English Classes as an Outreach Tool

Welcome to Week Eight of my Video Friday series.

This week I'm going to talk about the importance of English classes in Mexico. We've used English classes as an outreach tool for a number of years, and by and large, they have brought solid results.

Usually they work in this way: a congregation or an area where we are just starting up work takes on the English program for about a year. During that time, WELS Kingdom Worker volunteers come down and teach classes. The classes are free, but students do need to buy their books. "The main purpose of the English program is to help a congregation make new contacts in its community and to carry out friendship evangelism," Mike explains.

Classes are held for 9- or 10-week sessions, and then a test is given. Some students stay and enroll in the next level.

Only English is taught in the classes, but the students are often invited to come to Bible studies or church services.

English classes are currently being held at the congregation El Redentor (Redeemer) in Torreon. Pastor Esequiel Sanchez, who serves the congregation, is involved in the English program. He gets to know the students as they come to their class, which is held in the basement of the church. He answers any questions they have about the Bible and the Lutheran Church.

We've had a number of students come to church and get confirmed during the last year. Here is a video clip of our current WELS Kingdom Worker volunteer, Kerry Pamperin, teaching an English class at El Redentor:


This concludes my Video Friday series for this spring. We'll come back to it later this year. In the meantime, I'll continue to post updates twice a week and I'm sure we'll include the occasional fun video (I may even sneak in one of Trinity speaking Spanish). If you have anything you'd like to see or have covered here, just leave a comment or send me an email (rachelmhartman @ gmail.com).