VIDA Bluffton

Hi, my name is Ruben De Jesus and I am the Hispanic Church Planter for VIDA in Bluffton, SC.  I am currently interning at Cross Point Church, Bluffton, SC.  While interning, I have also been gathering a core group who will plant a new Spanish-speaking church called VIDA.  The name reflects VIDA’s values: Vital church in the community, Integrated with the family, Developing people, and Accepting everyone, which translates the same in Spanish.  The core group is studying the book of James which talks about practical Christian living.  

We are also starting to form ministry teams which are missional and instructional. For example, we have a couple who wants to lead a team that serves the social aspect of our community, another couple that wants to start a family counseling and teaching ministry, and another couple that wants to lead our small group ministry team.   I will be coaching and mentoring all three leaders.

Our core group attendance has reached 20 and our goal is to reach 30 by the end of March. We plan to soft launch on Easter Sunday, April 4.  A soft launch is a series of worship gatherings before a new church launches. We will schedule an official launch come September 2010 as we work towards some milestone and have the infrastructure in place.

When Mario Vargas’ retired as the pastor of the Hispanic group at the Baptist Church of Beaufort (BCOB), the pastoral staff of BCOB asked VIDA to partner with them to help serve in this ministry.  I am helping in the Sunday worship service with music and preaching.  I will be coaching and mentoring two potential leaders. With their approval we are also in the process of implementing the same purpose, mission, vision, and values of VIDA. The Beaufort Hispanic church has decided to call themselves Vida Nueva.