105 Million Eternal Souls
Mexico is the most populous Spanish-speaking country in the world. As the world's 13th largest country,
it is three times the size of Texas and bigger than Spain, France, Germany, Italy, and Great Britain combined.
Mexico has a greater population than any Western European country, yet half of its people are under the age
of 20.
Mexico suffered under Spanish rule for three centuries before achieving independence early in the 19th
century. It was the Spanish rule that brought Catholicism to Mexico. The Spanish Catholicism was forced
upon the Mexicans by the rule of the sword. The first generation of Mexican Catholics resented this
and were insincere in their worship; they sought every opportunity to secretly worship their pagan gods.
Detecting this, the Spanish began to integrate pagan worship practices into the Catholic worship system.
Instead of tearing down a pagan temple, the Spanish Catholics would remodel it with Catholic symbols and
Catholic idolatry. This pluralism developed so far that during Mass, both the indigenous pagan gods and
the Catholic pagan gods would be worshipped at the same time.
Today, Catholicism in Mexico has developed into its own national flavor. You may find Mexicans
who are very superstitious in an occultish type of way while clinging to the trappings and imagery of Catholicism.
Mexicans worship the Virgin of Guadalupe as a Mexican version of the Virgin Mary that the Roman Catholics
worship. Mexicans take the worship of the Virgin of Guadalupe very seriously, enough to where she
is venerated as a national hero. The Virgin of Guadalupe has her own national holiday in Mexico, December 12.
Mexicans are typically very proud of their religion and equate it to patriotism. To some of the older
people, departing from Mexican Catholicism would be akin to betraying their country.
The younger Mexicans are typically very accepting of North Americans and are open to a "better
way" that they might have to offer. Because of this, Mexicans are typically very receptive to the gospel. They
may see problems within the Catholic religion and want something better. They sincerely desire to know God.
They will stop on the street to hear a street preacher. They will eagerly receive any tracts that are
distributed and then stop at the closest bench to read it. Because of this receptiveness, false religions
have flooded Mexico like a tidal wave. Throughout Mexico there are many cities where Mormons, Jehovah's
Witnesses and Pentecostals abound; many of these same cities have no gospel witness. Where are
the fundamental Baptists?
Mexico has one of the fastest growing populations of any country in the world, yet despite misconceptions,
it is poorly evangelized. There is today thousands of towns and regions where there is no gospel representation.
What will be the spiritual future of Mexico if laborers are not sent?
Isaiah 6:8,9a "Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall
I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me. And he said, Go, and tell this people,..."
