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According to the latest Census, California is home to 16 million Hispanics, which is equivalent to 40.4% of the state population.[1] Nearly one in four Latinos in the United States lives in the Golden State. To further this point, there are more Spanish speakers in California than the entire population of many Latin American countries, including Paraguay, Uruguay, Honduras, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Panama, and Costa Rica.
Hispanics in California live in border towns such as Calexico, mountain cities like Big Bear, financial hubs such as San Francisco, tourist destinations such as Anaheim, military towns like Twentynine Palms, metropolitan areas such as Los Angeles, rural communities like Arvin, and tech centers like San Jose. Basically, Latinos are everywhere. As the largest racial and ethnic group, they are key contributors to the economy, politics, culture, and kingdom expansion.
Just as Hispanics are influential in every sphere of society, God has used several Spanish-speaking churches in our state to engage different communities, make disciples, and plant churches of all sizes, cultures, and styles. In the last two years, Send Network has endorsed church planters who are indigenous to California, have immigrated here, or are hoping to move here to start new churches. All of them are welcome at America’s biggest mission field.
God is at work
- God is at work in Napa through Arturo Solorzano, who grew up in Mexico and moved to America as a pre-teen. He’s currently planting Iglesia Biblica Calvario. He dreams “that in every church plant, the church would reflect the unity of the Body in all its endeavors, be focused on the proclamation of the Gospel and centered on the exaltation of the Triune God.”
- God is at work through Jorge Ramirez, a Salvadoran national who is in the process of planting his second church in Bakersfield.
- God is at work through Jonathan Herrera, a California native who also works full-time as a 5th-grade teacher at the Chula Vista School District. He’s planting Iglesia Nueva Canción in Paradise Hills, San Diego.
- God is at work in Orange County through Javier Albo who planted Iglesia Nueva Esperanza para la Familia two years ago, a bilingual church in La Palma. God has given them favor, reaching second-generation high school and college students.
- God is at work at Kaleo Comunidad Cristiana, which was planted pregnant by Michael Jimenez. Since their inception six years ago, they have already sent out teams to start daughter churches in San Diego and Las Vegas.
- God is at work through Valley Baptist Church En Español, under David Quiroa’s leadership, who are reaching Mixtec people in the fields of Kern County. Once harvest season is over, many return home to Mexico as missionaries with a burning desire to share the gospel with their families and friends.
In addition to the multiple Spanish-speaking churches that are being planted in California at this very moment, God is at work in different parts of our state through churches that are committed to multiplication. God has used churches in San Diego, Santa Ana, Chino, Bakersfield, Hayward, and Gardena to partner with Send Network Español. Together, they train future church planters through a proven 12-month program to equip Spanish-speaking men called by God to plant churches to reach the ever-growing Latino population in their respective regions. After satisfactory completion of all classes, a Certificate of Church Planting from Gateway Seminary is granted to each participant. God is at work through Gateway Seminary as they shape Hispanic leaders who expand God’s work in California and around the world through a new master’s degree in Spanish, which is offered completely online.
God is at work among Hispanics in Southern, Central, and Northern California. Just as the Lord has started different movements in California that have impacted the world in the past, may God use Spanish-speaking Baptist churches in our state to reach the United States and the World for Christ. If California is America’s biggest mission field, Latinos have the potential to be a great mission force.
Send California has deployed a team of Church Planting Catalysts throughout the state who are willing to work with associations and local churches to serve leaders in their church-planting journey. Anyone interested in learning more about Send California can visit https://csbc.com/church-planting/.
[1] Source: https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/CA/PST045224
