He's a pastor, he's a missionary, he's a family man. Say hi to Mike Hartman, who currently lives in Torreon, Mexico (with me, of course!).

Today is Week Four of my Video Friday series (find previous videos here). I'm going to talk about Mike's role. He currently serves as WELS field coordinator to Mexico. What does this mean? A number of things. Let's look at them one at a time.

Overseeing the mission field
The Mexican Lutheran Church is run by a board of directors. Mike helps these men, together with five Mexican pastors, direct the church body here. He attends the annual conventions that are held, he goes to pastors' conferences, and regularly meets with the leaders on an individual basis.

He also visits the congregations all over the country (see the map). He provides counseling for the pastors. He participates in activities like pastor installations, church dedications, and seminary training.

Evangelism
Over the years, Mike has been involved in a number of outreach efforts in Mexico. He recently helped start up a new congregation, Cordero de Dios (Lamb of God) here in Torreon. He's now involved in starting up a congregation in Zaragoza Sur, an area near Torreon.

Tying it All Together
Mike helps coordinate efforts between WELS and the Mexican Lutheran church. He directs the communication between the two synods and organizes activities that involve both groups. He writes reports for WELS to help its leaders know what's going on in Mexico.

And now, here's a short clip of Mike in action. In this video, he's installing a new pastor at a congregation in Puebla.



Living with Mike has helped me gain perspective on mission work. He is great at focusing on the big picture. He's also good at making plans, and then getting up each day and working hard to carry them out.

So thanks, Mike, for all the missionary lessons you have taught me (and for marrying me, I like that part too), and stay tuned for next week's video, which will discuss the Mexico music fund. Until then, have a great, safe weekend!