ANTIOCH BAPTIST CONVENTION, SONORA STATE, MEXICO

THE CHURCHES OF OUR FELLOWSHIP


THE BAPTIST OF SONORA

Although there are actually quite a few smaller Baptist churches in Sonora organized over the years but many consist of only a few families. The number of larger (50 plus), active churches probably doesn't exceed 15 in the state, and is divided between groupings. These stronger churches are well placed geographically from Nogales on the northern border, through the state capital of Hermosillo, and the port of Guaymas, to the large agricultural city of Obregon in the south. Our churches make up a state convention which and cooperates nationally with other states conventions in the national convention.

Worship services in a Baptist church of Mexico are similar to those in the USA but there are some differences. Many times the services last a little longer. Bethel in Hermosillo is famous for its 2-3 hour Sunday night celebrations. Musical instruments include guitars and pianos or keyboards when available, plus occasionally a tambourine or drums. The buildings are usually small and become very crowded easily. The services are much less formal and filled with enthusiasm. The churches have Sunday School and other opportunities for studying the Bible during the week, and youth activities on Saturday. The convention promotes one or more youth activities per month, plus women's conferences and retreats.

There are many cities and towns in Sonora with no significant Baptist presence. Many church planting efforts over the years have left church buildings but no congregations. Permanent congregation planting remains a priority. Pray that God's people will respond to the great opportunity that exists in Sonora. Pray that the lost will have an opportunity to hear about Jesus. Pray that new churches will be established and will thrive so these people will be able to continue to grow as a disciple of Christ.

THE CHURCHES


IGLESIA EVANGELICA BAUTISTA DE IMURIS
Luis Proto #16
Colonia Centro
Imuris, Sonora, Mexico
Pastor Manuel Villalobos






IGLESIA BAUTISTA SINAI DE HERMOSILLO
Mariano Escobedo #63
Colonia San Benito
Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico
Pastor Carlos Fong Estrada
tel. 01152-62-162426





PRIMERA IGLESIA BAUTISTA
Heriberto Aja #12 Norte
Colonia Centro
Hermosillo, Sonora






IGLESIA BAUTISTA PENIEL
Octava y 7 de Noviembre
Colonia Palo Verde
Hermosillo, Sonora, Hermosillo
Pastor Juan Angel Castro






IGLESIA BAUTISTA BETHEL
Morelos y Madero S/N
San Ignacio Rio Mayo
Navojoa, Sonora, Mexico
Pastor Jonatan Ramirez






IGLESIA BAUTISTA EBENEZER
prol. Naco Lote #9
Fraccionamiento San Antonio
Nogales, Sonora, Mexico
Pastor Ignacio Alvarez
tel. 01152-631-34926






IGLESIA BAUTISTA EVANGELICA BETHEL
Leocadio Saucedo #210 y Heroes de Caborca
Colonia Jesus Garcia
Hermosillo, Sonoa, Mexico
Pastor Desiderio Espinoza





IGLESIA BAUTISTA EVANGELICA MARANATHA
Colonia Lomas Altas
Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico
Pastor Jose Manuel Hernandez
tel. 01152-62-11-75-19




IGLESIA BAUTISTA SINAI DE SAN PEDRO
Calle del Maestro #30
San Pedro El Saucito
Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico
Pastor Fabian Molina
tel. 01152-623-70194

MISSIONS OF OUR CHURCHES

MISSIONS

Mission Bautista Hacienda Vieja
San Ignacio Rio Mayo
Navajoa, Sonora, Mexico
Pastor Jonatan Ramirez





Mission Bautista de la Apache
Colonia Apache
Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico
Pastor Juan Angel Castro






Mission Bautista Nueva Esperanza
Colonia Las Minitas
Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico
Pastor Enrique Aguilar






Mission Bautista La Hermosa
Colonia Solidaridad #3
Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico
Pastor Felipe & Isabel Ramirez






Mission Bautista Ley 57
Colonia Ley 57
Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico
Pastor Adan Coronado


CONTACTS FOR INFORMATION

Pastor Ignacio Alvarez, President, Antioch Baptist Convention, telephone (English)
01152-631-34926

Brother Rodolfo Andrade, Secretary, ABC, telephone (Spanish) 01152-625-09913

Brother Steven Washington, Promoter, ABC, Estebanw@rtn.uson.mx, telephone
(English) 01152-623-70039

WHO WE ARE
Doctrinally, Baptists and all other traditional Evangelical Christian churches in Mexico are conservative or fundamentalist in US terms. In a culture where Protestants are a small ridiculed and often oppressed minority, liberal or modernistic doctrines such as are common in the US would not survive. The churches of our fellowship would certainly be considered fundamentalist in US terms, and are normal, average Mexican Baptist churches.


In terms of origins or affiliations, the Antioch Baptist Convention unites in fellowship several churches of convention Baptist and independent Baptist origins plus one or two churches of "Bible church" and Conservatives Baptist origins. In the main these are churches in the city of Hermosillo which by 1990 were no longer in very active contact and fellowship with whatever group had initiated the work 30 or 40 years before. Even the churches supposedly members of national Baptist organizations were essentially independent locally. By 1992-93 there had developed a certain informal relationship in which the pastors met for fellowship breakfasts and the churches participated together in certain events.


In this period there came into being a major national law in the Republic of Mexico regarding religious activities. The new law gave Evangelical groups both important new rights and added responsibilities. One new requirement was that all local churches must be registered with the government as members of some recognized organization of churches. Also they must now make income tax declarations, enroll their pastors in the social security hospital system, plus a number of other legal requirements. The new legal, bookkeeping and other requirements were simply beyond the means of most churches to fulfill individually.


The need to work together to meet these new requirements and the new registration requirement led to the formation of many new conventions of churches in Mexico. In our case, some of our churches could have registered with organizations with which they were already loosely affiliated, others could not. We were also motivated by the desire to work together more formally to complete the Great Commission. What we chose to do was formally organize the churches who were already loosely associated together, plus a few similar-situated churches from other parts of the state of Sonora, into the Antioch Baptist Convention.



GLORIA A DIOS!