Dear Spanish River Family,
As I reflect on another year of ministry at Spanish River Church, I am filled with gratitude for the goodness and faithfulness of our God. He has been so kind to us. We have witnessed lives changed, families strengthened, people come to faith in Christ, and countless opportunities to share the hope of the gospel. Through it all, we are reminded of a wonderful truth: this is Christ’s church, and He is faithfully building it for His glory.
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At Spanish River, our desire is to help people know, love, and follow Jesus. We seek to accomplish this through a simple discipleship pathway: Gather, Grow, and Go. This pattern is rooted in Acts 2, where the early believers gathered in worship and fellowship, grew through the teaching of God’s Word, and went into the world proclaiming Christ. As they did, Scripture reminds us that it was the Lord who “added to their number day by day those who were being saved” (Acts 2:47).
The same God who worked through His church then continues to work through His people today.
As you read this Annual Report, you will see how God has been at work through Spanish River over the past year.
We Gathered. The Lord brought people together week after week to worship Him, hear His Word, and enjoy Christian fellowship. We celebrated record attendance and significant milestones, rejoicing that more people are hearing the gospel and becoming part of our church family.
We Grew. Through our church ministries, Spanish River Christian School, and Counseling Center, we saw God at work in the lives of children, students, adults, and families. We celebrated baptisms, welcomed new members, and watched people grow in their knowledge and love of Jesus Christ.
We Went. Hundreds of volunteers served our neighbors, generously giving their time and gifts to demonstrate the love of Christ. Through your financial generosity, we met needs in our community and supported church planting efforts around the world, helping make the name of Jesus known among the nations.
For all of this, we give thanks and glory to God!
I want to personally thank you for your faithfulness. Your prayers, generosity, service, and love for one another are a tremendous encouragement to me. Much of what God accomplishes through Spanish River happens quietly, through ordinary acts of love and faithfulness that will never appear in an annual report. Yet the Lord sees them all. What a privilege it is to serve Him alongside you.
On Sunday, February 7, 2027, Spanish River Church will celebrate 60 years of God’s faithfulness. For six decades, the Lord has sustained this congregation, provided for its needs, and used His people to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ. We have inherited a wonderful legacy from those who have gone before us, and now we have the privilege of carrying that mission forward for the generations to come.
As we look ahead, I am filled with hope and expectation. There is much work still to be done, but our confidence does not rest in our plans, resources, or abilities. It rests in Jesus Christ, the Head of His church. The God who has faithfully sustained Spanish River for 60 years can be trusted with all that lies ahead.
Thank you for being part of this church family. May we continue to Gather in worship, Grow in grace, and Go with the good news of Jesus Christ.
To God alone be the glory!
Grace and peace,
To God alone be the glory!
Grace and peace,
What a joy it is to look back and celebrate all that God has done! From our church family in Boca Raton, Florida, to communities around the world, we’ve seen His faithfulness in so many beautiful ways. As we gather in worship, grow in faith, and go out to share the love of Jesus, lives are being transformed through discipleship, community outreach, global missions, and church planting. Our 2026 Annual Report is a celebration of these stories, the lives impacted, and the incredible ways God is working through the generosity and faithfulness of the Spanish River Church family.
Gather
We’re welcoming more people than ever to worship.
Average Weekly Attendance on Sundays reached an all-time high of 2,414 people!
Measured during the Fiscal Year 2026 (July 2025 - June 2026), and includes livestream attendance.
An average of 809 people worship online every Sunday!
Worshippers streaming SRC services increased by 24%, compared to the previous year, to an average of 809 per week!
Easter Sunday attendance set a record at 5,631 worshippers!
We celebrated Jesus’ resurrection with 4,251 people in-person and 1,380 online on Easter Sunday 2026!
Christmas Eve attendance set a record at 6,331 worshippers!
4,663 people celebrated the birth of Jesus with us in-person while 1,668 worshipped online!
You made it happen!
If you're one of the 123 volunteers who assisted with Christmas Eve services or the 45 who helped with Easter services, you helped honor God and create an experience that drew a record number of worshipers!
Grow
46 Baptisms
12 adults, 9 teens, and 25 covenant baptisms.
109 New Members
84 adults and 25 Communicants.
