Hermosillo

Hermosillo, Sonora

God is working mightily among the people of Hermosillo. Could He be calling you to be part of the team?

General Information

Hermosillo needs your investment and sacrifice now! It is an emerging megacity of Mexico. Mexico is at a crossroads; the opportunity is now to make an eternal impact for Christ. Even more, Hermosillo and the other megacities hold an important key to reaching not only the country, but having impact throughout North and Central America. We never know how long this window of opportunity will last. Now is the time to act! Be a part of our megacities' team!

Hermosillo is located in the desert of northwest Mexico. Population estimates range from 800,000 to 1 million; this number is very hard to know due to migratory patterns along the border. Hermosillo is the state capital and most important city in the state of Sonora--a prosperous and modern state along the U.S. border with Arizona. Hermosillo is very hot in the Summers.

It takes some time to acclimate to the weather. 'Swamp' coolers are used to cool the air in homes. A/C units make for electric bills that are very expensive quickly. Lower humidity helps greatly. Excellent healthcare is available

As it is within all the megacities of Mexico, ample shopping is available. Familiar U.S. mass merchants, restaurants, and discount stores are available. Almost everything is available at 10-30% more than US prices. Professionals wear suits, but most of the population dresses informally, yet neatly. Men rarely wear shorts, except in the park or while playing sports or in the extreme hottest months of the year. Women tend to wear slacks or dresses and sometimes shorts when it's very hot. Grocery shopping can occur at the supermarkets or in neighborhood stores. A neat and kept appearance is expected from the missionary. Public transportation is very good, reliable, and inexpensive.

Less than 5% know Christ at this time. Some existing churches show traditionalistic tendencies that inhibit the kind of multiplication and growth necessary to reach Hermosillo. Responsiveness is expected to be high to clear, Biblical expressions of the Gospel. We must be thoroughly Biblical in all we do. Hermosillo is a strategic city that, when reached, will have a tremendous impact on the entire country and beyond due to the mobility of the people living there.

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Urban Strategy Coordinator job filled

Alan and Donna Brown
Serving in Hermosillo since 2003. Currently on field.

Community Missions and Ministry job available NEW for 2008!

Job Description: (IMB job #88738)

Short-term (ISC, Journeyman, Masters)

You will work directly with the mobilization of national church planters, instilling in them an Acts 1:8 'DNA' as well as a healthy application of urban ministry. This mobilization is into "doing" and not simply "knowing." This is needed from the start for them to successfully start new churches within the context of the Iniciativa Transformación Urbana (ITU "Urban Transformation Initiative"). As a Community Ministry and Missions missionary, you will relate directly to your Urban Strategy Coordinator. You will use creative strategies to ensure that church planters understand the necessity of going into all of the earth, including them in what may well become the greatest urban church planting movement breakthrough ever. As you focus on your assignment, you will be involved in front-line church planting, demonstrating a lifestyle of personal evangelism and discipleship. Each missionary will begin the mentoring process while in language training.

The spouse's job description is the same as the primary job description above. The missionary calling of the wife as an individual and as a part of the church planting team is very important. Your special skills, training and spiritual gifts will be put to good use as the team is used by God to ignite a church planting movement in this megacity. The missionary wife is given the freedom necessary to strike the appropriate balance between ministry and family needs.

Spanish language proficiency is required to perform assignment. On-the-field language study will be provided. You will begin the mentoring process while in language school.

Families accepting this job assignment will be required to home school their children. Complete home school materials and support are provided for families. The region has a home school support person that will help missionaries with matters related to home school (i.e. materials, curriculum, special needs, etc.) Children are a vital part of their family's witness to the lost. The entire family will model life in Christ before a lost community. All older children must enter into this assignment with a positive attitude and a cultivated desire to know Mexican culture, language, and especially the people. They should be walking with Christ in a way that is appropriate to their age.

Urban Missions Apprentice job available NEW for 2008!

Job Description: (IMB Job #88747)

Short-term (ISC, Journeyman, Masters)

Do you feel called to serve in Mexico but are not sure how God can use your spiritual gifts and talents? Then consider this opportunity to explore urban missions. You will initially support the work of missionaries serving in the Megacities of Mexico. You will be mentored and trained to carry out all aspects of urban missionary work such as: witnessing to the lost, discipleship, survey work, developing creative plans to gain access to gated communities and apartment buildings, church planting, leadership development, hosting volunteer teams, community development, and seeing dysfunctional families transformed by the gospel as they become an active part of a new testament church.

You will work directly with your Urban Strategy Coordinator and be involved in evangelism, church planting, and training the next generation of leaders for the churches that will be planted. Many of these churches will be started from home Bible studies. These new churches will have the vision, desire, and be taught to reproduce themselves and start more new churches in adjoining neighborhoods, apartment complexes, and to the ends of the earth. You will also be mobilizing Mexican Baptists to become involved in the task of planting multiplying churches in the city in which you are serving. You will choose a job request based on your geographic zone of preference. The North zone cities include Ciudad Juarez, Hermosillo, and Tijuana. The specific city will be determined from the list of cities in your selected zone at the completion of language school in consultation with the Strategy Associate, Urban Strategy Leaders, and language school mentor.

