As a young boy in Guatemala, Edvin Robles discovered that Christ can start churches through some of the most surprising activities.
His parents were there to start churches in their native country, but God used Edvin and a pair of shorts to change lives through the gospel. When Robles was about 13, the family was serving the La Gomera, Escuintla, Guatemala, and to help cover life’s expenses, Robles’ mom made and sold clothes.
Once, his mom finished making several pairs of shorts and asked Robles and his brother to sell them in the nearby village of San Jeronimo. As Robles interacted with boys and girls, he realized the kids liked visits from the Christian family.
So, they started a small group with puppets, food and Bible teaching for youth. In time, that ministry to kids developed into a new church.
“My brother and I planted that church by selling shorts,” Robles said.
Related: A family in the Spice Islands uses creative skills to share the gospel in a restricted nation.
God’s plan for Robles has unfolded similarly ever since. The Santa Rosa, California, man has planted another church. Plus, he’s been a youth pastor and worship pastor.
He’s now the church planter for a Spanish-speaking body within Crosspoint Community Church in Santa Rosa. Their first worship service, on June 21, 2020, made the congregation one church with two languages.
Selling shorts is over, but the passion for transformation remains
The man who reached out to kids with loving provision for their material and spiritual needs hasn’t changed his approach much. He still wants to see God change the lives of children, teenagers and families.
“My passion is to teach them how to live in this world, which is not easy for our kids, for teenagers,” he said. “We hear people saying their children are having problems and they don’t know how to handle it.”
Part of serving these families, Robles explained, begins with building relationships with whomever he can. Although he is the director of Spanish-speaking ministries at Crosspoint Community Church, he does more than minister to Latinos. He connects with people of all races and cultures, hoping people will give their lives to Jesus.
Related: Converge churches all over America are learning to be one in Christ.
A land of wine and mountains, pleasure and pain
All around Crosspoint, the Sonoma County area displays beauty. Rolling hills and abundant hiking trails spread out through California’s wine country.
Twenty-three percent of the people in Sonoma County are Hispanic; half of those Hispanics live in Santa Rosa. That’s where Robles also lives with his wife, Sol, and their children, Kaleb and Aaron.
Many Latinos have a Roman Catholic background or church hurt or both that developed while growing up in Honduras, Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador and other places.
What often comes with that are alcohol, drug and financial problems.
Related: One Hispanic pastor put it simply: My people need to be free
Prayer and the gospel grow fruit of salvations and baptisms
About such struggles, Robles is honest with the Lord. He regularly brings the challenges to Almighty God in prayer. He knows nothing is too difficult for the King of kings.
“The gospel affects everything,” he said of the Lord’s power to save people in all situations. “We’re here to serve you. We’re here to show Jesus.”
As proof that Christ is building his kingdom, Robles said salvations and baptisms have occurred at the church regularly since it started three years ago.
Related: A Church in Iowa emphasizes baptism as every person’s second step of faith.
“We see people coming to God,” Robles explained. “The help is available, and we are there for them.”
That’s a sign the Lord is overcoming the spiritual reality of those around them, especially the Hispanic communities, many of whom grew up with some Roman Catholic influences and little faith. That leads to spiritual lethargy, which creates a great need, Robles said.
“People sometimes don’t go to church, but think they’re ok,” he said. “Others don’t believe.”
Hope that makes a lifetime of change can come quickly
During his several years of ministry, Robles has realized that every action, every relationship, no matter how seemingly ordinary, matters. In every conversation and every interaction, he knows God could do something.
“Let’s be the hope our community needs,” he frequently tells his church.
That message has power because it’s rooted in the truth of what God did in one boy’s life over the decades. Although Robles didn’t know it then, one of the boys who bought a pair of shorts from Robles’ family started to grow through that local church.
Even though Robles’ family moved away and now lives in the United States, he recently learned that boy became a man who has never quit following Christ.
The man reconnected with Robles a few years ago and shared his story. He told Robles that he is a leader in his church. He follows Christ because someone showed up with shorts and Scriptures and presented Jesus to his village.
That’s how Robles discovered how surely hope for a new life in Christ can come.
“Oh my goodness,” Robles exclaimed all these years later. “That’s a story from the past I like.”
God’s power and goodness mean this won’t be the last story of a local church that unleashes the Lord’s transformative grace and truth.
Converge’s 10 districts have committed to deploying 312 church planters before 2026. Read more inspiring church planting stories and learn about the goal to send out 312 church planters in five years.