Jesus through baptism. 5 new villages were opened to the Gospel in 2020. Discipleship groups are growing. A Bible School for pastors was started in the villages, equipping them to disciple in the surrounding communities. A Bible School teaching the importance of marriage (most practice common law marriage, we teach the importance of covenant under God) was started. We were able to buy a tin roof for the home of one of the believers. 2 CAT 4 hurricanes hit Nicaragua in November. We were able to help Missionary Aviation Fellowship enter the nation to help canvas the damage. We will send out a more detailed update soon, but here is a quick recap: We have a three-fold strategy: Relief, Recovery, Relationship. Immediate relief in the form of food and shelter, recovery by supplying farming tools and seeds, and relationship building within the community to introduce them to JESUS. You have overwhelmed us with your generous response to this tragedy. We have been able to feed 100 families, buy a boat and a truck to deliver supplies, and we are now able to help over 1,000 families begin the recovery process. Drinking water is contaminated and malaria is spreading. A donor gave enough water filtrations systems to provide clean drinking water to 1,000 families. Please pray that these systems will arrive in Nicaragua quickly and will clear customs with no issue! HONDURASThere are four new connections with ministries in Honduras that are opening up and we feel the stirring of the Holy Spirit. Please pray for us as we navigate the future with anticipation for what Jesus is doing.  COVID 19 dramatically changed our plans for Cohort 19. Because of the unknowns of the virus and the changing legal and social dynamics, we decided not to travel from church-to-church for our Prayer and Bible Semester. Yet even with all of the changes, we have seen incredible transformation in our students. Here is an overview of what Jesus has done through MG Training this year: 2 families graduated from the Great Commission Academy and transitioned to the next step in their callings, one into business and the other into full time ministry. Cohort 19 successfully completed Technical Skills Semester 2 and Prayer and Bible Semesters 1 and 2. Here are some testimonials from their time: Lakeisha: Matt: Layne:  As Britt was praying about the changes to the Prayer and Bible Semesters, the Lord directed Mountain Gateway to pray in all 50 state capitals in 50 days, ending in Washington D.C. on election day. The 50/50 Prayer Journey was born. We traveled to all 50 states, praying a blessing on each one, calling for righteousness and wise decisions based on the Word of God. We prayed the same list of life-giving scriptures in each capitol. You can read what the Lord showed us about each state in previous blog posts. At the beginning of the 50/50 Prayer Journey, the Lord told Britt, “Remember your old confidence in prayer.” We have known that Jesus wanted us to build a network of strategic prayer warriors since 1984. But the Lord has given us many tasks - and we have been doing our best to faithfully walk them out one-by-one. But now we know the time has come to establish Mountain Gateway Prayer. We know that the finger of God has moved to stir His people to righteousness and to prayer. Ezekiel 22:30 says, “I looked for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it, but I found none.” We are committed to standing in the gap, to be the ones who are found faithful when He searches for allies on the earth. If you feel the hand of God stirring your heart to join with Mountain Gateway in prayer, if you believe that your prayers are powerful and effective, we would be honored to have you as a part of our strategic prayer network. Through a series of miraculous events, the Lord has given Mountain Gateway the ability to use business to advance the Gospel in the nations.
While Britt and Audrey were building a prayer ministry in Auburn, Alabama, the birthplace of Mountain Gateway, Jesus started speaking to Britt about the true meaning of standing in the gap and being an intercessor. He said, “Do EVERYTHING that is in you to fill in ALL the gaps that there are. You see a gap… YOU fill it. Give missionaries the raincoat off of your back. Pray. Equip. Enable.” This led them on a journey of prayer and giving that went from full-time intercession to foreign missions to Mountain Gateway. Mountain Gateway was the original command and in that command there are many assignments. Over the years, Britt and Audrey have accumulated mountains of information on international co-ops, trade schools, sustainable energy sources, construction companies, and farms with the purpose of creating businesses that would fund the spread of the Gospel to all regions of the earth. As we dreamed of a way to economically empower national leaders who are RICH in faith, but very POOR by the standards of this world, we knew that agriculture was the key. God did a miracle. A donor gave Mountain Gateway a 122-acre coffee farm we named Esperanza de Gloria (Hope of Glory) in Jinotega, Nicaragua. Vertical Bridge Works, LLC was born. We will send more detailed updates, but we had to give you an recap of the miracles that have occurred this year: We launched EDG Coffee, selling ethically sourced, specialty grade coffee that is transforming communities. Our harvesters are paid 48% above the national minimum wage, provided with housing, clean water, and daily meals. Our coffee ranks in the top 3% worldwide. We built a road to the community, are transforming views on environmental care, and cultivating relationships among the workers. Our farm is completely bug-free without using pesticides. A fungus called “coffee rust” or “roya” hit our neighboring farms and we didn’t have the funding to spray organic fungicide to protect our plants; so we prayed. And Jesus supernaturally protected our farm. Our business (launched during a pandemic!) has grown every quarter. We have 4 roast profiles and are developing blends from single origin coffee (this is unheard of!). We are launching an EDG Coffee Trailer in Austin, TX early next year. In Nicaragua we have a new wet mill, a new bridge, water filtration system, and new housing and bathrooms for our workers. We have a cow that gives fresh cream and cuajada cheese for our employees. The surrounding farms were tragically damaged by the 2 hurricanes that struck in November - miraculously, not a single coffee plant on our farm was damaged, and not a single coffee bean fell to the ground. ONLY JESUS. Our plants are thriving - we are praying that our harvest is multiplied! The most stirring miracle is what is happening within the hearts of our employees. We held a discipleship group on the farm where workers met together at 4 am for a week of prayer and intercession. The fact that we care about them as humans, not numbers, is breaking a mentality of poverty and scarcity. They are transforming from self-protection and selfishness (which drives corruption in the industry) to generosity and peace. They were shocked that we cared more about them than our harvest during the hurricane. They overflowed with generosity as a response, volunteering their time and money to help those in need around them, instead of hoarding their resources in the midst of crisis. This is the transformation we pray for!  GEORGIA
