God's Faithful Hand in Bolivia

An update from David Del Castillo, Pastor of Gracia Soberana, Santa Cruz, Bolivia…

Dear Friends,

Over the last 12 months, God has been so good to us!

In July 2024, after four years of meeting in a small facility, God graciously opened the door for us to move into a new space. This was the result of much prayer and dependence on Him. The new place was unfinished—just exposed brick walls and a bare interior—but it was affordable, and we saw potential. We signed a long-term lease that allowed us to invest in improving the space while keeping the rent stable.

The rest of 2024 was marked by hard work. We dedicated time and resources to adapt the space for worship and ministry. But more importantly, we faced the beautiful challenge of ministering to a growing number of people who needed to be discipled. The physical improvements were necessary, but it was the spiritual growth among us that encouraged us the most.

This year, we are especially grateful to see how God continues to establish us—not just as a congregation that gathers, but as a church that is growing in faith, love, and mission. One of the highlights of the year was our January members’ meeting, where we shared our 2025 discipleship plan. The first step in that plan came to life in February, when we hosted a retreat titled “I Need to Be Discipled.”

This retreat was led by dear friends and gospel partners: Leo and Melissa Parris from Philadelphia and Alejandro and Paola Cueto from Barranquilla, Colombia. Through their teaching and personal investment, the retreat challenged us to take discipleship seriously—not as a program, but as a way of life together. Following the retreat, we launched three weekly small groups that are now central to our church life.

Our Sunday gatherings have also grown. We currently welcome around 140 people each week. This growth has created a joyful sense of urgency: more people are hearing the gospel, but many also need guidance and care. For the third year in a row, we have around 30 people going through our membership process. Lord willing, by September, we will have between 80 and 90 members.

As our congregation grows, so does the need for more leaders. That’s why we are intentionally discipling and equipping couples to start new care groups. Please pray for this effort, as we see it as one of the most important ways God is calling us to serve in this season.

This July, we are hosting a Biblical Counseling Seminar to further equip our church. One of the main speakers will be Pastor Abelardo Muñoz from Mexico, someone we deeply respect and love. While the seminar is open to other churches, about 30 of the 130 attendees are from our own congregation. Many of these were personally invited and are being trained to take part in the ministry of discipleship and care.

Looking ahead to August, we are excited to welcome more ministry partners. John and Nancy Loftness, Chris Deloglos, and Jacobis Aldana will be joining us for a time of encouragement and training. We’ll also be joined by Fabrizio Rudolfo from Gracia Soberana Música, who will help showcase what God is doing in our worship ministry. These visits are part of our intentional effort to build up the church and strengthen, the main topic is going to be "Spiritual Disciplines".

In addition to what’s happening locally, we are also walking alongside our sister church in Cochabamba, Bolivia. Pastor Erick Miranda continues to make progress in his ordination process, and it’s a joy to support his development and the growth of that congregation.

God has also given us opportunities to serve beyond Bolivia. In March, through the Simeon Trust ministry, I had the privilege of co-leading a preaching workshop in Guatemala alongside two other pastors. Over 50 pastors and preachers gathered to learn how to handle God’s Word faithfully. In May, we hosted a similar workshop here in Santa Cruz, which quickly filled with participants from five of Bolivia’s nine departments. These efforts are helping position our church as a resource for others in gospel ministry.

Now, as we begin July, we look back with hearts full of gratitude. From a room with bare brick walls to a church being built up in truth and love, we have seen God’s faithful hand in every step. We are thankful to Him, to our church family, and to our broader network of churches for the support and partnership that have made this journey possible.

Please continue to pray for us. We trust God is at work—and we long to be faithful with all that He has entrusted to us.

With love and gratitude,

David Del Castillo