Chile
Date Entered: 1953
Major Ministries: Church planting, Bible correspondence courses, theological and MK education.
Country Profile
From the Atacama Desert in the north, to the Straits of Magellanes in the south, Chile is a long narrow strip of land with a history of freedom. This has proven both a bane and a blessing, as subversive political and religious groups capitalized on this dividend of democracy: Communism made its bid and lost to the military, while heretical sects dominate the religious horizon.
In the midst of Chile’s central fertile valley lie the cities of Santiago and Valparaiso where two-thirds of Chile’s population lives. ABWE presently focuses its activity in Santiago, the country’s large and bustling capital. The Baptist Bible Institute and Seminary trains Chilean believers for leadership positions in national churches. ABWE missionaries serve on teams with Chilean Christians, and twenty-four churches have resulted from their joint efforts.
Wide spread contact with Chileans is a result of the Bible correspondence courses. Many have been won to Christ through personal Bible studies and have become active in their local churches.
Missionaries participate in teaching children, young people, and adults in home Bible classes, an outreach of local churches.
Missionary children attend pre-K through 12th grade at Santiago Christian Academy, a beautiful complex near the scenic snow-capped Andes Mountains. Santiago Christian Academy is staffed and administered by ABWE. Both career and short-term missionaries are continually needed to fill teaching positions.
In more recent years, the Santiago team has expanded to Chile North and Chile South ministries. Chile North has ministries in the coastal towns of Iquique and Antafagasta. Chile South is a ministry to the Mapuche Indians. “Reservations” where the Mapuche Indians live are isolated and provide for a different style of evangelism. They number 1.5 million and desperately need the gospel.
There is a tremendous potential in Chile for reaching people for Christ. The ABWE team needs people to train future leaders in theology and practical areas of ministry, and those from a variety of professions with numerous talents to help reach Chileans with the gospel message.