The Ivey Family is involved in many different ministry initiatives in Peru.
Discipleship...
Jesus taught his disciples the importance of discipleship by making it a lifestyle. He spent three years of his life discipling twelve people who changed the world. Jesus also wants to use us to change the world as we disciple others. He tells us in Matthew 28:19a – “Go, then, to all peoples everywhere and make them my disciples...”
The Discipleship Ministry we currently use was begun in January of 2006. We found that many people in the churches in Peru didn’t know what it meant to truly follow the Lord Jesus Christ, so we began with three small groups of 12 people each in our house. Very soon after we began the study, several people accepted the Lord Jesus Christ. God has changed the lives and ministries of several pastors that have taken the study, as well as the lives of many other people, including us. Jesus has blessed this ministry tremendously because now we have over 3000 people that participate in discipleship groups, meeting in 6 of the 24 departments of Peru. Through this ministry, we make disciples who go out to reproduce more disciples.
The study includes eighteen different books that are presented in a simple way, but the message is deep. We meet once a week in our house for two hours with each group. The study last approximately three years. Through this study, people learn to read the Bible for what it really says, and apply it to their lives. After the participants have been in a group for about six months, they are encouraged to start their own small group, but they have to continue studying until they finish all the course.
The Discipleship Ministry we currently use was begun in January of 2006. We found that many people in the churches in Peru didn’t know what it meant to truly follow the Lord Jesus Christ, so we began with three small groups of 12 people each in our house. Very soon after we began the study, several people accepted the Lord Jesus Christ. God has changed the lives and ministries of several pastors that have taken the study, as well as the lives of many other people, including us. Jesus has blessed this ministry tremendously because now we have over 3000 people that participate in discipleship groups, meeting in 6 of the 24 departments of Peru. Through this ministry, we make disciples who go out to reproduce more disciples.
The study includes eighteen different books that are presented in a simple way, but the message is deep. We meet once a week in our house for two hours with each group. The study last approximately three years. Through this study, people learn to read the Bible for what it really says, and apply it to their lives. After the participants have been in a group for about six months, they are encouraged to start their own small group, but they have to continue studying until they finish all the course.
Leadership Training...
One of the most important goals in Peru is to train Christian leaders who can minister to others without our help. Therefore several times each year, we hold Leadership retreats for people who want to become discipleship group leaders in different places in Peru, for pastors who want to improve their ministries, and for those people who want to become more effective discipleship group leaders.
In 2010, we have begun a three-tier approach to our leadership training by holding level 1 leadership retreats for new leaders and for helping people find their call in leadership, Level 2 leadership retreats for people who are already leaders and who are going deeper in their walk with Christ and in their leadership abilities, and Level 3 leadership retreat for national missionaries who oversee several discipleship groups in different places in Peru. A workshop is held once a month for those people who really have an interest in becoming missionaries in other parts of Peru. Training national leaders is a way to be sure that the ministry does not die if the missionaries have to return to the states.
In 2010, we have begun a three-tier approach to our leadership training by holding level 1 leadership retreats for new leaders and for helping people find their call in leadership, Level 2 leadership retreats for people who are already leaders and who are going deeper in their walk with Christ and in their leadership abilities, and Level 3 leadership retreat for national missionaries who oversee several discipleship groups in different places in Peru. A workshop is held once a month for those people who really have an interest in becoming missionaries in other parts of Peru. Training national leaders is a way to be sure that the ministry does not die if the missionaries have to return to the states.
Children's ministries...
Known as Kid’s Club to us in Peru, children’s ministries are touching many lives here. Kid’s Clubs meet each week in parks, fields, or schools – wherever we can find space and children. God called Mary Alice to begin Kid’s Clubs because she didn’t have a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ as a child, and in her last year in the university, she even thought about committing suicide. After accepting Jesus as her Savior and Lord, He completely changed her life and gave her happiness and a hope that she had never had before.
Because she wanted children to experience this happiness, she began to write lessons and to teach other Peruvians how to lead children to Christ. Today Kid’s Clubs are in many different places in Peru. A typical Club will have 50-80 children who come together to sing and dance to Jesus and to learn about what it means to have a personal relationship with Him. Incorporating music, puppets, skits, large group and small group lessons, the Kid’s Club lessons touch everyone in their learning style. Led by Peruvians for Peruvians, it is a way to disciple children and youth. It also gives an open door to evangelize the parents of the children who come.
Because she wanted children to experience this happiness, she began to write lessons and to teach other Peruvians how to lead children to Christ. Today Kid’s Clubs are in many different places in Peru. A typical Club will have 50-80 children who come together to sing and dance to Jesus and to learn about what it means to have a personal relationship with Him. Incorporating music, puppets, skits, large group and small group lessons, the Kid’s Club lessons touch everyone in their learning style. Led by Peruvians for Peruvians, it is a way to disciple children and youth. It also gives an open door to evangelize the parents of the children who come.
