We visited Chile for the first time in 2011. The evangelical church was small and divided, and many of the denominations were led by men more concerned about their kingdom, than God’s kingdom. Many missionaries were having, at best, marginal impact and often negative. The initial point of entry into the country was not obvious. We continued making trips and building relationships. 

In Santiago we began helping the leaders of the one Presbyterian church re-plant a church near the university. While this project, lasting about 3 years, was gaining momentum, a relationship with a gifted church planter in the coastal city of Renaca was initiated. The same relational approach was used. At least once a year, we would visit, usually with no agenda other than friendship and a desire to support a small, young but growing group of evangelical church planters. The church in Renaca started with 17 adults and 11 children in August of 2013. Slowly, but surely, it has grown and has planted 2 other church in neighboring cities – Concon and Vina Del Mar. More than 250 adults meet together every Sunday to worship. 

During this period, we also helped church leaders plant a church in the northern Patagonian town of Puerto Varas, near Puerto Montt. 

While this growth was taking place on the coast, the work in Santiago had stalled due to denominational roadblocks. Eventually, the leadership of the biggest church in Santiago withdrew from their denomination and joined a newer Presbyterian denomination that is more strongly evangelical. Since then, the church has initiated several church plants in the Santiago region. Meanwhile, along the coast, a group of three Presbyterian churches have assisted churches from the Anglican and Baptist denominations plant churches.

In just over 10 years, the situation in Chile has gone from being almost hopeless, to a thriving eco-system of churches in multiple key cities working together, planting new churches as fast as possible.