Testimony of

Segundo Gonzales

Church Planter in Peru

In 2000, after years of pastoring, Segundo felt led of the Lord to begin planting churches. Since that time he has planted one church and is currently working on his second church plant in the Chiclayo area. 

Testimony of Conversion

My name is Segundo, and I was born in April of 1954 in the department of Amazonas, in the country of Peru. When I was a young man, some believers from the local church began to witness to me and implore me to attend their services. On the second night of a week-long anniversary celebration for the church, I was shown my sin and received Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior. It was a beautiful experience that changed my life forever. From that moment on, my life was totally different. Prior to my conversion, I lived for worldly entertainment and pleasure; afterward, though, my life was directed toward God and service in the church.

The following year after my conversion, I gave my public testimony of faith through my baptism. At this time, I began to fellowship with three other young men who were dedicated to Bible Study, prayer, and evangelism. I also enrolled in a correspondence course to know the Scriptures in a greater way.

As I kept walking with Christ and growing in the Lord, I felt even more compelled to speak to others about Christ. My friends and I began to hold meetings everywhere and with anyone who would listen to us. I was greatly motivated by the pastors who would visit our church. They encouraged me to prepare myself for the ministry in a Bible institute. My parents, however, were strongly opposed. Finally, after many months had passed, the Lord continued to impress upon my heart the need for training, and He opened up “impossible doors” so that I could get the training I needed in the Baptist Seminary of Peru. After my first year, I had no money left for support, my brother died, and my mother became very sick. Because of this, I had to postpone my studies for two years. In spite of all these problems, I eventually graduated in 1981 and was invited to pastor in a nearby church. By God’s grace, I pastored in the same church for sixteen years and we planted three churches.

Then, eight years ago, I felt God’s leading to leave the pastorate and dedicate myself to missionary work. When we first arrived in the Chiclayo area, it was a white field with very few workers. Since that time, we have planted one church, “The Baptist Mission Shalom,” and we have begun another work in the town of Mochumi. The name of the work is “The Baptist Mission Sinai.”

I thank the Lord with all my heart for my wife and children who work with me as a team in the work of the Lord. By God’s grace, we have done all these things as co-laborers.