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And I Believed!
By Ximena Urra
I was born in Chile, the third of four siblings. Although I did not come from a Christian family, my parents believed in God in their way. When my dad proposed to my mom, he wanted to get married in a Methodist church. However, my mom was a nominal Catholic. During that time many believed that if you didn’t get married by a priest in a Catholic church, you weren’t really married! So my mom, under tremendous pressure by her family, was very apprehensive. One night my mom had a dream about Jesus. In the dream, He was blessing a bride – just like the priests do. When she awoke, she thought, “God is giving me the blessing to get married in the Methodist Church.” So they married.
My dad decided that they would raise us to believe in God but not in idols, and he wanted us to have the freedom to choose what religion to follow. I mention this because salvation came to my family through my father’s testimony.
My parents worked at a children’s rehabilitation hospital. My mother was an auxiliary nurse, and my dad was an administrator. Both worked long, hard hours to support our family. Even though we didn’t have much, my parents taught us to share everything we did have. One Christmas they couldn’t afford to buy us presents, so they called us together to explain why. We learned that being together was the real gift, and then they challenged us to give away one of our own toys for the homeless kids. So each one of us cleaned up one of our toys, and we gave them away.
As a child, I was a daddy’s girl. I found refuge only behind my dad’s legs. For some reason, I was always afraid and very shy; yet when I was with Dad, I always felt protected. I struggled in my early teens. I was so insecure! I felt people would be better off without me. I felt little, unloved, and unwanted. The feelings were like a seed, growing stronger within me until I contemplated suicide. The thoughts tormented me. I unsuccessfully attempted to end my life in several ways. I recall running into the street with the hopes of getting run over by a car, but my youngest sister stopped me. I felt hopeless. Life was just too hard.
It was only when I sang that I’d feel better. One day I asked my mom if she could listen to me and tell me if she thought I had a good voice. Of course I asked her to look away from me as I was just too shy. As I sang, she suddenly turned around and said excitedly, “You can sing!!” And I believed her!
During that time, my father became a Christian and started to share with us about Jesus. One by one each member of our family accepted Christ as their Savior, all except my mom and me.
When I was 18 years old, I had the opportunity to audition on TV as part of a singing competition and won a scholarship to study music professionally. It was a dream come true! My mom was my biggest fan. My father continued to share with me about Jesus and invited me to church. I did attend occasionally, but I loved music so much more. The sound of the applause made me feel the love and acceptance I longed for.
One day I was invited to sing at my father’s church. I’ll never forget it because it was the first time God spoke to me. I wish I could say God spoke a word of encouragement, but on the contrary, it was a reprimand. As I sang “Amazing Grace” (in a miniskirt no less, as well as a sleeveless blouse and black nails that matched my heart), I heard a voice say, “This is MY place! If you want fame, go to the world! THIS is MY place.”
Fear rushed over me. I started to shake. I forgot the lyrics. I was a liar. I didn’t understand what amazing grace was. I wasn’t that saved wretch. I didn’t know the One who freely gives that grace, but apparently He knew me well. And I was about to get to know Him.
As the time passed, I couldn’t shake the encounter I had with God. I knew Jesus was calling me. I was at a crossroads. I couldn’t avoid Him. The following Sunday I went to church and without waiting for an altar call, I kneeled at the pulpit. With eyes full of tears, I confessed my sins. “Lord, I don’t love you. I love music more. But if you are the God of my father, please help me to love you more than anything. My life is yours. . . . ”
In that moment, I did experience amazing grace. Music had been my idol, and I decided to give it all up for Christ. I left my singing career behind . . . so I thought.
My church didn’t believe in the baptism in the Holy Spirit. They taught that the book of Acts was only history. Even so, our youth group was longing for more of God; therefore, we decided to get together just to pray. As we prayed, God baptized us all in the Holy Spirit, and suddenly I started to worship in a language I’ve never spoken!
I heard a voice say, “This is MY place! If you want fame, go to the world! THIS is MY place.”
This created a lot of problems at church; however, our testimonies and passion to share the gospel with everyone around us was evident and real. Who can tell God what He can or cannot do? What God starts man cannot stop! The Holy Spirit was for today too… And I believed!
Months later during a youth retreat, the guest speaker shared about “finding your ministry.” God spoke to me that night and said, “You will preach through singing, and I will take you out of the country.” And I believed His words!
I went home excited to tell my mom about my experience. At that time she still wasn’t a believer, so when I shared what the Lord told me that night, she smirked and said, “We don’t even have money to take a simple vacation, and you say you’re going out of the country?”