Georgia was named for King George of England. Martin Luther King was born here. Two kings. May the King of kings reign in the hearts of men and women in this nation. Lord, show us what it takes to catalyze true hearts. When a root gets uprooted it’s often because of poor soil quality. May roots of righteousness grow strong here. May there be exposure of what is happening. Uproot in a natural way so that what is wicked will die when exposed. Pull darkness down by the power of God. May we fight to end human trafficking, racial injustice, abortion, murder, witchcraft, and a religious spirit. There is an uneasy anticipation for what’s to come. A fogginess in people’s thinking. Grotesque creatures that intimidate others will be uprooted. May there be clarity of thought. Uproot the bad and plant trees that bear good fruit. They will bloom and blossom like peach and pecan trees. May believers shine and bring God glory. Matt. 5:16. SOUTH CAROLINA South Carolina is a state of firsts. Parris Island is where Marines train and they are known to be the first to go into battle. Ready. Decided. Standing firm. Britt saw roots that created the curved bow of an old sailing ship. The bow is the part of a boat that parts the water. It leads forward. The wide variety of plants surrounding the capitol gives a sense of mystery, a beautifully maintained wildness. Yet there also is a false glory because what shouldn’t have been honored has been. Hear the righteous dissatisfaction. There is a deep religious spirit that ties in with racial segregation and people groups groan as they call out for freedom from oppression. They are on the edge of a true awakening to unity. Freedom is about to happen. A sifting has occurred. We need to say yes to God. NORTH CAROLINA North Carolina is a place where dreams become reality. The Wright Brothers overcame the force of gravity and flew an airplane at Kill Devil Hills. They were visionaries and their big dreams were brought into practicality. Faith produces something unseen when fueled by the Son. Immovable, dauntless, unconquerable faith. The fire of sacrifice is costly and necessary. Let the fire on the altar never go out. May we be willing to pour ourselves out to promote growth for the good of others. The capitol building in Charlotte has beautiful old windows with wavy glass. Lord, may we have clear vision that is not distorted by the past. May the light of God shine on the locked up places in our hearts. Britt saw an old-timey tiller break through the ground and a single crop row grew and spread out across North Carolina. Intercession happening right now is preparing hearts to receive the Word. The arduous work of one benefits many others. VIRGINIA Virginia has a grand and beautiful bright white capitol. Modern high rises surround the capitol complex so it is hidden from view even one block away. It was a surprise how big it is. People are praying and the enemy wants to obscure what’s happening and make it hard to see. The seen and the unseen inspire hope. This is a state of founding fathers - 8 presidents have come from Virginia. May we, as a nation, remember the former foundations and have hearts united as we pray for liberty and freedom. Men with incredible influence formed our nation. Yes, there is bad from the past but also so much good. It takes men and women engaging to see change. Let there be peace. MARYLAND History was made in this amazing capitol. It’s the oldest legislative building in continuous use in the United States. George Washington and the other founding fathers worked here. Important decisions were made in those rooms. We must remember those founding principles and purposes. We must not forget them. They are the glasses on our head that we are searching for. We must come in agreement and have unity of the ages. Let righteousness ring out. The sewer was being repaired and it smelled bad as things underground were being exposed. May those things in our nation that are broken and hidden be exposed and destroyed or repaired. Britt saw Roots pulling on chains and breaking them apart. DELAWARE Small yet mighty - what Delaware has done for this nation is massive. This state fought for equal representation and got it. That’s why we have a bicameral system. The power of two. Two small states stood firm. Ideas are the smallest particle of what will come to be. Britt saw seeds produce roots. Small became big. One became many. There can be no agreement unless there are at least two people. God says if we have two or more in agreement we can have whatever we ask. Me becomes we. My faith becomes our faith. A small regiment from Delaware had a big impact on the Revolutionary War. They were a highly trained, unified, excellent small regiment. They served so well they became George Washington’s personal guard. As a nation we must rout out what does not belong and call up spiritual soldiers. We must respond to the call. The volunteer fire department’s siren filled the air while we were praying, calling for response. We must stand together in agreement and cry out to God for mercy. We must be brave. PENNSYLVANIA What a beautiful and impressive capital complex! There are massive buildings. The capitol dome is iridescent green. The ground carpeted in golden leaves. Pennsylvania is the Keystone State. A keystone is the center stone in an arch that takes the pressure so the arch doesn’t collapse. A cornerstone is the beginning point of construction and gives stability and helps a building be plumb and square. Britt heard the word ‘Scribe’ and thought of our nation’s founding documents that were, penned in Philadelphia, the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. William Penn was the founder of Pennsylvania. A Quaker of integrity. Penn kept his word and many say that the treaty he made with the Native Americans was never