Our first events in Chiapas, the southernmost state in Mexico, were in 2019. We trained seminary students and church leaders in Comalapa then the pandemic hit. We finally returned this month, invited by leaders of Estrella de Belen Presbyterian Church in Tuixcum, near the city of Motozintla. The 102-year-old church, the mountain views, the excellent hospitality, and the eagerness of the church members to go deeper into biblical principles for marriage, education, and work-life made for a great trip.

Francelia taught four sessions, Friday through Sunday. The lessons included precursors to the five-day AMO training to be held later. Lessons on reflective method of learning/teaching as well as the marriage covenant and servant-leadership were enthusiastically welcomed by young and old. Later this Spring we will train in Tuxtla Gutierrez, the state capitol. For now, we have returned to Tabasco for weekly activities.

Chiapas is vast and, in the mountains, roads are very narrow and winding making for difficult travel. It has not been safe, we are told, to travel to Comalapa due to drug cartel in-fighting. Pray for that to end.  Pray, that the Lord guides us and our trainers here in the neighboring state of Tabasco to better equip local leaders throughout Chiapas for greater biblical Christian transformation and discipleship of future generations. Pray for Chiapas to have its own AMO trainers one day throughout the state who can better serve the needs of the churches there. Thanks for your prayers!

Dear Friends,

Francelia and I are very thankful for all of you who engage in this ministry to help equip parents and leaders in biblical Christian education for children. It is a special privilege for us to get to witness the efforts and sacrifices of so many people working in obedience to the Lord for the education and discipleship of His children. Among those, we see more pastors turning to the AMO Program.

The pastors who implement the program at home with their own children are providing especially important testimonies and leadership. Pastor Josias Luna and his wife Elizabeth, both AMO Trainers in Oaxaca, Mexico, began using AMO at home a few years ago. “While our children were getting an education in secularism, humanism, paganism and other isms at school, we are now very pleased with their development as we use AMO” says Josias. Also, Pastor Pedro Calix of Tabasco was just certified last month as a trainer and has great plans to help the pastors in his presbytery. Several other pastors are steadily leading their congregations in a greater vision for discipleship and education using the program.

This year I have become involved in helping beyond Mexico with Programa AMO Español. The AMO training has been online all through the pandemic, which has been wonderful. However, a problem occurs when someone is trained in a nation where the AMO Teacher Guides – needed for teaching the children – are not being printed and distributed. Please, pray for wisdom in overcoming this challenge.

For months, Francelia has been working on a project writing children’s curriculum at the invitation of the National Presbyterian Church of Mexico. We are excited that soon her work will finally be made available for those churches across the country. Please, pray for that process and that many families will be blessed.

 We are below budget on our funding. If you would like to donate, we would be very grateful. Please, contact us or go to https://www.theantiochpartners.org/giving for giving instructions. Specify “McReynolds” in your donation, please. If you would like us to visit your church to share about the ministry, please, let me know.

Thank you, to all who have donated.

We thank each of you and ask for your continued prayers. Pray for Atala, Cristina Inchaustegui’s mom who has cancer. As you may know Cristina is a close colleague of ours and Director of Training for Programa AMO Español. Please, let us know how we can pray for you.

May the Lord greatly bless you and your family in this Advent season!

In Christ,

Chris McReynolds

The crooked steward did all he could with what he had in the time he had left, and Jesus commended him for his shrewdness. The “children of light” should be so astute – not at making friends for themselves in a self-serving temporary sense – but, at making friends for the Kingdom of God for eternity.

Today, there are many children of light heeding the lesson Jesus teaches in Luke 16:1-9. In like-minded unity around the AMO® educational program they do all they can in the time they have on earth with the gifts God gives them to help children become friends with Jesus.