Three months later I was asked to join a Christian music group. I thought, “God, I gave up singing. How can this be?” So I prayed to the Lord, seeking His guidance, and He answered me through Isaiah 12:4-6:
Give praise to the Lord, proclaim his name; make known among the nations what he has done, and proclaim that his name is exalted. Sing to the Lord, for he has done glorious things; let this be known to all the world. Shout aloud and sing for joy, people of Zion, for great is the Holy One of Israel among you.
Within five months, I was touring the United States with the Christian music group, and my mom believed, the last member of my family to receive Christ!
Then my mom and I had a healing breakthrough. She didn’t understand why she found it hard to connect with God, to cry. I respectfully asked her if there was something she hadn’t yet confessed to God, so we prayed for God’s direction.
“Nothing comes to my mind,” she said.
But while I was praying, I saw a picture with the word “abortion” on it. The very instant that I pronounced that word, my mom started to cry, saying, “Dear daughter, please forgive me!”
I didn’t understand; I was confused. Why was she asking me to forgive her?
She continued, “When I was pregnant with you, I tried to abort you. Your father didn’t know. We were struggling economically. There was no way we could feed another baby. When I told your father, he was very upset and told me that it didn’t matter how poor we were, we were going to have you.”
The healing that transpired from such a hidden secret was profound for both of us. And I could finally comprehend that the feelings of being unwanted, unloved, and insecure were real emotions that started from my mother’s womb. The abortion did not work because I WAS wanted. God wanted me! God had plans for me! And in the end, my parents wanted me too!
Sometimes sharing our story can bring painful memories, but it also reminds us of God’s faithfulness and that we are still in the process of being more like Jesus.
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future” (Jeremiah 29:11).
God gave me this promise. And I believed!
One day I read a book about the life of Eliza Davis George, a missionary who served in Liberia. Her life story and bravery inspired me. I wanted to be brave too. I decided I would serve God even though I was afraid! So I joined a team on a missionary trip focused on evangelism inside my own country. It was an amazing experience to see God move in such a supernatural way. I knew it was just the beginning of my journey in the ministry.
I met my husband, Pablo, in 1989 during my first trip to the United States. (I was literally followed everywhere by this godly man, but that is a whole other story!) After a year of letters and phone calls, we got married in 1990 and moved to the U.S., where I began working as a graphic designer for a Christian book publisher in Miami, Florida. My boss at that time saw potential in me. She taught me everything she knew and always encouraged me by saying, “You can do it!” And I believed her, so my designing ability blossomed and flourished.
As my career unfolded, so did my desire to serve in missions. But my husband and I were not on the same page. He used to say, “We will serve together, but I’m not going to be a missionary nor a pastor!” Instead of going against the current, I chose to ride the wave in prayer. After five years of laying hands over my husband in prayer (while he slept), in 1997 God placed it in his heart to join his first missionary trip to Venezuela. During that trip we received a word from God: “You will be out of the country soon and join an international ministry.” And we believed.
She continued, “When I was pregnant with you, I tried to abort you.
Many years later, we have faithfully served through various ministries such as Logos II of Operation Mobilization and visited 28 countries sharing the gospel alongside 200 volunteers from around the world while working in the floating book exhibition, being part of the official openings in every country, singing in front of governing authorities in every port, visiting orphanages, schools and hospitals, conducting open air programs, projecting Jesus films in the local languages, and distributing books and Bibles. And through the years we continue preparing short-term groups and leaders through INSTE and serving the local and global Church.
In October of 2016, we were ordained as lead pastors for Templo de la Biblia Abierta in Miami, Florida. Here we are, full circle from where we first began, but the journey of service to the Lord will never end. There’s still so much to do. I keep learning and longing to be used by God to accomplish His purposes while I trust that “everything is possible for one who believes” (Mark 9:23).
About the Author
Ximena Urra lives in Miami, Florida, with her husband, Pablo Urra. They both serve as pastors of Templo de la Biblia Abierta. Ximena also works as a freelance graphic designer. They have visited over 40 countries serving on short-term mission trips on board the Operation Mobilization ship, the LOGOS II, and participating in other ministries. Both received their Bible and Theology diplomas from INSTE Global Bible College. Ximena is part of the National Board of Directors of Open Bible Churches.
On August 1, 2026, three fast-moving wildfires swept across the Spokane area, fueled by a frightening combination of high winds and dangerously dry conditions. The Old Trails, Autumn Lane, and Fairview fires, collectively managed as the Spokane Complex, damaged or destroyed hundreds of homes and other structures and forced thousands to evacuate.