broken. God values writing things down. The values of our nation are known because men wrote their ideas. That’s why we struggle in our nation today as men and women argue about what was meant. There is monumental importance in Pennsylvania right now and has been in our nation’s history. Jacob saw a vision of a map of Pennsylvania. There was a clash for control. The state began to shake violently. “God is shaking Pennsylvania and it will be filled with God’s glory. Shaking will release a spring of living water and the faulty foundations that don’t support. Man-centric thinking must come down and become God-centric. Some trust in horses but we trust in God. It is an epicenter of a shift and change. Shock waves will radiate from this state and create impact.” Lord, we ask that scales fall off and blinded eyes be opened. May justice be done. Gabby saw someone on the edge of their seat looking in anticipation to what was about to happen in the church. No more distraction. We as the church and as a nation must be a reflection of the Son. Six-year-old Kohen said, Jesus walks in the doors and the enemies walk out. NEW JERSEY Knowledge does not equal understanding. Thomas Edison created Menlo Park in New Jersey. It was the first industrial research park in the world. He made electric light affordable and accessible to all. People must have light to see. Open our eyes to see, LORD. Give us wisdom, knowledge, understanding, and insight! Proverbs 2:3 NIV. May the Church shine her light. Draw people to discover You and to listen to You as You reveal mysteries. Petty’s Run was a natural stream that flowed through Trenton. It was harnessed to power industry. One of the first steel mills in the US was here. Various factories were established. Indians cleaned their fish here. It was full of life and power. Then people polluted the stream and it became useless. They polluted their source. The God-provision was corrupted and then it was buried and hidden. Their blessing was contaminated. Our nation has contaminated the source of our blessing. We need purification. The Capitol is a fallout shelter. There is toxicity because of lack of love. May they not value business over people. People are on edge. They threaten and are threatened. There are more millionaires in New Jersey than any other state yet the state is not known for being happy or kind. There is no joy in their prosperity. They have blessing with trouble. Wealth is not an unscalable wall. God wants them to be wealthy if they will adopt his principles and not man’s. From the kids: 6 year old: Water. Jesus can walk on the water and the devil can’t. He sinks. 4 year old: Lava - [He can walk on stones of fire.] 2 year old: Ice cream. [Jesus is sweet and refreshing.] NEW YORK This capitol building is amazing! Grandeur and workmanship. A place of greatness, influence, and power. The intricacies of the building’s stonework shows attention to detail. Britt heard the word ‘Blessing’ which is defined as ‘any means of happiness, a gift, that which promotes temporal prosperity and welfare, a gift given as the means of increasing happiness, divine favor.’ NYC is the most powerful economic city on earth. Business is a blessing. New York has a great ability to influence the world. The people of New York are confident and don’t look to others for guidance. NYC was the first national capitol of the United States. New York is a foundation of our nation; there’s power to shift direction and do great things here, but the influence of the world is STRONG. May the desire of our nation never be to be great apart from God. May we never disregard humanity and step on others to gain position. May our nation change course for righteousness and be an influence for good. One of our students had a vision and saw the floor of a sewer. It was black and mucky with a huge black snake sliding through. Then he saw a breeding ball of vipers in shallow water. LORD, we ask that you expose the muck and wash it away with the power of your WORD and living water. Britt saw roots holding an oval blue-green precious stone. Smooth. No facets. Emitting light. It was at ground level though originally it was like a beacon, many miles up in the air. A lampstand that was losing its position. The lampstand of our nation is blessing. If the people of our land will rise up then the light of blessing will rise up. VERMONT Ethan Allen and The Green Mountain Boys were critical to victory at the Battle of Ticonderoga. Ethan Allen was rough and undervalued because he was unconventional. He broke the norm. A small canon took the fort and shifted the tide for America in the Revolutionary War. May our national independence and unconventional nature be pointed to righteousness and what the Lord wants in this nation. May we have unconventional hope and be a band of people who will rise up and live in righteousness. Vermont is ranked lowest in political integrity and accountability. May we, as a nation, stand up for righteousness and not buy into the norms around us. May we be people of strong character. This was the first state to write equal rights in their constitution. Thank you, LORD, that our Constitution defends the rights of all. Justice doesn’t exist without truth. She wears a blindfold to apply righteousness without and weighs each side evenly. May we never champion justice in a twisted manner. God determined that mercy should be stronger than justice. MAINE Maine is a corner of our nation. May the forgotten cornerstone be found and put in its right place in righteousness and justice. There was a tree in front of the capitol that was mostly hollow yet still had leaves. Though our hearts may be hollowed out God will make sure we maintain life until we are restored. May God remove barrenness and restore fruitfulness. Another tree had gnarly and twisted branches. May God make the crooked paths straight. Maine’s capitol building was under construction and men were working on the windows. God said, “I’m not only restoring the building but restoring vision.” May we not have small vision for this state or our nation. We can be the best and brightest for God. May our nation be a lighthouse shining His glory as a beacon of truth and righteousness. We must fight darkness and choose life. We must bless and not curse. After the Revolutionary War, Maine was the largest lumber producer in the world. That lumber was especially used for building ships. The key to growth was shipping and naval expansion. It had to do with going. The US has made loads of mistakes but has also produced many God-ideas that we have sent to the