Jesus declared, "I will build my Church and the gates of Hell shall not prevail against it!" (Mt 16:18). That is why we know that if we are engaged in church planting, that we are on the winning side! "Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her" (Eph. 5 25). Jesus gave His life for the Church. The church, the bride of Christ, is the embodiment of Christ's love and the reason for His sacrifice. If Jesus loves the Church that much, then we need to strengthen her and build her up, and "make disciples of all nations" (Mt 28:19).

We are working toward that moment in history when "at the name of Jesus every knee should bow … and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord!" (Phil. 2:10-11). This is our heart and passion, our calling and commitment. Everything we do is designed to support and grow the Church.

Church planting includes evangelism and discipleship, both as our personal lifestyle and as the essential strategy that Jesus gave us. Church planting includes leadership development, training the next generation of church members to grow in grace and responsibility, using all of their spiritual gifts powerfully for the glory of God and the edification of the Church. Roger's gifts and teaching and preaching, as well as Laura's musical gifts, are useful tools in church planting.

As one studies the state of the Church throughout Latin America, it becomes painfully evident that a key strategy of the enemy is to destroy the Church by destroying its families. The battle for the family in Latin America is the battle of our generation. Since God has exposed the enemy's strategy, we are compelled to respond accordingly. That is how God led us to make marriage and family education a core thrust of our ministry.