United in faith and purpose, Estrella de Belen members gather to pray for and with their neighbors—believing that the hope of the Gospel and compassion can transform their community. Photo courtesy of Iglesia Bautista Estrella de Belen.
HIALEAH— Iglesia Bautista Estrella de Belén’s commitment to setting clear goals for evangelism and baptism has led to remarkable growth and transformation in both the congregation and surrounding community. By intentionally focusing on outreach and discipleship, the church has seen an increase in baptisms and a renewed passion for sharing the gospel.
“When we set goals for baptisms, we saw a significant increase,” pastor Javier Sotolongo shared. “People were always there, but for some reason, they weren’t taking that next step. The moment we encouraged them and set a target, we saw more people stepping forward in faith.”
Sotolongo, also an adjunct professor of evangelism at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, has implemented a multifaceted approach to outreach that includes intentional prayer, evangelism training, community engagement, and clear goal-setting. His church has embraced strategies such as street prayer events, neighborhood outreach, and discipleship initiatives to create a culture of evangelism.
Training and equipping for evangelism
Recognizing that fear often holds believers back from sharing their faith, Sotolongo has led the church to emphasize training through simple and effective tools like the 3 Circles method, Evangelism Explosion, and hands-on practice.
“We want to eliminate barriers. We provide simple training sessions, sometimes just two hours after Sunday services, with a meal included,” he explained. “The goal is to equip more people to confidently share the gospel.”
The church also has embraced a unique method of reporting gospel conversations. Instead of requiring detailed reports, the church has a system where members simply text a designated number, saying, “I shared Christ with someone today,” or “Someone accepted Christ today.” These weekly numbers are then displayed on a church board and shared with the congregation.
“When people see those numbers, it encourages them,” Sotolongo said. “It creates momentum, and people want to be part of it.”
Church leadership intentionality will deliver kingdom-impacting results.
“Iglesia Bautista Estrella de Belen, under the leadership of Pastor Javier Sotolongo, aimed at sharing the gospel with its immediate City of Hialeah community,” said Al Fernandez, Southeast regional catalyst of the Florida Baptist Convention. “The result was that of hitting their baptism goal. This is a testament that church leadership intentionality will deliver kingdom-impacting results.”
Community outreach and baptisms
“It is inspiring to see the intentionality of a church fulfilling the Great Commission through evangelistic efforts,” said Emanuel Roque, Florida Baptists’ Hispanic multicultural catalyst. “God has used Pastor Javier Sotolongo over the years to lead a healthy and effective church through this commitment to the centrality and real priority of the gospel in message and action.”
The church’s commitment to evangelism extends beyond the walls of the building. Members regularly take to the streets, offering prayer and invitations to church services. This outreach has led to encounters with the homeless, immigrants and people from diverse backgrounds, some of whom have begun attending services.
The impact of these efforts is evident in baptismal services. A recent service included a young man with autism who, after completing baptism classes, confidently professed his faith. Though initially hesitant about the water, he was ultimately baptized in a way that accommodated his comfort level.
“This showed us that the gospel is for everyone, and we need to be flexible in how we minister to people,” Sotolongo reflected.
The church also prioritizes celebrating baptisms publicly, often holding baptismal services outside, where passing cars can witness the joyful occasion.
A growing mission
Our church has become a place where people expect God to move. And when you expect it, you start to see it happen.
In 2024, the church set a goal of sharing the gospel with 1,000 people, surpassing that number by reaching 1,040 individuals, resulting in 272 professions of faith and 30 baptisms. For 2025, the goal is even greater—300 professions of faith and 50 baptisms.
Sotolongo encourages other churches to take steps toward a culture of evangelism, no matter how small.
“Start with prayer—less for arthritis and more for lost souls,” he said with a chuckle. “Train your people; go out into the community, and let them know your church is there to serve.”
For Sotolongo, evangelism is more than a program—it is the heartbeat of the church.
“Our church has become a place where people expect God to move,” he said. “And when you expect it, you start to see it happen.”