The Need in Mexico

When people think of Mexico they conjure up images of picturesque vacation destinations, colorful colonial homes, exquisite meals, and warm-hearted and easy-going people who enjoy lively music and fiestas. Unfortunately, they also think of crime, violence, drugs, and ubiquitous corruption. For those that view the rich culture of Mexico, it is often challenging to see past the brightly colored flowers, the festive music, and the exquisite foods to observe a syncretistic worldview that pervades every fiber of the cultural fabric of the country.

Mexican Religious Roots

The Mexican people are a people of admirable faith, but for many, the object of their faith is not in keeping with the Biblical teaching of the Word of God. Mexico’s religious roots run deep, going back centuries to pre-Hispanic beliefs and practices. When Spain arrived to colonize Mexico early in the 16th century they encountered a polytheistic pagan religious system focused on the worship of the sun based on human sacrifice and the mother of the gods, Tonantzin.

After Mexico’s tragic defeat by the swords and the diseases of the Spanish Conquistadors, the indigenous people of Mexico were left with no choice but to adopt the religious practices of their Catholic masters. In less than fifteen years, the mother of the gods, Tonantzin, was eventually usurped by the virgin of Guadalupe after, according to the legend, she appeared to a young peasant named Juan Diego and declared herself to be the mother of Mexico and an incarnation of the Virgin Mary.

Becoming Catholic in Mexico

As Mexico became a colony of Spain it was required to embrace Roman Catholicism. The resulting hybrid was a syncretistic belief system that simply painted a thin Catholic veneer over the Aztec religious worldview devoid of exclusive faith in the person and work of Jesus Christ alone for the forgiveness of sin.

In 1900 99.1% of Mexico was Roman Catholic and in 2010 83.9% of Mexicans declared themselves Roman Catholics. For many Roman Catholics in Mexico their faith is deposited in three places: 1.) The Virgin Mary. 2.) Jesus Christ 3.) Adherence to the sacraments of the church as a necessary means through which they obtain from God the grace of justification. Mexico has the second-largest number of Catholics of any country in the world, second only to Brazil.

Protestants in Mexico

Evangelical Protestants of all denominations who profess faith in Christ alone for the forgiveness of their sins represent just over 6% of the population and this number seems to inflate the reality as it represents any person identifying as Christian and non-Catholic. To put this into perspective, in the United States of America 48.5% of the population declared themselves to be Protestant resulting in nearly 50 out of 100 people identifying as Protestant while in Mexico it is generous to say that 6 out of every 100 people have understood and obeyed the gospel message.

The Need for Missions in Mexico

Among Mexico’s population, 5 million are nonreligious, and according to the government census of 2010, the number of atheists is growing annually by 5.2%.

 The exclusive message of the gospel of Jesus Christ requires that He alone be the object of our faith and the only means by which sinful people can be declared righteous in the presence of God.

This is our prayer for Mexico, that each of Mexico’s 130 million people would hear the gospel and believe upon the name of Jesus Christ.

Would join us in praying for Mexico and partnering to make mature disciples of Jesus Christ in Mexico?

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