TXB Spotlight with Israel Mendez

Join us in praying for Pastor Israel Mendez and ACC Downtown as God uses them for His glory!

Q: When and how did God call you to be a pastor?

A: It all started for me from 2010 to 2011, when God was calling me through Baptist Student Ministry. I knew that pastoral ministry in some capacity was in the pipeline. That led from collegiate ministry work to church planting now! God was using people to affirm that calling on my life through BSM, Iglesia Bautista Central in Kingsville, and the church just affirmed that.

Q: What is one exciting thing God is doing in your church right now?

A: One of the things that I believe we are most excited about is our Discipleship Ecosystem. We started the church in January of 2022, and we started with a core team of about 25 people. We built our ministry on reproducible discipleship and dinner parties. Dinner parties are organic parties that happen in the surrounding neighborhood for all to join! We are very grateful that when we first started, we were at about 25 people, and now we're at about 300 who gather in our church! We're just seeing people come from all walks of life, seeing people give their lives to Jesus, and disciples are being made! That is what we're celebrating, and there has been much fruit come of it.

Q: What is one way God has used your church in a mighty way that can encourage other churches?

A1: One thing I would say is that there is a beauty in collaborating with other churches. ACC Downtown would not be here today without Alamo Community Church on the Northwest side, the San Antonio Baptist Association, Crossroads Baptist Church, First Baptist Universal City, First Presbyterian Church San Antonio... all of these churches have made this a possibility! They pray for us, and they have encouraged us. We have been able to provide vehicles, homes and other opportunities for people in need through these collaborations.