ABOUT
This Ministry

Our mission philosophy is simple and based on the examples given to us by the Apostle Paul from Acts 13. Paul and Barnabus were set apart and sent out to preach the gospel and start new churches. We have accepted God's call upon our lives, and the leading of the Holy Spirit the people of Panamá. Based on the Great Commission given us in Matthew 28:19-20 we are teaching the people of Panamá about Jesus, baptizing, and discipling these new Christians in the doctrines of God's holy word.

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We started Iglesia Bautista La Gracia back in May of 2017 renting a store front property in the town of Boquete, Panama. The ministry quickly grew to capacity and we took over renting the entire building within the first year, but in this town there was no other larger locations available to rent, and property is extremely high because this is the coffee growing area and tourist area of the country.

 

Also within this first year we were approached by Manna International about starting a feeding center for children. We began praying about this, and started making a few phone call to see what type of support we could raise. Within 3 hours we had all the support needed to open the feeding center! Even the Manna representative was shocked as he'd never seen support come so quickly for a new center. We opened as quickly as possible and soon were feeding over 80 children 3 days a week for lunch after their school day, providing supper for our youth class on Friday nights, and breakfast for our children on Sunday mornings. In addition we put together boxes of food for other families in need as an outreach ministry from La Gracia. This made the church known within the community and soon word spread about our desire to be a blessing to all the people in this area.

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With the need for more space we began praying that God would provide us a piece of land to purchase and build a building large enough to accommodate this growing congregation, with classrooms, an area for a children’s feeding center, a room for a computer and homework area for students, and land for activities, and a garden for an outdoor baptistry. The average cost for a square meter of land is around $200. Making an acre of land about $900.000. We knew only God could provide the land needed, and one day as we were driving into town Jackie saw a sign with just a phone number listed on an old rusty gate just inside the town that wasn't there just a day before. It was a little over an acre in size so we called and found out it belonged to a Catholic charity in another city. They were interested in selling the property. Asking the price and expecting an enormous amount we were shocked when they said they would sell it to us for $162,500. Quickly figuring that out we realized it was only $35 a square meter! Only God could provide this opportunity, and nobody else (realtors included) came across this property before we did. It's completely visible from the main road coming into the town. We truly believe God has opened this door because of the faithfulness and dedication that Iglesia Bautista La Gracia has in spreading the Gospel to the people here. We have many different ministries, but only one mission! To reach the lost with the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and to follow the Great Commission!