Nora disciples the children from troubled families in her neighborhood. Elizabeth and Francelia write curriculum that will be shared with thousands. Josias and Ely disciple parents. Marlene and Lilia get materials into the hands of teachers. Edgar and Gloria set an example for many in education. Rick teaches the history of God’s providential hand at work. Cristina travels far and wide to share Christ’s vision for children. Ananias helps his congregation see the importance of God’s education. Jim and Judy, and many others, dedicate prayers and funds. Edgar is setting up schools. Kathy and friends shepherd young adults in becoming disciple-makers. Judith, Socorro, Lili, Yesenia, Mildred and Rubi mentor new teachers. Lilia, Stephanie, Laura and Liliana train parents and teachers. Thousands of prayers and dollars are shrewdly dedicated for claiming the next generations for Jesus Christ. There are too many people to continue naming them all.

If you are reading this, you are probably one of them! With thanks the children (and adults) you befriend for Jesus will one day “welcome you into eternal dwellings” – Luke 16:9. May God increase our wisdom – and shrewdness – for making friends for eternity.

On June 4-5, 2022, the executive committee of the General Assembly of Iglesia Nacional Presbiteriana de México (INPM) began a series of events commemorating three very special anniversaries: the 150th anniversary of the founding of the first Presbyterian church in Mexico at Villa de Cos, Zacatecas, the 140th anniversary of Seminario Teologico Presbiteriana de Mexico (STPM in Mexico City), and the 75th anniversary of the General Assembly of the INPM. This first event occurred at INP Puerta de Salvación at the STPM campus.

In affirmation of God’s direction, biblical Christian education and discipleship was placed front and center on this very important occasion. Invited to present were Francelia McReynolds, Antonio Alvarez and Josias Luna. Together they presented a coherent and inspired message to bless the family and encourage the leader.

Francelia began by presenting Biblical Design for the Family, teaching that the intimate relationship within the Trinity is the divine example given to families today. Antonio taught about the friendship of brotherly love between David and Jonathan and presented his book on The Family in Times of Uncertainty and Adversity. Finally, Josias, in his sermon on Sunday, issued a powerful call to Church and family to return to God’s command in Deuteronomy 4 to disciple and educate the next generations. All three teachings focused on God’s principles for healing families and the nation through His education and discipleship.

The celebration was broadcast on social media with over 7,000 views so far on Facebook. Saturdays event can be seen here Anniversary and Sunday’s event (Josias begins after minute 39), here: https://youtu.be/Za-XoKfQ-Jc

Additional events will be held in Tabasco, Veracruz, and Villa de Cos in July. The executive committee will present a nearly seventy-page booklet containing a timeline of God’s Providential History in the Presbyterian Church of Mexico, written especially for the occasion by Francelia and based on an original Providential Timeline for Mexico written by Dr. Elizabeth Youmans. Please, join in giving thanks to God and asking for His guidance and protection for all the work in Mexico.

A lot of people support AMO. All our efforts are to equip parents and leaders who ask for the AMO Program. But what is it exactly? Have a look at this quick summary. Blessings on your New Year!

As the year ends, we give heartfelt thanks to each of you who read our updates, support us, and pray for Christian education and discipleship in Mexico. A highlight of this year has been the increase in leadership in the AMO Program in Mexico.

AMO trainers have taken on administration. Two trainers helped teach the Chrysalis online course for new trainees from all across Latin America. Others served the same course in grading papers and providing one-on-one mentoring to the trainees. Others began mentoring groups via Zoom for the video training and still others persevered in carrying out trainings in-person.

The Lord uses your support to transform lives. One of our AMO trainers sent the following testimony just this morning.

Testimony from a participant in a recent video training, Beatriz Adriana of Yucatán: “The truth is that I have previously taken several courses to teach children, but I have never been challenged like I have been in the AMO Program. My perspective has been totally changed and I have been in awe of the biblical truths that I learned: the Biblical Principle of Individuality, Christian Self-government, Christian Character, have all amazed me. I am so grateful that I had the opportunity to take this course. Truly, my soul needed to hear these life-giving words. This was a real challenge, and I was hesitant at first but now I thank God for every minute I invested. I can now clearly see God’s providential plan in my life.”

