Practices of exorcism and the concept of miracles seen within Hispanic evangelical churches has resulted in confusion of organizational identity, and what churches practice, specifically in casting out spirits.
La Iglesia Apostoles Y Profetas Libres, also known as the Free Church, is an evangelical conservative Hispanic church which differs from The First International Organization of Evangelical Churches Apostles and Prophets Ephesians 2:20, Inc.
El Salvador is a country which has been heavily influenced by apostolicism since the second-half of the twentieth century. According to The Free Dictionary, being apostolic means to adhere and follow the teachings of the twelve apostles and disciples of Jesus by sharing evangelical doctrines and practices. Here in the United States, there has been an increase of Hispanic churches who try to share the same beliefs.
In the fall of last year, there was a case in San Jose, California, which sparked the discussion of these churches and the term of exorcism. This term refers to the practice of taking out spirits and praying for people who are believed to be possessed by a spirit or demon. The Free Church was placed on the spotlight.
Aldo Toledo, a reporter for The Mercury News, says that the Santa Clara County Medical Examiner’s office ruled that Arely Naomi Proctor, a 3-year-old child, was dead due to asphyxiation. Claudia Hernandez, the mother of Proctor, was charged with assault, and the case was titled as a homicide. This scene took place at the Free Church, which was in San Jose.
The story is that Proctor’s mother was praying and putting hands on the child to take out the supposed spirit. When, in reality, the child needed medical assistance.
Victor Manuel Ventura, president of the Good News Ministry, Las Buenas Nuevas Regional, said prayer and miracles are important aspects of the Christian faith.
When asked about the church title Iglesias Apostoles y Profetas, he said that “we must understand the name of Apostoles y Profetas. It’s not based on that we are apostles and prophets. The name is very popular, now within the denomination there are differences in norms of the church and its practices.”
The First International Organization differs from the Free Church in that it is registered in the United States and El Salvador, while the Free Church is not.
Pastor Santos is a man with his first name being Pastor, and he is not a pastor of a church, but he is a theologian and a member of the First International Organization, said “I’ve never understood the concept of “libres,” which means liberated or freed. “This church is not registered through the government and doesn’t have a set of bylaws. There are other churches which have a similar name but are registered with the government and have a set of bylaws.”
The Free Church is not registered with governments because they believe that Christians should not have any form of involvement with governments, and as a result, they don’t have a set of bylaws. In Spanish, both churches have the phrase “apostles and prophets” within their titles.
The First International Organization does have a set of bylaws. This means that they communicate with local governments of its values, beliefs, properties, and economic structures.
Both Ventura and Santos have been in moments of casting out demons. They say that the term of exorcism is inappropriate because it goes along with there being a set of rituals. For them, it is not a situation of what kind of rituals are needed, instead how much faith do the people have.
“I have been in those situations before. One needs to know what the purpose of prayer is. As a human being, I am not able to cast out demons by myself,” Ventura added.
Timothy Wadkins, a Religious Studies and Theology professor at Canisius University, in his essay “Pentecostalism, Individualism, and the New World Order in El Salvador,” mentions three stories of individuals who also experienced a supernatural power yet have adapted themselves to a specific religious environment, which is apostolic and pentecostal-like. For people like them, Wadkins says that “there is no necessity for a building, a priest, or a sacrament. The presentation of and response to God’s message can take place anytime, anywhere and is not mediated by anything.”
Santos describes a situation with these characteristics,
It was Jun. 30, 1990, when a couple of folks including myself were invited to a vigil in Honduras due to a necessity. The church we visited was a prophetic church, meaning they give top priority to manifestations of the Spirit. The pastor and his brother were medics, and they had their own medical office, but there was a young lady who had visited them at the office, and they couldn’t aid her situation. Somehow this young woman arrived at the church where the brothers were located, and at 3 a.m. she began to react very oddly, she insulted people in the sanctuary, and she even punched the guy who was praying for her. She was uncontrollable. We began to pray, and after a series of prayers she fell in deep sleep. This is where I understood that she had been liberated at last. After a couple of hours, we returned to the church and the woman was relaxed and she was having a meal for herself.
I asked Santos what he would say to the ex-pastor who is involved in the case of San Jose, and he answered “the first thing I would tell him is for him to return to the Bible. What part of the Bible says that you must strangle a person, especially a young child, to liberate them from a spirit?”
Within the Hispanic context, situations like these are common. Church titles may be identical or similar, but their practices and beliefs are way apart.
Below you will find a powerful testimony of Victor Ventura and his son. A transcription in English has been provided.