Investing and Equipping
LOCATED ALONG THE BANKS OF THE RIO GRANDE RIVER is the vibrant border city of Laredo, Texas. Although the city has a rich religious heritage, Texas Baptists® identifies Laredo as one of the most “unchurched” cities in Texas today. Seeing both the challenge and the opportunity, STCH Ministries felt God’s call to step into Laredo, to be a light and bring hope.
In early 2025, Dr. Julio Varela was installed as pastor of United Baptist Church, a multicultural congregation serving both English and Spanish speakers. Prompted by his desire to see the church grow holistically, Pastor Varela reached out to Community Ministries and requested that the Faith & Finances course be brought to Laredo. Since Laredo is uniquely positioned about 150 miles from three of our offices, Community Ministries in the Rio Grande Valley started brainstorming options to bring the course to UBC.
After some discussion, our Rio Grande Valley team suggested a hybrid approach: offering some in-person sessions and the rest via Zoom. However, after the first in-person class, participants were so engaged that the church offered to cover travel expenses for the team to continue teaching weekly on-site. Recognizing the lack of available resources for churches in this area, we knew it was worth the investment of time and effort to strengthen our spiritual family in Laredo.
On May 28, 2025, the Faith & Finances program was launched at United Baptist Church. Each session averaged 40 participants, and it was evident that God was using the program to transform lives. Two months later, on July 30, 2025, 30 participants were recognized for graduating from the program. Three of the graduates expressed a desire to become facilitators themselves, ensuring that the program will continue to impact their community.
Claudia Lopez, a realtor and participant, testified, “God showed me that spending had become an addiction in my life, and helped me realize that living that way is sin. I want to honor Him, and if changing my spending habits brings Him glory, then all praise to Him!”
Another participant, Siomara Hernandez, shared, “I’ve started eating more balanced meals because I know I need to take care of my body. I want to be a good steward of everything the Lord provides. My daughters noticed, and now I’m meal prepping for them too! I’m saving money, caring for myself, and I even started my small business. The Lord is so good.”
Pastor Julio Varela reflected on the experience, “As a pastor, I highly recommend every church to offer the Faith & Finances program to its members. At UBC Laredo, our people loved the way the biblical foundation was woven together with the financial teaching. At the end of the course, participants shared powerful testimonies of how God was working in their lives. I could see clearly how God’s Word and the financial principles presented in this program transformed both minds and hearts. For example, one lesson taught on the principle of ‘no accumulation,’ pointing out how families often hold on to things for years. We were challenged to give, sell or donate that ‘extra stuff.’ In response, our church organized a garage sale and donated the proceeds to our buildings and grounds department. Everyone was excited to participate, and we raised more than $1,500 just from selling possessions that had been sitting unused! I am confident we will continue to see lasting changes in the lives and families of those who participated, because I firmly believe God calls us to be faithful stewards of everything He entrusts to us.”
STCH Ministries is thankful for churches like UBC Laredo and Pastor Julio, who saw the need in the community and invited us to partner with them. We are excited to see how God continues to use Faith & Finances to impact the city of Laredo. If you are interested in the Faith & Finances course, please visit www.STCHM.org/community-ministries for more information.
