First Baptist Church Tulsa, thank you for your faithful support of Iglesia Bautista Bethel Santo Domingo. The church continues to grow as the Lord calls more people to Himself through this congregation. In the past two months, the church building was completed, and an inauguration service was held. This report contains a message from the pastor, a testimony of impact, and updates on construction and church activities. Thank you for your continued prayers.
Construction Progress
Heavy rainfall and washed out roads in November and December caused delays in the delivery of bricks and other building materials. With no materials to continue their work, the masons quit to look for other labor. Despite the setbacks, the construction team persevered and completed the new church building. The church held an inaugural service in the new building in December with church attendees, parents, children, and government officials present.
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- Ribbon-cutting ceremony
Church Activities
Currently, 40 adults and 200 children attend church regularly.
In the past two months, five people have made first-time professions of faith in Christ.
The pastor is leading the church in services and outreach activities in the community. The congregation is distributing newsletters and information about services, activities, and opportunities available through the church.
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- Children participating in program activities
Challenges Encountered
- In the last phase of construction, the church had to find and hire a new blacksmith. The new blacksmith finished the needed work by the established date to keep construction on schedule.
- They had a setback when their paint supplier was no longer able to sell them the materials within the church’s budgeted price. The church was able to find a new paint supplier that fit within their budget.
- When the delivery from the brick supplier was delayed due to washed out roads, the masons working on the project left the site to find other work. Volunteers from the church stepped up to lay the brick walls once the materials could be delivered.
Next Steps
Construction is complete and the church building is now used daily for the Compassion Sponsorship Program, Sunday services and Wednesday prayer meetings.
Testimony of Impact
I want to express my gratitude to you for your support and to the church for creating this resource in our community. I observed the entire building process, and despite many difficulties that arose, the church faithfully moved forward with construction. Now, my daughter has an indoor classroom. Before the building, she attended class at an outdoor space. When they received meals, they often did not have enough tables for all the children to sit. The new building has a kitchen and adequate tables for the children to enjoy their meals.
– Margarita, mother of a beneficiary
Praises and Prayer Requests
The church wants to thank God for the opportunity to be salt and light to the community. They praise God for all who financially supported this church plant. To Him be the glory.
- Please pray for the children’s ministry
- Pray for families in the community
- Pray for the church congregation
- Pray for the pastor
A Testimony From the Pastor
Warm Greetings,
My name is Pastor Virgilio Perez Verdugo, and I want to share with you my experience with planting this church. The task of reaching children and their families was not easy. Many families were unsure of the ministry at first, but once they saw how it was helping the community, they approached us to enroll their children.
When the opportunity to build a church building with classrooms, a kitchen and a sanctuary came about, I was doubtful it could happen. But we were pleasantly surprised to learn that the project was funded. When community members began to see construction taking place, they saw that the church’s plan to serve the community was serious. As a result, many community members volunteered to help with construction.
Thanks to the people of both the mother and daughter churches, the church today is solid, stable and respected in the community. The new building has made it easier to carry out the holistic child development program. Thank you for your support. Without your help, it would have been impossible for us to make this happen. God bless you and your families.
Pastor Virgilio Perez Verdugo
- Worship service
Thank you, First Baptist Church Tulsa for investing in this church plant. The new church building has improved conditions for children as now they have indoor classrooms to learn in. The new building has a fully-equipped kitchen, space for sponsorship and church activities and modern bathrooms. The caregivers send their greetings and hope that they can meet you personally to thank you for all that you have done for their children and their community.