Seven Open Bible and Open Bible-affiliated churches serve communities throughout the Spokane area, and all were affected in some way by the fires. Three, however, found themselves in the immediate path of the most destructive blaze, the Old Trails Fire. Turning Point Church and Foundation Church were placed under a Level 3 evacuation, displacing members of their church families, while Riverside Real Life Church lost its building entirely. Pastors from Turning Point and Riverside share what they witnessed as fire swept through their communities and how, amid tremendous loss, they saw God provide through the generosity, prayers, and practical care of the Church.
From Melissa Stelly,
Executive Pastor of
Turning Point Open Bible Church:
The pillar of angry smoke on the horizon immediately filled me with dread as I drove to the grocery store. High winds drove the flames across parched land so fast that one firefighter marveled that he couldn’t have outrun it, even if he tried. Hundreds of people desperately fled their neighborhoods, clogging the few roads out as flames appeared in their rearview mirrors. There were heartbreaking stories of people calling family members to say goodbye because they didn’t think they would escape in time
And yet, not a life was taken.
And yet, not a life was taken.
Our church was placed under a level 3 evacuation, and many of our people were displaced from their homes, either losing them completely to the flames or due to toxins that bathed their houses from the burning around them. Immediately, our church family responded with calls and emails, offering their homes to those impacted, along with gift cards, money, clothing, and even animal care. Spokane leaders met at the local high school, inviting faith leaders, non-profits, educators, and government to join together to streamline resources, establish a relief system, and collaborate. Since then, Spokane churches have recognized a deficit in crisis response and are organizing a network of churches to spearhead emergency and crisis response in our city.
I am proud of our church body’s immediate mobilization, which gave generously and put faith into action by meeting needs, opening homes, and volunteering at shelters and outreaches. One woman in our church, who lost her home to the flames, tearfully shared how overwhelmed she was by the support she received. The church family gave her stacks of gift cards, bought her clothes, generously gave to the church to meet her financial needs, and called her constantly to pray with her.
As a pastor, I witnessed this verse in action: “To equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up” (Ephesians 4:12 NIV).
From Kelly Armstrong,
Lead Pastor of
Riverside Real Life Church:
Our church, Riverside Real Life Church, and the entire surrounding neighborhood were destroyed by the Old Trails Fire that hit the Spokane community. Because of our location at the center of the damage, hundreds of people who call Riverside their church were displaced from their homes, at least temporarily. Praise God, most were able to return after one to two weeks; the number of homes lost in our congregation was in single digits. Many homes in the neighborhood my family lives in were destroyed, but thankfully, our home was spared, and we returned home after nine days.
The response of our community and beyond has been amazing. I’ve been contacted by hundreds of pastors and churches from all across the country and most significantly, from all across the Open Bible family. I am convinced that the prayer on our behalf has made a difference as God has opened one door after another. On September 6th, we had our first Sunday service since the fires at a middle school near where the church building was located. We came together, standing room only, to reconnect, worship God, and envision the future.
There are significant complications, but they are not barriers for Him.
Through the generosity of churches all over the country, we’ve been able to give significant financial assistance to families and individuals who’ve lost their homes, restart our small group system, launch a mobile Sunday service that we can be proud of, and continue our mission to “Reach the World for Jesus.”
I’m full of gratitude to every person and church who’ve supported through care, finances, and prayer. When church leaders ask how they can pray, I tell them, “Please pray for God’s favor in the rebuilding process. There are significant complications, but they are not barriers for Him.”
Thank you, Open Bible friends and family. I couldn’t be more grateful for your care and support; it has meant the world to me.
In the midst of tragedy, God’s goodness and glory were evident. As Pastor Melissa Stelly said when sharing her story, “The Lord preserved, the Lord provided, and the Lord used His Church to serve.” But nothing expresses God’s grace over Spokane better than Isaiah 61:3:
to bestow on them a crown of beauty
Isaiah 61:3 (NIV)
instead of ashes,
the oil of joy
instead of mourning,
and a garment of praise
instead of a spirit of despair.
About the Author
Hannah Bemis currently serves as the editor and director of Message of the Open Bible. She always wanted to do too many things when she grew up, and God has been kind enough to let her do most of them in different seasons. Those seasons have included raising little ones at home, teaching, writing, and staff pastoring, with Hannah’s most recent adventure being planting and pastoring College Street Church in Newberg, Oregon, with her husband, Jordan. After Jesus and all her favorite people, she spends the remainder of her passion on pizza and dark chocolate in equal measure.
