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From the second floor of the new building under construction, Gerardo Lorenzo watched the progress of the work with gratitude. What was once a prayer was now taking shape in steel and concrete. As he stood there talking with a fellow pastor, a man approached from the street.
“Are you the pastor?” he asked.
The man explained that he passed by that route every day on his way to work. Seeing the progress of the church filled his heart with joy—so much so, he felt God was moving him to help.
He took out a check for $1,000.
The man was not a member of the church. In fact, he was not even a believer. But God was using that moment to show once again that this work in the Rio Grande Valley was not the result of human effort, but of His provision.
Stories like this have become part of the ongoing testimony of Memorial Baptist Church in Edinburg, where Gerardo has served as senior pastor since February 2008. What began as a small congregation has now become a vibrant and growing church. They started with just 12 people. Today, more than 200 gather for worship, a visible testimony to God’s faithfulness.
That faithfulness is as apparent through Gerardo’s own story as it is the church’s.
“God has blessed us with a beautiful church, made up of kind and faithful brothers and sisters who remain encouraged and eager, working hard to continue building this work.”
A near-tragedy that became a turning point
Gerardo was born in Tampico, Tamaulipas—a coastal city in northeastern Mexico—and into a home that was spiritually divided for a time. His father, José Lorenzo, raised in the Catholic tradition, felt a void every time he attended mass. Convinced that there must be something more, he began to search until one day he walked into an evangelical church in the city center. There he heard the gospel and gave his life to Christ.
José’s wife, Irene, strongly opposed his conversion.
One day, when Gerardo was just six months old, José suggested to Irene that the family attend a service at his church. Irene, filled with anger, responded with chilling words, telling José she would rather the children not be alive than to let him “take them to that church.”
José calmly asked Irene to repent of her harsh words and told her he was confident God would show her that He truly exists. Neither could have known how soon the Lord would show Himself apparent.
Hours later, while José was at church, one of Gerardo’s older brothers was playing with him when Gerardo began to choke on a piece a metal that fell into his throat. By the time Irene arrived, Gerardo was purple and struggling to breathe. She desperately tried to help him, but couldn’t get the object out of the child’s throat. She ran out of the house screaming for help. When she returned, her son was already lifeless.
Holding his little body, Irene remembered the words she had spoken hours earlier and her husband’s call to repent and turn to God.
In the midst of her deepest pain, she cried out to the Lord. She asked for forgiveness and begged Him to save her son. She promised that if God brought her son back to life, she would follow Him.
Minutes later, baby Gerardo made a sudden movement. He expelled the piece of metal and began to breathe. God had answered.
That day, Irene gave her life to Christ. Over time, she became a fervent evangelist, sharing the gospel with many. Gerardo, who was once lifeless, was now alive by God’s grace—and with a purpose yet to be revealed.
‘What God begins, He finishes’
Years later, while studying accounting in Mexico, Gerardo began to feel God’s call to ministry. Although he wanted to respond immediately, a brother in the faith advised him to finish his degree.
“What God begins, He finishes,” he told him.
In 1991, Gerardo trained at a Bible institute to prepare for ministry. Over time, God led him to pastor churches and serve congregations seeking spiritual direction. Finally, the Lord brought him to Memorial Baptist Church in Edinburg, a congregation that had dwindled over the years and whose future seemed uncertain.
But God was not yet finished with His work.
Since Gerardo’s installation as pastor in 2008, the church has experienced steady growth. Families have arrived, lives have been transformed, and the gospel has continued to advance.
In 2010, the congregation began praying for a new sanctuary. For years, they gave sacrificially, saved, and worked together. Families organized food sales, events, and other activities to raise funds.
God also provided in unexpected ways. One company donated all the work to prepare the building’s foundation. Another donor contributed $25,000 at just the right moment to allow construction to continue.
“God has blessed us with a beautiful church, made up of kind and faithful brothers and sisters who remain encouraged and eager, working hard to continue building this work,” said Dalia Lorenzo, Gerardo’s wife.
Even during the pandemic, when many churches faced challenges, attendance at Memorial Baptist Church tripled. Today, the new building stands as visible evidence of God’s faithfulness. Although the work still requires finances and prayer to be completed, the church continues to move forward in faith, trusting in the one who has provided at every step.
For Gerardo, the church building represents much more than a physical structure. It represents transformed lives, answered prayers, and the faithfulness of a God who keeps His promises.
The same God who restored Gerardo to life as a baby in Tampico continues to give life to His church in Edinburg.
The church’s prayer is to be able to complete the last stage of construction and eventually begin an English-language service. They also want to establish an elementary school with kingdom values.
“The work,” Gerardo says, “is not yet finished.”
