On May 19, 2021, SBC of Virginia and the Convención de Iglesias Bautistas del Sur de Puerto Rico signed a five-year partnership commitment that opens the doors to future exciting opportunities for churches in Virginia and Puerto Rico.
The partnership focuses on three areas:
First, meeting needs — SBCV churches will continue to partner through Send Relief to meet immediate Disaster Relief needs and community needs like feeding, construction, and adoption ministries.
Second, strengthening churches — SBCV churches will partner directly with church plants and churches in Puerto Rico to strengthen churches and push forward the mission of Christ in Puerto Rico. Puerto Rican churches will also partner with SBC of Virginia churches to support and advance Gospel ministries in Hispanic work around the Commonwealth.
Third, sharing the Gospel — SBCV churches plan to take the Gospel to new places and peoples through missions opportunities.
SBCV and Puerto Rican Baptists are partnering to reach the nations through a partnership with the IMB among North African and Middle Eastern Peoples in Europe and South America and to reach peoples throughout Central and South America together. Utilizing SBCV’s connections and partnerships in Europe and Puerto Rican Baptists’ connections and partnerships in the Americas, churches can mobilize together to strengthen and advance the work of the Gospel among those who have never heard.
SBCV’s mobilization strategist, Brad Russell, believes this partnership will produce great fruit as the Lord leads and provides. Felix Cabrera, executive director of the Puerto Rican convention and leader of Send Puerto Rico, agrees. “A strong Puerto Rican church and a strong Virginia church can serve as a hub to reach places we could never reach alone. We are always stronger together.”