What does "YUGO" mean?
As the Spanish word for "Yoke," it reminds us that Christ said "Take my yoke upon you and learn from me . . . (Matt 11:29 NAS). It is an acronym for our U.S. incorporated name: Youth Unlimited Gospel Outreach. It is also a statement that even YOU can GO and help fulfill God's Great Commission to bring the Gospel to every nation.
YUGO was incorporated as a non-profit mission sending agency in the U.S. in 1965. Canada YUGO began incorporation as a sister organization in November 2000. Our purpose is: to evangelize Mexico while challenging and mobilizing the church in Mexico and North America to be involved in missions.
In Mexico, YUGO's resident missionaries work to evangelize Mexicans, plant churches, and train Mexican pastors at two Bible Institutes founded by YUGO.
In North America, YUGO's unique ministry brings teams (of mostly young people) from the United States and Canada to enhance our church planting efforts in Mexico. You and your group can be a strategic part of this program. In the process, you will see God answer your prayers, perform miracles and challenge your heart -- all through first-hand experience
What are yUGO's goals?
YUGO Ministries has always operated with three basic goals in mind:
1. Reach Mexicans with the Gospel
2. Teach Mexicans to win others to Christ and make disciples of them.
3. Challenge and mobilize North Americans to get involved in World Missions.
What is YUGO's focus?
The order of these goals is important. Our number one priority is not to give Americans and Canadians an experience of crossing the border into Mexico. Rather, we strive to keep focused on reaching and teaching Mexicans, and to train, as best we can, those who participate in our ministry.
Sometimes young people believe that their trip to Mexico with YUGO is going to be another camp experience. This attitude can be a problem on both sides of the border. It is best to understand and communicate that the purpose for coming is to serve -- not to have a good or "fun" time. This is not
a summer camp experience. However, many have found that the greatest joy comes through serving.
How does YUGO view the church?
The New Testament norm for making disciples is through the local church. This is the reason why all of our ministries at YUGO are aimed at either starting or strengthening churches. Each outreach team or ministry project is designed to coordinate with a pastor or missionary who is involved in the process of "growing" a church at one point or another. This is also critical from a legal standpoint. An invitation from a Mexican citizen enables us to help them with the work they are doing without breaking Mexican law.
If all of our efforts are directed at reaching goals (1), (2), and (3) through a local church, then we are not only helping that church, but we are also giving our participants valuable experience in missions and church growth that they can use to minister back home.
- We believe in the Bible, as the divinely inspired and authoritative Word of God, without error in the original manuscripts.
- We believe in the triune Godhead in three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, executing distinct but harmonious offices in the works of creation, providence and redemption.
- We believe in the deity of Jesus Christ, His virgin birth, death, bodily resurrection, present exaltation at the Father's right hand, and His coming again.
- We believe in the person of the Holy Spirit, convicting the world of sin, righteousness and judgment, and regenerating, baptizing, sealing and indwelling all true believers.
- We believe in the personality of Satan and his present control over unregenerate man.
- We believe in the fallen and lost estate of man, whose total depravity makes necessary his new birth.
- We believe in the reconciliation of man to God through faith in the substitutionary death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, our Savior.
- We believe in the resurrection of the saved unto everlasting life and blessedness in Heaven, and the resurrection of the unsaved unto everlasting punishment in Hell.
- We believe in the Church, the indivisible Body of Christ, bound together by the Holy Spirit, consisting only of those who are born again, for whom He now makes intercession in Heaven, and for whom He shall come again.
- We believe in Christ's great commission to the Church to go into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature, baptizing and teaching those who believe.