107 ESL Students
Serving students from 22 different countries who speak 10 different languages.
Asar’s Story
*Asar came to SRC’s ESL class, but couldn’t afford the registration fees and books. Pastor Pablo ensured that money wouldn’t be an obstacle for Asar to have access. With tears in his eyes, Asar said, “Everything has been awful, and finally I have some hope.” Through prayer and dedicated study, Asar completed the ESL course, built a community of prayer through ESL, and was able to find a job!
*Name changed for privacy protection.
SRC Family Ministries
SRC High has been going through a teaching series called "Out with the Old. In with the New,” focused on being transformed by Christ. The students have reported that the series has been impactful. Recently, Lara Jensen (Middle School Coordinator) gave the message for SRC High. She invited students to stay after to pray and talk to Jesus about what was on their hearts. Both her and Lucas Emerick (High School Coordinator) saw that the students were really being impacted by a desire to be changed by Christ, so much so that they chose prayer over other activities.
SRC High is averaging 65 students per Tuesday night this autumn.
SRC Middle is averaging 75 students per Wednesday night this autumn.
SRC Middle and SRC High sent over 80 students to summer camp together.
SRC Kids has averaged over 170 children weekly over the past three Sundays.
Jake and Yessica’s Story
In January, we had the opportunity to share Jake and Yessica’s story of God moving in their lives at SRC! Through encountering the transforming life and love of Jesus at Spanish River Church, they discovered that you don’t have to do life alone, vulnerability is not weakness, and no marriage is too far gone for God’s redemption. Tap the video to watch their story!
Adult Discipleship and Spiritual Formation
We now host 32 different Women's LifeGroups with 300 average weekly attendance and 65 new participants!
At the Men’s Weekend in September 2025, we worshipped with 165 men!
We now host 17 different men's LifeGroups with 150 average weekly attendance!
At the first SRC Women’s Conference in January 2026, we worshipped with 175 women!
We now host 3 International LifeGroups (Spanish, Portuguese, and Creole) with 30 average weekly attendance!
Over 475 people, including many new to SRC, gathered over a 5-week series of Pastor David's "The End" teachings, a study of end-times theology.
Growing in Knowledge, Growing in Leadership!
A 64-year-old widow became a member of SRC in 2024.
She initially served as a volunteer in Serve the City events and with the Women's Ministry Hospitality team. Through attending various adult learning classes (such as David’s “The End” series and Knox’s Seminary Saturday) she got introduced to a Women's LifeGroup and initially attended as a member. Eventually, she became an assistant leader, and now co-leads a Wednesday night Women's LifeGroup!
Care Ministries
The Meals Ministry, led by 2 faithful volunteers, now has 38 team members and served 824 meals, given 29 gift cards, and served 29 households served across 136 volunteer assignments.
The Prayer Team has grown to a team of 30 total volunteers who faithfully make themselves available to pray with others!
Stephen Ministry, a program that trains church members to provide confidential, one-to-one, Christ-centered care to people experiencing life difficulties, now has 15 total Stephen Ministers. 5 of these are new!
DivorceCare has 5 volunteers who serve our 17 Spring 2026 Registrations!
The Visitation Team has 10 total Visitation Volunteers who remind people of the gospel as they visit hospitals for sickness, surgeries, or births!
GriefShare has 5 total volunteers, 22 Fall 2025 Registrations, 17 Spring 2026 Registrations, and 39 Total Registrations!
Spanish River Christian School
“From the moment I dropped the girls off on their first day, I knew we had made the right decision. The teachers, students, staff, and everyone in the front office welcomed the girls with such kindness, warmth, and positive energy. As a mother, you can feel when your children are somewhere they are going to be cared for, and I felt that immediately. More importantly, I know my children felt it too.” -A New SRCS Mother
339 families prayerfully partner with SRCS to inspire their children to be all that God uniquely created them to be.
Five days a week, students are immersed in the study of God’s Word through biblical instruction, including chapel each week, amounting to 40 chapels per year and 177 days of direct biblical instruction.
531 students are immersed in Jesus Christ and God’s Truth every day at SRCS.
Approximately 750 students, parents, faculty, and staff members, along with SRC pastors and the SRC worship team, participated in our all-school Convocation, dedicating the school year to God’s glory.
