A Call to the Mission Field
Hello, Faith Fam!
Karl and Sue Peterson are longtime missionaries through Faith. Please enjoy my question and answer session with them:
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Question: Who are you & what is your ministry?
Answer: We are Karl & Sue Peterson.
Karl grew up as a PK (pastor’s kid) while his Dad served Covenant churches in Illinois, Wisconsin, and Connecticut. He is a North Park alumni (82) and moved to St. Paul in 1983.
Sue grew up in St. Paul. She graduated from Harding High School and graduated from North Park College in 1983. We were married in 1985. We were commissioned for missionary ministry in Mexico by the ECC in 1993 and after a year in Costa Rica arrived in Mexico. We have two boys; Zachary who is studying at North Park and Jonathan who recently finished high school and continues to live with us in Mexico City.
Sue actively disciples and mentors women in their relationship with God. She facilitates ministries where women can grow in their faith and learn how to share Christ with others. A certified spiritual director, Sue accompanies people and small groups on their spiritual journey and helps them move one step closer in their relationship with God. Sue teaches people so they can teach others. She believes that discipleship is the relationship that enables others to grow in the Lord and serve Him faithfully.
Karl focuses on partnering with Mexico Covenant leaders and congregations in their ministries of congregational vitality, leadership development, and theological education. He looks to connect pastors and lay leaders with the resources that will allow them to thrive where God has placed them. Karl utilizes technology and visual media in the areas of worship and teaching. He is part of the leadership team of the Mexico Covenant seminary.
Question: How did God call you into your current ministry?
Answer:
Karl: After I re-dedicated my life to Christ after college, God opened my eyes to serving Him through the church. This was an enormous work since my PK experience had jaded my view of church politics and church people. God used a three-week youth mission trip to Ecuador; to open my eyes to cross-cultural ministry through seeing missionaries where they lived and served. I sensed that they were normal people following God’s lead to live and serve in a different culture.
Sue: “LORD, if You want me to return here one I day, I am willing!” I prayed as I boarded the airplane to return to the States after a three-week Mission Trip with my youth group in Ecuador when I was a senior in high school. From that day forward, the Lord continued to prepare my heart and mind for missionary ministry. After college I spent a year in Ibarra, Ecuador, where I taught English in a Covenant school and worked with children and youth at a Covenant Church. Upon my return “home,” I met Karl. We married in December 1985 and served as youth counselors preparing to take the youth to Ecuador on a Missions Trip. Seeing missionaries in their “natural habitat” opened Karl’s eyes to missionary service and rekindled my heart to serve long term together in Latin America.
Question: How do you see God working through your ministry?
Answer: God continues to draw people into deeper relationship with Him. Whether through walking the Congregational Vitality pathway or walking the Caminata Espiritual at the UNAM Botanical Gardens or walking through the New Testament with Experiencia Biblica Comunitaria (Community Bible Experience), men and women are growing in their relationship with God and discovering new ways to serve Him, their neighbor and the Covenant Church of Mexico. Many women are finding renewal through MAEM (Ministering to the Abused and Exploited in Mexico) as it raises awareness and accompanies people through their healing processes. We are blessed to see God touching lives with His saving grace and loving kindness.
Mari Cruz shared that walking the Vitality Pathway for her meant “returning to my first love – Jesus Christ – walking with Him, seeing the needs of others because He came to heal the sick and needy, and then serving Him out of a position of humility.”
Question: What is one thing you wish the evangelical church in America understood about global missions?
Answer: Our goal is the contextualization of the gospel to the culture of Mexico, not the acculturation of Mexico to the Christian culture of the United States. God seeks to transform each culture. I am certain God looks with favor at some aspects of each culture. I am also convinced God wants to redeem aspects of each culture.
Question: How can we as your church family support you?
Answer: We would deeply appreciate prayer for Mexico, the Covenant church of Mexico, our family and the ministries mentioned above. Please pray for Sue’s parents, Jim and Jan Chelgren. Jim turned 90 in February. Their health is deteriorating and they moved to a different level of care. We are very grateful for the financial support we receive from Faith Covenant!
We would also feel supported by your presence in Mexico City! An individual or small group could come and participate in a prayer walk/retreat during a long weekend. Work teams could help local congregations with building projects. Local congregations in Mexico would also welcome teams to partner with them in community health projects and micro business development projects. There is also a new internship program for young adults to consider cross cultural ministry during a particular stage of life or as a vocation.
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Karl and Sue, thank you for your thoughtful responses. We look forward to walking alongside and supporting you in the mission field.
Sincerely,
-Tone Waters, Director of GO & Communications