I am proud to have been a credentialed minister with Open Bible Churches for over four decades. What a privilege to have served in a variety of contexts across our wonderful family of several hundred congregations in the US, along with several thousand globally. Over those decades, God has gradually expanded my understanding of what it means to belong to His Church.
I’ve enjoyed the enriching experience of embracing so many of the distinctives of what makes Open Bible, well, Open Bible: our unwavering commitment to Scripture as the inspired, authoritative Word of God; our resolve to plant and sustain healthy, vibrant local churches; our passion for the fullness and gifts of the Holy Spirit operating in our daily lives; and so much more.
And yet, with the beauty of these ecclesial distinctives so evident in our movement, I believe I have come to realize that what we share together as our core values and practices are not completely unique to us. As a matter of fact, when we take a step back and consider just who is a part of the Body of Christ, we can discover that we have much in common with our brothers and sisters across the US and around the world. It took one unexpected friendship to deepen my understanding of what it means to belong not only to Open Bible Churches, but to the Church.
A humbling experience for me has been to receive grace and love from others who are different than me even before I was prepared to offer the same to them. One example for me comes from my years as a participant in the International Catholic-Pentecostal Dialogue. This ongoing annual conversation was begun in the 1970s by David du Plessis, the Pentecostal known as “Mr. Pentecost,” and Father Kilian McDonnell, a Catholic theologian, and continues to this day. When I attended a session of this Dialogue for the first time in 1993, I was so focused on my disagreement with Catholic doctrines and practices that I was not in a place to show much hospitality. But over the next several decades I got to know the Catholic co-chair, Father Kilian, quite well. I was amazed at how well he knew Pentecostals like me, how much he wanted to learn more, and how much he cared for us. He was respectful, honest, and compassionate. We didn’t agree on everything, obviously. But he became a mentor to me, showing me how to treat others who were different than I was. And we became friends. He passed away last year at the age of 100, and I was honored to attend his memorial service. That experience changed how I think about the global Church.
The following numbers paint a remarkable picture of the global family that shares our evangelical, Pentecostal, and charismatic faith. According to the 2026 Status of Global Christianity report, more than 1.1 billion Christians around the world identify as Evangelical, Pentecostal, or Charismatic. Of those, approximately 676 million are Pentecostal or Charismatic believers.
That global family is wonderfully diverse, including classical Pentecostal denominations like Open Bible Churches, independent charismatic networks, Catholic Charismatics, and charismatic believers within many Protestant traditions (Anglican, Methodist, etc.).
So why do these numbers matter? They remind us that we are part of something much larger than ourselves. We are not alone, and we are certainly not “small.” Along with our evangelical, Pentecostal, and charismatic brothers and sisters around the world, we are a fierce contingent in the Lord’s army. It’s both humbling and encouraging to remember that we belong to the CHURCH in all its vastness.
But that doesn’t mean we have to give up our wonderful heritage, culture, and beauty that make us Open Bible Churches. We have something to contribute to the rest of the Church. I’m reminded of the prophetic word delivered a few decades ago at one of our conventions: “Open Bible Churches is a vital organ in the Body of Christ!” That statement has never been more true.
“Open Bible Churches is not ‘the Church.’
Open Bible Churches is part of the Church
— a wonderful part,
but a part.”
And yet, we also do not want to be guilty of isolation or sectarianism. Open Bible Churches is not “the Church.” Open Bible Churches is part of the Church. A wonderful part, but a part. So, it is healthy for us to remember our brothers and sisters in other denominations and networks, to pray for them, and even to cooperate with them in community and regional initiatives so that together we may faithfully steward our callings and responsibilities to advance the Kingdom of God on the earth.
One of the most important ways we can grow in unity as believers is to start by acknowledging and valuing diversity in the Body of Christ. God didn’t make us all the same. Unity is not uniformity. The old adage still rings true: “in essentials, unity; in non-essentials, diversity; and in all things, charity.” May we agree to disagree with one another with clarity, respect, and most of all love. We can embrace grace and truth at the same time, and indeed we are called to it.
No doubt you know some followers of Jesus in your community (and probably in your own family) who do not belong to Open Bible Churches. The invitation for us all is to love them, to be grateful for all that we share with them, and to offer some space (and some grace) for our differences. This is not easy. In fact, it is hard work. Remember the words of the apostle Paul: “As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace” (Eph. 4:1-3 NIV). If maintaining unity was easy, Paul wouldn’t have needed to admonish us to “make every effort” to do so.
Jesus reminds us that unity isn’t just for our benefit: it’s one of the clearest testimonies to a watching world.