If you are the mother of young children your first responsibility will be to your family. Their care and education will take up a significant amount of your time. As time permits you will participate in the team ministry of evangelizing the lost, discipling women, and helping to plant churches and train leaders. Much of your ministry will be using the gifts of hospitality and fervently praying for your family and team members.

Spanish language proficiency is required to perform assignment. On-the-field language study will be provided. You will begin the mentoring process while in language school.

Home schooling is the preferred method of MK education for this job request. Private schools and national schools are available but not at U.S. standards. Complete home school materials and support are provided for families. The region has a MK consulting team which includes a home school support person that will help missionaries with matters related to home school (i.e. materials, curriculum, testing, special needs, etc.) Children are a vital part of their family's witness to the lost. The entire family will model life in Christ before a lost community.

Student Church Planting Catalyst job available

Job Description: (IMB Job #81242)

General Summary
UNIVERSITY STUDENTS--Always willing to risk it all for a just cause. Over the past years, they have caused governments to change, shut down transnational companies and the world's biggest universities. They are idealists wanting a better future for themselves and those that follow them. Remember the young man with only a back pack bluffing out four army tanks at Tianmnamen Square in 1989? Indonesian students were responsible for the fall of an autocratic government that had been in power for 32 years. Students don't like the "status quo" and are willing to take great risks to bring about great change. What better thing to risk it all for than for Jesus Christ? Are you willing to risk making a difference in students' lives in Mexico?

Job Description
You will lead students to go far beyond evangelism and discipleship, putting those important pieces together with the multiplication and reproducibility concepts that create New Testament church. University cell groups will grow, mature and become churches that, in turn, produce fruit (new churches) of their own. You will help develop believers who are willing to risk all for the cause of the gospel. You will be able to encourage students to live a life style of evangelism, and support those who feel called to missions, church planting and other ministries. Because of the entry problems of many gated university campuses, creative methods of access and evangelism will be required.

Work/Living Environment
Because the Higher Education team is currently targeting the 31 capital cities of Mexico and 14 other cities of 250,000 plus, you will live in a large urban setting. It is suggested that you use spare time to get to know the city and to visit several churches. Most Mexican people are very kind and enjoy getting to know foreigners. All interaction will aid in your language acquisition and cultural understanding. Even though there is a strong separation of church and state, the students are receptive to the gospel. A guide book is available in Spanish that will aid in your planning to reach students. Basic housing in and around the campus areas is readily available.

Expectations for Spouse
The spouse would be involved in the same ministry, with a special emphasis given to the women students. She would use her talents to develop relationships and carry out those special activities and events that would pull this group together and train them in discipleship and evangelism.

Language Expectations/Training
Language is not required to begin with. Tutoring or some formal study will be provided on the field. Primarily, language skills will be acquired through interaction and relationship building with the students. As a language learner, you will have unique opportunities to build relationships with students that are curious about you and interested in who you are.

Available Housing
In the case of a single, housing would most probably be with a Mexican family where the missionary can continue language learning, or possibly in an apartment with Mexican students. If the unit is a couple, a small furnished apartment will be provided.

Health Considerations
Must be in good physical condition, able to use public transportation daily (i.e. getting on and off of buses). There will be much walking involved on the university campuses, and stairs are more common than elevators. A major city in the state, adequate health care facilities and health care professionals are available, as well pharmacies.

Geographic Information
Sonora is the second largest state of Mexico,. Located in the northwestern part of the country, it is home to the Sonoran Desert, which extends northward into Arizona. Capital city of this huge state, Hermosillo has a population of 750,000. It is both an agricultural and industrial center, boasting a large FORD plant and several other international businesses. Hermosillo has a distinct California influence noted in both the culture and food of the region.

Status of Christian Witness
Its citizens are largely open to the Gospel, due to the fact that many mission groups come there but the university campuses are not very evangelized. Although there are a few Baptist and other evangelical churches in the city, the universities are basically unevangelized.

General Information
The culture is very traditional and conservative. Western style clothing is the main wear. Sometimes a coat and tie is needed for church, especially if you are speaking. A nice dress for the ladies would be appropriate. On campus neat, "preppy" styles will be most appropriate. The sloppy look is not "in".

Additional Information

To excel at this job, the missionary should exhibit these characteristics (among others):

Have a strong personal spiritual life and commitment to the vision and to prayer.
Be a team player.
Be a trainer.
Be intensely interested in improving language skills (i.e. Spanish)
Be flexible, able to work in chaos!
Have the ability to stay focused on the main task.
Know when to say no to people or things that are off-task.
Do nothing to create unhealthy dependencies among our national brothers.
Be a lifelong learner--there is much to learn about cell and house church strategy

If you think God might be calling you to join the Hermosillo team, write us at

info@nwmegacities.org