100% of eighth-grade students are taking at least one high school-level honors math course. Multiple eighth-grade students are taking two high school-level honors courses.
167 Middle School students participated in SRCS’s first-ever Spiritual Emphasis Day.
The Impact of Your Care
“What a blessing you are! We appreciate all the arranging you have done on our behalf for the wonderful meals, prayers, and support. I’m not sure how I would have done it without you. The Meal Train is such a great idea! After things settle down, I would be very happy to help provide meals for the church.”
“Recovering has been challenging, but God is good, and it has been getting easier and better. Knowing that meals are covered has been a huge help. To everyone who signed up, cooked, delivered, or sent something our way, thank you! My family and I are so grateful for your kindness.”
Walking through the grieving process gives us the opportunity to share Jesus’ love with people suffering loss. People like Allene, a Jewish friend, said after experiencing GriefShare, “Spanish River Church has been so attentive to my needs and the people here have loved me and shown genuine care when I needed it most.” Allene now attends Sunday services regularly and is attending the new Christianity 101 class!
Go
Since 2003, SRC has supported 43 church plants in Brazil and Chile. Out of those 43, 27 have been successful and are self-sustaining, while 8 are currently being supported. 22 of the 27 successful churches are now planting other churches. Over 120 new churches have been planted in Brazil and Chile as a direct result of SRC's support!
Gifts given to Spanish River Church Planting, above and beyond what is given from General Fund giving: $589,778.20.
SRC supported 61 churches across 21 different countries this year.
As of this year, SRC has helped plant over 700 churches, both national and international!
SRC Planted, and it Took Root
Thirteen years ago, Spanish River Church helped fund the planting of Gospel Fellowship in Boynton Beach, practically in our back yard. This year, its founding pastor wrote to tell us how that story turned out. "We had no idea what we were doing," he admitted, recalling early Sundays "fumbling along in the sand." What kept them going was knowing a church in Boca Raton "believed in something before there was anything to see."
Today Gospel Fellowship is still making disciples and raising leaders. It has also launched the South Florida Collective, which recruits, trains, and supports new church planters across the region. As he put it: "What you gave didn't stop with us. It kept going.”
“What kept us going was knowing a church in Boca Raton had put their faith and their love and their money behind us. You believed in something before there was anything to see. That gave us comfort when we needed it most.
Thirteen years later, the work is still going. We're still making disciples. We're still raising leaders.”
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Dear Spanish River Church,
I hope this letter finds you all well. I was going through some old pictures last week and ended up sitting with them a lot longer than I meant to. Thirteen years since you helped fund the planting of Gospel Fellowship, and looking at those early days, I'll be honest, we had no idea what we were doing. I had never planted a church before. We were fumbling along in the sand, figuring it out week by week, getting a lot of it wrong and coming back the next Sunday to try again. There were stretches where I wasn't sure any of it would work.
What kept us going was knowing a church in Boca Raton had put their faith and their love and their money behind us. You believed in something before there was anything to see. That gave us comfort when we needed it most.Thirteen years later, the work is still going. We're still making disciples. We're still raising leaders. And something has grown out of it that we never planned for — the South Florida Collective, where we recruit, assess, train, and support church planters across this region. There are men now standing exactly where I stood thirteen years ago, fumbling in their own sand, and they're getting the kind of help I wish I'd had. What you gave didn't stop with us. It kept going.
Gospel Fellowship and I will always be indebted to Spanish River Church. I know ministry is long and you give a lot without ever hearing where the church plant landed. So consider this one more report from the field: it landed. It took root. It's still bearing fruit in South Florida.
Thank you again. Keep going. The mission is bearing fruit!
Gratefully,
Rodney J. Wilkinson Sr
SRC Serves
Over 500 SRC members volunteered for Evangelism and Outreach efforts like Serve the City, Sports Ministry, Senior Adult classes, Upward Basketball, and Prison Ministry!
Monterrey, Mexico Mission Trip
“While this particular photo doesn't show any of the activities we took part in, I think it perfectly captures what these mission trips are truly about. You see "SRC" on the back of one shirt, right next to "Iglesia Central" on the shirt beside it — SRC has supported Central for almost three years now, and the church has grown to the point of nearly being self-supporting. Central is now, in turn, helping support a very small church plant, Iglesia Cristiana Bethel, on the outskirts of Monterrey. The people in red shirts in the photo are from Bethel. To me, this is a beautiful picture of what happens when you support a church plant and encourage it to become a church-planting church itself. From the beginning, the goal is future church planting, and that goal shapes the church's entire culture.”
