The Zacchaeus Project– More detail
This is the first time I encounter a ministry that gives answers to my challenges personally and familial, and is direct, sincere and full of content.
The Zacchaeus[1] Project is a Top-Down strategy to Influence the Influencers of Latin America for Christ through a Relational Evangelism and Discipleship approach. Richard and Margarita Houston have adapted and transferred a successful methodology and prepared materials just as their Influential friends in Latin America are at the apex of their careers and Richard and Margarita are at the apex of their ministries. They are preparing teams to repeat, grow, sustain and perpetuate this ministry. They have a STAR strategy that allows them to go beyond the walls of the church and behind the walls of Influencers’ communities – a target demographic of Latin American “Zacchaeuses”.
Vision:
To see God raise up fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ among the Influential people of Latin America.
Mission:
To Influence the Influencers of Latin America for Christ through relational evangelism, apologetics and discipleship.
The Zacchaeus Project is a …
- Paradigm Shift[2]
- Top-Down approach
- To Influence for Christ the Influencers, the “Zacchaeuses”, of Latin America
The Plan
1. Target Demographic:
The target demographic is the Influential people (“Zacchaeuses”) living in Colombia and Peru. Richard and Margarita Houston have established long-term (40 years) Relational Networks with Influential people. These Influential people are spiritually needy, passive seekers but are overlooked and underserved. They live behind gated and walled communities to insulate them from the rest of the society. None-the-less, they respond positively to an individualized personal approach such as Relational Evangelism.
2. Methodology:
The ministry is based on a relational evangelism and discipleship model with over 40 years of successful ministry in the USA. This approach has been translated and culturally adapted and successfully field-tested in The Woodlands and Latin America. It is a model that works outside the walls of the church yet inside the walled and gated communities of the influential in Latin America.
It is personal and addresses the three principle barriers to faith in Christ.
- The Emotional Barrier – due to bad experiences with Christians or Christianity
- The Intellectual Barrier – due to bad information about Christianity and the Bible
- The Volitional Barrier – due to the bad human nature
3. Tested Materials:
Sentido a Tu Vida offers excellent materials many of which are not currently otherwise available in the Spanish language. These include:
- The Search for Meaning dialogues in Spanish on the internet (http://sentidoatuvida.org) Relational Evangelism/Apologetics recordings – To model relational evangelism with apologetics
- I Can Do That! Relational Evangelism Seminar
- Foundations Discipleship Manual – the basics of the Christian faith with an undercurrent of relational evangelism
- Interrogantes (Big Questions) – Apologetics book and course – a condensed adaptation of I’m Glad You Asked by Boa and Moody
- Un Corazón como él de Jesús (A Heart like Jesus) Women’s ministry devotionals
4. Richard and Margarita
God’s call is to “Go into all the world and preach the Gospel”. Richard and Margarita Houston have answered that call – affirmed by many others – and have a passion to reach out to the “Zacchaeuses” of Latin America. They have:
- Respectively >45 and >25 years in volunteer or full-time ministry.
- Highly developed language, social and cultural skills which allow them to move smoothly and freely among the Influencers of Latin America and are gifted in explaining and teaching the important and basic aspects of the Christian faith.
- Long-term friendships with both influential seekers and influential committed followers of Jesus Christ.
5. National Teams Formed and Functioning:
They have already formed ministry and advisory teams in Bogotá and Lima to train and include others to with the purpose of growing, sustaining and perpetuating the ministry beyond their personal participation. The men’s and women’s ministry teams include a dozen or more each in their respective cities.
6. “Zacchaeus Moments”:
The desired outcome is to see God produce “Zacchaeus Moments” (Luke 19:8-9) resulting in fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ among the influential of Latin America. These moments would be evidenced by Repentance and Redemption, Integrity and Generosity, Compassion and Caring along with Servant leadership.
7. “Kairos” Moment:
They sense that this is a Kairos moment – “the opportune time” – to enact The Zacchaeus Project. There now exists a convergence of elements not previously present, such as:
- Relationship Networks – long-term (30+ year) relational networks both of spiritually seeking “Zacchaeuses” as well as committed Christians in influential positions
- Ministry Methods and Materials previously non-existent and unavailable in the Spanish language
- Experienced and prepared couple, recent empty nesters with over 65 years of combined ministry experience willing and able to implement this ministry vision and project.
8. STAR Strategy:
The Zacchaeus Project is a strategy that is not limited to personality or geography rather it is Scalable, Transferable (to other practitioners), Adaptable (to other cultures) and Repeatable.
What is the Goal?
Mindful that ultimately only God’s Spirit can produce the desired results[3] entering 2023, they envision 30+ highly motivated and fully trained business and professional Christians discipling 30-50 new believers to be the next generation of relational evangelists and disciplers.
The Zacchaeus Project is already in motion yet so significant that it cannot be completed in one lifetime. They are seeking ministry and investment partners to begin to fulfill the vision of God raising up fully devoted followers of Christ among the influential people of Latin America.
- 30+ highly motivated and fully trained business and professional Christians
- 30-50 new believers being discipled in the basics of the faith
- 40+ business and professionals being concurrently trained as the second wave of The Zacchaeus Project.