87,000 Baptisms Crown Unprecedented Evangelistic Efforts Across Inter-America

Chiapas Mexican Union leads with 23,000 new members as churches across 25 regions unite in unprecedented outreach efforts.

May 6, 2025 | Tuxtla Gutiérrez, Chiapas, Mexico | Libna Stevens, Inter-American Division News

The Inter-American Division (IAD) recently wrapped up its first four-month evangelism efforts this year with more than 87,000 new members baptized into the Seventh-day Adventist Church at the end of April. The unprecedented achievement, felt across churches and congregations across churches and congregations in the 25 major church regions, or unions, within the IAD, culminated in a grand baptismal celebration in Tuxtla Gutierrez, Chiapas, Mexico, on Apr. 26, 2025.

Unity and Mission in Chiapas

Hundreds gathered at the Expo Convenciones Chiapas to honor the dedicated efforts of pastors, church elders, small group leaders, and laypersons in Chiapas, who worked tirelessly for since September of 2024. Their outreach—through Bible studies, community initiatives, and evangelistic campaigns—reached neighbors, friends, family members, and coworkers, leading to more than 23,000 new believers joining the church in the region since January.

“It’s impressive to see how the church in Chiapas—children, youth, women, adults, church leaders, pastors, and leaders at the conference, union, and division levels—have all united with one purpose: to fulfill the mission of sharing the gospel everywhere,” said Pastor Balvin Braham, vice president of the Inter-American Division (IAD) and one of the organizers of the live event. “We are overjoyed to celebrate the goodness of the Lord across Chiapas and the entire Inter-American Division.”

The celebration in Chiapas marked a historic milestone in outreach efforts. In just four months, more new believers joined the church than were baptized throughout the entire year of 2024. This remarkable growth was echoed across the Inter-American Division, where such numbers had not been seen in the first four months of any year in decades, said Braham. “This shows us that we must remain fully committed to proclaiming this message throughout Chiapas and across Inter-America,” he emphasized.

Guest Evangelists Amplify Local Efforts Across Chiapas

Pastor Ignacio Navarro, president of the Chiapas Mexican Union, expressed gratitude to more than 130 guest evangelists from across the Inter-American Division (IAD) territory, as well as speakers from Adventist World Radio and theology schools throughout Mexico, who preached in parks, community centers, auditoriums, and churches during the evangelistic week of April 20–25.

“It has been a tremendous blessing and opportunity for the church in Chiapas to grow in fulfilling its mission, thanks to the leadership and support of so many who came to strengthen our outreach efforts,” said Navarro.

Pastor Henry Ramírez, from Puerto López in the East Los Llanos Conference of southern Colombia, left his five congregations and five small groups to travel to Chiapas, where he led a weeklong evangelistic campaign in the Castillo Tielemans District of Adventist churches. “It was an amazing experience to witness the strong evangelistic efforts here and see how open members and visitors are to the gospel,” said Ramírez. Alongside local church leaders, he visited members and new believers daily—an experience he said will greatly enrich his ministry back home. By the end of the week, nine individuals were baptized.

Similarly, Pastor Roberto Herrera, stewardship director of the IAD, traveled to hold an evangelistic campaign in in the Vicente Guerrero district of Adventist Churches leading up to the celebration. More than 400 members and visitors gathered every night at the Vicente Guerrero Sports Center in the West Chiapas Conference and at the end of the efforts 37 persons were baptized and 80 persons are now studying the bible to soon be baptized.

“Participating in the evangelistic campaign deeply impacted me,” said Herrera. “It revealed the church’s incredible potential when united to glorify God. Everyone—from the union president to church members—shared one mission: to tell others that God loves them and has a place for them in heaven.”

That united strong missionary spirit has long defined the Adventist Church in Chiapas, noted Pastor Navarro.  “Our members have been fully engaged, doing extraordinary work since last September to prepare the ground, and we are now witnessing the results,” he said.

Families and Small Groups Drive Evangelism

Themed “El Cielo Te Espera” (Heaven Awaits You), the comprehensive evangelistic program falls under the territory-wide “All The Family in Mission” initiative of involving families across congregations actively engaged in spreading the gospel in their communities, explained José Bouchot, executive secretary of the Chiapas Mexican Union.  “The plan was implemented  through the 11,000 small groups where each family committed to bringing at least one family to study the bible in their home as a house of hope location,” said Bouchot.

