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Santa Cruz. It was also called the Star of Bethlehem Baptist Church.
This work was started in 1979 by L.T. Everett in a carpenter’s
shop. How very appropriate that seems. In 1981 Pastor Daniel
Justiniano, a Bolivian, was called as the pastor of the church
and remained there until 1997.
Under the pastorate of Brother Daniel, the church
purchased property, built buildings, and grew to an average
of 400 members. The church began mission works that
later became the New Life Baptist Church, Sinai Baptist
Church, Philadelphia Baptist Church, and Living Hope
Baptist Church in Santa Cruz, along with Word of life Baptist
Church in Saipan. Other churches have been established in
Cochabamba and Tarija since Pastor Daniel resigned the work.
The church is hoping, praying, and working towards the goal of
sending a missionary to Africa to minister among Muslims.
Over the years many pastors and workers have been trained for the
ministry at the Hebron Theological Seminary. This is a ministry of
another mission in Bolivia that is providing workers for the harvest.
Bolivian missionary Caesar Moron soon established the Rivers of
Living Water Baptist Church in a different part of Santa Cruz in
1976. All of the pastors have been Bolivians doing a great work for
their country.
A new missionary, Dr. Timothy Sisk, came to Bolivia in 1997 with
the express purpose of starting a seminary to train more national
pastors and missionaries. Later Jake and Sharon Wiebe joined
his family in helping to establish the
Seminario Bautista Internacional de
Bolivia. Since its establishment, there
have been more that 70 graduates for
the work in Bolivia.
Jake & Sharon Wiebe
Other ministries are orphanages called
Hogar Nacer Children’s Home and
Christ Is Coming Children’s Home.
They minister to children at risk who were abused or abandoned and
living on the street. A fully developed youth camp is outside of Santa
Cruz and a new camp is planned outside of the city of Sucre.
Over these many years, God has blessed the ministry in Bolivia, even in the midst of persecution
and heartache. National pastors leading the work, youth camps, a seminary and over 50 churches
are all reasons to celebrate. Only the Father knows the total number of souls who will be before the
throne worshipping Him in the final day. W
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