Central Church of God
5301 Sardis Road Charlotte, NC 28270
Central America and Mexico
Central supports ministries and missionaries in the following countries in Central America and Mexico. Click on the countries below for more information:
Panama
Belize
Guatemala
Mexico
Central has been active in Panama for the past 12 years, supporting the National Church of God as well as one of Central's own missionaries, Jean Parks. The Lord has blessed Jean with a tremendous ministry in Panama City. The "Heart To Heart Prayer Ministry" was established in 2001 and classes were developed and taught from Titus 2:1-15. The ministry is set up to train and work individually with the pastors in 4-5 churches weekly for at least six(6)months in order to find and disciple non-believers, teach the Word of God, feed their families, create prayer groups, hold baptisms and teach church doctrine classes. The entire family must come to the classes and frequent visits are made to establish a relationship with them outside of the church classes, which are usually 60-190 new persons. Many of them become members of the church and are now leaders. This is how God has used the ministry to help increase the growth of the churches. The ministry also travels to teach in the Indian areas in Veraguas each year and has taken over 1,000 lbs. of food, clothing, and toys for the children. The Heart to Heart Prayer Ministry travels to Bocas del Toro, Chiriquí, Santiago, Colon and other places to teach and feed monthly. The ministry goal is to find the lost sheep and disciple, mentor, love and help create a Godly foundation to build and stand on for life applications. We thank God for his direction, grace and favor that he has provided through many helping hands.
Central has also supported the ministry of Pastor Roberto Taton for many years. The Restoration International Outreach Ministry – Church of God Central Belen has been developing different kinds of ministries throughout many provinces in Panama for the past 11 years. Pastor Taton's ministry includes various outreaches such as medical mission trips, social support, evangelistic crusades, construction mission trips, youth mission trips, as well as hospital ministry and prison ministry, including counseling and financial support. The outreach works in more than fifty communities of extreme poverty and difficult access, placing a strong emphasis family life.
Central has been supporting the ministry of Pastor Arcenio Salas in Punta Gorda for many years. Pastor Salas ministers in all of the surrounding areas of Southern Belize, including planting a church in Big Falls.
Dennis and Betsy Steinmetz have been members of Central Church of God for about 13 years and are a part of a mission organization called Equip, Inc.
Dennis and Betsy minister in the Toledo District, the poorest of all the 6 districts in the Central American country of Belize. Their ministry involves Health and Sanitation teaching that is coupled with a Biblical message. It is called Community Health Evangelism (CHE), which is an interdenominational program of development that integrates physical and spiritual ministry. Their goal is that those they reach will know a God who can be trusted to meet all their needs.
Presently much of their development work is within churches belonging to the "United Pastor's Fellowship" of the Toledo District, many of whom lead Pentecostal congregations. As they share with these people how to develop safe sources of water and practice simple sanitation and disease prevention techniques, they are also able to teach them how to live Biblically. As their work continues they are endeavoring to reach out into the remotest villages of Belize through this core group of churches.
Central has been involved in Guatemala through the Junglemedic Missions ministry of Bryan and Riechelle Buchanan. Bryan & Riechelle Buchanan provide medical and dental care for 37 Mayan Indians villages in the remote jungles, rivers, and mountains along the Rio Dulce River area in Guatemala. Thanks to the Lord and the people of Central Church of God they have a dorm facility that they use to house teams and also an Emergency Medical Clinic that enables them to take care of all medical emergencies in the area.
Bryan and Riechelle also host teams of doctors, dentists, and other medical personnel as well as non-medical teams from churches, youth groups and short-term mission teams.
Central supports the ministry of Ricardo Ramirez, Jr. in Guadalajara. The son of Pastor Ramirez in Chile, Ricardo and his family came to live in Even though they started the work with a radio program, meetings in hotels and rented places, most of the work has been done in the streets of the city.
The work has been hard since most of the population is deeply captive to a traditional religious way of thinking and very few are willing to hear or receive the fresh Word of Jesus. Beside that, the majority of people live in extreme poverty and are easily deceived and manipulated by all kinds of false doctrine.