Juvenal Gonzalez

Church Planting Catalyst Missionary, Tijuana

Posted

Juvenal was born in Guerrero, Mexico and emigrated to the U.S. as a teenager to beome a migrant worker.  In 1988, he gave his life to Christ after a difficult battle with tuberculosis in North Carolina.  Soon after, he started his first semester at Southwestern Baptist Theoliogical Seminary where he met and married his wife, Maria.  He was called to the ministry in 1992, and started the first Hispanic Church of Robeson County, NC, “Iglesia Bautista Betel”.  He was the pastor of Iglesia Bautista Betel for 13 years.  After an invitation from WMU to their FamilyFest mission trip to Tijuana in 2006, Juvenal and family moved to Tijuana, BC, Mexico.  He currently serves as Church Planting Missionary for the San Diego Southern Baptist Association and Pastor of Street Baptist Church in Tijuana. 

Juvenal enjoys tending to his big garden.

Favorite Book: “The Purpose Driven Life”. Favorite Movie:  all the Cantinflas movies. 

Favorite Bible Verse: I Corinthians 9:16

“For when I preach the gospel, I cannot boast, since I am compelled to preach.  Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!”