A Church For People Who Don’t Trust Church

AJ Westendorp • Nov 15, 2016

Tragedy and chaos are familiar to the average Guatemalan.

If you fail a class in school, well, that’s not good, but it’s common; hopefully you’ll do better upon repeating it. If you are badly hurt in an accident, well, you can’t count on great care at the public hospital and can’t afford a private one, so hopefully you’ll get better. If your husband drinks too much or hangs around other women, well, you’ll likely separate, and hopefully you’ll make enough to feed your family, even if that means you only see your kids for an hour each night.

Chaos. Disorganization. Tragedy. Uncertainty. All are too familiar in Guatemala. And underneath all this is a yearning for a better kingdom to come.

In Search of the True Gospel

Historically, the church in Guatemala has been Catholic since the Spanish conquest. It has grown increasingly evangelical (40-50%) in the last few decades, but it’s evangelical without a “leash.” Many untrained pastors, poor leadership and a lack of accountability have given room for teachings and practices in disagreement with the Bible.

As a result, Guatemala has one of the highest concentrations of churches that preach the prosperity gospel. It’s what “itching ears want to hear.” The prosperity gospel says if I do better, give more, attend more events and obey whatever the pastor says, God will bless me more.

But that’s not the truth. That’s not the gospel.

The awareness of this lack of gospel truth in the church of Guatemala was reason enough for a few couples to start dreaming about planting a church. This group of locals and TEAM missionaries hoped that the simple truth of the Gospel and the full-bodied teaching the Bible would bring Guatemalans true freedom, refuge and life in Christ.

Gaby, a medical student who was part of the church planting team recalls, “[In February 2015], we had our first meeting to share our vision and mission with a group of about 20-ish strangers.”

These “strangers” would become part of the core group that would help plant Iglesia Reforma , or “Church of the Reform,” in a backyard, under a tent. Over the next few months, a church founded on the raw, good gospel and a genuine, missional community started to take shape.

In July 2015, IR opened Sunday services to the public in a warehouse just outside the capital city.

Teaching the Truth that Transforms Lives

My wife, Alaina, and I joined Iglesia Reforma in November 2015, when we moved to Guatemala to serve with TEAM. Since then, we have seen firsthand the work God is doing in the lives of the people who have come into the Iglesia Reforma community.

In just a year and a half, the church has grown from a core group of 30 to over 200 , with a consistent attendance of 120–150 at Sunday service. Praise God!

Equipping the community to study and read scriptures continues to be a hallmark of Iglesia Reforma.

Instead of flashy programs or a fancy building, Iglesia Reforma’s continued growth can be credited to a deep commitment to study Scripture together.


There hasn’t been a magic formula for church growth. Instead, teaching the Bible and forming community around that truth has changed lives.

Gerald, a teacher in the community, remembers the first sermon he ever heard at Iglesia Reforma: “The first time we came to IR, the pastor talked about faith. I remember how freeing it was to understand that faith isn’t just to believe that God gives me what I want but to trust in his will in spite of that not being what I want. … In his sovereignty, he allows even what we don’t like into our lives for our sanctification.”

Zuly, a local teacher, reflects on the community she has found at her new church: “Everyone from IR has received me with such love and friendship that they’ve made me feel like family. IR receives those looking for a refuge.”

And Mario, a carpenter and car enthusiast, remembers one Sunday when it all came together for him: “I was able to really know the gospel through one sermon in particular that helped me make sense of the truth that Jesus had died for me to give salvation. It changed my life, my way of thinking, my relationships and my heart.

A New Way to Think About Church

Many Guatemalans have sniffed out the lies, emptiness and manipulation in the church. Countless Guatemalans have distanced themselves from the church because they hate the hypocrisy or because the church just wanted their money or because they are shamed by the church for things like drinking, being divorced or questioning the pastor.

Many people don’t see the church as the beautiful bride of Christ, a vessel of true hope and redemption. There are a countless many who believe in God (to various extents) but are far from the church. There are others within the walls of the church who are being fed a twisted lie about a God who exists to glorify their life if they try hard enough.

So many of Iglesia Reforma’s members have come to IR as their “last time giving the church a chance.”

IR dreams and prays to see people like this come in contact with the true God and the true Gospel — a gospel that brings true hope and works out true (and difficult) transformation in people, families and communities.

The tough task ahead lies in discipling Iglesia Reforma’s growing congregation more deeply in the truth, empowering them to make disciples of Jesus in their own circles within a supportive and honest church community.

