JASON AND LORI HOLT
Missionaries in CHILE
Connecting the missions-hearted to the mission field
MAY 2023
Church Planting in Action: It is thrilling to walk alongside young Chilean pastors in the different phases of church planting. One of the last phases is the constitution service, where the growing body of baptized believers formally signs the church covenant to form an independent church. The book of Acts refers to this last phase as, "they commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed." The role of a church-planting missionary is to train and assist the national pastor in the early phases of the church plant. Then, as God gives fruit, the missionary helps the body of believers to formalize membership, and the missionary entrusts the church to the Lord. The missionary's role is never to have long-term control or authority. The Bible teaches that each church should be autonomous and indigenous. By God's grace, Cross Baptist Church in Santiago, Chile, under the leadership of the Chilean pastor, John Moncada, reached this important threshold in April!
Chilean Churches Are Planting Churches: This year marks another important milestone in our ministry in Chile. Currently, two Chilean pastors we trained for ministry are planting churches out of their churches! The most intriguing fact is that Lori and I have not been to nor helped financially with either of the new churches! These churches are being planted with second-generation leadership and with Chilean funds! This is the goal, and we could not be more happy about it!
Cristian Alarcon was the first Chilean pastor we helped train for ministry many years ago. He is now pastoring a church in the far north of Chile, and his church has now planted a church in Vallenar, a city that had no Bible-preaching church. Please pray for this young church.
Furlough News: In April, Lori and I had the opportunity to speak in several missionary sessions at Vision Baptist Missions’ annual training event. Also, we have already given updates in 7 churches in 4 states.
Andrew got his driver’s license, and both he and Josh are pursuing jobs. Pray for them!
Jason, Lori, Katie, Joshua and Andrew