MIAMI—José Abella’s parents grew up in Cuba before immigrating to the U.S. in the 1960s, but he’s spent his entire life here. Abella says this multicultural pull is both an advantage and an obstacle for Hispanic church planters.

Having planted Providence Road Church in Miami in 2010, Abella knows from personal experience the circumstances surrounding starting new Hispanic congregations. While still leading Providence Road, he was named vice president of Send Network Español, the North American Mission Board’s Hispanic church planting efforts, in 2024.

A Lifeway Research study found the average new Hispanic church work starts with 31 people in attendance but grows consistently. By the eighth year, the church sees an average of 85 people at the weekly worship service. All through that early season, they’re reaching 10 to 15 new people with the gospel each year.

The growth in Protestant Hispanic churches excites Abella. “It is a realization that the Lord is saving people from every tribe, nation and language,” he said. More than 3 in 4 pastors of new Hispanic works (77%) are first generation immigrants, but “they work to assimilate into a new context in a new nation while reaching the people around them.”

Leaders involved in this work emphasized the focus is gospel ministry and church planting, not political advocacy. The goal is to describe ministry realities and the opportunity to take the gospel to people from many nations now living in North America.

Multicultural advantages

A lack of stability grants Hispanic church planters a flexibility that enhances their ministry, Abella said. “They aren’t established. They don’t have a legacy of wealth and retirement,” he said. “They have a mindset to work hard and make it better for the next generation. Hispanic church planters put the gospel at the forefront of their allegiance and keep them focused on the gospel.”

Most of the attendees of new Hispanic church works are relatively new to Protestant churches. Around 1 in 5 previously attended Catholic churches (21%). Another 1 in 5 never attended church at all (19%), while 16% had not attended church for many years before starting with their current church. A few previously attended groups, such as Jehovah’s Witnesses or The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (1%).

Abella said this gospel effectiveness comes from the church leaders’ perspective. “There is a lack of distraction in finding their identity in other means,” he said, “so they remain focused on evangelism and discipleship.”

The church planters recognize what they have and what they don’t have. “It’s not about being attractional. That takes money and venues they don’t have. They can’t simply set up and draw a crowd,” he said. “Instead, they feel like missionaries because they aren’t in their home culture. They put in the work of sharing the gospel over dinner room tables. It’s a slower and more difficult climb, but these planters are doing the work.”

It’s this attitude that Abella says other pastors and planters can learn from their Hispanic brothers. “There’s a lot we can do with a little,” he said. “The kingdom of God is not primarily about big budgets and the logistical means to get things done. It’s planting seeds and trusting the Lord to make it grow. That’s how it functions in most of the world. It shouldn’t work. It doesn’t have the money. But God works through that.”

Still, Abella recognizes that Hispanic church planters have some issues to overcome.

Multicultural obstacles

Assimilation takes time, and church planters often aren’t patient with that process, he said. “It takes a season to get adjusted and figure out how to survive. Some never figure it out,” Abella said. “The reason assimilation is so important is because it’s necessary to be effective in ministry. They can’t simply start a church that looks like a church back home in their previous context. They have to build a church that reaches people in this context for the long run.”

Part of that plan, Abella believes, is a bilingual ministry. Currently, 2 in 3 Hispanic church plants (65%) conduct their services entirely in Spanish. Just 1 in 5 (20%) are bilingual. “If you don’t have a plan for the second and third generation, who are probably bilingual, you probably have a 15-to-20-year shelf life as a church.”

As Hispanic church planters are working to assimilate into their new contexts, they’re also facing increased cultural pressure and uncertainty related to immigration enforcement that can affect some attendees and families.

Half (50%) say they’ve had to address pain and fear in the congregation from changes in government practices. More than a third say in-person attendance declined when some members were afraid to leave home (35%) and church finances have suffered when some members have been unable to work (34%).

A third of new Hispanic church works (32%) have seen more members of the congregation needing tangible help. More than a quarter say members have moved away (29%), and the congregation has been discouraged by the disrespectful tone in culture toward Hispanics (27%).

Amid these issues, 38% say there has been greater interest among unchurched Hispanics looking for hope, while 16% say they haven’t seen any of these changes in their congregation.

Abella said the church’s role is spiritual care and discipleship, not legal counsel, and many pastors encourage members to seek reputable legal help when needed. He added that churches still have felt pressure, and there may still be a sense of fear even among churchgoers who are legally in the U.S. He said some churches have helped connect children and extended families to appropriate care when a parent is detained or removed. Some churches no longer meet in person and have gone online because attendees are worried about gathering in public.

