News from the City of Eternal Spring: Let’s go to Colombia
Lord willing, I plan to visit Medellín, Colombia on November 7-17, 2025 and I’d like to take a group of Fellowship leaders with me. It’s an opportunity to expose our churches and church leaders to the possible partnership between your church and a church plant in Colombia.
Parkdale Baptist Church in Belleville, ON sent one of their mission team leaders last year and recently began a partnership with the “Grace and Truth” (Gracia y Verdad) church plant just outside Medellín. A short-term missions team recently went to Colombia and Aaron Lalvani sent me the following report:
It has been an incredible journey working alongside El Redil Gracia y Verdad for the past year. In this short time Parkdale has sent one adult team (November 2024) and recently a youth team (March 2025). The purpose of each of these teams was different. In the case of the adult team, building a close relationship with the current church members and families was an important objective. For the youth team it was leaning on the El Redil pastor’s remarkable Bible-training abilities and assisting with the building of a hydroponic garden lab.
The El Redil movement has been successfully planting churches for decades. As Parkdale Baptist Church focuses on our 2030 Vision of church planting in our communities, we believe there are opportunities to learn and grow with Gracia y Verdad.
During March break this year a team of seven students and five adults were in La Ceja working with Gracia y Verdad (our partner church). … Using the teaching skills of the pastors, the youth went through four half-days of intensive Bible training using a 9 Marks program. The modules included: What is the Gospel? What is a Healthy Church? Missions and Leadership. The breakout sessions and discussion group conversations were remarkable. The youth enjoyed the teaching and commented on a deeper understanding of Scriptures and their roles within the church.
The Bible verse that forms our partnership is: Romans 1:10-12.
Join me November 7-17, 2025 in Colombia
Fellowship International missionary Phil Webb and myself are hosting a Colombian Vision Tour (CVT) in November to expose Fellowship leaders to the possibility of partnering in the Medellín area. Our mission has worked for decades with a Colombian association of Baptist Churches (FIBEC), within a network of 18 churches called El Redil. They are planting churches and I hope some of our Fellowship churches will support them in this Gospel effort.
Please click here to get a fuller understanding of the vision and objective of this CVT.
Trip details:
What: Colombia Vision Tour
When: November 7-17, 2025
Where: Medellín, Colombia
Cost: $2,400 per person; includes flights to and from Colombia, and in-country accommodation, meals, and travel
Why: To visit church planting projects and consider a five-year partnership between your local church and an El Redil church plant. We will also visit with Fellowship International missionaries Diego and Claudia Cardona.
Hosts: Phil Webb and Steve Jones, along with in-country hosts Carlos and J.J.
Registration: Contact Steve Jones (sjones@fellowship.ca or 519-821-4830 x231). Registration and payment ($2,400) must be received by the August 1, 2025 deadline.
I hope to hear from you on or before August 1, 2025.