Previous | Next 

Montevideo, Uruguay
Church planting in Uruguay tough but good


“Tough and disappointing . . . but good.” Those are the words Ernst and Ursula Janzen use to describe the past three years as MBMS International missionaries in Uruguay.

Ursula and Ernst Janzen

“After 12 years in Uruguay, we would like to have seen a booming church,” says Ernst. “We would like to have seen more committed people taking leadership roles.”

Instead, the Janzens found themselves feeling discouraged a year ago. In the secular society of Uruguay, planting a church can take many years.

Ernst tells of a man he has known for several years. “We went to his home one evening each week,” Ernst relates. “We would not close our Bibles from the time we arrived until we left three hours later.”

“He was so eager to learn,” Ernst continues. “Then something happened – we don’t know what – and he cooled off. Perhaps it was because of some of the difficult things that happened in his life, or perhaps he is afraid to commit to Christ. We are still friends, and we won’t give up on him, but it is discouraging.”

Involvement in the occult is common, and believers will sometimes return to occult practices after several years in the church. “Discipleship is a key issue,” says Ursula. “As soon as a person accepts Christ, we have to move quickly to help them understand the steps toward faithfulness, which include confessing and renouncing their occult involvement, thus being freed from its bondage.”

The Janzens, currently the only MBMSI missionaries in Uruguay, have found encouragement from friends who are missionaries under the mission agency. They also received encouragement during a visit last year from Juan Martinez, an MB missionary currently serving in Guatemala, and from several MBMSI staff.

“When Juan Martinez, Miguel Forero (program director for Latin America) and board member Gary Janzen came to visit us, they saw things differently than we had,” Ernst shares. “We were putting a lot of pressure on ourselves, and only seeing the negative, but they pointed out that things were actually going fairly well.”

Ernst continues, “Ron Penner (personnel director for MBMSI) shared with us how difficult it had been when he was a missionary in Spain. He encouraged us to hold onto the good things that were happening, and that God would continue to lead the work.”

When the Janzens had a sizable group in their home for a regular Bible study, they began thinking about starting a church building project, but the obstacles were too large. “We would have had to pay up to $250,000 just for a lot, and I would have had to spend five years working on a church building,” says Ernst. “I couldn’t see how the mission board could come up with $400,000 for a church building project.”

That’s when the Janzens received a vision to develop house congregations. “Once we got that vision, we began reading literature and talking to people about the cell church concept,” says Ursula.

Now, the Janzens are working with several cell churches. “We find that the cell church concept works well for Uruguayans,” Ernst reports. “Having a small church keeps us focused on people instead of programs. People hold each other accountable and look to each other for support.”

When a cell group grows beyond 20 people, it should multiply and start a new group. As the number of cell churches grows, the need for leadership increases. The Janzens have learned to pray that God would supply their leadership needs. “We don’t always know who will become a leader,” says Ursula. “Sometimes unlikely candidates come forward, but God always provides. We have learned to trust God in this.”

“There have been many discouraging times over the past 12 years, and the Uruguayan church will continue to face attacks,” says Ernst. “To see people who have never read the Bible open up and accept the Lord, and then share the gospel in their workplace – that is the positive side of ministry.”

 – MBMS International

Previous | Next 

Last modified August 29, 2000.

© 2000 Mennonite Brethren Herald.
Published by the Canadian Conference of MB Churches.
Masthead and usage information.