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The Homecoming
Annual Iberoamerica Conference Received by Eurasia

By Simone Finney
Eurasia Region Communications

El Escorial, Spain––In the history of the Iberoamerican world, Spain is a parent: in the past, Spanish and Portuguese people spread westward into South and Central America. In the history of the Nazarene church, the children have been experiencing a recent growth spurt: the churches on the SAM and MAC regions have been planting churches consistently over the past several years. So when it comes to the annual Iberoamerica conferences, which gather believers from the Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking world, it’s natural that places like Guatemala and Argentina have hosted each conference since they began.

But this year, the family came home.

More than 200 people, representing 31 countries, six of the seven world regions, and a full range of ages, gathered in El Escorial, Spain 19-23 April for an Iberoamerica conference that took a concentrated look at evangelism and asked, “How can we reach our world, together?”

“This is something the spectrum of Iberoamerica needs,” said Fernando Batista, local NYI President in Lisbon, Portugal. “South American countries bring the experience of Gospel, of revival, to Iberia, and show us that it’s possible in Europe to have new revival and a potential spread of the Gospel in these countries.”

For Spain, one of the smallest districts in Eurasia, local leadership was hoping the conference would spark something in their churches and inspire members to become involved in their world in a new way.

Over five days, plenary sessions and workshops addressed issues of ministry in multicultural, urban churches, of discipleship, of church planting and of leadership qualities to strengthen the body of believers. Participants exchanged ideas and experiences over coffee breaks and meals, and many expressed a renewed sense of possibility for new or continued growth in their churches.

The conference ended with an evangelistic service, for which more than 170 people were bussed in from the greater Madrid area. About half went forward at the close of the service, and several people marked the evening as the highlight of the event.

“It was very special to see that, as a practical way to finish the conference, dozens of people from Spain received Christ as their Lord and Savior,” said Regional Director Gustavo Crocker. “This showed us that it is possible, it is imperative, and it is a blessing to join the movement of Christ to build His Church.”

The conference was the first step in a renewed effort to encourage and inspire growth and consistent discipleship within churches from Iberoamerican countries in Europe.

“God is trying his best to help us,” said Dr. J.K. Warrick, General Superintendent in jurisdiction of the MAC region, “and if we are open to the fresh wind of the spirit and new methodologies, it’ll be a new day in the church.”

For more photos from the Iberoamerica Conference click here.