"Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me." John 15:4

Jesus gives us the perfect example of the importance of remaining in the Word and maintaining a close relationship with Him. Fruit does not simply appear—it is cultivated, nurtured, and cared for. In the same way, we must be intentional in tending to our own spiritual growth. As we spend time in God’s Word each day, we are shaped to bear the fruit that the Lord calls us to produce.

Last month, we took a quick trip to Oaxaca and Chiapas to do some site visits and meet with some of our team. During the 18 hour drive through Oaxaca, we visited five churches that are praying for a new building. Many of these churches have outgrown the space they are in or are currently meeting in run down spaces. We enjoyed meeting the pastors and some of the church members from the community and continue to pray that the Lord would guide us on where to build next.

In Chiapas, we had some productive meetings with our team as we plan and cast vision for the future of Ministry Builders. We're thankful for our wonderful team on the ground that helps make this work possible! Continue to pray for us as we prepare for this year, the teams we will host, churches that will be built, and conferences hosted.

The IBI (Instituto Bíblico Internacional) students we sponsor are preparing to graduate! This March, they will walk across the stage to celebrate and recognize two years of dedicated study and spiritual growth. Ministry Builders has been blessed to sponsor 10 students throughout their time at Bible school as they studied key areas such as Christian Life & Ministry, the Old Testament, and the New Testament each quarter.

We are deeply thankful for this program, which equips pastors to return to their communities with a stronger foundation and a deeper understanding of God’s Word as they share the Gospel. We invite you to partner with us by praying for these students as they finish their final weeks of school. Be sure to keep an eye out for a special upcoming email where we’ll be highlighting the students we’ve had the privilege to sponsor!