The southern state of Chiapas, Mexico, recently became the focus of a sweeping evangelistic effort that marked the culmination of the Inter-American Division’s (IAD’s) quinquennial soul-winning initiative.
This major outreach featured the ongoing involvement of Adventist World Radio (AWR), which for the past three years has collaborated with radio directors and managers across the IAD territory to lead large-scale evangelistic campaigns. These began in 2022 in Cali, Colombia, and continued in San Pedro de Macorís, Dominican Republic; Chiquimula, Guatemala; Monterrey, Mexico; and expanded through coordinated efforts at union levels in Managua, Nicaragua, and Chiriquí, Panama.
In Chiapas AWR coordinated 29 preaching sites in and around Tuxtla Gutiérrez, the state’s capital. These were part of a much larger campaign involving approximately 3,350 sites across Chiapas. Over the course of the week an estimated 25,000 people were baptized.
Ignacio Navarro, president of the Chiapas Mexican Union, thanked AWR and all who were involved in these meetings. “It has been a tremendous blessing and opportunity for the church in Chiapas to grow in fulfilling its mission, thanks to the leadership and support of so many who came to strengthen our outreach efforts,” he said.
The settings ranged from large, packed venues in city centers to simple, remote gatherings where people walked long distances to hear the message. Volunteer speakers for this initiative included people ranging in age from 17 to 85 years old, representing countries throughout the United States, Canada, Europe, and the Dutch Caribbean.
For many of these volunteers, it was their first time preaching an evangelistic series, yet their enthusiasm and reliance on the Holy Spirit produced extraordinary results, organizers reported. Each morning the group gathered for training sessions led by Eddie Canales, AWR’s director for the Americas, where they received encouragement and practical tips they could immediately apply each evening.
“It is amazing to see how God works in the lives of those who participate in the AWR evangelism events,” Canales said. “At the beginning of the series you can see those who are preaching an evangelistic series for the first time feeling insecure, nervous, anxious, and at times afraid. But as they start preaching the series, and when they start experiencing the presence of the Holy Spirit, their attitude begins to change. They look relaxed and calm, and they act with confidence, knowing that as they preach, they are being used by the Spirit of God.”
The effects of these meetings go far beyond Chiapas. One of the volunteer speakers, Greg Makarchuk, said upon his return home to the United Kingdom: “It’s the first time that I have ever participated in and preached during an evangelistic campaign. I am pleased to share that on my return to London, I’ve worked with the church pastoral team on an evangelistic series focused on teaching Bible prophecy. . . . It is time for us millennials, Gen Z’s, etc., to discover these truths, commit our lives more fully to Christ, and share this message with our community and the whole world.”
Among the AWR speaking group were seven senior high school students (including a set of triplets) from Ouachita Hills Academy in Arkansas. Each student was assigned to their own site and shared a minimum of eight prophecy messages. What might have seemed daunting at first became a spiritual turning point for each of them.
“This experience strengthened my faith and helped me get more comfortable with public speaking. Praise God there were decisions for baptism at each site as well!” Micah Powell said.
For Tommy Gallagher the experience opened his eyes to the power of mission work. “It was a huge blessing to see so many people interested in Jesus and what His salvation can do for us,” he said.
Trey Gallagher described the week as “one of my favorite experiences and also one of the biggest blessings I have had in my entire life.” He noted how he and his classmates witnessed the Holy Spirit moving throughout the meetings despite challenges along the way. The meetings concluded with a massive celebration on the final Sabbath, as thousands gathered for baptisms and testimonies. The joy was contagious, as new believers from all walks of life publicly committed their lives to Christ.
The original version of this story was posted on the Inter-American Division news site.