IR desires to be a church focused on people and truth, not numbers and programs. But as growth continues, we are consistently unable to provide adequate seating to the number of people who come on Sunday.

Even the ability for us to provide a chair (that won’t break) for every person is a tangible way to say, “ There’s a place here for you in this church family. ” We want to be able to take care of our community, welcome our visitors and focus on making relationships rather than on making seating work.

We desire deep relationships, community and discipleship. Our heart is to help plant new, Bible-centered churches that do the same, that the church in Guatemala might be the vessel of true hope that does not lie, that does not disappoint. A hope that is Jesus.

By Suzanne Pearson 08 Mar, 2024
Through God-ordained partnerships and creative connections, TEAM worker Keith Moore sees the global Church advancing in amazing ways. In the global missions landscape, a phrase that comes up often is “from everywhere, to everywhere.” God is calling His global Church in literal new directions, as He raises up cross-cultural workers to be sent from places that were once on the receiving end of missions work. We call this movement “polycentric sending.” TEAM workers Dawn and Keith Moore have seen first-hand this transition taking place. Their story involves the unlikely but beautiful intersection of Charlotte, North Carolina; Tegucigalpa, Honduras; and Memphis, Tennessee...and beyond. The Path to Honduras Keith and Dawn joined TEAM in 1991 and served as church planters for nine years in Bogota, Colombia. After safety concerns precipitated their return to the States in 1999, they knew they wanted to continue serving in Latin America. The Moores felt called to Honduras but wanted to connect with a strong missional church to help send them. The Lord orchestrated a collaboration with Bellevue Baptist Church in Memphis, Tennessee. “Some people asked, ‘Why Honduras? Missionaries have been there for 100 years. It’s already reached,’” Keith says. “But there’s a whole section of Latin America that had not been reached - the upper crust.” Keith goes on to explain that he and Dawn felt called to reach college-educated professionals in Honduras – a ministry vision that resonated with the missional goals of Bellevue Baptist. Impact and Growth With the support of this new church partnership as well as another sending church in Birmingham, Alabama, the Moores embarked on their next adventure. Keith and Dawn started Impacto Honduras Church from scratch, and in less than 20 years, the church grew into four locations with 1600 total members. The Moores and other TEAM workers also created a “Bible school” type training program to help professionals who feel a call to ministry to make that transition. Throughout this period of explosive growth, church partnerships played an integral role. “It’s such a different vision when you have a church that says, ‘OK, this is our deal, we want to make this happen,’” Keith explains. “They helped us with everything. They took away every single obstacle to growth. Every time we needed something, they were there.” In 2017, the Moores once again found themselves on the verge of another decision. Was it time to leave Honduras? “I had no desire to leave,” Keith recalls. “People were coming to Christ every week! It was just so amazing.” However, back in the U.S., Keith and Dawn’s parents were in their 80s and would soon be in need of more care. “We realized that either we would leave in a crisis, or we would leave strategically,” says Keith. The couple began to implement a careful succession plan. By the time they left, the four churches were established with strong, Honduran leadership ready to carry on the work of the Gospel.
By Suzanne Pearson 23 Feb, 2024
Justin Burkholder, pictured here with his wife Jenny and their daughters Isabella, Olivia, and Zoey, has recently been named as TEAM’s next International Director. On February 19, 2024, with much excitement and gratitude to the Lord, TEAM announced that Justin Burkholder will become our organization’s new International Director, effective July 1, 2024. Justin, who is currently TEAM’s Executive Director of Global Ministry, will assume his new role upon the retirement of the current International Director, Dave Hall. ( Read the full press release here. ) We sat down recently with Justin to learn a little more about his background, his family, and the journey that has led him to TEAM. Q: Tell us a little bit about your “origin story” - Where did you grow up? What was your family like? A: I grew up in Mexico City as a missionary kid. My parents were focused on church planting. We were very close as a family. Both of my parents are still alive, and my dad serves as a pastor in southern Florida. I have one brother who is a pastor in Wisconsin, and the most special individual in my family is my sister, Amber. She was born with a very severe case of cerebral palsy and is entirely dependent on my mother...who is extraordinary! The three most impactful forces that have shaped who I am (outside of God’s grace) are growing up in Mexico, having parents who loved and planted churches, and sharing life with someone with a severe disability. My parents belonged at the time to a church and denomination that came with quite a bit of legalism and performance-oriented Christianity. Grace was a challenging concept to grasp. While I had an awareness of my sin and need for redemption, it wasn’t until I attended Moody Bible Institute that I began to grasp the fullness of God’s grace and His delight in His children. I have continued