Felix Cabrera

Director, Send Puerto Rico

Pastor Félix holds a Bachelor of Business Administration (with a concentration in Management) from the University of Puerto Rico, a Master of Arts in Pastoral Counseling from Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary, a second Master of Arts (with a concentration in Church Planting) at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, and a Doctorate in Ministry (with a concentration in Leadership) at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary.

Pastor Felix planted Iglesia Bautista Central in Oklahoma City in 2011. He served as:

• Second Vice President of the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC).
• Executive Director of Convención de Iglesias Bautistas del Sur de Puerto Rico.
• Member of the Hispanic Leadership Council of the SBC.
• Pastoral Council for Lifeway Español.
• Co-founder and member of the Council of the Hispanic Baptist Pastors Alliance.
• Founder and Director of the RED 1:8 Church Planting Network.

Pastor Felix is passionate about three things:

• Seeing new healthy churches being initiated.
• The training, development, and commissioning of leaders.
• Loving and feeding the sheep the Lord puts in his hands.

By the grace of God, Pastor Félix has been married to Denisse since 2001, and in the fruit of their love, the Lord gave them their two princesses, Andrea Nicole and Adriana Victoria.

Xavier Torrado

Associate Director, Send Puerto Rico
Iglesia Gracia Redentora Vega Baja, Puerto Rico

Xavier Torrado serves as Associate Director for Send Network Puerto Rico. For the past several years, he has led the Church Planting Residency in Puerto Rico. Xavier has served as a pastor for the past 13 years and currently serves as pastor of Iglesia Gracia Redentora, planted in 2016 in Vega Baja, Puerto Rico. He holds a bachelor’s in Sciences from the University of Puerto Rico, a master’s in Business Administration from the University of Phoenix and a master of Divinity from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky. Xavier and his wife, Neysha, have two daughters, Victoria Sofia and Anna Catalina. He enjoys family time, running and good reading.

THE CHURCH PLANT

Gracia Redentora Church is a community of followers of Christ who are committed to living in the light of the gospel. We continually strive to build a faith community that lives to worship God. Our commitment is to impact the city of Vega Baja with Christ and His gospel so its people can experience a change in every dimension—spiritually, socially and culturally.

Luis Soto

Church Planting Catalyst

Pastor Luis was born and raised in Arecibo, Puerto Rico. He was called to salvation by God's grace at the age of 17. From his early years as a believer he had an intense desire to preach the Word which he began a few months later. He is happily married to Beatriz, who was born in San Salvador, El Salvador. As a fruit of their love, the Lord gave them a princess named Eliana Valentina and their son Samuel Adrián.

He holds a bachelors degree in Social Work with a concentration in Education from the InterAmerican University of Puerto Rico, a Master's Degree in Theology from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and is currently completing his Doctorate in Ministry with a concentration in Leadership from Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary.

Pastor Luis was a successful church planter and revitalizer in Salt Lake City, Utah for 7 years.

THE CHURCH PLANT

Iglesia Bautista Sin Paredes de Guayama has been undergoing a revitalization process since March of this year, after being without a pastor for several years. They are a church focused on the sufficiency of the Scriptures, forming disciples who proclaim, teach and live the Gospel, with the supreme goal that Jesus Christ be exalted in the city of Guayama and to the ends of the earth.

Junior Martínez was born in Ponce, Puerto Rico. He has been married to his wife, Maylee Péres, for 20 years. They have two children, Dealan and Joyce, in college. He came to the knowledge of the gospel and the grace of God 17 years ago. He has served as a youth leader in his local church and at the Southern Baptist Convention in Puerto Rico. He has been the pastor of Iglesia Bautista La Gracia since August 2010. Martínez has a bachelor’s degree from the Dominican Baptist Theological Seminary and holds a master’s degree in Christian Ministry from the Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary.

THE CHURCH PLANT

Founded in 1992, Iglesia Bautista La Gracia is in the southern part of Puerto Rico, in the city of Yuaco. In 2010 the church began a revitalization process. Two years ago, God showed us through His Word the importance and need of church planting. Since then, our goal has been living for the glory of God, reaching the lost, making disciples and multiplying ourselves. In order to plant and revitalize churches, we’ve learned the Christian life is not about attending events but is a life of growth in the love of God and obedience to God to go where God sends us. By the grace of God, in these two years, our church has revitalized two churches and has planted one church. At this time men are being trained to continue fulfilling God’s mission.

