Xavier Torrado

Director, Send Puerto Rico
Iglesia Gracia Redentora Vega Baja, Puerto Rico

Xavier Torrado serves as Associate Director for Send Network Puerto Rico. For the past several years, he has led the Church Planting Residency in Puerto Rico. Xavier has served as a pastor for the past 13 years and currently serves as pastor of Iglesia Gracia Redentora, planted in 2016 in Vega Baja, Puerto Rico. He holds a bachelor’s in Sciences from the University of Puerto Rico, a master’s in Business Administration from the University of Phoenix and a master of Divinity from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky. Xavier and his wife, Neysha, have two daughters, Victoria Sofia and Anna Catalina. He enjoys family time, running and good reading.

THE CHURCH PLANT

Gracia Redentora Church is a community of followers of Christ who are committed to living in the light of the gospel. We continually strive to build a faith community that lives to worship God. Our commitment is to impact the city of Vega Baja with Christ and His gospel so its people can experience a change in every dimension—spiritually, socially and culturally.

Junior Martínez was born in Ponce, Puerto Rico. He has been married to his wife, Maylee Péres, for 20 years. They have two children, Dealan and Joyce, in college. He came to the knowledge of the gospel and the grace of God 17 years ago. He has served as a youth leader in his local church and at the Southern Baptist Convention in Puerto Rico. He has been the pastor of Iglesia Bautista La Gracia since August 2010. Martínez has a bachelor’s degree from the Dominican Baptist Theological Seminary and holds a master’s degree in Christian Ministry from the Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary.

THE CHURCH PLANT

Founded in 1992, Iglesia Bautista La Gracia is in the southern part of Puerto Rico, in the city of Yuaco. In 2010 the church began a revitalization process. Two years ago, God showed us through His Word the importance and need of church planting. Since then, our goal has been living for the glory of God, reaching the lost, making disciples and multiplying ourselves. In order to plant and revitalize churches, we’ve learned the Christian life is not about attending events but is a life of growth in the love of God and obedience to God to go where God sends us. By the grace of God, in these two years, our church has revitalized two churches and has planted one church. At this time men are being trained to continue fulfilling God’s mission.

Ben Canfield

Table Church
Aguadilla, Puerto Rico

Ben Canfield grew up as the son of an evangelist in a ministry called Life Action Ministries. He was raised to love Jesus and seek first the kingdom of God. At age 9 he was converted from spiritual darkness into the kingdom of Jesus. After graduating from Moody Bible Institute in 2008 he traveled with Life Action as a youth speaker and worship leader. He met his wife Maria at this time and they got married in 2009. He served on staff at a church for 12 years, serving as the lead pastor for the last 5 of those years. Ben and Maria have served at Gospel Hope Church for the last 2 years and are excited to move to Puerto Rico with their 4 kids, trusting that the Lord will work to make disciples and begin an English-speaking church plant in the Northwest region of the island. Ben has an M.A. in Church Planting from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary.

THE CHURCH PLANT
The Lord connected us with Send Puerto Rico to be partners together in working toward an English-speaking church plant in the Northwest region of the island. We are currently residing in Aguadilla. Our vision is to bring people together to follow Jesus wholeheartedly. We believe that a gathering of God's people can experience the presence of Jesus, unite in the gospel, while being a blessing to the city in which we live. We call ourselves Table Church because we want to be known as a people who "make room at the table." Through missional hospitality we hope to be a part of God's work in making disciples and establishing a new movement of churches being planted.
If you are interested, we'd love to have you come and join us at the Table!

Christian Acevedo was born on April 21, 1994, in Ponce, Puerto Rico. He has been married to Valeria Acevedo since January 2017. From a young age, he was raised in the life of the Church until, at the age of fourteen, by the grace of God, the Lord saved his life through the gospel. At the beginning of 2018, God organized everything so that he could enter the Residency Program of RED 1:8 Church Planting Network with the purpose of being prepared to carry out God’s call in church planting.

He is currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Theology at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary.

THE CHURCH PLANT

As a Puerto Rican, I have been able to see the great spiritual needs of the people I see on a daily basis and with those whom I have develop relationships. As Christians, we know that this spiritual need has always existed, but I must admit that since what happened with Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico, that spiritual state of decadence has been increasingly visible before our eyes, and in one way or another, before their own eyes.

It is for this reason that we want to join efforts to plant churches in places where there is a need. Our eastern area of Puerto Rico is the place of interest. It is in the town of Humacao where we want to work. Our desire is that lives can be reached by the gospel, discipled, prepared and sent out.

