Agape first began ministry in Madrid more than 25 years ago, through the JESUS film and university ministry. In recent years, however, Agape has had a minimal presence in the capital of Spain. Today the ministry is looking anew at this strategic city.

Considered one of the "mega-cities" on which Agape wants to focus, Madrid has tremendous influence both in Spain and abroad. But as elsewhere in Europe, people have by and large rejected religion. "The culture has nothing for the soul," says Daniel Demai, a staff member seeking to reach families and plant a church on the north side of Madrid. "Even the religious festivals are all about having parties. The basis is religious, but there is nothing of God in them."

Nor are believers highly regarded. "We are trying to win respect," says Daniel, "and show that we are not dangerous, but rather want to help society." As a result, the team seeks ways to serve people, whether through marriage classes or teaching audio at the university or taking teams of students to "El Camino," the pilgrimage route in northern Spain. The Sam Rotman concert, bringing in a top-quality concert pianist, was one such event.

As Agape Spain begins a new emphasis on Madrid, more and more staff members are moving to the Spanish capital. They want to work as a unified city team, supporting and encouraging each other, and creating a sense of family – despite living in a city of more five million people. We'd like to introduce you to several of them in the following paragraphs.

 

Mezzo

Miguel Angel Cano founded Mezzo, an outreach seeking to fulfill the Great Commission through popular music. Mezzo includes a recording studio, choirs, gospel music groups, a flamenco group, bands and missions projects abroad. Some 500 people volunteer their time with Mezzo. Mezzo has traditionally been strong in the south of Spain, but Miguel Angel is moving to Madrid to begin ministering among people in the arts.

"We'd like to begin a discipleship group here in Madrid," says Miguel Angel, "and start discussions with people in the arts." One of Sam Rotman’s concerts helped launch this work.

Miguel Angel, who has a master's degree in music theory, also teaches a course for sound technicians at a university in Madrid. He sees many opportunities for Mezzo to collaborate with other Agape ministries in Madrid. For example, the university ministry could hold an evangelistic concert, and Mezzo can bring a band to perform.

 

Student Ministry

Alba (Dawn) Miller came from America several years ago to serve with the Spanish ministry. She's been in Madrid two years, taking the 350,000 university students in this city as her mission field and trying out new ways of reaching the non-believers. STINT teams have joined her the past two years, but this coming year Alba will be the only staff person reaching out to university students.

One of the university ministry's most strategic outreaches is the El Camino Project, where teams composed of Christian and non-Christian students alike journey along El Camino de Santiago (The St. James Way). El Camino is a pilgrimage route in northern Spain traveled by thousands of Europeans each summer. Many come for the adventure, others for a spiritual experience, but nearly all of the "pilgrims" are more open to talking about the Lord than at other times of year.

And as the non-believers on the project rub shoulders with believers, they often come to realize that God is real, and they need a living faith in Christ.

 

Family Life

Several years ago, Daniel Demai, a businessman with an Argentine telephone company, was transferred from Buenos Aires, Argentina, to Madrid. While working in Madrid, Daniel and his wife Vanina came across "De Familia a Familia," Agape's Family Life ministry. The young couple liked the idea of ministering to families.

At the same time, they were getting deeply involved in their church, the Evangelical Christian Church of Chamartín. This church wants to plant daughter churches on the north side of Madrid, and the Demais caught the vision. Two years ago, Daniel and Vanina put these two interests together, moving to the town of Cobeña on the north side of Madrid, and joining De Familia a Familia. They work part time with Agape doing Family and Marriage seminars, and part time planting a church in Cobeña

"We work with non-Christians using Family Life material," says Daniel. "First we do quality events, which bring God closer to the people, then second, we do useful things for the community, like English courses or computer courses. We also invite people to our home to discuss the Bible."

 

Centre of Reformation Studies

Gabino Fernández, father of Rubén Fernández, is considered one of the leading experts on the Reformation in Spain, as well as the Inquisition – which opposed the Reformation. About 10 years ago Gabino began the Centre of Reformation Studies (Centro de Estudios de la Reforma, or CER), to help people understand the roots of Protestantism and Judaism in Spain. CER sponsors exhibitions such as The Jewish Roots of Cobeña, set up by Daniel Demai. The Sam Rotman concert on the concluding evening of this exhibition opened many doors for the Demais.

Born in La Mancha, the land of Don Quixote, Gabino began working with Agape in 1979. He headed up the JESUS film ministry for seven years, working closely with evangelical churches to help Madrileños and others hear the gospel. Due to his expertise on the Inquisition, he knows not only Christian leaders, but secular influencers as well, and plays a key role in reaching Current Leaders and Influencers.