Pastor Jorge del Cid immigrated to the United States 23 years ago from El Salvador. Once here, he practiced his profession as an architect in New York and Washington, DC.
Four years ago, Jorge del Cid, Gustavo Pacheco, and Shane Tilson, along with other families, were involved in an evangelistic mission in the city of Herndon, seeking to reach the Latino community. The fruit of this evangelistic endeavor was the official launch of Herndon Bible Church (HBC) on December 15, 2019, with 24 members, led by del Cid and Tilson.
They had a clear mission for 2020. They wanted to reach ethnic groups by starting home Bible study groups; however, the COVID-19 pandemic hit the city of Herndon hard, and it became one of the most affected areas in Northern Virginia. Because of this, HBC had to change its strategy drastically in order to reach the lost. They took to the streets week after week, assisting 450 families in need of food. In the same way, they prioritized spiritual food. It was a strategy designed by God for evangelism in shopping squares and parking lots. Even now, HBC, with the support of friendly churches, continues to serve families week after week.
One of the toughest challenges amid the pandemic has been restrictions on church congregations. HBC has had to meet in more than five different locations—like parks, coffee shops, and hotels. But, thanks to their intentionality in continuing to congregate, they have seen fruit. God’s favor has been with His church, reaching meetings of 100 people—a number surprising in a pandemic.
This congregation has experienced another beautiful harvest—reaching with the Gospel a diverse group of people in their community. Biblical community service, under the guidance and power of the Holy Spirit, has brought forth conversions and baptisms. Through this, HBC is now not just a Spanish-speaking church but also multilingual and multicultural.
The congregation of HBC has demonstrated a biblical vision of mission outreach, both locally and internationally. They are intentionally discipling members of the congregation to mature spiritually and glorify God by going to the nations. As part of this strategy, the congregation is involved in missions and faithfully supports missionaries in France, El Salvador, and Peru.
The fundamental foundation of spiritual growth at HBC is individual worship of Jesus, worship in small groups, worship in Bible studies, and worship in congregational services on Sundays.
Herndon Bible Church’s clear and energizing vision is: Together we love, connect, and equip our communities; multiplying followers of Christ and multiplying churches, locally and globally, all for the glory of God. This vision has been reflected in their intentional outreach to their local community and their involvement in international missions. The challenges they have faced have only served to bring greater glory to God!