Abella said churches seek to honor governing authorities while also welcoming anyone who will come to hear the gospel and follow Jesus.

He is confident Hispanic church plants will continue to reach new people for Christ because of the determination of the planters.

“Success for them is a healthy marriage and family, along with a congregation that is thriving on mission with God,” he said. That is likely to continue, because Hispanic church planters consider multiplication to be the greatest expression of their gospel witness. “They are thinking long-term for the next generation of people and churches. They are looking forward to sending out their first missionary and their first church planter.”

Much of this has come from a growing partnership with English-speaking Anglo churches, Abella said. “There is a waiting list of English-speaking churches ready to bring on a Hispanic campus pastor,” he said. “This is a beautiful picture of the gospel that wasn’t as prevalent a few years ago. We can all be in this together, all working together to push back the darkness.”

BRENTWOOD, Tenn.—Most churchgoers say they’re looking for ways to serve God as well as the people in their churches and communities, but many still struggle to make that a reality.

Serving God and others is one of eight key signposts measuring distinct characteristics for believers progressing in their spiritual maturity, according to the Lifeway Research State of Discipleship study. The average U.S. Protestant churchgoer scores 73.1 out of 100 in serving God and others, placing it third among the signposts.

The six statements involved in this signpost evaluate churchgoers’ willingness to prioritize others, both within and outside their congregations.

“The command Jesus gave that’s referred to as the Golden Rule, hinges on the words ‘do to others.’ Jesus prescribed a life that focuses on loving God and others, and this is actively shown in serving others. Most churchgoers embrace this goal and, to varying degrees, say they are doing it,” said Scott McConnell, executive director of Lifeway Research.

Spiritual service

In 1 Corinthians, the apostle Paul described spiritual gifts as being given to believers by the Holy Spirit for the benefit of the congregation. As churchgoers look to serve, many say their spiritual gifts are part of that service.

Around 2 in 3 U.S. Protestant churchgoers (68%) say they are intentionally putting their spiritual gift or gifts to use serving God and others, including 29% who strongly agree. One in 5 (21%) aren’t sure, and 10% say that’s not something they do. That highlights an increase in spiritual gift usage compared to a 2012 Lifeway Research study, when 58% of churchgoers purposely put their spiritual gifts to use and 17% disagreed.

“These self-evaluations of serving are definitely more yes than no but also more partial agreement than full agreement,” said McConnell. “Sharing the work of ministry with people who have different gifts is incredibly effective when all participate. But partial or inconsistent service weakens that person’s contribution to the congregation’s work.”

Another way churchgoers look to serve God and others is by being proactively forgiving. Almost 4 in 5 churchgoers (79%) say they forgive others regardless of whether they ask for forgiveness, including 39% who strongly agree. Few say they aren’t sure (14%) or aren’t forgiving in that way (7%).

Beyond the church walls

As churchgoers think about serving others, they aren’t limiting their focus to their congregation. They say they are looking for ways to meet the needs of those in their communities.

Four in 5 U.S. Protestant churchgoers (80%) care for strangers, including 35% who strongly agree. Few aren’t sure (16%) or disagree (4%).

Churchgoers say they work to be proactive in serving others. More than 2 in 3 (68%) say they regularly find themselves meeting a need without being asked, including 25% who strongly agree. A quarter (25%) neither agree nor disagree, while 7% disagree.

Two in 3 (67%) regularly use their gifts and talents to serve or help people in need who are not part of their church, with 27% who strongly agree. Fewer aren’t sure (21%) or disagree (12%).

Specifically, almost 2 in 3 (64%) churchgoers intentionally try to serve people outside of their church who have tangible needs, while a quarter neither agree nor disagree (24%) and 11% say that’s not part of their practice.

This has consistently been a part of the way most churchgoers live out their faith. In 2012, 60% said they intentionally served those outside their church who had tangible needs. Similarly, in a 2019 Lifeway Research study, 62% said they did so.

“A distinctive teaching of Christianity relates to serving,” said McConnell. “Salvation is shown to come from the kindness and grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ, not by a person’s good works. Yet Paul says believers are ‘created in Christ Jesus for good works’ (Ephesians 2:10, CSB). Good news people should be diligent in good works.”