When Pastor Chris Butler took the helm at North Naples Baptist Church in 2016, he inherited a congregation on the brink of closure, dwindled to just 40 members. Just two weeks into his pastoral tenure, multiple outside ministries came to him and asked whether the church was selling its building.
Recognizing that the tide is shifting in Naples, with more and more Spanish-speaking families moving to Florida’s Southwest region, Herminio Pagan—better known as JR—and his wife, Emely, launched Iglesia Bautista Vino Nuevo in December 2023 with 60 core members.
Reconociendo que la marea está cambiando en Naples, con cada vez más familias de habla hispana mudándose a la región suroeste de Florida, Herminio Pagán—mejor conocido como JR—y su esposa, Emely, lanzaron la Iglesia Bautista Vino Nuevo en diciembre de 2023 con 60 miembros principales.
Although the medium used to communicate this year’s Easter messages was in stark contrast to previous years, the Good News proclaimed by churches across southwest Florida remained the same – Jesus lives!
Having served in ministry for over 30 years, Chris Butler has been able to put his “heart for church revitalization” to good use over the last three years as the Senior Pastor of North Naples Baptist Church.
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