SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (BP) — A nearly 33% jump in baptisms, a steady rise in Cooperative Program (CP) giving and vibrant international missions were celebrated as Puerto Rican Southern Baptists gathered Feb. 15 in San Juan for their 2025 annual meeting.

The 53 churches in the Convention of Southern Baptist Churches in Puerto Rico (CIBSPR) baptized 129 new believers in 2024, CIBSPR Executive Director Luis Soto reported during the business meeting, compared to 98 baptisms the previous year.

CP giving continued a steady rise, with churches giving $90,134.65 in 2024 to the program that funds Southern Baptist work at home and abroad, Soto said, up from $87,889.23 in 2023. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the convention gave $47,731.13 in 2019 and $39,092.28 in 2018, years that challenged the CIBSPR as the island struggled to recover from the devastation of category 4 Hurricane Maria that struck in 2017.

“I hope that next year our convention continues to grow in faith and commitment, spreading the gospel to more corners of Puerto Rico,” Soto told Baptist Press. “I especially appreciate the nearly 33% increase in baptisms and the rise in offerings for the Cooperative Program, which demonstrate the faithfulness of our congregations.”

The CIBSPR forwarded 20% of its CP offering to the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) Executive Committee (EC) for national and international missions, and gave an additional $17,736 to the 2024 Annie Armstrong Easter Offering for North American missions, and $21,704.68 to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering for international missions.

Charles Grant, SBC EC associate vice president for convention partnerships, said the convention’s value was evident not only from the reports he heard at the annual meeting, but also in the enhanced community engagement among Puerto Rican churches.

“There is greater gospel presence and penetration across the island. The Convention of Southern Baptist Churches in Puerto Rico’s partnerships with Send Network Puerto Rico and Send Relief Puerto Rico accentuate its value to the SBC,” Grant told Baptist Press. “Local SBC churches are being mobilized to plant churches. Church planters are finding strength and encouragement through the togetherness they give to one another. Retired SBC pastors are mentoring young church planters.”

Southern Baptist churches in Puerto Rico are partnering with the state convention and Send Relief, Grant said, to deliver community resources.

“These resources create opportunities for gospel conversations and discipleship among new believers,” Grant said. “The SBC is able to shine and give glory to God because of the partnership of the CIBSPR and its work with Send Network and Send Relief.”

Among CIBSPR’s goals, Soto told Baptist Press, is to establish a seminary for sound doctrinal education.

“We are in discussions to establish the Baptist Seminary of Puerto Rico,” Soto said. “There is a great need for sound doctrine teaching in Puerto Rico, and we currently do not have a Baptist seminary on the island.”

Plans are still preliminary, he said, and details were not disclosed.

Two churches joined the Puerto Rico convention, Soto said, La Iglesia Bíblica la Comunión in Bayamón, pastored by Carlos Cajigas, and La Iglesia Coram Deo in Aguada, pastored by Joshua Herrera and Gilberto Santiago.

Church planting remains a priority in partnership with Send Puerto Rico, along with international missions especially among Muslim populations, prison chaplaincy and ministry on college campuses.

Brian Morales was introduced as the new Student Baptist Union ministry coordinator to reach college students with the gospel. More than 40 Puerto Rican Baptists engaged in international missions in 2024, sharing the gospel with Muslims in North Africa and the Middle East, Soto said.

Elections

Messengers elected Gil Ramos, pastor of Renacer Baptist Church in Ponce, as president of the board of directors, replacing pastor Camilo Méndez who concluded his two-year term with noted dedication.

Luis Rodríguez, pastor of Raham Baptist Church in Aibonito, was elected representative for the Eastern Area, and Rubén Rodríguez was elected Southern Area representative.

Participation

Oasis of Love Baptist Church, pastored by Raúl Torres, hosted the meeting that drew 120 attendees from the convention, representing 75% of affiliated churches.

In addition to Grant, guest speakers included Nathan Lorick, executive director of the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention; Xavier Torrado, director of Send Puerto Rico; and Valeria Acevedo, director of the Woman’s Missionary Union in Puerto Rico.

Greeting the group virtually were International Mission Board President Paul Chitwood, GuideStone President Hance Dilbeck, North American Mission Board President Kevin Ezell, SBC EC President Jeff Iorg and South Carolina Baptist Convention Executive Director Tony Wolfe.

(EDITOR’S NOTE — Diana Chandler is Baptist Press’ senior writer.)