Christian Acevedo was born on April 21, 1994, in Ponce, Puerto Rico. He has been married to Valeria Acevedo since January 2017. From a young age, he was raised in the life of the Church until, at the age of fourteen, by the grace of God, the Lord saved his life through the gospel. At the beginning of 2018, God organized everything so that he could enter the Residency Program of RED 1:8 Church Planting Network with the purpose of being prepared to carry out God’s call in church planting.

He is currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Theology at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary.

THE CHURCH PLANT

As a Puerto Rican, I have been able to see the great spiritual needs of the people I see on a daily basis and with those whom I have develop relationships. As Christians, we know that this spiritual need has always existed, but I must admit that since what happened with Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico, that spiritual state of decadence has been increasingly visible before our eyes, and in one way or another, before their own eyes.

It is for this reason that we want to join efforts to plant churches in places where there is a need. Our eastern area of Puerto Rico is the place of interest. It is in the town of Humacao where we want to work. Our desire is that lives can be reached by the gospel, discipled, prepared and sent out.

Pastor Johnny Báez along with his wife Yordania and their 9-year-old daughter, Josary, are working in the church planting ministry. In their spare time, the Báez family enjoys watching movies and reading books.

THE CHURCH PLANT

We are planting Iglesia Bautista La Familia in Cupey, which is part of the municipality of San Juan, Puerto Rico. We work to reach the community we serve, presenting the gospel as the divine response to their lives. You can join this call from God by praying for us, visiting us and supporting our ministries in the community.

Pastor Hector was born in 1981 in Arecibo, Puerto Rico, but raised in the small town of Florida. He grew up as a pastor's son, knowing the demands and challenges, but also the blessings of such an honorable calling. In 2011, the Lord called him to pastoral ministry when he was a member of Iglesia del Centro in Arecibo. He has been married to Denisse since 2012, a year later they moved to the state of Ohio and Pastor Hector in 2014 began to serve as a Church Planter in the city of Cleveland, reaching the Hispanic community with the help and support of the North American Mission Board (NAMB) and the Red 1:8 Church Planting Network.

Currently, Pastor Hector is completing his master’s in theological studies with a concentration in pastoral ministry at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. He is also one of the Pastors of Iglesia Bautista Ciudad de Dios in San Juan and since February 2021 has begun a study group that will become Iglesia Missio Dei a new church plant in the city of Dorado, PR.

Hector and Denisse have a beautiful one year old girl named Abigail.

David M. Colón was born in 1982 in Brooklyn, New York. He was raised in a traditional Catholic home. Most of his childhood and his youth he lived without any genuine interest in the things of God. It was not until 2008 that the Lord saved him. After a few years of his conversion, he began to serve in the church in different areas showing great passion for teaching and preaching. After serving some years leading the youth of the church, God called him to the pastorate assisting the main pastor.

In the year 2015, God called David as the principal pastor and in charge of developing the Vision of Iglesia Bautista Logos. In order to be diligent in the ministry and develop the gifts that God has given him, he is currently pursuing a master’s degree in Christian Ministry at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary.

David is married to Grace and has two children, Paola and Fabian.

THE CHURCH PLANT

Iglesia Bautista Logos is located on the south coast of Puerto Rico, in the town of Santa Isabel. Although one of the oldest evangelical churches is located in the town of Santa Isabel, it is a town deeply rooted in religious traditions, resulting in superficial Christianity. That is why the goal of our church is to glorify God through the preaching of the truth of the gospel and the formation of disciples who love God, grow in their faith and serve the community. The commitment of this church to the truth transcends the pulpit, therefore, as a means of integrating the truth of God with all areas of knowledge and everything created, a Christian school was established that imparts Christian education to children of Santa Isabel and neighboring towns. In turn, it has become a means of reaching families with the gospel.

The son of Puerto Rican parents, Luis Gómez, was born in February 1984 in Queens, New York. At 13 years old, his family moved to the town of Aguas Buenas, Puerto Rico. Luis grew up in a Christian home and accepted Jesus as his savior at the age of 17, while in his first year of college. For the next 12 years, Luis served in various ministries in his church—youth ministry leader, Bible school teacher, preacher and deacon.

