Chile
Annual Conference
- Population: 17,134,708 (88% urban)
- Major Cities: Santiago (5.6 million), Concepción (1 million)
- Evangelical Christians: 18.4%
- FM Work Opened: 1986
- Organized FM Churches: 22
- FMC Membership: 1,800
- Ordained Ministers: 13
- Ministerial Candidates: 15
- Superintendent: Sergio Loyola
- Missionaries: Kay Stotts Godoy, Ricardo and Beth Gomez
- Ecclesiastical Accountability: FMC-USA through Bishop David Roller
Origins
In February 1985 Sergio Loyola, pastor of an independent holiness Methodist church in Chillan, Chile, wrote to the Latin America Area Director about the possibility of joining the Free Methodist Church. Personal contact followed. Groups of believers in three other cities also inquired. In February 1986, the Free Methodist Church of Chile was officially organized.
Present Ministries
An active social outreach program to needy children, a vital youth group, and an evangelistic outreach program are helping establish the church in Chile. A conference goal is to cover this country from north to south with Free Methodist churches. A seminary for training workers has been established in Chillan, and classes by extension are offered in other cities.
Project Jerusalem, an ambitious church-planting effort in the capital city of Santiago, began in 2001. Project Samaria, a focused missions effort toward the Mapuche people (an indigenous people group), began in 2003.
Outreach
Chile has a vibrant mission interest and has sent missionaries to Argentina, Bolivia, Ecuador, Peru and Uruguay.
