by Steve Irvin, an Alliance international worker serving in Spain
With so much need in the dry spiritual landscape of Europe, some might question the wisdom of calling the Alliance churches of Spain to look beyond their challenging context and consider their role in taking the gospel to other nations. After all, there are not even 30 Alliance congregations in the country, and hundreds of Spanish towns still have no visible evangelical witness to this day.
But God’s revealed plan is that people from every tribe, tongue, and nation be redeemed and worship before His throne in eternity (Rev. 7:9–12). He has called His Church to proclaim Christ and to make disciples of all peoples (Matt. 28:19–20)—to give gospel access for and from all nations.
Jesus exhorted the disciples, “Do you not say, ‘There are yet four months, then comes the harvest?’ Look, I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see that the fields are white for harvest” (John 4:35, ESV).
“Lift Up Your Eyes!” became the theme of the first national missions conference in the 40-year history of The Alliance in Spain.
Miraculous Provision
More than 150 people from 14 churches came together in Madrid for two days of communal worship and preaching through main sessions and workshops. The event informed and inspired participants on different aspects of cross-cultural missions.
Joy, unity, and a sense of expectancy permeated the meetings. The Word was preached with passion and anointing, and at the closing service more than 30 people, including a 10-year-old boy, responded publicly to the invitation, saying, “Here am I, send me!”
Months of prayer and planning went into this first-ever event as we believed God would cultivate a vision and passion for cross-cultural missions in the life of our churches. We worried about the level of engagement we would have, but the Lord moved among us in a special way.
We planned for 120 participants, but the final count was 155. The number swelled beyond that for the main sessions, which were open to the public. At first, we planned for 100 meals and then raised that number to 150; somehow the Lord multiplied the arroz con pollo, and 170 people were served! God met our needs above and beyond what we had asked and prayed.
The Move of the Spirit
In each of the three main sessions, international workers shared their testimony, and worship teams from different churches led us to the throne. They performed songs in their various cultural styles, which richly complemented and contrasted with one another. It was a time of great celebration and reminded us that God’s plan for the world includes all ethnic groups.
In the Saturday night closing service, a young Spaniard, Yael*, shared about her call to missions. She came to Christ when she was 19 and was baptized in the church founded in Granada by former Alliance international workers, Joel and Nancy Martínez.
Two years later, Yael saw a video about individuals being transformed by God through hearing the Scriptures in their mother tongue. It was then that the Holy Spirit began to forge in Yael the call to be a Bible translator.
She has now completed advanced studies in linguistics and is raising support to go through Wycliffe as a missionary translator. Yael will be the first international worker to come from The Alliance in Spain. Her humble attitude and passionate heart are compelling. After she spoke, attendees gave generously to an offering dedicated to helping send Yael to the field.
God did a work at this missions conference that we pray will bring more passion for international missions to our churches. We are asking God to send out Yael and many more like her from The Alliance in Spain. We lift our eyes to Him and His purpose for the nations: that Christ be exalted among all peoples!
*Name changed