White Center Spanish Church, in Seattle, Wash., is the fastest growing church in the Northwest — and it didn't exist before December 2007.
Eighteen people from area Spanish churches fasted 23 hours a day for two months before their first meeting on Dec. 8, 2007.
Praying for God's guidance, the group set a model for growth: host a weekly Spanish radio program with Alejandro Bullón, evangelist, respond to radio requests for Bible studies, hold a monthly week of reaping meeting, and establish a strong small group ministry to educate new members on Bible knowledge and build friendship networks.
Omar Grieve, Washington Conference Hispanic coordinator, and Benjamin Figueroa, Bible worker and now White Center pastor, surrounded the church plant in prayer.
White Center organized as a company with 60 members in July 2008, celebrated its 100th baptism in January 2009, and achieved church status with 145 members in May 2009.
"The growth of this church shows that when the Lord has a plan, we can be sure that the plan will work," says John Freedman, Washington Conference president.
This is the first church plant to qualify for and receive a $10,000 grant from the North Pacific Union Conference as a part of the new 30-30-30 church planting assistance plan where a church plant targets at least 30,000 people with at least 30 core group members and 30 members trained to give Bible Studies.
The White Center Spanish Church and Benjamin Figueroa, pastor, are actively ministering to Hispanics in the Seattle area through door-to-door ministry, radio broadcasts and small groups. (Heidi Martella)
John Freedman, Washington Conference president, congratulates White Center Spanish Church, via Omar Grieve, translator, for their rapid church growth and focus on ministry. (Heidi Martella)
White Center Spanish Church is the first congregation in the Pacific Northwest to receive the 30-30-30 church planting grant for $10,000 from the North Pacific Union Conference. (Jonathan Baumgartner)
White Center Spanish Church leaders—displaying their church planting grant for $10,000—surround each step of their church growth with prayer. (Jonathan Baumgartner)
From a small group of 18 people in 2007 to a thriving congregation of 154 members today, White Center Spanish Church actively shares the love of Jesus with their family, friends and community. (Jonathan Baumgartner)
