My name is Sixto Martínez-Marrugo, pastor and director of Christians in Action (CinA), Colombia, married to Astrid Martínez, an extraordinary, valiant, wise, and Spirit-filled woman, who has been my great help during these years.
I had the privilege of being born into a Christian home. So, since childhood, I began relating to the things of God in His church, and specifically to evangelism.
I was baptized at 15. This same day I was asked to preach in the church—how scary! But God helped me, and from then on I have been serving the Lord as a preacher and teacher, first in Malagana, then in Palenque and San Cayetano, Sincelejo, Cartagena, and other places.
I trained as a missionary in the School of Missionary Training of the CinA Church while I pastored the CinA church in San Cayetano.
During one of the most difficult times of my life and of the CinA Colombia work, I was ordained as Pastor and Field Director of CinA Colombia in 2010. With the backing of the church, I and a group of brothers in the church dedicated ourselves to a 2-year period of prayer to seek the direction and confirmation of God.
After this time, the Lord moved us to equip ourselves through the Omega training program to be church planters over the next 2 years. In 2014 we began what became our key project—Vision 10/60, inspired by God and by the work done at that time by missionary Bob Spencer in Colombia.
In 2010 when I was ordained as a pastor, we were only one congregation. Today we have equipped more than 70 brothers and sisters as church planters, and by the grace of God have succeeded in starting over 20 new churches, showing that God is backing the growth of CinA churches in Colombia.
We are focused on the Great Commission with the project Vision 10/60. Vision 10/60 consists of founding 60 new churches, in a period of 10 years, 10 of which will be in the capital cities of the department’s (= states) of our country. Up to now, we have accomplished almost 50% of our goal; this has required much money and work.
At this moment we have 60 brothers and sisters that need to be equipped as church planters and need resources for this great labor. Resources are also needed for a vehicle to facilitate traveling to all the places where we are working. We are also praying for resources to construct church buildings since the great majority of the churches established are meeting in rented houses or in lots.
Another program that we are carrying out is helping the needy by giving them food, clothing, and, in times of emergency, mattresses, and sheets, among other things. Also, we are praying because we need dental instruments for clinics for general health and dentistry.
