Juan Arjona is from Coatzacoalcos, Veracruz, Mexico. When he was nineteen, he moved to Monterrey, Mexico, where he earned a degree in Civil Engineering, and later worked in construction. In 1990, he began working full-time with Compañerismo Estudiantil Cristiano (Intervarsity Christian Fellowship of Mexico). He married Martha Garzon in October 1991. They have three children, Liliana, Jose, and Ricardo. In September 1996, they moved to Escondido, CA, to study at Westminster Seminary.
Although Juan had been reared in a Presbyterian family, it was not until December 31, 1975, that he accepted Jesus Christ as his personal Savior at a high school retreat. Since that time, God has been changing his life daily. After the retreat, God gave him encouragement to talk with his classmates and friends about his new life in Christ. In the beginning, they did not believe that the LORD could have changed his life. But months later, God enabled him to begin a Bible study group in the school. Some of his friends accepted Christ in this small group, which made a great impact to the entire school. After that, he started going to retreats of Compañerismo Estudiantil Cristiano (CEC) twice a year, which helped him to prepare to talk to classmates and friends about Christ.
He received training in evangelism, discipleship, and leadership, as preparation for leading small Bible study groups. He also ministered with his church, evangelizing in other congregations and in local missions on the weekends. During his last year of high school, he helped to minister at a mission church which was located in a tropical mountain village about four hours away from his town. It was there that GOD planted the seeds of a call to the ministry of the gospel.
In August, 1978, Juan left his home town to study Civil Engineering in Monterrey, Mexico. During his fifth semester, GOD gave him the opportunity of becoming the leader of a small group Bible study. They prayed that God would allow them to share His Gospel. In September, 1981, they borrowed facilities from a Presbyterian church near the university to have the first contact events, where 15 students became Christians. From September, 1981, to December, 1983, the group grew to eighty members. They had more than thirty students working with new Christians in discipleship. They created a small library and organized a retreat for fellowship and training. Their large group meetings attracted students from other universities, which led to the starting of bible study groups in other universities in the city. In 1983 there were around twenty small bible study groups with more than two hundred and fifty students serving the Lord.
Alongside his work at the university, Juan also served in the church (National Presbyterian Church) where he attended, working with the youth, and preaching on Sunday evenings, once or twice at month. In addition, he worked with three other churches, and supported two mission churches of the Presbytery. He increasingly felt God's call to the ministry during this time. In 1980, he had dreamed of owning a construction company, but by 1983 he just wanted to proclaim the Gospel to everybody. He became known by his classmates and professors as a radical Christian who spoke of Jesus and His good news to everybody! He prayed that GOD would prepare him to serve His people.
In August, 1982, he began working on a part-time basis with Inter-Varsity small groups, leading Bible studies, discipleship, evangelism, and pastoral care. In April, 1987, he began to work full-time as a civil engineer, but part-time as a helper in his church, teaching Adult Sunday School, leading Reformed Doctrinal studies, serving as Youth Pastor, and preaching. He attended Urbana’s Student Missions Convention in 1984 and 1987. There, GOD gave Juan the opportunity to meet Dr. Dick Van Halsema (Reformed Bible College).
In July, 1988, as he was working in Monterrey in the construction of a freeway, Dr. Van Halsema called him to say that Missionary Monthly Student Fund had granted him a scholarship. Through that scholarship, he was able resign from his job and to study English at Michigan State University in the Fall of 1988.
By January, 1990, GOD allowed Juan to serve as a full-time staff worker with Inter-Varsity in Monterrey. In January, 1992, he became the regional director for the entire northern region of Mexico. This experience enriched virtually every area of his life. By God’s grace, the work grew in a amazing way. When he was just beginning in the position of regional director, there were no cell groups outside the city of Monterrey, and the groups that did exist in the city were discouraged. There was no pastoral care for the most of the student cell group leaders, much less a network of pastoral discipleship. There were only a few sparks of enthusiasm in some students, which eventually disappeared over time. A few leaders remained faithful in spite of insufficient support. But GOD began to provide young people faithful to Him, willing to give their time and energy to be trained to serve Him. By December, 1995, there were six cities with established groups, forty-five Bible study groups, thirty weekly prayer meetings, eighty small group leaders, five hundred students engaged in cell groups, seven additional cities with contacts interested in establishing groups, twelve volunteer staff workers, and one full-time salaried staff worker (Juan).
In 1990, Juan met my wife Martha, who was from Hermosillo, Sonora. She had gone to Monterrey to study in a master's program in Psychology. While studying, Martha taught in the Technologic of Monterrey and worked as family therapist. She helped Juan with the discipleship of Inter-Varsity women leaders.
In the fall of 1996, the Arjonas moved to Escondido, CA, so that Juan could begin studying at Westminster Theological Seminary. God provided a scholarship for the tuition and support for their living expenses through New Life Church in Escondido. The Seminary studies shaped his reformed theology and gave him the tools necessary to develop a Hispanic ministry.
When they arrived in Escondido, the Arjonas discovered that there were no Hispanic Presbyterian churches in the city. After graduation from Westminster, Juan was called and ordained by the South Coast Presbytery of the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) as a minister of the Gospel.
The Arjonas are now actively planting an Hispanic PCA church in the Mission Park area of Escondido, preaching the Good News of Christ, and giving pastoral care to Hispanic families. Their goal is to disciple new leaders and support staff who will be faithful collaborators in the work.
Juan and Martha Arjona
1602 Alapat Drive
Escondido, CA 92027
Home Phone: (760) 735-9308
Cell Phone: (760) 500-9327
E-mail: juanarjona@beamm.org
To Support Them Financially,
please send your gifts to:
Mission to North America
1700 North Brown Rd., Suite 101
Lawrenceville, GA 30043-8141
Account #: Juan Arjona
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