Members from 30 Hispanic churches across Potomac gathered at the Southern Asian church in Silver Spring, Md., to celebrate 215 baptisms during Pentecostes Now. This event was a culmination of week-long evangelism campaigns held by 30 evangelists from the Adventist Salvadoran Union, led by President Abel Pacheco. Evangelists partnered with dozens of Potomac pastors to visit families in their homes, hold Bible studies and encourage people to make decisions for Jesus.
“More than 600 non-Adventists were reached,” shares Jose Esposito, associate for Hispanic ministries.” These evangelists understand the culture of most of the people we are trying to reach and were invited to help us spread the word of God.”
During Pentecostes Now each pastor shared their testimony and reported on the campaigns in their district. “We were overjoyed to hear the stories and the number of people that were baptized,”says Esposito. Additionally, special features included songs of celebration by musical guests Sampaguita, Edwin Castillo, Ebenezer and Alabanza Pura. Ruben Ramos, assistant to the president for multilingual ministries for the Columbia Union and Ricardo Bentacur, director of the International Department at Pacific Press Publishing Association also attended. “We had much to be thankful for,” says Esposito. “We concluded the meeting by giving thanks to God for the work of the Holy Spirit and asking for more of Pentecostes Now.”
These 215 baptisms are part of the 2,498 that have taken place in Columbia Union Hispanic churches in 2017. Members from around the union will gather in December to celebrate these evangelism efforts at Vivangelismo 2017, in Ocean City, Md.
