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FOREIGN MISSION BOARD 283
Churches and Membership
There are now five organized churches in Colombia. Two are in Barranquilla;
two in Cartagena; and one in Sabanalarga. Their combined membership
is about three hundred. This does not represent the attendance, which is
many times that figure each Sunday, but those who have made profession of
faith, studied Bible doctrines six months, been accepted by the church, baptized,
and are in good fellowship with the church. This shows growth of about fifty
per cent for the one year.
Sunday Schools
Each church has a Sunday school, and there are also five mission schools,
making ten in all. The response to the Sunday school is good. On a recent
Sunday the missions and churches of Barranquilla had a total attendance of
676, those of Cartagena lu*J 238, and Sabanalarga had 238, making 1,152 for
the day. That day is very representative. These who have been deprived of
the Bible for so long, love to study its teachings in Sunday school.
Other Organizations
Three churches have Baptist Training Unions, with twelve unit organizations,
and good attendance.
Three churches have Woman's Missionary Unions, and they are beginning
to organize the various auxiliaries.
Two churches have weekly meetings of the officers and teachers of the
Sunday school. One church has organized a Brotherhood. Another has a Youth
Center, sponsored and financed by the church.
Church Finance
Colombians make good tithers. They like to give, and want to do it in the
scriptural way. They are people who take pride in what their church can do,
and want it to do its utmost. A good example is the Central Church of Barranquilla,
the oldest, and therefore the strongest, in Colombia. During 1945,
they gave a total of $6,431.26 (Colombia pesos; $4,000 American), or a weekly
average of $123.67. This church has a well-organized budget, a functioning
finance committee, and is on sound financial foundations. Of this amount
fifteen per cent went to mission causes. They are ready for self-support, as
soon as a strong native pastor can be found and trained for them. The other
churches are in various stages of growth in scriptural giving, depending on their
age and financial strength. There are no wealthy members in the churches,
but there are many poor who believe God will bless those who give him a place
in their finances.
RADIO AND PUBLICATION
Two of the most effective means of spreading the gospel are used in
Colombia. For three years "The Baptist Half-Hour" has gone on the air
every Sunday at midday. This program is rendered by members of the Barranquilla
churches, and the gospel message is delivered each Sunday by the local
pastor, Rev. S. B. Barrios. Reports from all the country tell of groups that
listen, many of them regularly. It is sincerely attempted to make this program
dignified, powerful, and evangelistic, and the results obtained show that this
is being accomplished. The last Sunday night in each month, the entire services
of the Central Church are broadcast, as are programs on special days. A
program is desired in Cartagena, but as yet no station has permitted the transmission
of evangelical programs. Soon a program of the same type> wi go on
the air in Caracas, Venezuela, where we are expecting great results from
broadcasting the gospel.
HERALDO BAUTISTA
Th* TTpmldo Bautista or Baptist Herald, is the newspaper, organ of the
BapSt c^urche°s o' ColombTa and Venezuela. This paper had a very humb e
hf^nincr hut has reached great proportions. The same format as the state
S s t papers in the^South** hi now eight pages each month, and we ar*