Jose Luis S.

Jose Luis is the co-pastor of "Jesus es la Puerta" (Jesus is the Door) Baptist Church in Mallaritos, just outside of Sullana. He also is the Director of Studies at the Baptist Seminary in Sullana and he helps teach and lead different sections of the theological education by extension that operates out of the Seminary.

Testimony and Calling

I was born into a Christian home and from a very young age I was involved in all of the activities of our church. I knew about God, sin, and some things from the Bible, but I did not have any conviction of sin and I didn't have any desire to repent and believe the Gospel. When I began high school, I began to imitate the behavior of my friends. I began to use foul language, get into fights, etc. I did all of this without my parents or church knowing about it. I lived an empty life and meaningless life.

On November 4th at 5:30 p.m. I was standing by a window at my house reading the Bible. I began to see the reality that I was lost. I began to read texts that my parents and my Sunday School teachers taught me about sin and how to be saved. It was at that time that I began to pray and that I asked God to forgive me. I began to cry because of what I was at that time; a rebel, someone who had lived as a hypocrite; pretending to be a believer. I was grieved by my sin and the fact that I had offended God. I understood the reality of my situation without God and at the same time I was able to see his love (in John 3:16) demonstrated toward me in the death of Christ. At this moment I asked God to save me by his grace and mercy and He did it.

Since that time I have a relationship with God like the relationship that a son has with his father. He is my father and I enjoy spending time with him. During my second year of high school I began to share the Gospel at the school where I had acted like what I was; a child of the Devil. Now I have a hunger for the Word of God and I am zealous for sound doctrine. My aim in life is to proclaim the Word of God, being obedient to the Great Commission.

After I was saved I became very involved in evangelism through our church. Then, without really thinking too much about it, the natural thing for me seemed to get prepared for the ministry. So, I began to study in seminary. When I finished seminary, my church sent me to Tumbes (in far northern Peru) to begin a new work. I was there for about one year working; evangelizing, helping with a Bible institute, and training others. After one year I returned to Mallaritos (just outside of Sullana) to help as a co-pastor of the church there. I also currently work with the seminary in Sullana.