Camilo Mendez was saved by the grace of God. He is a servant of Jesus Christ, husband to Gladys Damaris Rosario and father to Adrian and Kamil.

THE CHURCH PLANT

Iglesia Bautista Comunidad de Gracia, is a church plant in the Minillas neighborhood of the town of San Germán, Puerto Rico. We want to make Christ known to those who think they believe in Him but do not really know Him, but they do not really know Him—without limiting ourselves only to our community, but also going to neighboring towns such as Sabana Grande and Lajas. We are committed to living for Christ, reaching out to the lost and serving our neighbors while we make disciples who in turn make disciples. Our commitment is also to preach exclusively the Word of God, the Word of Truth.

Gil Ramos was born in the city of Ponce, Puerto Rico. He is married to Stephanie Torres. He had the blessing of participating in the church life from an early age with his parents. After understanding the gospel and the grace of God, he had the opportunity to begin serving in the local church in areas such as the Youth Ministry and the Ministry of Education. Since February 2018, he has been serving full time in Iglesia Bautista Renacer in a revitalization process of the church.

He has a Bachelor from the Dominican Baptist Theological Seminary and a B.S. in Liberal Studies of the Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico. He is currently studying in the Hispanic Master’s program at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary.

THE CHURCH PLANT

Iglesia Bautista Renacer is located in the southern part of Puerto Rico in the city of Ponce. The work in the Mercedita community began on August 13, 2004. In 2018, the church began a process of revitalization. Through the revitalization of our church, we desire to better enable us to impact our community with the glorious truth of the gospel. As part of this process, we have established a vision as a church that is summarized in these three words: know, love and serve. Know God through His Word. Love God and our neighbors. Serve as a necessary result of our knowledge of God and our love of God and our neighbor. We want to be a church that preaches the gospel faithfully to the lost and that lives the gospel in our life as a congregation—a congregation that not only preaches the gospel but also makes it evident with each one of its acts in the city where God has placed them to glorify Him.

Luis A. Rivera Soto was born in 1964 in Fajardo, Puerto Rico. He grew up in the Barrio Paraíso de Fajardo where he met the Lord Jesus Christ at 11 years old. In 2012, the Lord called him to the ministry.

He married Maribel Gotay Encarnación in 1993, and by the grace of God they have two children, Ruth and Luis Arturo.

THE CHURCH PLANT

Our goal is to develop and establish a church that fulfills the Great Commission, bringing the good news of salvation, making disciples and baptizing them and teaching them to make disciples.

Our vision is to reach the communities of Fajardo and the neighboring towns with the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ through discipleship.

Rubén Rodríguez was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Since his childhood his mom taught him the Word of God, and by the grace of God he was saved at age 17 (1996). He is married to Rebeca Garayalde. God has blessed their marriage with Ellah (9 years old) and Mikel (4 years old).

He served as teacher of a Christian Academy and as youth ministry leader in his local church. He has been the pastor of Iglesia Bautista Misionera since July 2015. He has a bachelor’s degree from Puerto Rico Baptist College.

THE CHURCH PLANT

Iglesia Bautista Misionera is located in the southern part of Puerto Rico, in the city of Ponce. The work in the Bélgica community began on May 25, 1970. In 2019, the church began a process of revitalization. Through this process we desire to have an impact in our community, trusting in power of the gospel to save and transform lives. As part of this process our church has established a vision that consists of three elements that have the gospel at their core: know the gospel, live the gospel and proclaim the gospel. Our aim is to glorify God by knowing and understanding what God has done for us through Jesus Christ, by living every area of our lives according to the truth of the gospel and by proclaiming the powerful gospel of the grace of God to the lost.

In November 2012, after more than 10 years of drug addiction, I was called to salvation and Jesus saved my life. In February 2013, I was baptized by Pastor James L. Benson at the Primera Iglesia Bautista de Groveton in Alexandria, Virginia. I began to grow in the faith and fell in love with the Word of God, seeking God’s guidance for my life. I am a native of Comerio, Puerto Rico, and Rebeca, my wife, was born in El Salvador. In January 2013, we got married. We now have two children, Sebastian and Sofia. We are a family who loves God and demonstrates that love by serving. Our family has experienced moments of joy and peace, as well moments of sadness and tribulation. Each moment has been a tool to build the love of our family in faith.