In 2013 he moved to Louisville, Kentucky, where Luis worked as the director of Hospital Admissions. In 2018 he served as pastoral assistant of Highview en Español, where he helped lead the worship ministry, the daily devotional ministry and preaching. In 2020, Luis recognized a clear call from God to return to Puerto Rico and join the work on the Island. Beginning in August 2021, Luis served as an Intern in the Church Planting Residency Program of SEND PUERTO RICO.

Luis has a master’s degree in Business Administration (MBA) and one in Accounting and Financial Management (MAFM). He is currently a student at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky, where he hopes to complete a master of Divinity with a concentration in Great Commission Studies.

Luis and his wife, Desiree, have three daughters, Cirene, Faith and Hannah.

UNIVERSITY MINISTRY WORK

University students are one of the most strategic groups since they are the ones who will lead and influence the next generations. We believe that in addition to the first years of their lives, time at the university is the most formative years of their life. As a ministry, we believe that the Lord has placed us strategically at the University of Puerto Rico to reach these students with the Gospel. We want to make disciples of Christ that make other disciples through the local church around the university campus.

Andrés Laracuente was born in 1982 in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Despite being born in a non-believer’s home, from a young age, God began to put a desire in Andrew to know the Word and the affairs of God. But it was not until 2008, after an unbridled life, that the Lord saved Andres through the preaching of the gospel, being the first believer in his family.

After his conversion, God placed a great passion for reading and Scriptures. Immediately, Andrés began his preparation and entered a ministerial training program through his pastors. That’s where his commitment to disciple and teach others the Word of God comes from.

In 2010, he was placed in charge of the Ministry of Evangelism and Biblical teaching of the CCA Church in Guaynabo, Puerto Rico. In 2011, God called him to pastoral ministry, and he became an associate pastor. In 2014, he was officially ordained. In 2015, seeing the condition of the Church in his country, God placed a great burden in his heart for the Church and for those who do not know the gospel. In 2016, God prepared Andrew and his family to enter the process of planting the Metro Bible Church. A year later, Pastor Andres started as a church planter under the North American Mission Board (NAMB) in his hometown, Carolina, reaching different sectors with the help and support of NAMB.

Pastor Andrés is preparing to complete his formal studies in Theology. Laracuente is married to Rosa and has three children, Diego, Nahliel and Evans.

THE CHURCH PLANT

Iglesia Bíblica Metro is located in the metropolitan area of Puerto Rico, in the city of Carolina. Carolina has 175,000 inhabitants. It’s a beautiful city with a great need for the gospel.

Our church arises from the need to form a healthy church in a hostile, highly religious environment, with a great family and social deterioration. God, in His grace, is forming a community of faith that knows, lives and proclaims the gospel for the glory of God. We want to see His kingdom established through a healthy church, not only in Carolina but throughout the metropolitan area.

César was born in 1993 in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, and is married to Diana Carolina. From his childhood, he was instructed by his mother in the Scriptures and, by the grace of God, was saved at age 12. In July 2018, moved by the call of God to pastoral ministry, he resigned his career in the Public Administration of his country to enter the Church Planting Residency Program of RED 1:8 Church Planting Network. Currently, he is pursuing a master’s degree in Theological Studies with a concentra- tion in Pastoral Ministry at the Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary.

THE CHURCH PLANT

Puerto Rico is immersed in an unprecedented social and economic crisis. Values have been reversed; what used to be bad is now called good. The families are destroyed. Young people live without meaning and purpose. We are convinced that the only hope of this people is the gospel of Jesus Christ that can change the heart of man and his way of thinking. For this reason, we join efforts to plant new churches that are biblical, Christ-centered and gospel-centered.

We will be planting in Río Piedras. In this community is the main campus of the University of Puerto Rico (UPR), it is also the largest public transportation hub and a large part of its population is foreign. We believe that in Río Piedras there is a lot of people to reach. It is our prayer and vision that the light of the gospel shine in the UPR and in every neighborhood in the area.

Camilo Mendez was saved by the grace of God. He is a servant of Jesus Christ, husband to Gladys Damaris Rosario and father to Adrian and Kamil.

