El Rey Jesús

El Rey Jesús
Ministerio Internacional El Rey Jesús
Coordinates: 25°38′6.9936″N 80°25′40.9182″W / 25.635276000°N 80.428032833°W
Location Miami, Florida
Country United States
Denomination Non-denominational church
Weekly attendance 15,000–20,000 (2010)
Website www.kingjesusministry.org
History
Former name(s) El Rey Jesús
Founded June 1996
Founder(s) Guillermo and
Ana Maldonado
Architecture
Construction cost 18 million dollars
Specifications
Capacity 7,000
Other dimensions 100,000 square feet
Clergy
Senior pastor(s) Guillermo and
Ana Maldonado
Pastor(s) Tommy and Sarahi Acosta
John Laffite
Frank and
Melina Hechavarria
Andy Argüez
Laity
Music group(s) New Wine

El Rey Jesús, anglicized as King Jesus Ministry, is a Christian Apostolic and Prophetic church located in Miami, Florida with a general attendance between 15,000 and 20,000 individuals per week. According to Christian News Report, the church is the largest Hispanic church in the United States.[1] While the church has long been known as El Rey Jesús, as the church continues to reach out to a multicultural region, the anglicized name of King Jesus Ministry is becoming known throughout the Miami area.

Structure

Church founders

The founders of the church are Apostle Guillermo Maldonado and his wife, Prophetess Ana Maldonado. Maldonado arrived in Miami from Central America, while his wife, Ana, arrived from South America. After nine years of traveling and preaching throughout Central and South America, Maldonado believed that God had called him to establish a ministry in Miami, as a central base, in order to expand the Gospel to the nations of the world.

In June 1996, the Maldonado family started the church in the living room of their home with 12 members.

Maldonado believes that he has been given a mandate by God to carry out a specific mission in south Florida. His goal is to convert 12 percent of the population in Miami to the Christian faith. He believes that his life is set apart to establish the Kingdom of God in Miami, the United States, and throughout the world. His specific mission includes working to evangelize and affirm the community and disciple church members, while preparing them to use their newfound faith to in turn, reach out and perpetuate the process of continued evangelization of south Florida and the city of Miami.

Pastor Maldonado's wife, Ana, is considered a prophet by church members at the local, national, and international level. Ana Maldonado serves the church and community, through intercession and spiritual warfare. Pastor Maldonado has authored books on the kingdom of God, anointing, and healing in various areas of an individual's life; while his wife has authored books on prayer, worship, and spiritual warfare.

Church growth

Within three months, the small congregation in the Maldonado home grew from 12 to 40 people. They could no longer fit in the living room, necessitating a move to a small neighborhood building. Almost immediately after moving, it became clear to the members that the small building could no longer accommodate the growing congregation. With over 150 people attending the church, a remodeling projection was undertaken, requiring the pastors to temporarily hold services in a banquet hall, since the city, for safety purposes, would not allow remodeling in the midst of regularly scheduled public gatherings.

The banquet hall became a transitional stage in which the faith of the pastors and the church members were tested. The trials served to challenge them to seek God at deeper levels and to care for the people throughout the community who had waited on God for answers to their daily struggles and trials of life.

Church development and construction continued to grow at a steady pace. The increasing congregants quickly outgrew their location when attendance surpassed 250 people. By 1998, the membership grew to over 650 people and four services on Sunday. Over the next ten years, the church membership continued to grow exponentially.

In 2010, El Rey Jesús has the capacity to reach 7,000 individuals during each service, with general attendance exceeding 15,000 per week. While the majority of the congregants are Hispanic, the church is transitioning into a multicultural, bi-lingual church, offering services in both English and Spanish.[2]

El Rey Jesús goal is to reach the nations of the world by using every means of communication possible, including Internet, radio, television, missionary trips, and by offering missions and evangelistic training for church members, thereby sending them out to continue the ministry of the Church in other areas of the world. To that end, the church has developed affiliated (or daughter) churches based in Naples, Florida; Cape Coral, Florida; Hialeah, Florida; Pequeña Habana, Florida; Orlando, Florida; Marietta, Georgia; Astoria, New York; and Broward, Florida.

Ministries

Orphanage

On August 19, 2010, the church founded an orphanage in Honduras in the municipality of Langue, in the department of Valle. The town is located near the border of El Salvador.