Stories from the Mexico Mission Trip Team
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We traveled to Monterrey, Mexico, to serve two church plants currently supported by SRC. Jorge Rivera leads Ciudad Esperanza in García, just outside the city, while Eduardo "Gualo" Salinas leads Iglesia Central in the heart of Monterrey. We spent four days alongside each church, helping them host VBS for kids from their congregations and surrounding communities. Beyond VBS, we helped launch mommy-and-me (NYN-style) groups at both churches and joined their outreach into the community by picking up trash, feeding the homeless, offering prayer and support to families waiting at a local hospital, delivering food and supplies alongside the gospel to an under-resourced neighborhood, and doing street evangelism.
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We saw God at work in a number of different ways throughout the trip. It was clear that He is already moving in the hearts of the people of Monterrey. Many of those we served were open and receptive to worship and prayer, willingly stopping to pray with us right there in the streets. It was a powerful reminder that people everywhere are hurting and suffering in ways we may never fully see or understand; but God knows, and God cares.
We also got to witness this at work directly: three families brand new to the church attended VBS Monday-Thursday at Ciudad Esperanza, and then showed up for the Sunday morning worship service that followed.
We later found out that the exact amount of money Iglesia Central needed to fully fund their VBS matched, dollar for dollar, the donation we brought them.
And the Children's Bibles so generously donated by families from our church turned out to be a direct answer to prayer for Ciudad Esperanza. When I told the pastor's wife we'd be donating Bibles to the kids at their church, she cried and told me she'd been praying for a way to provide those exact same Bibles for a long time.
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When we arrived in Monterrey, each of the two churches gave us a rough schedule for our time there. For Saturday, July 11, it simply read "Señora Olivo + Community Kitchen," and we were told we'd be serving a very poor community that day. We had no idea what to expect, and we were completely stunned when we arrived. This was an extremely impoverished area, words can hardly do it justice.
We were introduced to Señora Olivo, a 73-year-old woman living in the community. Iglesia Central brings her supplies once a month, quickly and discreetly carrying them into her home and hiding them so the men in the community won't steal them from her. With those supplies, she cooks for more than 50 children several times a week, and every time she prepares a meal, she shares the gospel with them. She has next to nothing, yet gives everything to serve the kids in her community.
The church has offered to fix up her home or build her a secure storage space for the food, but she won't allow it. If she accepted, she'd stand out and become a target. She told us that men would hold her at gunpoint and demand she unlock the storage.
So on July 11, we served the women and children of this community: providing food, toys, and games for the kids, playing with them, teaching a short parenting class for the mothers, offering prayer, and joining in a brief worship service together. We left humbled and grateful for the opportunity. Señora Olivo's example of sacrifice left a deep impact on all of us, and we'll continue praying for her safety and for God to strengthen her as she keeps sharing the gospel with these children.
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We were deeply blessed by the local community and the churches we served alongside in Monterrey. The trip gave us a vivid picture of the city and its people, and a firsthand look at the vast gap between its wealthy and impoverished communities. We went to serve, and in turn, we were served. Those who had very little made sure we were fed and comfortable. We were welcomed into homes to eat and fellowship. Truly, we witnessed how sacrificial and generous the people in these churches are.
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I think one of the most impactful things trips like these accomplish is reminding the church plants we support financially that they're not alone. Sending money quarterly and praying for them matters. But there's a different, deeper impact in showing up by sending a team into their country to serve alongside them, shoulder to shoulder. It also gives our church members the opportunity to get to know and develop lasting relationships with the members of their church. It helps us all remember that despite the cultural and language barriers and differences, we all speak the same gospel language!
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12!
Stories from the Colombia Mission Trip Team
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Our team partnered with Iglesia Betania de la Reforma in the Suba district of Bogotá, Colombia. The church is led by Pastor Giovanny Orozco, a church planter from Pastor Leonel Ortiz's network of churches, with whom SRC has partnered in ministry for many years throughout Colombia.
