Balwin Park Hispanic Grows from 19 to 166 Visionary leadership focused on people has produced an amazing 800 percent attendance gain over five years at Baldwin Park Hispanic church on the Los Angeles District . Due to an extensive influx of immigrants, Baldwin Park's 73,000 population is now 70 percent Hispanic including newcomers from Nicaragua, Guatemala, El Salvador, and Mexico.Because of this population shift, after years of faithful ministry, the church's Anglo attendance dwindled to an average of 19 by 1993.The solution was to start a Hispanic church in the existing facilities. Productive new days started at Baldwin Park when Rev. Rigoberto Acosta contacted District Superintendent Roger E. Bowman about a pastoral assignment. After 27 years of bi-vocational ministry with limited results, Acosta had completed studies at Fuller Theological Seminary and was ready for fulltime ministry.Bowman proposed beginning a Hispanic church in the Baldwin Park property, but he advised Acosta to continue his secular employment because no funds were available for salary.After three days of prayer and fasting, Acosta decided to accept the challenge of planting the new church and quit his secular job as an act of faith.Of the experience he testified: “The challenge was too great, the opportunity too worthy, and my calling so deep that it was impossible to continue working.Now after five years, my family and I do not regret what we did because of the results of seeing so many new people coming into the family of God.”The attendance and membership statistics help tell the story of the church's important impact for the kingdom of God in Baldwin Park. Membership has grown from 32 in 1993 to 104 and worship attendance from 19 to 166. On September 21, 1997, they started a new church in Azusa with 44 persons from their congregation. Still their worship attendance for 1998 is running at 155. The congregation's ten-year goal, which it appears they will meet, is to reach attendance of 500 by 2003, start two more new churches, and have 50 called persons in training for the ministry. This congregation is purposely people focused. Their evangelistic theme: “All the sad, afflicted, rejected, unsheltered, anguished, and tormented have a place in the heart of our church. Come; we will do you some good.” Pastor Acosta explains their commitment to serve immigrant people during their transition into American Society like this: “From the start, we have been a church open for the community. All are welcome. We make everyone feel like they are family. This is a big help to persons in transition since many have recently come to this country, leaving family and friends. Our church is here to meet needs and to be a substitute for the family they left behind.” When asked to discuss Baldwin Park Church's exceptional growth, Pastor Acosta shared insights he considers to be reproducible in other places. He believes people enjoy following a leader who has an infectious vision. About sharing vision he said: “People only believe the vision when they see the leader paying a personal price to obtain the goal. It is important to talk and preach about the vision until the people believe it. In every circumstance, I speak about possibilities and faith, talk about success, and constantly visualize attaining the goal; and this gives people understanding and confidence. When People embrace the vision, they are willing to pay the price.” Acosta believes growing a church takes hard work backed with passion and enthusiasm. He said, “Great things do not happen the easy way; I work from 12 to 14 hours every day making plans to see that the vision becomes a reality.” Concerning the need for enthusiasm, Acosta observed: “Whatever you do for the Kingdom, do it with prayers and enthusiasm because it is contagious. Pretty soon many will be energized by your actions.” He also strongly believes in a Kingdom priority for all of ministry rather than an agenda for only one church. Speaking from experience, he remarked, “Work for the kingdom of God, not just for a local church, because when the Kingdom grows, your local church will grow.” GROW visited Baldwin Park church on a recent Sunday evening. The crowd was large, the singing spirited, and the preaching challenging. That evening, members of the new church joined the founding church for an inspiring service of praise and worship. GROW salutes Pastor Acosta and his congregation for their progress and their dream. Gateway Church Gets Ready to Build Starting in 1990 as Rancho California Neighborhood Church of the Nazarene, Gateway Church has grown since 1993 from 95 to 193. Fifty new members have joined during the same five-year period, and 110 persons have joined by profession of faith since the start. Though their growth during eight years of history has necessitated moving from a child-care facility to an elementary school to a Jazzercise facility and now to four commercial buildings in a shopping center, the church has kept focused on its sense of purpose and its loving commitment to people. The church began in the heart of District Superintendent Maurice Hall and a few Nazarene laypersons who sensed a need for a Church of the Nazarene in this new development now called Temecula. Soon the Kenn Coil family accepted the invitation to become the founding pastor of the new work. Southern California Nazarenes gave prayer support, some moved their membership to the infant church, and many helped make more than 16,000 phone contacts in the community. In September 1990, the baby church was organized in La Petite Child Care facilities. Early in their history, three precepts became guiding principles. Prayer is priority number one, so no decision, service, or program has been considered without first seeking God's direction. The second commitment was to genuinely care for others, so all who attend are greeted with open arms and welcomed into the fellowship; caring for people applies to newcomers as well as to each other. The third commitment was to help share the gospel with others around the world, so the church has given at least a tithe of its income for others from the start. Now known as Gateway Church, the congregation is currently preparing to build its permanent home overlooking Interstate 15 where 26 million cars pass annually. The new building will seat 750 and provide needed additional room for a growing Sunday School. They seek to maximize the opportunity of winning people in a growing city whose population has increased from 40,000 to 120,000 in ten years. Newcomers report what they found at Gateway: "You can feel the love and caring for others." "You can sense unity and openness." "My whole family feels welcomed, and there is some ministry for each one of us." Printed material in the packet given to first-time visitors communicates the church's commitment to people with four wonderful phrases: (1) We're happy you are here; (2) Let us get to know you; (3) You're among friends at Gateway; and (4) I'd love to hear from you (on Pastor Coil's calling card). Congratulations to Gateway Church for their progress and for their vision.
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