Matthew Lucio
ILC Assistant to the President for Communication
Twenty-three preachers from around the world preached the gospel among our twenty-three hispanic churches in the Illinois Conference's annual Hispanic Evangelism Week, from November 2-9, 2024. The speakers hailed from the United States, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, and Panama. The week-long event emphasized both outreach and personal spiritual growth within Hispanic communities across Illinois.
A coordinated effort like this takes planning and careful groundwork. Pastors readied their congregations for this event, resulting in 40 baptisms in the last few months. During Hispanic Evangelism Week, another 72 answered the call to follow Jesus. Elder Ruben Bullon (ILC Hispanic Ministries Director) anticipates another 40 to follow in December.
CELEBRATING 90 YEARS OF HISPANIC MINISTRY
The end of Hispanic Evangelism Week also included a service celebrating nearly one hundred years of hispanic ministry in the Illinois Conference. The keynote speaker was Elder Michael Campos (ILC Executive Secretary), who spoke from 1 Samuel 7:12: "Ebenezer: Thus far the Lord has helped us."
Campos highlighted the dedication of Adventist pioneers who planted the first hispanic church in the Lake Union, as well as how his own family came to faith in Chicago because of the legacy of those pioneers. Campos challenged those present to reflect on how God had led them. He sought to inspire them with the message that "looking back inspires faith to move forward with hope and commitment."
A Brief History
Here is a brief account of how the gospel was shared among the hispanic population in Chicago, ninety years ago:
The work began with the Hungarian Gabriel Vas, a colporteur who initially worked in Chicago among the Hungarian, Bohemian, Polish, German, and Russians as early as 1914. Nearly 20 years later, Vas had also begun selling Adventist publications among Spanish speakers as well. In November, 1933, the Dominican-born J. F. Gomez began holding Bible studies among the interests. The following November, Gomez was accepted as a ministerial intern based on the recommendation of F.L. Perry, Secretary of the Spanish Department of the Bureau of Home Missions. On October 2, 1935, Pastor Gomez and George Casebeer, an American evangelist with experience in South America, conducted an evangelistic series that baptized 13 on January 4, 1936. Subsequent evangelistic efforts reinforced those believers, culminating in the establishment of the Mexican Seventh-day Adventist church of Chicago on February 29, 1936. There were twenty-two charter members.
Please send any news items of what God is doing around the Illinois Conference to communication@ilcsda.org.