Digital communication is revolutionizing the public media and the publishing world. It also impacts the relationships between missionaries and churches. Several years ago Pastor Henry Herrera of La Iglesia de Dios de la Santa Trinidad in Medellin, Colombia discovered that with the assistance of the Spanish Publications Director, Gonzalo Delgadillo, of Multi-Language Publications, he could continue to serve members who had moved to Spain and France. This led to an international church that includes Spanish-speaking participants who live in Europe, South America, Mexico, the United States and even in Asia. While the original effort aimed to retain members, it has become an outreach effort through which new congregations are forming in specific locales in Colombia.

How does an international church relate to traditional congregations and national churches? Who is responsible for the ministry? Who encourages the ministry? Who interacts with the ministry when doctrinal or pastoral issues arise? These were the kinds of questions the Latin American Missionary Conference in Leon, Mexico wrestled with in November 2010. Brothers in Christ who share the same faith and commitment to share the gospel were able to come to God-pleasing solutions.

The Spanish-speaking international church, which at this point is defined as a ministry of the congregation in Medellin, is responsible for those who cannot be served by an existing congregation. The ministry provides worship, Bible study and fellowship, while it looks for opportunities to encourage its contacts and members to become involved in local congregations when possible. The ministry also seeks to work with national church bodies, the WELS Administrative Committee for Latin America, Latin American Traveling Theological Educators, and the Distance Learning Program of Multi-Language Publications.