Into The Heart of Argentina

The Beginning

As a missionary kid, Ivan heard the gospel from the beginning. When he was a child he accepted Jesus, mostly out of fear of hell and separation from his parents. As a teenager Ivan more fully recognized what Jesus had done for him and out of love he recommitted his life to Christ and began to grow spiritually.

A neighbor took Kim to church when she was a child, and she also attended an after school Bible club. But it wasn’­t until her junior year of high school that Kim confronted the reality of Jesus and the gift of salvation that He offered. Kim had just turned 17 when she surrendered her life to Jesus and committed herself to doing whatever He wanted.

Church

Ivan is an associate pastor at Countryside Bible Church in Jonesville, Michigan. But in seventeen years of attending, the Lord has opened many doors of service. These include serving as the youth pastor, deacon, an AWANA leader, Sunday School teacher, small group leader, and worship leader. Other opportunities allowed Ivan to organize missions conferences, oversee the Helps Ministry program, lead short-term mission trips both here and overseas, and help with pulpit supply.

In 2001 the Hoyts spent one year in Africa, filling in for missionaries on furlough. Ivan served as the construction manager for New Hope Uganda, a ministry dedicated to bringing “the fatherhood of God to the fatherless”. He was also part of the management team that oversaw the ministry of over 50 staff, 180 orphans living on-site, and another 250 students who came from surrounding villages. It was a profound and intense year of learning ministry.

Kim has served as a Sunday School teacher, church secretary, and pastor’­s wife. There have been opportunities for her to help with youth group activities, to be involved with the women’­s ministries, participate in short-term mission projects and trips, work behind-the-scenes on missions conferences, and design and create various church publications. Kim serves as hostess for small group Bible studies and other activities in their home.

Educational Background

Ivan has a B.A. in Biblical Studies from Grace College in Winona Lake, Indiana, while Kim’­s B.A. is in Communication from Spring Arbor University. They also took some courses in a Theological Practorium while living in Florida.

Work History

For the past nineteen years Ivan has worked for The Manor Foundation, a residential treatment facility for mentally and emotionally impaired children. For nine years Ivan and Kim served as houseparents, and for the next ten years Ivan was their facilities maintenance supervisor. During this time he maintained his residential builder’­s license and worked on a variety of remodeling and construction projects. Prior to this Ivan worked in sales, helping to set records in his department at the Kenworth dealership in Miami, Florida. During his early college years Ivan worked as a production welder, maintenance supervisor, and office manager.

Kim has been primarily a stay-at-home mom and homeschool teacher for Jon (25) and Tina (21). She took vocational training during high school and has held several secretarial jobs over the years and had her own desktop publishing business for a few years after finishing college. She worked alongside Ivan when they were houseparents. Kim worked part-time as a bank teller for several years, but resigned recently to have more time to study Spanish.

Family

Ivan and Kim have been married 28 years. God has blessed them with two children: Jon graduated from Hillsdale College in 2004 and was married to Natalie Burke in August 2007. After graduating from the one year program at Word of Life Bible Institute, Tina is living at home and taking classes at the community college. One of their greatest pleasures was serving together in Africa, when Jon decided to take a semester off of college and join them.

Despite many troubles over the last century, most Argentines remained resilient and hopeful about the future. They survived the worldwide depression of the ‘30s, the rise of military dictator Juan Peron (who hasn’t heard of his popular wife Evita?) and the Dirty War of the ‘70s and ‘80s when tens of thousands simply “disappeared.” But the recent economic and political upheaval that saw a revolving door of presidents in and out of the ‘Pink House’ (five in two weeks!) finally shook their confidence. And Argentina does have plenty to cry about these days, from an economy that nosedived in 2001 to continuing political unrest and a fragile government. The average Argentine struggles and wonders if there’s any hope for the future.

In the past the people also looked to the Catholic Church for hope, especially in times of trouble. But many Argentines today are Catholic in name only, rarely if ever attending church at all. Young people especially are open to new ideas. Unfortunately many are turning to eastern and New Age religions instead of discovering the only true hope that is found in Christ.

At various times in the past century, revival has helped spread the Good News and it is estimated that evangelical Christians make up about 7% of the population. Most missionary activity is centered in Buenos Aires. Our targeted area is in the center of the country, not far from the second largest city, Cordoba. The Punilla Valley stretches 54 miles and Carlos Paz is the first city in the valley (also the largest) with a population of approximately 60,000 and growing and in desperate need of solid Bible-teaching churches.

Biblical Ministry Worldwide Missionaries Tito and Adriana Ramirez moved to Carlos Paz three years ago. Currently there is a group meeting regularly there on Sundays—a church in its embryonic stage. The Ramirez’ are also having a Bible study in the nearby town of Malagueno. We will be joining the Ramirez’ in the work in Carlos Paz, with the long-term vision of planting churches throughout the Punilla Valley. There are more than a dozen cities in the valley with populations over 10,000, and the strategy will be to reach these cities one by one.

So what will we be doing to achieve this objective? First we must become a part of the community and get to know the people. Evangelization and discipleship will be the natural outgrowth of those relationships, followed by training leaders who will, in turn, disciple those whom they are leading to the Lord. When we feel the leaders are prepared, we will move on to the next city. Obviously that’s the short version!

On a day-to-day basis, we will be interacting with those God brings into our lives. We’ll be opening our home for meals and get-togethers, becoming involved in activities that allow us to meet people, having Bible studies with families or small groups, visiting families in their homes, discipling new believers, mentoring potential leaders and involving them in the ministry; in effect, using every means and opportunity to serve the people of Argentina and bring them to a saving knowledge of Christ. And one by one, developing autonomous, Bible believing churches throughout the Punilla Valley.

Mission

• Biblical Ministries Worldwide

Family

• Our son Jon
• Our daughter Cristina

Friends

• The Daysman

Like you, I receive many letters like this one, recommending a missionary to our ministry. And I also struggle with the process of selecting some out of the many to present their work in our church. At Countryside we are in the process of defining a way to better screen applicants. One of the things that concerned us in the past is the relative few that are going with the specific goal of planting churches. A second concern involves the extended time it takes for language and cultural proficiency. We have supported missionaries for years before they were able to share the message of Christ even once.

The Hoyt’s ministry has neither of these concerns. Ivan and Kim are burdened for the lost in Argentina and are purposing to evangelize their target area and plant churches there. Ivan is an MK, his parents were missionaries in Argentina for many years. He is fluent in the language and comfortable in the culture. It is true Kim has some language and cultural bridges to cross, but what a benefit to have Ivan already proficient in these areas.

Ivan and Kim have been an active part of the ministry at Countryside for many years and Ivan has served on staff as associate pastor since 1996. Six years ago they took a leave of absence to fill in for missionaries on furlough. It was during their year in Uganda that the burden for missions grew heavy and they returned with a purpose to serve the Lord on the mission field.

I ask that you bring this couple before your missions committee and pray together to see if God would have you partner with this church planting ministry in Argentina. If you have any further questions, please feel free to contact me.

In His Service,
John A. Lillie
Senior pastor
Countryside Bible Church
(517) 849-9338