THE CHURCH PLANT

Iglesia Bautista Comunidad de Gracia, is a church plant in the Minillas neighborhood of the town of San Germán, Puerto Rico. We want to make Christ known to those who think they believe in Him but do not really know Him, but they do not really know Him—without limiting ourselves only to our community, but also going to neighboring towns such as Sabana Grande and Lajas. We are committed to living for Christ, reaching out to the lost and serving our neighbors while we make disciples who in turn make disciples. Our commitment is also to preach exclusively the Word of God, the Word of Truth.

Gil Ramos was born in the city of Ponce, Puerto Rico. He is married to Stephanie Torres. He had the blessing of participating in the church life from an early age with his parents. After understanding the gospel and the grace of God, he had the opportunity to begin serving in the local church in areas such as the Youth Ministry and the Ministry of Education. Since February 2018, he has been serving full time in Iglesia Bautista Renacer in a revitalization process of the church.

He has a Bachelor from the Dominican Baptist Theological Seminary and a B.S. in Liberal Studies of the Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico. He is currently studying in the Hispanic Master’s program at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary.

THE CHURCH PLANT

Iglesia Bautista Renacer is located in the southern part of Puerto Rico in the city of Ponce. The work in the Mercedita community began on August 13, 2004. In 2018, the church began a process of revitalization. Through the revitalization of our church, we desire to better enable us to impact our community with the glorious truth of the gospel. As part of this process, we have established a vision as a church that is summarized in these three words: know, love and serve. Know God through His Word. Love God and our neighbors. Serve as a necessary result of our knowledge of God and our love of God and our neighbor. We want to be a church that preaches the gospel faithfully to the lost and that lives the gospel in our life as a congregation—a congregation that not only preaches the gospel but also makes it evident with each one of its acts in the city where God has placed them to glorify Him.

Luis A. Rivera Soto was born in 1964 in Fajardo, Puerto Rico. He grew up in the Barrio Paraíso de Fajardo where he met the Lord Jesus Christ at 11 years old. In 2012, the Lord called him to the ministry.

He married Maribel Gotay Encarnación in 1993, and by the grace of God they have two children, Ruth and Luis Arturo.

THE CHURCH PLANT

Our goal is to develop and establish a church that fulfills the Great Commission, bringing the good news of salvation, making disciples and baptizing them and teaching them to make disciples.

Our vision is to reach the communities of Fajardo and the neighboring towns with the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ through discipleship.

Rubén Rodríguez was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Since his childhood his mom taught him the Word of God, and by the grace of God he was saved at age 17 (1996). He is married to Rebeca Garayalde. God has blessed their marriage with Ellah (9 years old) and Mikel (4 years old).

He served as teacher of a Christian Academy and as youth ministry leader in his local church. He has been the pastor of Iglesia Bautista Misionera since July 2015. He has a bachelor’s degree from Puerto Rico Baptist College.

THE CHURCH PLANT

Iglesia Bautista Misionera is located in the southern part of Puerto Rico, in the city of Ponce. The work in the Bélgica community began on May 25, 1970. In 2019, the church began a process of revitalization. Through this process we desire to have an impact in our community, trusting in power of the gospel to save and transform lives. As part of this process our church has established a vision that consists of three elements that have the gospel at their core: know the gospel, live the gospel and proclaim the gospel. Our aim is to glorify God by knowing and understanding what God has done for us through Jesus Christ, by living every area of our lives according to the truth of the gospel and by proclaiming the powerful gospel of the grace of God to the lost.

In November 2012, after more than 10 years of drug addiction, I was called to salvation and Jesus saved my life. In February 2013, I was baptized by Pastor James L. Benson at the Primera Iglesia Bautista de Groveton in Alexandria, Virginia. I began to grow in the faith and fell in love with the Word of God, seeking God’s guidance for my life. I am a native of Comerio, Puerto Rico, and Rebeca, my wife, was born in El Salvador. In January 2013, we got married. We now have two children, Sebastian and Sofia. We are a family who loves God and demonstrates that love by serving. Our family has experienced moments of joy and peace, as well moments of sadness and tribulation. Each moment has been a tool to build the love of our family in faith.

THE CHURCH PLANT

On September 20, 2017, Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico, changing history forever. Rebeca and I were heartbroken when we visited Comerio two days after. We were in the midst of suffering, destruction and lack of resources. We left our house every day, early in the morning in search of supplies to take to our people in Comerio. We prayed daily for God’s provision, and He provided daily. Rebeca and I put together a washing machine project for the city. We focused on Matthew 22:37-39. Loving the community genuinely caused people to want to hear about God. That is how One Church Comerio was born, on the foundation of love.