world. Expansion of the fruit of the spirit needs to rise. We must go to this and other nations with the Truth. NEW HAMPSHIRE Britt saw roots in a circle, facing toward each other. Make every effort to keep the unity of the spirit through the bond of peace. Eph 4:3 New Hampshire has the largest democratic elected legislative body in the English-speaking world. There are 400 representatives! With that many people there is a need for high competency in unity in order to make decisions. New Hampshire was the 9th state to ratify the US Constitution. To ratify requires agreement. May we ratify your values. May the people of New Hampshire open their arms to those who come to their state just as a kind father welcomes home a child. May a crack be mended before it becomes a big canyon. May we be men and women of courage. May our nation be in agreement about the truth. MASSACHUSETTS Native Americans called this place Shawmut which means “Land with Living Fountains.” May our nation drink from the living water that Jesus offers us. Boston. The cradle of liberty. The birthplace of ideas that formed a nation and inspired the world. Harvard, one of the top universities in the world, is here. God released wisdom and knowledge and governing principles for civil government that changed the world. John Adams was brilliant. He created a separate but equal judicial system. We are governed by law and not by the whims of men. The constitution governs and not the majority. LORD, may our nation have the framers’ wisdom and may their original ideas not go away. May we, as the church, stop following culture and allowing the spirit of secular humanism to erode God’s immovable truth. RHODE ISLAND Roger Williams founded Rhode Island and first named it Providence Plantation. Providence means the protective care of God. It was established as a place of religious freedom and persecuted people moved there from Massachusetts. Lord, may our nation remain a place of shelter and a place of religious freedom. We arrived to pray in a light snow storm. A kind guard offered to let us inside to warm up even though the capitol wasn’t open to visitors. Shelter. The two small states of Rhode Island and Delaware stood together to demand equal representation in our government and thus our bicameral system was established. Small but with a mighty impact just as a seed produces the extraordinary. Rhode Island had formerly been a center for slave trade, but it moved away from slavery with the advent of the development of textile mills in the Industrial Revolution. Many people went to England to learn about machines and returned to develop their own ideas here. An explosion of productivity and innovation occurred. May our nation be a place of productivity, discovery, and innovation. May we have God-inspired ideas that bring answers to problems. May we bring hope and true love. May people choose God. One of our students saw a vision of white lilies on the building. Lilies represent purity and passion and rebirth. So fitting on a snowy day. CONNECTICUT We feel completion and connection. Hartford has a magnificent capitol building - beautiful and full of meaning. The state tree is the gnarly oak and there is quite a story of intrigue surrounding it. Connecticut means “along the long tidal river.” Psalm 1. Lord, may our nation and church be as a tree planted by streams of water. May we produce fruit in season, have leaves that don’t wither, and whatever we do prosper. Jonathan Edwards and his wife were from Connecticut and were instrumental in the Great Awakening. May our nation not have a religious spirit but have a true relationship with Jesus. Jesus is the Captain of the Host of Heaven. The weapons we have are not carnal but mighty to pull down strongholds. Some of the greatest weapons we have are right ideas. We need strength and security to see that righteousness and holiness are defended and upheld. WASHINGTON DC Our nation’s capital. The completion of our journey and symbolically the last paving stone under God’s feet. Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool.” Isaiah 66:1a Washington DC is a system of beautiful buildings with Scripture and inspiring quotes adorning the walls. Men of vision and resolve fought to create a nation that would stand for righteousness. Other men fought that it wouldn’t be destroyed. There is conflict here, yet is there hope. When we heard sirens we prayed, for the America we love is under attack. As we walked around the Washington Monument we felt the strong wind of change and had to lean into it to walk forward. One of our students saw an earthquake and that our nation was about to experience a lot of shifting. There’s going to be a lot of rebuilding. Changes are coming and are here. May trees with rotten roots fall. It is time to reset. It is decided. May we have an awakened and victorious church. May we walk in the power and anointing of the LORD. May we do well as we teach our children and our children’s children the fear of the Lord.  LOUISIANA
At first the capitol didn’t seem impressive but we soon realized it is the tallest capitol building in the United States and has the names of the 13 colonies carved into the front steps. The citizens of Louisiana are resolute and deeply principled people who refuse to rebel against their values. Like a war horse they will run into danger and are fierce in battle. Their greatest strength is also their greatest weakness - and is why they were willing to fight for the wrong values. For a long time Louisiana had more slaves than free men. The state has old, deep roots - the good, the bad, and ugly. Witchcraft and voodoo, poverty and confusion. It’s time for new growth. Roots of righteousness are harnessing the horse. The strength of the horse can then be directed. We saw fresh water flooding the streets of New Orleans. It washed away the swampy sludge of sin, idolatry, immorality, and witchcraft as a fresh wave of the Holy Spirit cleansed people and brought them to Jesus, the “Desire of all Nations”. FLORIDA Florida is the Sunshine State, yet also has severe weather: lightning, tornados, hurricanes, and fog. It is a place of biodiversity with many species of wildlife and plants. The capitol lawn was covered with small acorns, another reminder to be oaks of righteousness. The capitol was under construction and people were rushing around, constantly busy, and there was a cacophony of construction noise. While one of our students walked and prayed, he could spiritually hear giant roots creaking, rising, constricting, and breaking windows. Florida was a haven for