Music ministry...
The music ministry began in the Ivey's house with a small group of people who came together to pray and worship the Lord Jesus once a week. Benjamin led the worship with a guitar. The gatherinig grew to the point that we moved to a building located near downtown Huancayo.
Little by little more people became involved in playing in the praise band, and the group decided to name the band "Advertencia", which means "Warning". It is a message of all the wonderful things that Christ wiil do in us, if we give ourselves to Him completely. The band, led by Alberto Fernandez, has played for years on Friday nights in a discotheque type atmosphere to attract youth and young adults from the streets in order to share a message about the abundant life in Jesus Christ with them. Advertencia hopes to lead people closer to Christ through worship and encourge them to become a part of a discipleship group so that they can grow in their relationship with the Lord.
Sometimes the Praise Band plays in local city parks or at church events. They have even traveled to Puerto Bermudez and San Ramon in the jungle to conduct concerts for Peruvian youth. Praising Jesus through playing instruments and singing is a wonderful way to become closer to the Lord Jesus Christ.
Little by little more people became involved in playing in the praise band, and the group decided to name the band "Advertencia", which means "Warning". It is a message of all the wonderful things that Christ wiil do in us, if we give ourselves to Him completely. The band, led by Alberto Fernandez, has played for years on Friday nights in a discotheque type atmosphere to attract youth and young adults from the streets in order to share a message about the abundant life in Jesus Christ with them. Advertencia hopes to lead people closer to Christ through worship and encourge them to become a part of a discipleship group so that they can grow in their relationship with the Lord.
Sometimes the Praise Band plays in local city parks or at church events. They have even traveled to Puerto Bermudez and San Ramon in the jungle to conduct concerts for Peruvian youth. Praising Jesus through playing instruments and singing is a wonderful way to become closer to the Lord Jesus Christ.
Evangelism...
The ministry of evangelism can be done in many ways. Arthur and Willy have built relationships with the shoeshine boys in the local parks and teach them about Christ once a week. Many of them have been changed by Jesus Christ. Many now have good stable jobs and families and are not involved in alcohol anymore.
There also are opportunities for evangelism by meeting people on the street, making friends, and leading them into a relationship with Jesus, or by making friends with neighbors. Alejandra Aquino is constantly sharing Christ with her neighbors, and many of them have accepted Christ. Sofia and Morayma shared the gospel with some of their neighbors, and they have begun a discipleship group with them. At the Kid’s Clubs, the majority of the children come from the streets, and are led into a relationship with Jesus.
There also are opportunities for evangelism by meeting people on the street, making friends, and leading them into a relationship with Jesus, or by making friends with neighbors. Alejandra Aquino is constantly sharing Christ with her neighbors, and many of them have accepted Christ. Sofia and Morayma shared the gospel with some of their neighbors, and they have begun a discipleship group with them. At the Kid’s Clubs, the majority of the children come from the streets, and are led into a relationship with Jesus.
Medical Missions ...
Working with teams of medical professionals that come from the United States, we conduct 2 to 4 medical campaigns a year. The teams from the United States join with the Peruvian team to offer medical, dental, and eye care. The team not only treats the physical man, but we have a spiritual team that gives counseling, prayer, and presents the Gospel message. Through these events many people give their lives to the Lord Jesus Christ, and working with our national missionaries, we try to incorporate them into discipleship groups, and plant new house churches in these communities. We are always blessed to see how powerful the Gospel functions during each one of these events.
Micro Enterprise Training ...
The micro enterprise training was begun by Arthur and John Pearson with help from Roswell United Methodist Church. The training is geared toward encouraging Peruvians to start and run their own small business using Biblical principles and standards. Many persons who may already have a small business benefit by learning how to run the business in a more efficient way and make it better by applying Biblical principles. In addition to the Biblical principles, the attendees learn how to evaluate the market and their business idea, how to develop business plans, and how to develop budgets. The learn principles of inventory control and other management skills.
Several of those that have received the training have opened or improved their own small business. These businesses help to provide economic support for the national missionaries working with us here in Peru. The long term goal is to create enough income from Peruvian sources to maintain the ministry.
Several of those that have received the training have opened or improved their own small business. These businesses help to provide economic support for the national missionaries working with us here in Peru. The long term goal is to create enough income from Peruvian sources to maintain the ministry.
Please join us in prayer for each of these ministry initiatives, and for the many, many other opportunities that are always present for ministry among the Peruvian people. Most of all, pray for relationships to develop and for the Gospel to be spread via relational ministries and love.
