How important is faith in the Latin community, and how do you approach addressing their spiritual needs?
For the Latin community, having “faith” is part of their culture and idiosyncrasy. This is a community that is given to “believing” and having faith from a very young age. Therefore, the people are quite sensitive and open to the spiritual. It’s rare to find any skeptics among the population.
The challenge is not the lack of faith among Latinos but channeling that faith towards the true God. One of the ways I like to approach the people’s spiritual needs is by leading them to have an encounter with God’s supernatural power. In my experience, it’s the most effective way. Encountering the true God and His presence with powerful and impactful demonstrations of the supernatural leaves no room for religion. It replaces it.
You’ve been a Daystar Programmer for many years. How has being a part of Daystar helped you minister to more people in the Latin community and beyond?
For me, Daystar has been a bridge of access and an open door to reach more people, not only in this community, but globally. Technology has evolved over the years, to the point we can travel anywhere with a tap of our fingers. This makes our mission of the evangelization of the world much more achievable. Daystar is definitely a part of that movement. It has given me a greater reach to expand and make known the supernatural all over the world.
However, the same applies to the opposite. Yes, there has been expansion of the gospel spread across the world, but I’ve also seen it reach even the smaller corners of the world, to people and families who may not have the means to join us so easily due to their circumstance or environment. This influence has allowed me to present God to all types of people in a real, palpable, and fresh way.
How can the Church better minister to those here in the U.S. and abroad who come from Spanish-speaking backgrounds and cultures?
The key is to be open. To take the global vision of God and make it part of the Church’s environment, not only to a select group according to their culture. As the Church, we cannot feel called only to certain groups. Doing so will only establish a limit between our communities. It is important to broaden our vision, change our environment, and take new steps of faith that will incorporate people, not separate them. This creates real possibilities for other cultures to be part of and have access to God, as well as take their place as the body of Christ.
One day God spoke to me and led me to change the services in my local church from being only in Spanish to opening another one in English. It took a step of faith, and a lot of work, but because of His global vision, He made it happen. This is just one example of how the Church can better reach others.
What is the key to revival, particularly in Latin American communities?
Revival, or being revived, involves having a hunger for God, having a personal encounter with God (not a religion), and being open to change (especially in one’s heart and mentality).
Daystar is launching a brand new, all Spanish network, Daystar Español! What does it mean to you to be part of Daystar’s vision to show love and encouragement to the Spanish-speaking peoples of the world?
To be part of this new vision of Daystar is an honor and a privilege. It touches my heart greatly because this vision clearly reflects God’s heart for the people, which is reaching not only a select group but every race, people, and nation.
How important is it for the Church at large to support efforts to reach and minister to the Latin Communities?
I have to agree that this is very important. This is the Church’s opportunity to be part of God’s vision and join in on what He is doing in this time. To support these efforts is simply a form of pouring out what we have received from God. He has always trusted us to be the vessels and representatives of His power. Therefore, everything He imparts to us has always been for the benefit of His people. Faith must be accompanied by works.
What is the Lord showing you prophetically regarding revival among Spanish-speaking communities, and what type of role is Daystar playing in that?
God has been speaking to me for some time now about an awakening that He wants to bring to His global church. But I perceive the Spanish-speaking communities will be the ones to take this to its full potential. There is a change taking place, which is provoking a desire for more. Soon, the old or the learned (in the sense of lifeless practice) will no longer be enough. People will want an increase in their lives of the real God. The Living God. This awakening is the doorway to revival. God is bringing a change not only in the hearts of adults, youth, children, and families of this community, but also in their mentality. A change to begin to see the world as He sees them in the now. God is bringing a spiritual increase to this community. It is like a fire that has been lit but needs to be expanded and that is where Daystar Español will play an awesome role because it will be that propeller to bring that move of God, that revival, to the people through its reach. I believe that God will use the Spanish-speaking community to be the center of this revival and expand it to the whole world.
How did God first capture your heart?
One of the things that struck me the most about God, and thus captured my heart, was that He pursued me, even when I didn’t want anything to do with Him. At the time, I was just another sinner, with an irrelevant background and who came from a godless culture, but He never gave up on me. He invested in me and saw in me what others couldn’t. He made me into someone who will represent Him, His glory, and His Kingdom. I will never forget how unconditional His love was toward someone so insignificant.
What is one beautiful thing about Latin Culture that you wish other cultures knew about?
What I love about the Latin community is that it tends to be more “open” and familiar with each other and the people around them. It is rare to find Latinos interacting in a cold way. They are a warm, close-knit community and will always make you feel at home.
What is one of your favorite memories/church memories growing up, and what did you learn from it?
One of my favorite church memories has to be when my ministry and I made the transition from being a local church to a multicultural church, not knowing whatsoever that it would be the first step to being the global church God has called us to be. I remember we started with one small location, but He led us to aspire for more. He told me, “I will provide everything.” And sure enough, when I took the step of faith and obeyed the command, He began to send us the people. He supernaturally provided us with the resources. And when we thought we had seen it all, He continued to provide until we were completely debt-free. It was a supernatural vision, so the methods and resources had to be supernatural.
Seeing His support and His faithfulness in fulfilling this vision is what filled my heart and taught me that nothing is impossible for God. He always keeps His promises.
What has the Lord taught you about hope and overcoming fear during this pandemic?
This pandemic has shaken a lot of us, especially those in the church community. It was difficult to see many churches closing down and people losing faith because they became disconnected and isolated. However, it was also during that time where God really outshone Himself, in my life and the people around me. I saw firsthand how He turned something that was destined for evil into something with purpose and meaning. Even in the dark times, God is working. When we have that assurance and conviction, our perspective changes and that is the point where we stop losing hope.
This past year, I’ve spent more time in God’s presence than never before. I am a firm believer of His presence. In it, all fear and anxiety disappear, because our hope is no longer dependent on natural circumstances, but on the unshakeable person that is God. Fear and hopelessness are the result of the absence of God’s presence in a person’s life. Therefore, if your perspective is based on the things of the world, you will not have a divine perspective. Creating and prioritizing God’s presence to come and invade will sustain lives, families, and every ministry.
Talk about why the church must get outside the four walls and change the way they think about ministry.
To start, we must ask ourselves: If not us, then who? Our role as the church during these end times is important and if we do not get on board fast, we risk losing millions of souls to the hands of the enemy. It is important to understand that the church is not a building. It is not simply a place to gather on Sundays. The church is you and me. Jesus and the Holy Spirit live inside of us; therefore, we carry Him wherever we go. As witnesses, we testify of His power through miracles, signs, and wonders, fulfilling our mission to bring the kingdom of God to the life of every person who does not know Him. Therefore, our mentality on what the Church is needs to be changed so we can continue to fulfill the vision that God has for us, which is the complete evangelization of the world. Jesus is not coming back for a dead church. He is coming for a prepared church, one who is watching and praying and working for the advancement of His kingdom. We cannot allow our mindset to be limited by the natural things around us. That will only entrench the Church much like the early church had been. The book of Acts shows us that when this happened, the Lord sent them persecution so that they would come out of their perfectly constructed spiritual environment. He shook them out of their comfort zone to be the witnesses they were called to be for their families, acquaintances, and all the world. Do not wait for God to shake your ministry to get to work. God was merciful to the early church but, given the times we are in, time no longer seems to be a luxury we can afford. If you wait too long, you may find yourself fallen behind. Let us be the end-time church we were called to be and reach the ends of the earth for Jesus!