slaves escaping from Spain and continues to be a place of freedom, refuge, and rest for many. Britt saw roots dancing like a pod of porpoises, intelligent, playful, and swift. May we be free as Christ has set us free. May we also be unified and stable and pass that on to future generations. ALABAMA Alabama’s state capitol has flags flying from all 50 states, with a native stone from each state set at the base of each flagpole. It is a beautiful site. A celebration of the individuality that together makes us whole. It is a state of diversity - diversity of people and topography. Diversity can lead to division or unity. There is a stubbornness in Alabamians that can be good or bad - depending on what they hang onto. Fighting for racial rights is stubbornness in the right direction. The march from Selma to Montgomery affected the entire country; the civil rights movement shifted the nation. Alabama needs to be unmuted and voice their godly desires. What comes from here affects the nation. Let the children of God cry out and loose righteousness. It’s time to hit unmute. They are about to do something good. May Alabama and all of the United States stubbornly hold onto what is good. The old is gone and the new has come. May there be a birthing of the promises. This is fertile ground. It is named the Black Belt of the South because of the rich nutrients in the soil. May it be a fertile band for righteousness. The Long Leaf Pine grows in stages in order to protect its growth center. It sends down deep roots and looks like it isn’t growing for three years. But then it can grow 15 feet in a year. There is explosive growth. We must tap into the spiritual strength of endurance. The root of this state is good so they must honor others and live honorably. They have a righteous root made to affect the nation and reflect the son of God. Injustice is going to fall. MISSISSIPPI There is a golden eagle on the capitol. Gold doesn’t tarnish and is malleable. Isaiah 40:31. May Mississippi soar. May they walk in the prophetic. Mississippi is in a time of change. Though it has the lowest economy and education in the US, it is first in charitable giving. It is time for light, life, and freedom. Some of the darkest times during the civil rights movement took place here. It was the birthplace of the KKK. Civil rights was a fight for what is right. This year the citizens of Mississippi voted to have a new state flag that removed the Confederate flag and replaced it with Magnolia blossoms. Fierceness is positive when pointed in the right direction. The trees were being pruned on the capitol grounds. Just like Alabama, Mississippi has a fertile Black Belt as well as the Mississippi River Delta. May abundance come and be pointed in the right direction. This is a new season of progress and stability. Be resolute to stand for what is right. May we as a nation look intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continue in it - not forgetting what we have heard, but doing it - and we will be blessed in what we do. James 1:25 ARKANSAS Arkansas is the Gem State. There are diamonds here. Ten-year-old Eden said “God is spreading his light like little diamonds.” Britt saw uncut precious stones under the capitol. There was an open stone chest with a taproot. It was full of different colored natural gems. The light from each one blended together to make the color of the glory of God. Different colors together made one; without diversity there is no opportunity for unity. May there be unity in the church - may we rise up in the spirit of Elijah and in repentance. The Liberty Bell was stuck and couldn’t ring. May Arkansas fulfill its purpose and let its voice of freedom and liberty be heard. There is strength, balance, order, and intentionality here. The courage of the Little Rock Nine transformed a high school, a region, a state, and a nation. May we move forward and do what is right in the midst of opposition. MISSOURI Missouri is the Show Me State. May they experience the power of God and show Him to others. It is a water gateway on the edge of the old frontier. Flowing water brings life. The Mississippi River is a very important waterway in our nation and the Missouri River brought explorers and pioneers to the West. People were outfitted for the frontier in St. Louis, pulled by hope. Faith pulls us into the unknown. Britt saw roots pulling on that idea of faith. Lifeblood flows like branching streams and roots and veins. Our country needs a resurgence of faith and hope. But let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream! Amos 5:24 KANSAS Kansa means “People of the Wind.” The people of Kansas live out their faith with a pioneer spirit. People come to this state and have spiritual encounters. There is fertile soil and silt that allows roots to go deep. An abundant harvest is coming. Kansas is an anvil and the hammer is a root. Hear the ring of the hammer hitting the steel of the anvil. The more you pound it, the more resilient and resistant the steel becomes. Kansas can take a pounding. They survived the Dust Bowl. They are resilient to withstand turbulent weather - tornados, cold, and wind. May our nation come out stronger and be transformed after the pounding. A statue of an indigenous man with a bow and an arrow on his string is on the capitol. The word ‘sin’ is an archery term that means to miss the mark. When we take on the righteousness of Christ we hit the mark. The moon was out when we prayed and it looked like the statue could “shoot the moon” and win every hand. NEBRASKA Nebraska sits on the Ogallala Aquifer - the largest freshwater source on earth. It is a deep reservoir and water changes everything. May we all tap into the reservoir that waters deep roots of righteousness. Nebraska has a unicameral state government - they do not care about political parties but about policies. Political society exists for the sake of noble living. Noble: having or showing fine personal qualities or high moral principles or ideals. One of our team members saw a sower with seeds pouring out from the front and back of his sack. God said “I will pour out my Word on all the land to all who will hear.” This is a stronghold, a bastion of hope and freedom. It is a new season. The old is passing away and the new is coming. Proverbs 19:21. New life will become more prominent in all the churches as they become free from religion. IOWA Iowa is a place of shelter, a transition point of east and west. It is politically important and stands in the gap. Britt saw explosive growth. He saw roots tilling the land, breaking up the big farm conglomerates that formed in the Great Depression when small farms were forced to sell out. it is the same in the church today - small community churches have given way to massive churches and it is easy for people to hide the ‘me’ in ‘we.’ Each individual needs to take personal responsibility, be a pioneer who stands for righteousness. The people of Iowa have received many accolades for their accomplishments, such as Nobel Peace prizes. God has set up a storehouse of higher ideas in this place. Practical dreamers - visionaries with practical steps to accomplish their goals. Importance and influence can come from this state. There is a magnificent radiance. May this state magnify God so that He, as well as the small things, can be seen. A gold standard hidden in humility. May we all shine the glory of the Lord. MINNESOTA 2 Timothy 2:15. In the early days of this state, grain mills were the foundation of the economy and produced 14.1% of the nation’s flour. Making flour is a process. Harvest the wheat, get rid of the chaff, grind it. The finer the flour the higher the quality of the bread. Jesus is the Bread of Life. He is to be valued more than all others. His Word is like a wheat kernel and the church needs to learn the right handling of the Truth. We must let Truth be the standard and not allow the wheat to be adulterated. May their homes be filled with love and laughter as parents teach and train their children. May marriages be strong and be what others want to follow. May the church have discernment and be unified in love. WISCONSIN Wisconsin is the Dairy state and the chief cheese producer in the US. Dairy farmers are different from cattlemen because they care for their cows for what they can daily produce, not for meat. That is pastoral care. They provide protection for growth and production. As the church we must care for people and provide a place for them to produce and not to be killed spiritually. The capitol building is situated right in the middle of a town. The capitol was historic and majestic yet seemed common in the midst of the businesses across the street. The statue looked gold from one direction and bronze from every other direction. Are the people bewildered and confused? It felt to some on our team that there was a battlefield of heavy oppression at times. People have forgotten history and abandoned what they learned in the past. There are two sides to the coin, may beauty and tranquility not hide corruption. The beautiful fall leaves highlight a season of change. ILLINOIS The capitol is built on bedrock. The original cornerstone was removed and replaced when it cracked and it is now on display. Lord, when we build our life on you, our chief cornerstone, we can be assured that you will never fail us. The building is gilded and magnificent and looks regal and extravagant, like a palace. The external is easy to see and appreciate. May the anointing of God be visible upon us that we might make an impact on the world. The capitol dome is covered in zinc, a protective coating so the steel won’t corrode. Steadfast. Sturdy. Incorruptible. Immovable. The state motto is State Sovereignty National Union. Lord, may you always be our Sovereign, our King. May that be upon which we as a nation unify. We arrived at night. Only one side of the capitol was lit - after we prayed the lights on all sides came on. This is a dim time, but the lamp of God has not yet gone out. 1 Samuel 3:3 God spoke to a little boy and he will speak to each of us. We need to sleep in His presence. We found the biggest acorns we have ever seen. Massive seeds. May we be oaks of righteousness. There is huge potential God has put in the ground here. God provides living water - like a spring in a field. DL Moody was here, there was an outpouring of God, and there are still a lot of Bible-believing people in the state. INDIANA May the Root of David be the desire of the people. There is a heavy Catholic population especially with the Catholic universities. May a great spiritual rebirth come from the college campuses that they would forsake idol worship and false doctrines and hold fast to the root of David. They have legacy and give honor to their forefathers but there is a beauty that is forgotten even by the people who live here. The state is progressive. They are on hold, paused. There are things that should have happened but didn’t. MICHIGAN Michigan’s lovely capitol building and dome became the inspiration for other capitol buildings and established the domed capitol as a powerful symbol of American democracy. It is fireproof and built to accommodate growth. Christman Construction company is doing major renovation at the capitol complex as they replace old systems. It will be the largest state capitol geothermal system in the United States. They are tapping into the underground. May corrupt roots be exposed and cut out and replaced with good fruit. Repentance is coming back. There is progress as they dig deep. They are ready to push out the darkness, change the poverty mindset, and uplift the people. They have resolve like steel. May it be prophetic that our nation’s moral infrastructure will be rebuilt. May Christman Construction speak prophetically to Christ building a new man. Just as the capitol looks good from the front, many Christians “put up a good front”. Likewise, the capitol was under construction in the back. We are all in process and need fortification in our inner man. Britt saw roots under the ground busting up the fallow, tight ground, and it produced an explosion of fruitful plants. Ideas out of Michigan have changed the world as innovation was released to the earth. FORD developed the assembly line and was a vertically integrated business. There is a warehouse of God ideas that we as the church need to tap into. The air has gone out of our nation and our productivity has gone down. Hope is low and frustration is high. We don’t want the church to reflect society but to inspire society. May the breath of the Holy Spirit aerate the soil of our lives. We must not merely sit and observe after the turbulence of the breaking of the soil but actually do something in order to produce life. Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. Michigan is known for their beautiful apple and cherry blossoms; may they symbolize the spiritual fruit to come. OHIO The Ohio motto: With God All Things Are Possible. Ohio has contributed to our nation in substantial ways. It produces leaders - eight presidents and many generals came from Ohio. They honor their past. They have fought for human rights. They are innovators and frontiersmen with fierce courage and strong leadership. What Ohio does is important and affects the rest of the nation. May they have a strong stand for righteousness. Something is shifting. May this state have strong resolve to do right. Courageous to lead the way! West Virginia We arrived at night. Huge oak trees surround the capitol buildings built along the Kanawha River. More acorns covered the ground than we have ever seen in our lives. White plastic temporarily covered the golden dome and scaffolding surrounded it as it was being renewed. The founders built a big capitol building because they saw potential. Strong, common, essential materials were used to create the infrastructure of the dome. There was a gold leaf overlay. West Virginia’s mountaineer people are tough as nails and not afraid to work hard. Valuable salt was mined from the mountains and brought flavor and preservation to our nation. Coal has provided energy for many years and supplied the electricity we depend upon for daily life and technological advancement. Coal has massive amounts of energy and is easy to ignite. May the church arise and allow a steadfast character to be our essential framework and gifts from God to be our beauty. God has put strong character in the ground and He wants to put that in the people of America if we are willing. God is ready to light this nation on fire for Him. As a nation we have hidden treasure that is being renewed and restored and will be revealed. Remember that time and tremendous pressure on coal produces diamonds. You are not forgotten. KENTUCKY We drove through a small neighborhood in Frankfort, turned the corner, and - surprise! There was the beautiful capitol. Hidden beauty. A pair of cardinals was both bright and muted flying from tree to tree. Different colors. Fluttering life. May people of all colors fly and celebrate life together. May God reveal Himself through down-to-earth people who have powerhouse potential. May we resolve to settle issues. Britt saw a vision of a powerful horse with a bridle and harness made of roots. We must open our mouths and allow God’s bit to guide us in voluntary willingness. Without submission the strength of the horse is useless. We need our nation to submit to God. May blinders be removed so we, the people, will see clearly. A wedding party was getting pictures at the capitol. There is hope for the future. TENNESSEE Tennessee is a pioneering state of influence. The Cumberland River weaves around and won’t be stopped by obstacles. May we have confidence and courage that God’s will shall prevail in our land no matter the obstacles. Stay steady. The TVA (Tennessee Valley Authority) has produced massive amounts of power. In its beginning it provided jobs that brought people out of poverty. May we as a nation lead people out of poverty to walk in power. May families be strong. May revival in our nation begin in the individual first. Nashville is the Athens, Greece of the south and even has a replica of the Parthenon. May we learn to not be led by our minds but by our hearts and spirits. The sound that comes out of Nashville will be the sound of reformation and cause a ripple effect of unity that touches nations. HAWAII State motto: The life of the land is perpetuated in righteousness. Hawaii is a beautiful state of natural resources and people who value their land. May righteousness, freedom, and belief in Christ come from heaven, for the righteous will live by faith. May a time of rejoicing and a strong sense of community be rebuilt. May the people of Hawaii believe the way Jesus sees them so they can know their true identity. When we were praying, someone saw trees tenderly uprooted. It was with a loving touch that brought healing to deep-rooted pain. That pain had to be uprooted so that it could be revealed and healed. Demonic hopelessness will be replaced by Christ, the hope of glory. Britt was thinking about Banyan trees. Its branches send down roots and the tree becomes a massive structure. The roots are clearly seen. Most of the structure is among the roots. Hawaii is a place to rest - a place to sabbath. In Exodus, God gave the commandment about having a sabbath to the Hebrews. They had been slaves for 400 years. Their value was in their production. God gave a day of rest to former slaves! He was telling them that their value wasn’t in their production but in their person - who they were as His people. That can’t be earned, just like the love a parent has for their newborn. There’s a fresh outpouring coming from heaven that addresses the brokenness that is in Hawaii. A physical heaviness had been on the island since we arrived. The air was humid and the normal cool trade wind was still. Father, may spiritual heaviness be lifted by you. Your heart breaks for those who are brokenhearted. As soon as we finished praying at the capitol, a fresh wind began to blow. Holy Spirit, breathe fresh upon your people. An outpouring of hope is coming. The racial conflict in Mexico is deeply embedded. The indigenous tribes we minister to are so oppressed by the majority - mestizos* - that their voices are almost impossible to hear. That is why we target abandoned villages deep in the mountains of Mexico. We want to go to places that are hard to reach, to cultures that are closed off to outsiders, to hearts that are hardened by years of oppression galvanized into debilitating offense. It. Is. Hard. It takes years of consistency, love, honor, and courage to watch Jesus unwind 499 years of oppression. And He does. The power of God transforms their hearts, minds, lives, souls, histories. But what do we do when mestizos come to us, seeking answers for their own lost and dying souls? We introduce them to Jesus. We bring them to church, which in our context is the home of an Aztec family: dirt floors, bamboo walls, tin roofs, no chairs. Poverty. Mestizos sit on wooden planks alongside Aztecs and worship Jesus. It is a miracle - and a powder keg of conflict. The differing worldviews, experiences, and histories inevitably clash, offense is born, and people fall away from the only true Source of Life because of it. The socio-economic and racial gap between the tribal people and mestizos poses challenges that can at times seem insurmountable. When mestizos meet Jesus, our hearts rejoice, but our consciousness is wary with the knowledge that only Jesus - only Jesus - can erase hundreds of years of racism and violence and build a bridge of understanding and compassion between two hostile groups. Does that mean we should keep mestizos from entering the doors of