My name is Justin Perez. I serve as the Short-Term Ministries (STM) Coordinator with Grace Ministries International (GMI) at Grace Community Church (GCC). Before coming to Grace Church, my wife, Kate, and I served in ministry in Hawaii, where the Lord used both blessings and difficulties to deepen our awareness of our need for sound doctrine, biblical ecclesiology, and further pastoral training. In 2021, we moved to Southern California so that I could attend The Master’s Seminary (TMS). During these years, the Lord has strengthened our love for the local church, expository preaching, theological education, and the training of faithful men for ministry.

This missionary service project will take our family to Portugal for approximately three months to serve alongside Igreja Batista de Miratejo in the Lisbon area. The purpose of this project is to come alongside an existing local church, serve where the pastors believe we can be useful, and discern whether the Lord may be leading our family toward long-term missionary service in Portugal.

During our time in Portugal, I hope to serve under the direction of the local pastors in the ordinary life and ministry of the church. Ministry opportunities include preaching, teaching Sunday School, participating in church services and weekly ministries, attending conferences and pastoral training events, and visiting other like-minded churches in Portugal. These opportunities will allow us to serve where needed, build relationships with Portuguese pastors and churches, and discern how our family might be useful in the long term.

Portugal is a country with deep religious history, but much of the population remains shaped by cultural Roman Catholicism, secularism, and a lack of gospel clarity. There is a significant need for healthy local churches, faithful preaching, discipleship, and pastoral training. One of the long-term ministry opportunities being explored is the development of a pastoral training center in Portugal in partnership with like-minded churches and ministries.

During this project, we hope to evaluate several important areas, including ministry fit, compatibility with local leadership, our family’s adaptability to life in Portugal, and our ability to learn European Portuguese. We desire to proceed carefully and humbly, seeking the counsel of our sending church, GMI leadership, and the local pastors in Portugal.

We are grateful for your prayers as we pursue this opportunity. Please pray that the Lord would provide the needed support, give our family wisdom and humility, help us grow in Portuguese, strengthen our relationships with the church in Miratejo, and make clear whether He would have us serve in Portugal long term.