A Tribute to Jonathan Bryan

Written by Pastor Emanuel Rodriguez

On April 2nd, 2025, Jonathan Lee Bryan went home to be with the Lord at the young age of 52.  The cause of death was a heart attack. Pastor Bryan served as a faithful, church planting, soul winning missionary in Mexico for 23 years (since 2002).

Pastor Bryan was faithful unto death.  On the same day that he graduated to glory, he preached the Gospel during a funeral service and 5 souls trusted Christ as their Saviour.  That evening he conducted Wednesday night service in his church in Zacotecas.  Then after the church service he went soul winning, as was his Wednesday night custom.  It was during this time that Pastor Bryan felt pain in his chest, collapsed, and awoke in the presence of the Lord.

This man was a true champion of the Gospel!  Pastor Bryan planted 3 churches in Mexico. 

He and his wonderful family also started a children’s home to care for and minister to children off the street.  Their children’s home is caring for 21 precious souls.

Pastor Bryan was also the very first missionary in Mexico to use the Reina Valera Gomez Spanish Bible.  Everyone knows how controversial the Spanish Bible issue has been.  For this preacher to make the unpopular decision to use the RVG when no one else did demonstrates the kind of spiritual fortitude this man of God possessed. 

A preacher friend of mine shared with me the story of how he and other preacher friends were sitting at the dinner table with Pastor Bryan in Mexico.  As they conversed, one of the preachers asked him about the reaction of his friends when he made the decision to use the RVG.  Pastor Bryan revealed that because of this decision he lost a large amount of financial support from many supporting churches, which put his family and ministry in a financial crisis.  Then the preacher asked him, “Why would you do that?”  Pastor Bryan answered, “Because the word of God is non-negotiable.”

Folks, this is the example of a true man of God.  One who is not deterred by politics, money, or popularity.  Pastor Bryan was a true man of conviction!  May God raise up a thousand more like him.

Not only was he a man of strong principle but he was a humble and compassionate man. 

I didn't know him very well. However, I had the privilege of fellowshipping with him during my trips to Mexico.  We shared the platform together one night in a youth camp meeting hosted by our mutual friend Missionary Lacy Wheeler in Guanajuato, Mexico as we preached back-to-back.  That night we saw the power of God at work as the altars were filled with young people giving their lives to the Lord and several that were saved.  Glory to God!

It was a privilege to know this soldier of Christ.  We at the RVG Bible Society salute the Jonathan Bryan family, especially his wife Laura, their son Wyatt, and their church family. 

Dr. Gomez with Pastor Bryan's son Wyatt

Since 2004 over 3 million copies of the RVG have been estimated to have been published and distributed around the Spanish-speaking world.  In Mexico, however, it all started with Missionary Jonathan Bryan who had the courage to stand for the purity of God’s word.  The growth and multiplication of God’s pure word in Spanish as it stands in the RVG Bible is fruit that will continue to abound on Pastor Bryan’s behalf. 

Revelation 14:13  “And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them.”