Beatriz Adriana: “La verdad anteriormente he tomado varios cursos para enseñar a niños y nunca había sido desafiada como lo ha hecho el programa AMO. Mi perspectiva ha sido totalmente cambiada y me he maravillado con las verdades Bíblicas que aprendí, el principio bíblico de la individualidad, el autogobierno, el carácter cristiano, es asombroso, estoy realmente agradecida por haber tenido la oportunidad de tomar este curso, realmente mi alma necesitaba escuchar palabras de vida. Esto fue un verdadero desafío, sentía temor pero ahora agradezco a Dios por cada minuto invertido y ahora puedo ver claramente el plan providencial de Dios en mi vida.”

Thank you, again, for your crucial part in this important work.

God bless you and yours in the New Year!

Chris, Francelia and the whole team in Mexico

The November MeXED video conference was a tremendous success. Around two hundred Christian parents and leaders from all around Mexico joined, including a few from other Latin American countries and the United States.

All twelve of our presenters – most from Mexico – were excellent. They first taught us what Providential history is, then gave samples of Mexican history from the Aztecs and Cortez to modern Mexico in the proper context of God’s Providence.

What followed was an explanation of why children flourish with Providential history and wither when subjected to a secular view. Then, an introduction to AMO Program and its Providential history component, with a final session encouraging us to recognize and tell His-story from God’s eternal perspective.

In between sessions, several individuals and couples shared testimonies of the positive changes in their lives and the lives of their children when they taught Providential history. These testimonies alone would have made a great conference!

The impact of all this surprised us. The many comments we received from those who attended indicated how powerfully the sessions ministered to their hearts. Similar events are now in the planning stages.

When we accept that God’s mission of redemption is always advancing through the good and the bad we are propelled forward in faith and encourage others. Individuals, families and entire nations are transformed.

History is always being told by someone. Let us each become God’s historians.

Psalm 78

1 My people, hear my teaching;
listen to the words of my mouth.
2 I will open my mouth with a parable;
I will utter hidden things, things from of old—
3 things we have heard and known,
things our ancestors have told us.
4 We will not hide them from their descendants;
we will tell the next generation
the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord,
his power, and the wonders he has done.

This November 5-6 we will gather on Zoom for this year’s MeXed. Please, consider joining Christian brothers and sisters from across Mexico to learn more about God’s providence in our daily lives and in the history of Mexico. Register here. For any questions, email Chris McReynolds at cmcr12@gmail.com.

We ask your prayers for this event and for all participating. Here are the topics that will be covered.

• Learning Providential History – Pbro. (Rev.) Josias Luna
• Christopher Columbus and God’s Providential Plan for the New World – Prof. José González
• Educational and Family Life Before the Conquest: Waiting for the Coming of Christ – Dr. Francelia McReynolds
• Key characters in Mexican Providential History – Lic. Gloria Viveros
• The Unhealthy Origins established in Mexican Family Life through the Conquest – Prof. José González
• The Importance of Teaching Christian History in a Children’s Program – Dr. Elizabeth Youmans
• Presentation of the AMO Program – Lic. Judith Díaz
• How a Nation is Blessed by knowing Its Providential History – Dr. Mark Beliles
• God’s Providential Plan for the Church in Mexico over the past 500 years – Pbro. Edgar Gonzalez
• Testimony: Encouraging the Study of Christian History in the Church and Reaching out to Leaders – Pbro. Pedro Calix
• The Transformational Power of the Family Covenant in Mexico – Pbros. Abimael and Rosalba Borbolla
• Testimony: How to Live in Family/Marriage Under the Power of the Covenant – Drs. Israel and Diana Castillo
• Timeline of the Providential History of Mexico – Rev. Esther Suárez
• Testimony: Fruits of Teaching Christian History in a Program for Children – Lic. Nora Calcáneo
• God’s Providential Plan for the Future of Mexico: What Will We Do as a Church? What will be our role/calling? – Pbro. Aldo Chalé