Mike Alexander (right) and Jimmy Abeyta became friends when Alexander visited Aurora, Colo., on a 2012 mission trip. On the trip Alexander began to sense that God was calling him to move to the community full-time. As Alexander first began exploring that call, Abeyta offered to help in the work. Photo by Erik Stenbakken/NAMB
Mike Alexander never attended seminary. He had never pastored a church. He says he didn’t even know what a church planter did. That is, until he became one.
Now, about two years after arriving in Aurora, Colo., and about 23 months after he began learning what church planters actually do, the church Alexander started has baptized more than 60 people.
The retired Texas teacher visited Aurora on a mission trip in the summer of 2012. During the trip 16 children began a relationship with Christ. As exciting as that was, Alexander couldn’t help but wonder where those children — all from one mobile home community (Foxridge Farm Mobile Home Park) in the town — would be discipled through a local church.
“There wasn’t anyone out here to disciple them, to move them along,” Alexander said. “That really touched my heart. I overheard the manager of the [community] talking to someone else on our team, saying ‘What we need is an older couple to come here and live here and minister to the people.’
“My wife and I are ex-school teachers and we could do that,” Alexander told the manager.
“Well, come on,” the manager told Alexander with a smile.
What started with God gently tugging Alexander’s heart and a short exchange with the mobile home community manager soon became a full-fledged missionary call. In the next few days he told his wife Rosemary, who had stayed behind in Texas, what God was telling him about moving to Colorado. He looked at the house he’d one day purchase. He also found his first ministry partner in the state.
“As I left the house, the first person I met was a guy named Jimmy,” Alexander said. “He’s a Native American with tattoos all over him.”
“What are you doing?” Jimmy asked Alexander.
“Well, Jimmy, I think God wants us to move here to minister to this community,” Alexander said.
“If you do that, I’ll help you,” Jimmy said.
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SOURCE: Baptist Press
Tobin Perry