The objective was for every small group in Chiapas to study the Bible with at least two new individuals, ultimately inviting them to join their church congregations. This initiative followed a monthly evangelistic cycle that began in January and culminated in over 22,000 new believers, ready for baptism, Bouchot shared.

“This was an extraordinary result seeing how the church was mobilized, took the initiative and began to ask for more evangelism each day,” said Pastor Navarro. “These efforts were all part of prayer, witnessing and patience so the Lord can give us the extraordinary result that is a lifestyle of the church, bringing souls to the feet of Jesus. It was all about starting the efforts from homes and concluding by moving into the church.”

Church leaders also highlighted that the church in Chiapas began training and empowering its local elders across the region’s 3,600 congregations to actively participate in the mission, preparing for the intense evangelistic efforts that would lead up to April 26.

Stories Faith and Commitment

Among those baptized onsite during the live program was 40-year-old Ivan Arse. Although he had occasionally attended the Zapata B Adventist Church with his wife Sandra—a long-time member—he had never taken the step to be baptized.

“I didn’t get baptized before because my job required me to work on Saturdays for years,” Arse explained. “I just never made the decision.”

That began to change when Sandra fell ill with severe migraines. Ivan started attending church more regularly, and over time, his heart began to soften.

Twelve years later, the evangelistic campaign deeply moved him, stirring his desire to embrace God’s promise of eternal life.

“Just days ago, things worked out at my job, and now I can rest on the Sabbath,” he said. “Jesus has come to mean so much more to me—He brought peace, calm, and a strong desire to share His goodness in my life. I thank my wife for encouraging me to make this decision for Christ.”

Sixteen-year-old Karla Escobar, from the Santa Ana Adventist Church in the Central Chiapas Conference, recently chose to return to a life with Jesus.

Though she had grown up in the church, by the time she was 10, Karla lost interest in attending services or participating in church activities. But when she was invited to an evangelistic campaign at the very church she had once left, something changed.

“I realized that Jesus feels what I feel and is always with me—ready to bring peace, guidance, and companionship,” Karla said.

Moved by that conviction, she decided to be baptized. Today, she is active in her church’s Master Guide club and is eager to take part in more youth activities.

At 15, José Antonio Vázquez left the Adventist Church along with his family. Now 35, he and his wife, Aura Carolina, had been part of a dissident group. Recently, however, an Adventist pastor invited them to a series of evangelistic meetings—and everything began to change.

“We were moved by the music, the worship, the messages and the health message,” said Vázquez. “I felt Jesus touch our lives—He transformed our hearts, influenced our business, and led us to begin a renewed life as we wait for His return.”

Inspired and convicted, the couple chose not to delay their decision. Along with dozens of others, they were baptized during the event as a public testimony of their renewed faith.

Deepening Faith, Continuing the Mission

For the newly baptized and the hundreds of church leaders and members gathered for the celebration, Pastor Abner De Los Santos, a vice president of the General Conference, urged them to take time to truly discover Christ. “The Lord knows everything about you, but He wants you to get to know Him more deeply,” said De Los Santos. “It’s not enough to simply know doctrine or follow tradition. What truly transforms your life is encountering Jesus and worshiping Him in spirit and in truth.”

Pastor Elie Henry, president of the Inter-American Division (IAD), expressed gratitude to local, regional, and division leaders for their dedication to preaching the Word of God and uniting in the evangelistic efforts taking place in Chiapas. “This is not the end of an initiative, but rather another phase in our journey,” he said. “We must keep moving forward—preaching, serving, and preparing a people to meet Jesus Christ and be ready for His soon return. Let us continue together, as one family, totally committed to the mission.”

Union administrators were honored for their dedicated evangelistic efforts in their respective territories during the first part of the program. Following Chiapas Mexican Union, with over 23,000 baptisms, is the Inter-Oceanic Mexican Union with 10,342, the Dominican Union with 4,500, and the Haitian Union with 3,985 baptisms.

The live-streamed program also featured a musical concert by an Adventist choir in Mexico, drama performances, and more.

To view the online program visit webcast.interamerica.org or click HERE

To see a photo album of the event, go HERE