Chile is a country in desperate need of Bible believing churches that preach and teach from God’s Word and share the clear Gospel message.

Land & People

Chile is one of the most geographically diverse lands in the world. A Chilean author wrote: “When God concluded creating the universe, there was a little of each of the elements left … Taking them in His omnipotent hand, He decided to create one last land … and that is how Chile came to be!” Squeezed between the Andes Mountains on the east and the Pacific Ocean on the west, Chile is 2,625 miles long but only an average of 110 miles wide.

The country can be divided into three geographical areas. In the north is the Atacama Desert–the driest in the world. The central area, where 70 percent of the people live, has a Mediterranean climate. One-third of the entire Chilean population lives in the capital—Santiago. Summers in Santiago can be uncomfortably hot with their dry, smoggy conditions. Southern Chile is rich in forests and grazing lands. Temperatures in the extreme southern tip average 50 degrees F in the summer.

The population of Chile is largely homogenous—92 percent are descendants of intermarriage between early Spanish settlers and the Araucanian Indians.

Religion & Culture

Chile itself was a highly Catholic country, but is transitioning to be a post-modern powerhouse in South America. According to statistics Chile is 67% Catholic, 16% Evangelical, and 12 % Atheist. Until recently, it was the most stable economically and politically of all South American countries, but political unrest has taken a major hold of the country. Santiago and the surrounding cities hold over 58% of the entire population of Chile.

Chile is in desperate need of more laborers to bring the message of eternal life to its people. All these factors make it the prime country to start a church planting ministry that proclaims the Gospel of Jesus Christ in a major hub of South America.

Ministry Opportunities

Chile has become a launching pad for missionaries into unreached areas and even across borders into other countries in South America.

Many large and growing metropolitan area have created great opportunities to plant churches and send Chilean national pastors into the rural communities.

Valdivia, Chile

Valdivia is the Capital of the Los Ríos region. ” Valdivia hosts no less than five major rivers, a landscape that was chiseled out after the earthquake of 1960, the most powerful ever recorded in the world.

Valdivia is a medium-sized city by Chilean standards, with a population of about 150,000 souls. Austral University attracts young people from around the country, and Chilean retirees are now beginning to look to southern Chile as their chosen destination in order to escape the extreme heat and dryness of the central and northern regions.

We planted the Hope Baptist Church (La Iglesia Bautista Esperanza) on September 3rd, 2023. Since then we have had many opportunities to reach the lost with the Gospel, disciple believers, and start training the next generation to continue the work.