learning and trusting in the Gospel through formal education, like completing my M.Div., and through spiritual practices in community. Learning the Gospel and believing the Gospel has been a daily exercise. The Gospel is as beautiful and multi-faceted as a diamond! At an individual level, it is simple enough for us to live convinced that “Jesus loves me, this I know.” At a corporate level, it becomes the foundation that forms and informs our life as a spiritual family. At a cosmic level, it is redemption that reaches as far as the curse is found. It is hard to even grasp the multiplicity of goodness found in the Good News. Q: Share a little bit about your family life now. What does a typical day look like in the Burkholder household? A: My wife Jenny is my high-school sweetheart! She brings joy and kindness wherever she goes. She’s the best listener I’ve ever met, and we love spending time together. We have three daughters. Isabella is ten, Olivia is seven, and Zoey is four. Each of the girls is unique and has taught us a lot in our process of following Jesus together. We like to go out on walks and go to the park together. Once a month I try to get some alone time with each of my daughters which usually includes bowling or trampolines. A typical day in the Burkholder house starts around 5:00am. Because of traffic here in Guatemala City, we have to leave early for school. After school, the girls come home to different activities - sometimes swimming class, sometimes piano lessons. Four or five nights a week we have dinner together where we usually talk about our high and low moments of the day. On weekends, we enjoy time together, playing outside, or watching sports together. Go Cubs and Go Buckeyes! Q: What are your interests and hobbies? If you have the day off, what are you likely to be up to? A: I enjoy physical activity, running, strength-training and following sports. I also love music and, truth be told, am a bit snobby about my taste in music! I also am a very curious person and love reading just about anything that passes through my hands. A day off is usually an opportunity for time with family. Jenny and I like to cook something interesting together on our days off. Often there is time for some reading and watching some type of athletic event. Q: How did God lead you to TEAM? A: My wife and I were working in the Chicago suburbs. I was a youth pastor and she was a Spanish teacher. When we got married, we had already sensed God’s direction to serve cross-culturally, but it was a matter of discerning when and where. There was a driving desire in me to see a church deeply love the Scriptures and at the same time, be deeply engaged in loving and serving their city and the most vulnerable among them. As God directed our paths, we visited a variety of places and made some friends in Guatemala who opened up the path for us to serve here. While we were exploring, we knew that the International Director of an organization called TEAM happened to go to our church, so I decided I should probably invite him out for breakfast - his name was Charlie Davis. Charlie was extremely thoughtful, passionate about disciple-making, and very gracious in creating space for us as we stepped into this endeavor. Charlie connected me with Steve Dresselhaus, a fellow TEAM global worker who was at that time serving as the Senior Director for the Americas. I cannot express the debt that I owe Steve. He walked closely with me in the transition, encouraged courageous thinking about the church and her role in society, and blasted open the doors for us to serve in Guatemala. After meeting Steve, we spent some days praying about joining TEAM. One thing I will never forget – one night during the process, I found myself wide awake in the middle of the night. A peace like I have seldom experienced passed over me confirming that we should join TEAM. There is no doubt in my mind that God tied all of these pieces together to bring us into the TEAM family and community. Q: What roles have you held in TEAM? What have been the milestones in those roles? A: The most important role I have held in TEAM is that of a global worker. God in His grace has allowed us to help plant two churches here in Guatemala, serve in leadership development, counseling, and discipleship. Our greatest joy has been found walking with those who are learning to follow Christ more deeply. I served as the Ministry Area Leader in Guatemala from 2016 to 2019. We helped to establish and lead this ministry area as it grew from just four global workers to over 15. I then served as Senior Director for Mexico and Central America from 2019 to 2021, Regional Executive Director for the Americas in 2021 and 2022, and then transitioned to the role of Executive Director of Global Ministry which I’ll continue in until the end of June. Q: What do you love most about being a part of TEAM? Why TEAM rather than other organizations or job opportunities? A: The TEAM community is full of people who have faithfully served God’s mission and have given up a lot to do so. It is a privilege to know many of our global workers and be counted among them. I am also fascinated by the fact that TEAM has existed now for more than 130 years! There is something to be said about the resilience and faithfulness of an organization that has continued to impact the world for so long. The rest of our conversation with Justin will be coming soon on blog! We’ll hear more about how God called Justin to the role of International Director, and what Justin sees for the next chapter in TEAM’s work in the global Church.
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