Santiago Union of Pentecostal Holiness and Methodist Pentecostal Churches (2018)

On February 4, 2018, believers gathered in Santiago, Chile, to celebrate the merger of the International Pentecostal Holiness Church with the First Methodist Pentecostal Church of Chile. In a city long shaped by revival preaching and public witness, pastors, elders, and lay delegates stood side by side to affirm a shared confession: Jesus Christ is Lord, salvation is by grace through faith, and the Holy Spirit empowers holy living and mission.

The service was marked by prayer, worship, and repentance where needed, emphasizing unity without surrendering truth. Christ’s own prayer for His people framed the day: “that all of them may be one… so that the world may believe that You sent Me” (John 17:21). The union expanded the fellowship to more than two million members worldwide, strengthening ties between congregations in the Americas and beyond.

Roots and Setting

Pentecostal and holiness movements in Chile have often grown through simple means—street preaching, home prayer meetings, and faithful shepherding in working neighborhoods. Santiago, as the nation’s capital, has served as a crossroads for this testimony, where doctrine is taught, ministers are trained, and mission efforts are coordinated to reach cities, rural communities, and migrants.

The merger honored a legacy of earnest holiness and fervent evangelism, recalling generations of believers who labored quietly: women leading prayer circles, young people evangelizing in plazas, and pastors visiting the sick and poor when resources were scarce. Their steady courage—seen in long obedience, public integrity, and sacrificial giving—formed the backbone of the movement’s growth.

Meaning and Ongoing Witness

The union testified that the gospel is stronger than borders and past divisions. It called churches to guard biblical conviction while refusing bitterness, to seek purity of life, and to depend on the Spirit rather than human strength. As Scripture urges, “Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:3).

In practice, the strengthened fellowship has aimed to deepen discipleship, expand compassionate ministry to the needy, and send workers for bold evangelism. The Santiago gathering stands as a reminder that Christ builds His church through truth, prayer, and Spirit-empowered love.