Church Planting & Evangelism in Spain

In Spain, a cultural landscape punctuated by soaring cathedrals and symbols of Catholic tradition conceals a spiritual reality obscured by shadows.

While over 70 percent of Spaniards claim to adhere to Roman Catholicism in some form, a majority do not participate in regular worship, and as many as 25 percent reject any belief in God. Only 1.6 percent of the population professes an evangelical faith in Christ, leaving many Spanish cities and towns without any evangelical witness.

Since 1970, ABWE missionaries have been faithfully sharing the gospel in this spiritually dark context. Their ministry model centers around planting churches in local communities, focusing on the greater Madrid metropolitan area. Partnership with national pastors has proven to be crucial for effective church planting, not only to ensure the longevity of a ministry but to connect with Spaniards who often need to witness firsthand how a Spanish identity and evangelical faith can be compatible. 

Part of the ABWE team focuses on establishing a gospel presence in Spanish towns, where citizens are less likely to ever encounter a true evangelical believer. According to research firm Decision, 92 percent of Spanish towns—representing more than 10 million people—have no evangelical church.  

National pastor Federico (“Fede”) Álvarez and his wife, Lucía Halouzkova, aspire to plant churches throughout the province of Guadalajara. Only a handful of churches currently exist in the entire province, most of which are located in the capital city.

As a young man, Fede surrendered his career to the Lord and committed to serving wherever the Lord led. After meeting his wife, Lucía, in seminary, they sensed the Lord’s direction to bring the gospel to Spanish towns and partnered with ABWE missionaries to plant a church in Cabanillas del Campo.

“I was well-acquainted with a life without God, and a life with God, and so I always knew that I would work in the church to evangelize,” Lucía shared. “I wanted to evangelize in towns because almost nobody in towns knows the gospel.”    

As their work in Spain expands, ABWE missionaries and national partners need help to increase their capacity to shine the light of the gospel in their communities. Opportunities abound for serving in local church plants or for partnering with them to meet vital needs for church facilities large enough to accommodate their growing congregations. 

With expanded capacity, each church will continue to illuminate the hope of the gospel. Missionary Caleb Hague requests prayer to this end: “We pray that God would bring reformation to the hearts of Spaniards, that our churches would be lights of revival to spread across Spain and Europe.”


Partner With ABWE Ministries in Spain

Alcalá de Henares Church Plant
Cabanillas del Campo Church Plant
Torre Fuerte Church Plant