Pastor Oscar was born in 1981 in San Juan, Puerto Rico. He grew up in a church environment, however, he was convicted of sin and called to repentance in 1991. In 2019, after finishing his master's degree in Christian Education with a concentration in Pastoral Ministry at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and serving as a pastor for 7 years in Fort Worth, TX; Oscar returned to Puerto Rico to join NAMB in mission make God known through the planting of a new church. He is married to Wendy, and they have two children, Owen and Marina.

THE CHURCH PLANT

Canóvanas is located northeast of Puerto Rico. In this city there are many individuals and religious groups that offer answers to the physical and spiritual needs of the people. However, they are not based on the one true hope found in the gospel of Christ. Our prayer is that Iglesia Bautista Esperanza Eterna will be a church that reaches out to the lost and empowers believers to live in community in the light of eternal hope, Jesus Christ.

Pastor Roy was born in Ciudad Guayana, Venezuela. He grew up in a Christian home and was saved by God's grace at the age of 12. His wife, Vilmarie Flores was born in Ponce, Puerto Rico. They have two children, Ariana and Lucas.

THE CHURCH PLANT

On January 2021, Iglesia Bautista Camino de Gracia was inaugurated. Their goals are to preach the gospel in the community, to disciple, and to prepare the saints to live on mission through teaching that the only True Way that gives Life is Christ (John 14:6).

Luis A. Rodriguez Santiago was born December 3, 1988 in Ponce, Puerto Rico. He grew up in a home with Christian parents, but the Lord called him to salvation at the age of 15. Luis worked for 12 years as a teacher at Coamo Christian Academy in the town of Coamo and as a youth leader at Iglesia Bautista Raham de Coamo. Since January 2021, he has served as an intern for the SEND PUERTO RICO Church Planting Residency Program and as a pastoral assistant at Iglesia Bautista Ciudad de Dios. Luis married his wife, Kiara Yelixa, in 2016, and both seek to do the will of God, grow daily in the grace of the Lord and glorify the name of Christ.

THE CHURCH PLANT

Located in the center of Puerto Rico, Aibonito is known as the Garden of Puerto Rico. The city, either too religious or too liberal, needs the compassion that offers the gospel and the love of Jesus Christ. We pray that Iglesia Bautista Raham Aibonito will serve as a church that reaches out to the lost. We hope to train and disciple believers to live as a spiritual family amid an earthly family, focused on the light of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Alfonso A. Pagán was born in 1977 in Ponce, Puerto Rico. By the grace of God, he found salvation and is a servant of Jesus Christ. In 2020 after serving as an elder for six years in Savannah, Georgia, Alfonso returned to Puerto Rico to join the SENDPR residency program to plant a church in Patillas, Puerto Rico. He’s married to Kennia Padilla Hernandez and they have two children, Kerianne and Alfonso J.

THE CHURCH PLANT

Iglesia Bautista Comunidad de Gracia Patillas is located in the south part of Puerto Rico, in the town of Patillas. Our goal is to be a community of believers who can grow, proclaim the Word of God and serve in the Kingdom of God. We want to accomplish the Great Commission —to make Jesus known in our community and the neighboring towns of Arroyo. Our commitment is to preach the Word of God faithfully, which is the only Truth.

Fernando Santos was born in Aibonito, Puerto Rico. He heard about the Gospel in 2004 while attending college at the Universidad de Puerto Rico en Mayagüez (UPRM), where Fernando completed a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering in 2008. In May 2011, he married Wilmarie and they moved to Florida. Both Fernando and Wilmarie realized they were non-believers and repented the same year their first child, Lucas, was born in 2015. After discipleship, Fernando started his master’s degree in Biblical Ministry at The Master’s Seminary in 2017, the same year their daughter, Sara, was born.

THE CHURCH PLANT

Fernando’s call began in 2017, and his passion for teaching others the Word of God rapidly changed his vision of life. He has completed the Church Planting Residency Program with Send Puerto Rico. He looks forward to planting a church in Mayagüez, Puerto Rico, where he serves as an intern at Iglesia Bautista Ciudad de Dios. With his wife, Wilmarie ,and their children, Lucas and Sara, Fernando hopes to serve the Lord until everyone knows about Jesus.