Mexico Update Fall-Winter 2025
- Jonathan Lopez
- Jan 28
- 4 min read
Greetings from Nogales, Sonora!
I am excited to share this update on what the Lord has been doing here. It has been a year since I have moved, and over these 12 months I have witnessed the faithfulness and kindness of the Lord to me and the ministry of SEPE International. As I write this, I am also immensely thankful for you taking the time to read these updates, pray for me, and support me. May the Lord bless you greatly.
This new year, 2026, SEPE International Mexico is looking forward to receiving 5 STM groups. I have been privileged to fellowship with pastors from the U.S and from MX, making connections, and pointing American pastors to where their church can be of help in Mexico.
In 2025 we received 1 STM group, and although 1 group was way short of our goal, I look back with thankfulness because there was much internal work to accomplish to prepare the campus and staff to receive groups. This past year we invested resources making the seminary van more comfortable with working AC, in brand new towels, making menus for better food, and installing more bunk beds; With the help of Northwest Community Church Phoenix, we were also able to install a dryer for groups to use during their stay, new plants, a new patio, and benches that beautify the campus. These material updates will be of much usefulness as more groups begin to come. The seminary kitchen staff have implemented the new menus and have streamlined the process of purchasing the right products in the adequate quantity to serve different sized groups. The secretarial staff has updated its financial procedures so that we now have an efficient way of receiving resources from the U.S and dispensing them for STM group use. I am also glad to have met with local pastors and SEPE grads to publish their church and their needs on the SEPE International website as STM project opportunities. As we have undergone organizational change, the Lord has been very kind to keep all the staff on the same page and excited more groups in this new year.
As the Lord slowly gives growth to the program, He is also growing me in my leadership and social skills. I am undergoing the membership process at Bethel Baptist Church, and am looking forward to officially being a member this week. I am also looking forward to being baptized this summer! I was baptized in my old church in LA when I was 14 years old and an unbeliever, and when sharing this with my present pastors we agreed it would be good for me to get re-baptized, but this time as a believer. My current pastors also gave me the privilege of giving a Christmas devotional to the youth group at the church and, if the Lord wills, I will slowly begin to teach more if they discern it is one of my spiritual gifts. Socially, I have been making more friends and developing my new friendships. My first few months here felt lonely, and I know this year will be different because I have grown very close to many church families and brothers and sisters my age. Having these church families in my life and friends that care for me is a gift from the Lord, but I also don’t want to forget that even in times that I might feel alone, I have Christ, and that is more than sufficient for me to be content.
My family visited over New Years and we shared a dinner with my pastor and his family. I was also able to go home for a week and witness my younger brother's baptism.
Had the opportunity to go to the Portavoces Conference in El Fuerte, Sinaloa where they spoke about ecclesiology, and where we were able to promote the seminary.
After the Portavoces Conference, I traveled to Los Mochis, Sinaloa to serve Pastor Alvaro (a SEPE MX student) at the 40th anniversary of his church with guest speaker Pastor Luis Contreras. We enjoyed fellowship on the Pacific Ocean and the best Sinaloan food.
As I end this newsletter with petitions I would like to thank you personally for praying for me during this past year. It was definitely a drastic transition to go from Van Nuys, CA to Nogales, Sonora, from living with family to living alone, and studying full-time to working in a position of leadership with pastors. The Lord has provided an amazing community around me and I am especially grateful that the Lord has shown a great amount of loving-kindness by allowing me to enjoy and flourish in my position here, plug into a healthy church, and by providing encouragement and financial support through you. I pray that you would be mutually encouraged by this newsletter and that you might share it with more church families. May the Lord continue to bless you wherever you find yourself living on mission.
Petitions:
That I may cultivate better discipline in Bible study and prayer.
For wisdom in coordinating upcoming STM trips (3 confirmed groups this March-April).
That U.S churches would witness firsthand the importance of pastoral training in Nogales and be encouraged by the faithful labor occurring in local Mexican churches.
That God would continually provide as I seek financial support for this year.
That I would be of useful service and be blessed in my new home church.
In Christ,
Jonathan Lopez
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