1960

In the early 1960’s many missionaries from the United States’ Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) who were serving in Costa Rica began to gather regularly to worship God with English-speaking services. Though their mission was with the local Spanish-speaking community, there was a common desire to worship God in their native tongue and to grow fellowship and closeness among the missionaries who were far away from home.

In 1963, construction was completed on the International Baptist Chapel which was later named the Baptist Center in San Pedro and many of the missionaries and others from the English-speaking community gathered together for regular Sunday evening worship. Just as this early church started to grow, the SBC urged its missionaries to focus on, and become more involved in, the local Spanish-speaking churches. Graciously, though, they assigned a rotation of various ministers to preach at the newly planted English-speaking church. During the 1970’s and early 1980’s the congregation, which numbered near 50, continued to be ministered to and led by SBC missionaries who had full-time responsibilities elsewhere.