Message from COICOM President, Arold Enns

April 27, 2009

Dear Glen,

Greetings and peace. I'm writing you at the end of a two weeklong journey through several cities of Argentina and I just wanted to take this time to tell you a bit about that.

I had the privilege to meet with a couple of hundreds of pastors and leaders from over 20 different cities in this great country of Argentina as well as preach in several churches.

I did this tour in order to know and get a feeling for what the Lord is doing in Argentina. The meetings over coffee, in churches, restaurants and offices were all insightful and all shared a common thread, we are seeing an incredible harvest time for which we must be ready, and from what I gathered in Argentina they are.

The following lines will only touch the border of the many stories that I have heard and the wonderful ministries that I have gotten to know. These are my impressions and their stories.
At the beginning of this year several pastors and city leaders had made plans for this year and are changing them in view of the global crisis. The changes have to do with the incredible evangelistic opportunities that we have in our cities as people are flocking to our congregations to seek answers.

Roberto Senzini, a pastor from Rosario, told me that they recently started a jail ministry and the warden assigned them 3 pavilions to manage and handle the administration of them because they saw that the work they have been doing is much more comprehensive than what they as a government are able to do, obviously because they present Jesus as the complete answer!

Omar Olier, a pastor from the city of Mar del Plata, recently equipped several mobile hospitals to serve the community because the local government is not able to handle the increasing demand and therefore asked the church for help.

Hugo Marquez, a pastor from the city of Neuquén in the south of the country, opened a school a couple of years ago and now cannot handle the avalanche of people who want their children be taught with Christian values. They have over 1,500 students and are rejecting hundreds because the house is full.

Alejandro Rodriguez, a pastor from Buenos Aires and Director of YWAM, installed his office in front of the Argentine Congress to open a house of prayer where they pray and witness to congressman on a daily basis. The offices are full of pictures of every senator and congressman for whom they pray. Recently he was able to distribute a Bible to every congressman.

A group of ladies in the city of Cordoba have been preparing radio programs and social assistance for over 49 years. This is a remarkable group of ladies, some of them in their 80's and have an evangelistic heart preparing weekly radio programs which are aired on local secular radio stations as well as bringing hope and relief to many impoverished areas of the city.

A church in that same city recently held a youth convention where over 8,000 young people gathered to be equipped and challenged to live their lives to the fullest for Christ, not in church but on the streets!

Omar Herrera, a pastor in the city of Cipolleti, began a ministry among the Mapuche Indians in the southern province of Patagonia. The Mapuche are almost impenetrable with the Gospel but the recent drought softened their hearts because their "gods" are not answering and Jesus is bringing them hope!

I share these stories with you because we have been working with all these pastors and ministries in mobilizing them to connect with each other in creating a strategic force to win our cities one hundred percent for Christ.
As you read these lines hundreds of pastors and leaders are getting ready to come from all over Latin America to our next COICOM convention that will take place in Mar del Plata in August 25th to the 29th.

The COICOM convention is not just a one-time meeting, but God willing we want to gather around the theme of transforming our Cities with the power of Jesus Christ using every possible tool that is available to bring the Gospel in a relevant and purposeful way.

I would like to ask you for your support as we prepare for the next convention where we aim to mobilize, connect, equip several thousands of pastors, leaders and communicators in bringing the whole Gospel to all the nations for the cause of Christ, the hope of His people and the Glory of God.

We need your support in prayer and in funding. Will you join me and the churches of the Latin American continent in this effort?

Would you be willing to become a partner in providing a scholarship for pastors and leaders from the region to be part of this mobilization?

What will happen when you're involved? Please let me know if you are able and thank you for allowing me to share these stories with you!

Warmly in Christ,

Arnold Enns
P.S. - Would you forward this email to other leaders you know so they too can learn about COICOM and its strategic mission? Thank you in advance for your help!