The orphanage, known as Home House (translated as Casa Hogar in Spanish) has room for about 60 children. Services provided beyond food, clothing, and shelter include spiritual and intellectual education. Together with Apostle Guillermo Maldonado, the home was inaugurated by Honduran President Porfirio Lobo Sosa. Following the dedication ceremony, President Lobo stated the following.

All this contributes to a better Honduras. It is a show of solidarity from a Langue's son, who is a man stationed abroad, but God always keeps he in the very important fact to not forget their roots and not forget his people, especially children who are most vulnerable.[3]

—President Porfirio Lobo Sosa

Media ministry

El Rey Jesús has a growing media ministry that includes internet, radio and television. Television programs are broadcast on Enlace, Daystar, Telemundo Miami, Church Channel, Word Network, Trinity Broadcasting Network, and Mega TV Miami. The radio station is broadcast 24 hours per day in Spanish on Radio Zoe 1430 AM.[4]

Music ministry

One of the hallmarks of El Rey Jesús is the praise and worship music. The music ministry is led by the group New Wine, offering spiritual and biblically-based lyrics, enhanced by contemporary rhythms and a high quality sound. The worship time is often accompanied by visual multimedia effects, including with light and color.

Apostolic and Prophetic Conference

El Rey Jesús has an annual conference, called CAP (Conferencia Apostólica y Profética in Spanish, Apostolic and Prophetic Conference in English). This conference consists of services for several days, where speakers are widely known guest preachers in the Pentecostal Christian world. One of the prominent speakers in recent years has been Benny Hinn. In the last years this event has taken place in the American Airlines Arena, located in Downtown Miami.

Community involvement

Apostle Guillermo Maldonado participated in the inauguration of Honduran President Porfirio Lobo, leading the prayer for the president.

During the 2010 Florida Republican Party Gubernatorial primary elections, El Rey Jesús was visited by the two most prominent candidates, Bill McCollum and Rick Scott, who spoke to the congregation and presented their stand on the issues. Associate Pastor John Laffite served as translator to the mostly Hispanic congregation, encouraging church members to pray for their leaders and exercise their right to vote.[5] Also, Rick Scott attended the El Rey Jesus two Sunday's away from Election Day how Republican candidate for governor.[6]

Building development

On June 1, 2004, the church began to actively develop a vision for the expansion of the church property and buildings in order to effectively meet the needs of the church and community. The congregation continued to grow more each service which made the transition into the next level strategically and feasibly inevitable.

The church attendance eventually grew to the point that six worship services plus a youth service were not enough to accommodate the people or meet their needs. With a sanctuary capacity of 7,000, over 8,000 active members attempted to fill the church each week. While everybody was welcomed, the church was required to comply with legal Fire Marshall codes. Unfortunately, hundreds of people each week were turned away, due to lack of parking or seating space in the sanctuary and overflow rooms provided with televised feed.

The current church property includes worship facilities comprising 100,000 square feet (9,300 m2) with a capacity to simultaneously reach 7,000 people, at a final cost of 18 million dollars; in today's market, the property is worth well over 30 million dollars.

In 2010, El Rey Jesús expanded their vision beyond the current facilities. Plans include the development and construction of a church campus and temple resembling a sporting stadium or arena with capacity to accommodate a high volume of visitors exceeding 20,000 people. Church facilities of this magnitude would establish El Rey Jesús as one of the largest church campuses in the United States.

Affiliated churches

King Jesus International Ministry of Naples

Cape Coral, Florida

Pequeña Habana, Florida

Hialeah, Florida

Orlando, Florida

Marietta, Georgia

Astoria, New York

Broward, Florida

References

  1. ↑ "Christian News Report: Megachurch Sanctuaries". Christiannewsreport.blogspot.com. 2009-08-09. Retrieved 2010-08-31.
  2. ↑ "GOP contenders Scott, McCollum attack to the end in Florida governor's race". Palmbeachpost.com. Retrieved 2010-08-31.
  3. ↑ "Google Translate". Translate.google.com. 2010-08-19. Retrieved 2010-08-31.
  4. ↑ Radio Zoe 1430 AM Google translate from Spanish to English. Retrieved 2010-08-31.
  5. ↑ Reinhard, Beth (Monday, 08.23.10). "Candidates spend Sunday before Primary Day campaigning - Florida". MiamiHerald.com. Retrieved 2010-08-31. Check date values in: |date= (help)
  6. ↑ "Gov candidates visit the faithful: Sink to churches, Scott to church then football". tampabay.com. October 24, 2010. Retrieved December 16, 2010.

External links