Mission to Mexico

Mission to Mexico
What we do: 
We teach Bible in various ways:

1. In the Mexican University movement called COMPA (US=InterVarsity Christian Fellowship or IVCF).
2. In Bible Schools and Seminaries.
3. By promoting a theological distance school.
4. By writing Bible book summaries and articles that support Bible learning on renuevalamente.org
5. In one day workshops: “The Bible: One Book, One day.”  English and Spanish
6. By Facebook page: Renueva la Mente, which promotes discussión, and conferences.
7. By making study books available to students 
8. Home Bible studies and one on one studies.

If you don´t understand your faith, you can´t share it.

Intensive courses
After many years of trying to get a distance school to go in January 2010 we tried something new. We invited four girls to our house to study a course in a week. They were excited to come an study. They actually stayed 2 weeks and did two courses. 

Now we encourage people to do intensive courses when every they can.  99 courses have been studied in thes one week encounters. This has greatly increased the effectiveness of the distance school. Our next intensive will run from the July 28 till August 3, 2013. Be praying that the Lord send to us students who what to understand his Word.

Blogging
In 2007 I broke my ankle. As a result I had to do something with all the free time and I began blogging.

In 2008 I began doing summaries of the books of the Bible. In April 2013 the visits to the blog were 5246.

Historical Religious Context

Prihispanic Mexico
Mexican is a very religious nation. Before the arrivial of the Spanish the gods represented the forces of nature. 

1. Mexican gods were the forces of nature: the sun, moon, wind, rain, and sexuality.

2. Mexican rulers became gods when they put on their masks and costumes.

3. Leadership was based on will power and resources but a strict caste system.

4. Slave labor got the work done.

 
Colonial Mexico
In 1524 Catholic priests began Evangelizing Mexico. They came as agents of the Catholic church and Spain to expand both church and government. Spanish soldiers carrying swords protected priests as they announced the gospel.

Some priests baptized as many a five million. Mexico became  a Catholic country in some 80 years. Few new catholics could read. The Catholic Church, fearful of the Protestant Reformation, prohibited laymen from reading Scripture or even own a Bible. The only gospel the people heard was Mass, where Christ´s death was re-enacted. It is a magical momente where bread becomes Christ, with no real explanation. 

Independent Mexico
Independent Mexico came as a result of the French Revolucion (1789) and the Napoleonic conquiest that followed. When Napoleon conquerored Spain most of Latin America gained their independance from Spain which was ruled by the French.  Mexicans were loyal Spanish subjects, who were loyal to the Roman Catholic Church. 

Liberal Mexico 1855-1872.
In the middle 1800´s President Benito Juarez thought people should read and not just light candles. He knew protestant nations were more successful economically. In his diary he wrote: Mexico’s progress depends on the advance of the gospel. So around 1860 he opened Mexico to the Protestants.
When Evangelicals and Liberal Protestants came they had a mixed message: Christ AND education will make the world safe for democracy and progress. Even though schools were set up all over by Protestants, Mexico remained a Catholic nation.  There were not enough protestants to make a difference.  

37 years of Experience
In 1976, John and Jan, started teaching in a variety of Bible schools and seminaries. They have also filled  teaching and administrative roles in University student ministry, called Compa. 

Our Family
Their children were born and live in Monterrey.
Joel, an architect, is married to an architect, Ivette, and have two girls, 5 and 2.  He works for an American company in Monterrey
Cristina, a psychologist, is married to Alejandro Cartagena, a artistic photographer, and has her own clinic.  They have a baby boy, Fausto.
Joana established an English school (ESL) called More English.  Her special boyfriend is Samuel.

Monterrey, Nuevo León, Mexico
We live in Monterrey, a city of 3.5 million, the third largest in Mexico.   Monterrey (mountain of the king) is proud of its industrial output and its universities.

Web pages:
www.renuevlamente.org
http://kenningtonkronicle.blogspot.com
mxjoja@gmail.com
juankennington@gmail.com
We also have a group in facebook, but a member of the page needs to invite you into the group "Mission to Mexico".

Physical Address:
Snail mail in Mexico is slow and takes up to 3 months to arrive.
John & Jan Kennington
Privada Encino 212, Col. Rincón de la Sierra , Guadalupe, Nuevo León 67190
México      (52)-81-1092-2264   

Donations:
Mission to Mexico : ICF
909 NE 30th Street
Portland, 97232, Oregon
503-234-6776