How it Works
written by Rick
We build church buildings! We do not build homes for poor people or structures that will be used for any secular purpose. We do not build just so that there will be something to do! We build for a congregation only when it is justified by existing circumstances and conditions. Some of those requirements (not in order of importance) are:
1. Leadership. The congregation must have capable leadership that has demonstrated its ability over a period of time.
2. Stability.
3. A congregational size that can support and maintain a building.
4.Consistent growth.
5. Vision with realistic goals and a plan to achieve them.
6. They purchase the property. We don't.
7. We build a serviceable shell, not a mansion, and leave them the finish work.
8. The property and building are owned autonomously by the local congregation.
Mexico is a predominantly Catholic nation and many Mexicans think of the cathedral or church building as "the Church." They have no concept of the body of Christ being the church members. Also. the Catholic Church teaches that anyone outside of the Catholic Church is a cult. Especially if you are meeting in a home and have no visual presence in the community.
Our building programs have been very successful and the congregations where we have assisted with construction have flourished. Many American congregations feel unqualified to work in medical campaigns and much prefer to work on buildings. Also, more and more Mexican congregations fit the criteria and need this assistance. There is a sense of accomplishment when we leave a building project. We can see the fruits of our labor and know that we left the local congregation better than we found it, with a brighter future. Our primary work has become constructing church buildings and planting new churches. These buildings are financed primarily by the campus and youth groups that participate in these campaigns.
I have developed a successful method of recruiting workers. "Stumbled upon" is a more accurate description than developed. Throughout the brotherhood, many congregations employ "youth ministers" and "campus ministers". These men are often budgeted a certain amount of money to work with through the year. I have found that if they are shown that for $3,500.00 they can sponsor a building campaign and that their young people will have a chance to serve a people less fortunate, they will respond. By coming to Mexico, they experience a different culture, see and meet the body of Christ in a setting unknown to them, and gain a perspective of their own lives that they didn't have.
I use the young people to do the construction. I require the group that is planning a campaign to send monies ahead to buy the supplies need for the construction that will do. Depending on the size of the group, this may vary from $7000 to $20,000. I use the local preachers to supervise the construction.
I have successfully targeted these situations and feel that both sides of the border are benefited. I will be involved in this endeavor whenever I am not in Mexico. There is no shortage of interested individuals or congregations.
I have also developed a way to build in the interior of Mexico. Because of the long distances, I can't rely on groups from the U.S. to make the drive so I have developed something called the Team Mexico fund from which I contract with locals for construction of these buildings. I raise and am actively raising funds for the Team Mexico fund from which these buildings are built.