But if we are willing to pay the price of seeing God’s big Church, and loving it the way He does, we’ll be more Christlike, and we’ll participate in being an answer to one of the last prayers Jesus prayed before He went to the cross on our behalf: “…that they may be one as we are one— I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me” (John 17:22-23 NIV). Jesus reminds us that unity isn’t just for our benefit: it’s one of the clearest testimonies to a watching world.
Together, let’s allow the Lord to give us eyes to see the breadth and beauty of His Church, recognizing and loving our brothers and sisters in Christ in such an obvious way that we actually become answers to the prayer of Jesus in John 17. Amen?
Here are a few resources that explore some of these issues related to Christian Unity:
That They May Be One – Podcast
That They May Be One – Film
PCCNA Christian Unity Commission
Forum for Unity
International Charismatic Consultation
Global Christian Forum
About the Author
David Cole has been a credentialed minister with Open Bible Churches since 1984. He is currently Professor of Historical Theology at The King’s University in Southlake, Texas. He is also involved in a variety of initiatives related to his calling to encourage the pursuit of unity among believers in Jesus, and to that end currently serves as chair of the Christian Unity Commission with the Pentecostal/
Charismatic Churches of North America. He and his wife, Julie, are parents of four, grandparents of ten, and are currently located in Newberg, Oregon, where they attend College Street Church.
I woke up unable to speak. A breathing tube filled my throat. Machines surrounded my hospital bed. I was confused, intubated, and lying in an ICU room with no memory of how I got there. But strangely, I was not afraid. In the middle of the chaos, God gave me an unexplainable peace.
I motioned desperately for paper and pencil so I could ask two questions: What happened? And where is George?
My son’s father explained that I had been in a serious car accident. The car was completely destroyed. I had been found trapped beneath the steering wheel with severe facial injuries.
That morning — January 22, 2026 — had started like any other Thursday. I got ready for work, buckled my 18-month-old son George into his car seat, and pulled out of the driveway expecting an ordinary day.
It became anything but ordinary.
My neighbor, who had left home at the same time I did, later explained what happened. We were both driving around fifteen miles per hour when the car I was driving suddenly lost control. I still do not know why, and I have no memory of the moment itself.
By the grace of God, George was almost completely untouched.
The car hit a cement light pole, crossed into oncoming traffic, and was struck head-on by another vehicle. Both vehicles spun, and the car I was driving slammed into another cement light pole.
By the grace of God, George was almost completely untouched.
The back windshield shattered directly above him, yet the glass never harmed him because of the position his car seat landed in. The entire back left side of the car was crushed inward, but George had been seated on the back right side. Even now, I can only thank God for His protection.
I was taken by ambulance to the hospital and admitted into the Trauma ICU. Doctors told my family that I had suffered severe head trauma resulting in a brain bleed. I was also bleeding internally in my abdominal area, and they began preparing my family for the possible loss of my pregnancy.
… the doctors did not know the God my family and I serve — and how merciful He is.
But the doctors did not know the God my family and I serve — and how merciful He is.
My family immediately began to pray. Members of my church, Open Bible Church of Homestead, began arriving at the hospital, and soon an entire army of people was interceding for me.
During those first two days, I drifted in and out of consciousness and remember very little. But one moment remains clear in my mind: I heard the song “I Surrender” by Hillsong Worship playing in my hospital room. The lyrics, “Like a rushing wind, Jesus breathe within, Lord have Your way, Lord have Your way in me,” stayed with me and brought a deep sense of comfort in the middle of everything happening around me. In that moment, those words became my prayer as I quietly prayed, “I leave this in Your hands.”
After three days in the ICU, I was successfully extubated and began making remarkable progress. Ultrasounds showed a happy, active baby, and the bleeding had stopped.
On the fourth day, I was transferred out of the ICU into intermediate care before eventually moving to the medical-surgical floor. Doctors then began preparing me for maxillofacial surgery to reconstruct my face after multiple fractures.
On January 30, I underwent an eight-hour surgery. By God’s grace, the procedure was successful, and another ultrasound afterward showed my unborn baby remained active and healthy. On February 3, I was finally discharged and able to return home.
Since then, my recovery has gone smoothly. I am now twenty-eight weeks pregnant and waiting expectantly for the arrival of my baby. Through every frightening moment, God gave me strength and peace, and I never doubted His mercy.
Today, I am a living testimony of His grace.
About the Author
Thammy Castro is a behavior technician living in Miami and a soon-to-be mother of two. In her free time, she enjoys traveling with her family. She is a member of Open Bible Church of Homestead, where her parents, Jose and Maria Castro, serve as pastors.