God Moves Beyond Expectations in Spain

Christ Draws Many to Him During Mi Esperanza Broadcasts

December 18, 2011 - When the local Mi Esperanza staff began to hear reports from the first night’s broadcasts, they couldn’t believe it. "They were crying, because they had thought, 'That doesn’t happen here,'" said country director Maximo Carrero.

by Bob Paulson, editor of Decision Magazine

Believers in Spain are seeing God move beyond their expectations through Mi Esperanza. Over the past few months, about 8,500 individuals from 1,100 churches were trained to be Mateos (Matthews)—people who would invite friends to watch a Gospel television program with them in their home or church.

But even though they were committed to the project, many Mateos had difficulty believing that Mi Esperanza—which has seen astounding results in Latin America, Asia and Africa—could actually be effective in Spain, where only about 1 percent of the population is Evangelical.

“They have heard so much about what God is doing in Latin America, what He is doing in Asia—what God is doing everywhere—but they felt like He hasn’t done anything in Spain,” said Mi Esperanza country director Maximo Carrero.

But on Friday in Madrid, the local Mi Esperanza staff began to hear reports from the previous night’s broadcast. “We had 11 churches reporting 225 conversions,” Carrero said. “They couldn’t believe it. They were crying, because they had thought, 'That doesn’t happen here.'”

One of the showings in Madrid Thursday night occurred at a packed Filadelfia Evangelical Church, in the neighborhood of Orcasur. Many church members brought friends who did not yet know Jesus.

Aaron Heredia had invited his lifelong friend Adrian to church many times in the past, and just a few days before Mi Esperanza, Aaron had invited Adrian to attend the program. Adrian was not interested. Then, on Thursday, they ran into each other at the gym, and Aaron tried once more. Adrian agreed to come, and the two sat together in the balcony watching a program that included a message by Billy Graham in addition to testimonies of Spanish believers.

At the end of the program, senior pastor Enrique Blanco invited people to come forward and commit their lives to Jesus Christ. Several people responded, and Adrian was among them, though it took him awhile to come.

“At first, I didn’t want to go forward,” he said later. “I was kind of shy, and I felt like something was holding me back. But the pastor said to let your heart guide you, so I went up and got right with God.”

Other stories about My Hope Spain, Dec. 15-17

Spain Primed for My Hope »
My Hope Spain: The Motivational Tour »
Bringing Peace and Reconciliation to Spain »