Cultivating collaboration to see the Kingdom Flourish in Latin America
Collab Quarterly is our initiative designed to highlight some of the work of South America Mission’s Church Engagement Branch. This page was created as a resource for your church to learn of unique opportunities to engage with the kingdom work being done across Latin America and prayerfully consider the ways your community is being called to participate in this work.
Email thomas.desouza@southamericamission.org to learn more about signing up for this opportunity.
Reading the stories about the apostle Paul in the Scriptures is both inspiring and invigorating, especially for those in ministry. One of my favorite narratives about his life and ministry is actually narrated in 1st person by the apostle. In Galatians 2:1 – 10 he tells the story of when he went to Jerusalem 14 years after his last visit to the city, this time he was eager to show the fruit of his God given message: the life transformation of a gentile, Titus. That encounter between Paul and Barnabas with the pillars of the Jerusalem church (John, James and Peter) generated many fruits to the kingdom of God. Some are: trust in one another; belief in the work done among the gentiles; trust in the power of the gospel message; the right hand of fellowship for these gospel workers; and an awareness of gospel freedom and contextualization.
Nevertheless, I believe this encounter also influenced one of the biggest decisions made in the early church in a bigger meeting registered in Acts 15:1-35. At the occasion it was proclaimed that there is no need for circumcision for Gentile believers. After these events, the church in Jerusalem was connected to the work of Paul and his peers more than ever, and consequently, the Gentile churches later invested in the work done in Jerusalem (2 Corinthians 8). Gospel transformation inspires belief and collaboration!
I reflect on this story in this post because I believe in the power of witnessing Gospel Transformation in different contexts. It fans the inner flame for the Gospel. In April, SAM is providing an opportunity for pastors and church leaders to witness Gospel Transformation within a different cultural context. We are thrilled to take a group to see what God is doing in the city of Lima, Peru. In this four-day trip, our group will have the privilege to see a growing church multiplication network in one of the principal megacities of South America. At the very heart of this movement is a multilayered gospel ecosystem that serves the city in many ways and attests to the glory of God through unity and collaboration.
For the last 9 years Julio Chiang, our missionary and the host for the vision trip, has been the catalyzer of this movement that has already impacted 180 leaders, planted 14 churches, revitalized 6 and established 2. As he himself puts it “after all these years, we are getting to see the fruit of our work, and it is very encouraging what only the Gospel can do in a city like Lima”.
I know that you are also seeing gospel transformation in your context – praise God! So why should you consider going on this vision trip? Because seeing gospel transformation beyond your context will inspire you. It will inspire you to believe in the Gospel you preach, it will inspire you to continue grinding for the kingdom, to see the church with a global perspective. We also hope that this trip will fuel collaboration across pastors and churches in your area and the connection between Lima and local churches in the US.
In the last 4 days of 2025, my wife and I (Thomas) attended the Urbana Conference (a mission conference for college-aged students) with a team from South America Mission. The event was very impactful for me and for many of the 7000 people who were there to learn about God’s mission to the nations. A big goal for the event was to help college students learn 3 things: What God reveals in his Word; What God is doing in the world at this moment; and What is calling me to do.
Our team had the goal to be kingdom-centered as opposed to brand-centered, and I witnessed how God allowed us to speak truth and share wisdom to hundreds of young people who were trying to discern their next step. We were all very encouraged by the ways God used those days to reorient our hearts for His mission. For a more thorough (and better written) testimony about the event please read this blog post – I highly recommend it!
I was particularly inspired by a seminar led by Lisa Pack to pastors and mission leaders. She used the example of David and Solomon to show how to invest in the next generation. As opposed to Saul, jealous and unwise, David set up Solomon for success. He provided what was needed to build the temple, a project that he could have done himself, but was instructed by God that it was a task for his son to complete. Thus, David set up his son to a successful endeavor and set in motion his legacy by transferring all of his relational, political and economic capital unto the young king (1 Chronicles 28 and 29).
So here is the question: How much time, resources, and wisdom have you poured unto the next generation of kingdom workers around you? South America Mission is excited to invest in the younger generation. We see God at work, and we would like to invite you to invest in their lives alongside us.
Here are some ways you can partner with us in this endeavor:
SEND: Send your best young folks to our upcoming summer internship. This will be a great way for them to serve others, learn from experienced missionaries, discern their calling and gain missiological knowledge.
GIVE: Help us support the next generation and set them up to success by financially supporting our initiatives to mobilize, train and deploy them.