our churches? Does that mean that we stop trying to reach the indigenous, stop peeling back layers of anger to reach the hurting heart? It would certainly be easier to have a ministry either focused on mestizos or on the indigenous. But that is not the heart of Jesus. He died for them - why would we reject one group or keep them separated to avoid conflict? Conflict is the opportunity for transformation. But it is hard. I can’t tell you how many times over the years my human heart has burned with anger at one group or the other for their insensitivity, or how many times I have had to check myself because I was taking on another person’s offense as my own. The only position I can take in that moment is laying on my face in prayer asking that the Creator, the Savior, would teach me to be an ambassador of His Kingdom, not my own. And then to pick myself up, to go sit in their homes, share a meal, talk and listen and exhort and correct and encourage towards righteousness. Not self-righteousness. The righteousness of Christ. A few weeks ago, that powder keg of misunderstanding and tension reared its ugly head in our ministry in Mexico. The perspectives of an indigenous pastor and a mestizo pastor collided. I want to share the story because it is the only hope I have for how we are going to move forward in seeing unity forged among diverse racial and socio-economic groups. The agency of the Holy Spirit and the humility of His saints is the only way to move us forward. Our indigenous pastor, Carlos**, has a 3rd grade education. He has been faithful to the gospel for 16 years in spite of intense persecution. Jesus revealed scripture to him in dreams as he sought to improve his ability to read. He prayed for his dead grandson and saw Jesus raise him to life. He has become legendary for his joyous smile as he discipled and taught others the scripture in an incredibly challenging environment. Our mestizo pastor, Mario**, has a college education. He has been faithful to the gospel for 16 years, also in spite of intense persecution. God miraculously rescued him from terrorists, causing bullets fired at point-blank range not to hit him. He has recently chosen to give up his considerable influence in the community in order to dedicate himself to the ministry of the Gospel. Misunderstanding and misinterpretation of “work ethic,” “arrogance,” and “effectiveness” caused Mario to dishonor Carlos. Mario’s heart is passionate to see the Gospel expand in the community - but his perception of his brother in Christ was flawed, because he could only see from his own experience. In response, Carlos allowed the narrative of his people - oppression and abuse - to cloud his judgment and perception of his brother’s heart, causing him to shut down communication and open up offense. But the story doesn’t end there. Jesus stepped into the picture. He moved upon the hearts of his children - Carlos and Mario - to give them an opportunity to put aside their hurt and their pride. Other believers, with the boldness that comes from love, challenged them privately to reconsider the “justification” of their actions against one another. And they chose to humble themselves and extend love towards one another.  Mario sent us a Whatsapp message about what happened at a church gathering the following week: "Brother… this (picture) is from just a moment ago... I was just telling my son that I hugged my brother Carlos, and from the moment I opened my arms, he came up, leaned against my chest, and said, “Come on, let’s talk.” And we went over to the place I showed you in the picture - over where we were talking. I feel like today was a true reconciliation. Thank you for confronting me. Thank you for being an instrument of the Holy Spirit. Because yesterday after we spoke, I was supposed to share (from the scripture) here at the house… my wife shared something and with what you shared with me, I felt strongly reprimanded. The Holy Spirit touched my heart. And coming here today, there was my brother, Carlos! … and I tell you the truth, I opened my arms and he came to my arms, and we gave one another an embrace of love, of brotherhood. So, Brother, the Holy Spirit is speaking very strongly. We are going to do amazing things for the Kingdom of God." This is the answer to division, to historical oppression, to violence and offense. Humility, love, honesty, and the agency of the Holy Spirit. JESUS. It is hard work. It is exhausting. It is emotional. It is scary. But the ministry of reconciliation is ours. 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! 18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 19 that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. 20 We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. 21 God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. 2 Corinthians 5:17-21 We must do what it takes to bridge the gaps in our own understanding, stand ready to humble ourselves for the sake of the oppressed, and lay our lives down to bring reconciliation to Christ and to one another. Stay obedient. Minister reconciliation. Britt and Audrey Hancock FOOTNOTES:
Here is the Spanish transcript of the Whatsapp memo that we translated: Hermano, querido hermano, esto es ahorita… Ahorita estoy contando a mi hijo* que lo abracé mi hermano, y desde el momento en que le abrí los brazos él se vino y se redujo en mi pecho, y le dije, «Vente, vamos a platicar». Y nos la pasamos allá donde le mostré la foto - allí donde nosotros estamos platicando. Siento que hoy, una reconciliación verdadera. Gracias por hablar conmigo… Gracias por ser instrumento del Espíritu Santo. Porque ayer después de que hablamos, le tocó compartir aquí en la casa… Y mi esposa* compartió algo, con lo que compartió, me reprendió muy fuerte. El Espíritu Santo tocó mi corazón. Y hoy a llegar allí, allí estaba mi hermano, Carlos*. «¿Cómo estás?» …y la verdad me abrí los brazos, y él se vino a mis brazos y nos dimos un abrazo de amor, de hermandad. Entonces, hermano, el Espíritu Santo está hablando muy fuerte. Vamos a hacer cosas muy grandes para el reino de Dios. ** Names have been changed. *The word mestizo has multiple meanings in certain circles. We have chosen to use it in the same manner as the Mexican nationals in the states where we work; to refer to the people group that were born from the union of Europeans from the Iberian Peninsula with the indeginous nations of what is now Mexico. https://www.neh.gov/humanities/2010/septemberoctober/feature/the-united-states-mestizo https://dle.rae.es/mestizo |
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