The primary purpose of this mission was to strengthen the local church while reaching the surrounding community with the Gospel. Throughout the week, we conducted multiple Vacation Bible School (VBS) outreach events and participated in street evangelism, focusing on children, families, and residents in the neighborhoods surrounding the church. We also presented our Nurturing Your Newborn program for young families and hosted women's meetings that emphasized biblical encouragement alongside education on mature women's health.
In addition, a local ophthalmologist partnered with our team by providing free eye examinations and donating reading glasses to members of the community. -
God's hand was evident throughout the mission in many ways. The partnership with Pastor Giovanny Orozco and the church members was outstanding. Their enthusiasm, servant-hearted participation, and willingness to work alongside our team made every outreach opportunity effective and encouraging.
One of the greatest blessings was equipping the local church for future ministry. We trained volunteers to organize and lead VBS programs and provided Spanish-language children's ministry materials that will continue to serve as valuable resources for the church's ongoing outreach and discipleship efforts.
We also gained a deeper understanding of the spiritual climate in the Suba community. Although many churches are present, many are influenced by prosperity gospel teaching and large charismatic congregations, making many residents hesitant or indifferent toward a clear presentation of the Gospel. During our first day of outreach near the church, attendance was limited. After prayer and discussion, we sensed God's leading to relocate our VBS and evangelistic activities to a nearby public park. This change dramatically increased participation, created many opportunities for meaningful conversations, and allowed us to share the Gospel with far more people than we had anticipated.
God also encouraged us by providing visible fruit from these efforts. On the Sunday following the outreach activities, several new families visited the church, expressing interest in the biblical message they had heard during the week. Their presence was a reminder that God continues to draw people to Himself through faithful witness.
Throughout the mission, every member of our team had opportunities to demonstrate the love of Christ through service, compassion, and personal conversations. We were privileged to proclaim a welcoming message of hope and salvation, trusting that God will continue to build His church in Bogotá through the faithful ministry of Iglesia Betania de la Reforma.
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One of the most meaningful lessons from our time in Suba was that sharing the Gospel is not always easy. Many of the people we encountered responded with rejection, skepticism, or indifference. In a community where many have become spiritually disengaged, faithfully presenting the truth of God's Word often requires patience and perseverance.
Yet God reminded us that our responsibility is to be faithful, while He is responsible for the results. In addition, we were reminded that strengthening a wavering faith and encouraging believers are just as significant as witnessing new conversions. We trust that God will continue the work He began through the faithful ministry of the local church long after our team has returned home.
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Working alongside the members of IBR was one of the greatest blessings of the trip. Their humility, hospitality, and willingness to serve encouraged our entire team. Although we came prepared to provide resources and ministry opportunities, we recognized the importance of listening to the local church and seeking their guidance regarding the most effective ways to serve their community. Their insight helped us adapt our plans to meet real needs, and they shared additional opportunities where our team could be most effective.
This spirit of partnership reminded us that missions are most fruitful when they are carried out in cooperation with the local church. Together, we were able to serve the community in ways that were both meaningful and sustainable, strengthening relationships that will continue beyond this mission trip.
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Mission trips have a lasting impact on both those who go and those who receive them. Our team returned home with our faith strengthened, encouraged, and renewed as we witnessed God's work through the local church in Bogotá.Serving together reminded us that every believer is called to be a witness for Christ, using the unique gifts God has given them to serve others and advance His kingdom.
We also believe the trip encouraged the local church. The congregation experienced the love and support of fellow believers who traveled to serve alongside them, sharing their time, resources, and gifts for the advancement of God's kingdom. Through the outreach events, ministry training, and relationships that were built, we trust that the church has been further equipped and encouraged to continue faithfully proclaiming the Gospel in their community.
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15!
Digital Outreach
YouTube:
138,000 Views
13,532 Hours Watched
479 New Followers
Instagram:
633,837 Views
1,498 New Followers
Facebook:
447,436 Views
333 New Followers
Website:
67,380 Total Website Viewers
Visitors from 99 different Countries
Spanish River Counseling Center
Over 4,300 members of our community, most with no previous connection to SRC, received Christ-centered therapy and counseling through the Counseling Center.
4,748 Clients this Year
