Pastor, Sullana, Peru

Carlos is the pastor of the Baptist Church “Christ is the Only Hope” in one of the poorest and most dangerous areas of Sullana.  He is also a teacher in the Baptist Seminary and works in the training of mountain pastors through education by extension.

Testimony and Calling

I thank the Lord for the grace and the mercy which he has shown me. I was born in a Christian home as the oldest of seven brothers and sisters. My parents established a home with Christ and in Christ. From my earliest childhood I was brought up in the ways of the Lord, attended Sunday School, we consistently participated in a family devotional time. But this did not make me a child of God and, because my father knew this, he constantly spoke to us about the salvation that is in Christ. Time after time, when we were children, he told us that we had to accept Christ as savior in order to have eternal life.

One of the Bible passages that the Lord used to convert me was John 3:16. My father preached to us from this verse, about God's great love for us. As a child I didn't pay too much attention to this, but God was working in my heart with his power and by his word. I remember that we always used to get on our knees to pray with my father and that little by little I was coming to accept Christ and to understand and to know him more and more.

With time I grew and in my adolescence I was not living a life that was pleasing to the Lord. I was rebellious toward my parents, but they always corrected me. I realized that I was straying from the Lord; I was no longer interested in church. Rather I was interested in my friends and going out and getting into trouble. Even during this time God was working in my heart. One night in October, close to my fourteenth birthday, I got down on my knees on my bed and with the promise of John 3:16 I accepted Christ as my savior and I offered my life for his service. Ever since that time I have had assurance of my salvation through Christ. In this way the Lord worked in my life.

After my conversion I got involved in working with youth. When I was 17 God called me to lead our youth group. When I finished high school I decided to go to Lima in order to work and to help my parents. When I got to Lima things did not go as I had planned; I actually got more involved in the ministry of the church where I was attending. After a year I felt like the Lord was calling me to ministry. Being convinced of this I returned to Sullana and then I went on to the Baptist Seminary in Trujillo in order to prepare for ministry.

As I attempted to go to seminary many doors seemed to be closing for me, but I knew that if God had called me to ministry that He would provide for me. Even though I only had the money for my bus fare I was firm in my decision to go. At the last minute before I left God provided for my needs.

Once I got to the seminary I had very little to live on. My parents were not able to provide any help for me. But the Lord had worked everything out. During my four years of study every time Satan tried to convince me that I could not continue, the Lord would provide for my needs. The Lord prepared and molded my life and my character and he taught me his word.

Now that I am in the ministry I recognize that I need him more and more each day. I have been pastoring a church for three years and, even though there are needs and trials, the Lord is faithful to fulfill his word. All of this is simply the grace of God in my life. We are simply instruments of the Lord. I covet your prayers that I might stay strong in the Lord and that I might persevere in the ministry to which God has called me. May God bless you.