THE CHURCH PLANT

On September 20, 2017, Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico, changing history forever. Rebeca and I were heartbroken when we visited Comerio two days after. We were in the midst of suffering, destruction and lack of resources. We left our house every day, early in the morning in search of supplies to take to our people in Comerio. We prayed daily for God’s provision, and He provided daily. Rebeca and I put together a washing machine project for the city. We focused on Matthew 22:37-39. Loving the community genuinely caused people to want to hear about God. That is how One Church Comerio was born, on the foundation of love.

Pastor Oscar was born in 1981 in San Juan, Puerto Rico. He grew up in a church environment, however, he was convicted of sin and called to repentance in 1991. In 2019, after finishing his master's degree in Christian Education with a concentration in Pastoral Ministry at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and serving as a pastor for 7 years in Fort Worth, TX; Oscar returned to Puerto Rico to join NAMB in mission make God known through the planting of a new church. He is married to Wendy, and they have two children, Owen and Marina.

THE CHURCH PLANT

Canóvanas is located northeast of Puerto Rico. In this city there are many individuals and religious groups that offer answers to the physical and spiritual needs of the people. However, they are not based on the one true hope found in the gospel of Christ. Our prayer is that Iglesia Bautista Esperanza Eterna will be a church that reaches out to the lost and empowers believers to live in community in the light of eternal hope, Jesus Christ.

Luis A. Rodríguez Santiago was born December 3, 1988 in Ponce, Puerto Rico. He grew up in a home with Christian parents, but the Lord called him to salvation at the age of 15. Luis worked for 12 years as a teacher at Coamo Christian Academy in the town of Coamo and as a youth leader at Iglesia Bautista Raham de Coamo. Since January 2021, he has served as an intern for the SEND PUERTO RICO Church Planting Residency Program and as a pastoral assistant at Iglesia Bautista Ciudad de Dios. Luis married his wife, Kiara Yelixa, in 2016, and both seek to do the will of God, grow daily in the grace of the Lord and glorify the name of Christ. They are parents to Rubén Alejandro.
THE CHURCH PLANT
Located in the center of Puerto Rico, Aibonito is known as the Garden of Puerto Rico. The city, either too religious or too liberal, needs the compassion that offers the gospel and the love of Jesus Christ. We pray that Iglesia Bautista Raham Aibonito will serve as a church that reaches out to the lost. We hope to train and disciple believers to live as a spiritual family amid an earthly family, focused on the light of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Alfonso A. Pagán was born in 1977 in Ponce, Puerto Rico. By the grace of God, he found salvation and is a servant of Jesus Christ. In 2020 after serving as an elder for six years in Savannah, Georgia, Alfonso returned to Puerto Rico to join the SENDPR residency program to plant a church in Patillas, Puerto Rico. He’s married to Kennia Padilla Hernandez and they have two children, Kerianne and Alfonso J.

THE CHURCH PLANT

Iglesia Bautista Comunidad de Gracia Patillas is located in the south part of Puerto Rico, in the town of Patillas. Our goal is to be a community of believers who can grow, proclaim the Word of God and serve in the Kingdom of God. We want to accomplish the Great Commission —to make Jesus known in our community and the neighboring towns of Arroyo. Our commitment is to preach the Word of God faithfully, which is the only Truth.

Carlos A. Cajigas was born on January 10, 1979 in a Christian home. At 14 years old, God called him to salvation. He is married to Keren Morales with whom he has 2 children. In 2018 while listening to the sermon at his church he felt God's call to serve as a pastor. After a confirmation process by his pastors at the Arecibo Christian Community of Adoration Church, he was sent to the Redemptive Grace Church in Vega Baja in December 2020. There, under the direction of Pastor Xavier Torrado, he began ministerial discipleship. In August 2023 he was ordained as a pastor. In December 2023 he completed his church planting residency. He is ready to serve the Lord in the northern area of Puerto Rico.

Reinaldo Reyes was born and raised in Cayey, Puerto Rico. Being raised Roman Catholic, he was able to learn some things about the Bible as a child but it was not until visiting the Iglesia Bautista Buena Vista in Cayey where He was able to hear what the gospel truly is. Reinaldo and his wife Coralys attended this church since 2014 but it wasn’t until August 2017 that Reinaldo repented from his sins and surrender his life to the Lord. Reinaldo has a Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Management. In 2021 after being discipled by his pastor he felt the call to ministry. His desire is to plant churches in places where they are not perceived healthy churches. Currently, he is part of the program Send Network Puerto Rico Church Planting Residency and aspires to plant a church in Cidra, Puerto Rico. At the moment, Reinaldo and Coralys are members in Iglesia Ciudad de Dios in San Juan, where Reinaldo is also trained as an intern. They have one son, Reinaldo David.