CHURCH HISTORY

In April of 2000, missionary Larry Allred and his family arrived in Merida, Yucatan, Mexico with the purpose of starting a new Independent Baptist Church, which would serve as a base for sending missionaries into other parts of the world. They first began a home Bible Study, which slowly began to grow. After about a year, the carport was full and the small church was praying for a property to rent to hold services in. The Lord answered this prayer in a miraculous way. He provided funds for them to purchase a property that already had a building to seat about 150 people, bathrooms, an office, a room suitable for a nursery, a large room adequate for children's church, a kitchen, and a large concrete area out back perfect for youth meetings. Although the building required a complete refurbishing, the small group of believers were able to simultaneously remodel the church and launch a mass-distribution of tracts/invitations in the surrounding neighborhoods in preparation for their first service. The North Merida Baptist Church held it's Grand Opening Service on September 30, 2001. The auditorium was packed out the first day and many people came to know the Lord as their personal savior. This was a tremendous beginning for the new church and definite proof of God's omnipotence!

Since that day, the church has developed various ministries. They have continued a systematic approach of evangelizing neighborhoods in their area by tract distribution. They have a well-proven discipleship ministry for all ages. They have Friday night youth meetings including music, Bible lessons, games, and refreshments. They also have weekly prayer meetings, monthly men's prayer breakfasts, and monthly ladies Bibles Studies. On Sundays, there is a nursery, children's church and children's choir, and dynamic Bible teaching for teens and adults. After just 6 months of the Grand Opening, the church also began a mission work out in the Mayan Village, Xcuyun. A family that the Allred's have discipled goes out weekly to do door-to-door visiting and to hold a Bible Study for the children and adults. God has richly blessed this young church thus far and will no doubt continue blessing as they seek to follow God's direction in every aspect of the ministry.