Iglesia Cristiana Nuevo Amanecer
COMMUNITY/COMUNIDAD: Share a description of the community you are called to reach.
- Pastor Juan Franco was called to serve Hispanics and families with Hispanic roots who live in the Atascocita area. This is an area of Houston surrounded by schools, chain stores, residential areas with natural environments adjacent to Lake Houston, and very comfortable recreational areas for the community. This area also offers new job opportunities created by new growing businesses, and all this has made it a desirable place to live. According to data from the Gadberry Group firm, Atascocita is the ninth city in the United States and the first in the State of Texas where the Hispanic population has shown the greatest growth rate in the last ten years.
CALLING/LLAMADO: Share about your experience of God leading you to start a church.
- For several years now, Pastor Juan Franco has been supporting several congregations in
which God has been confirming day by day his pastoral call. His greatest passion is to develop a church in which family love is evident to any person who attends. Juan believes that God in his perfect will has placed alongside him families that have launched this desire and with which he shares the same desire, and this has led to form this new congregation. He recognizes that unity in the church and interaction with other churches are keys to the expansion of the gospel of Jesus Christ. For this reason, his greatest desire is to be able to serve the community and other congregations that need support.
VISION/VISIÓN: Tell us 5 words that are key elements of your vision.
- Worship God…Serve the Community…Disciple…Evangelize…Fellowship
REACHING THE LOST/ALCANZANDO A LOS PERDIDOS: Share the story of someone who has come to know Christ and is now a part of the church.
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Since the beginnings of the church, Maria Elena has begun her walk with Christ. She has had to go through very hard crises, not only in her life but also in the church. Her clear yearning to know Jesus has made her persevere in her hard walk in which she has recognized that only He is completely faithful and that she needs to have her eyes fixed upon Him. She is ready to be in discipleship and learn everything that the Word of God teaches. She has expressed her desire to be baptized and of becoming a disciple of Jesus. In addition, she yearns to serve Him in the calling that God has in store for her and to be an active member of the body of Christ until He returns. Update - Maria Elena was baptized on July 17, 2011!
GOD AT WORK/DIOS TRABAJANDO: What is the most exciting thing God has done in the church?
- The most exciting thing for Juan has been starting this new work without having a musical group. However, with God’s help and continual teaching, some musicians have developed
and now are part of his music team. In addition, he recognizes that God in His mercy has brought musicians that maintain the same desire to worship God in spirit and in truth, and he ministers with them in the worship services. The music team is comprised of youth and adults who play different instruments such as violoncello, tenor violin, traverse flute, classic guitar, electric guitar, base, keyboard, percussion and vocals.
LOOKING AHEAD/MIRANDO HACIA EL FUTURO: What would you like to see God do during the next year?
- One of Juan’s strongest desires is to have facilities and use them to offer art opportunities such as music, theater, painting, etc., and through those help many people come to the knowledge of Jesus Christ. For this reason, the church has begun to pray for God to provide a place where in the future it can house an art school, and where they can gather with freedom to worship God’s name.
EXPERIENCE/EXPERIENCIA: What has been the most challenging or surprising thing you've experienced in church planting?
- It has been very impacting for Juan to realize the faith that one must have to plant a new work, since the enemy has wanted to hinder the work by attacking entire families and even the welfare of the pastoral family. In spite of this, the conviction that it was God who made the call and that He will always be its provider has been the key to remain steadfast in the work that God himself designed. To see families that have remained faithful to God and that have fought beside him has been a clear sign of God’s love for Juan and his family.
WISDOM/SABIDURIA: What resource or words of wisdom would you pass on to other church planters?
- Juan says that prayer is the key to start any new work. Holiness in obedience to God is the channel through which God blesses the church and prospers its work. Unity in the Spirit is the way God manifests Himself to the church and pours down much blessing. The basis for the church to grow healthy and be molded by God is the pastor’s preparation and his continual intimacy with God. It is very important to have the counsel of a mentor and of people to guard the welfare of the new church. In addition, it is very useful to have the support of entities that work with that mindset such as UBA and BGCT.
NEED/NECESIDAD: How can people pray for you or partner with you?
- Pastor Juan requests prayer for the Hispanic people in his area whom do not know the gospel and for a body of church leaders that is humble and passionate about serving God and about the welfare of the community. In addition, for the church to have its own property with which it can be a church that influences society.
| Current Contact Information: | UBA Directory Listing |
| Location for Worship Services: | 9160 Will Clayton Parkway, Tel: 281-842-2799 |
| Date of First Worship Service: | August 15, 2010 |
| Type of Facility: |
Church building of Iglesia Higher Expectations |
| Discipleship Structure: | Cells |
| Language of Worship: | Spanish |
Interview conducted by Alex Martinez, UBA Staff.
Translated from Spanish by Alex Martinez.