Laredo see rise in "House Churches"

From Chron.com
About a dozen house churches and one traditional church—the first in decades—have started in Laredo in the past year, according to the Baptist General Convention of Texas, adding to only 12 existing Baptist congregations in the community of about a quarter-million.

“People who already know the culture of Laredo are starting congregations that non-Christians are comfortable visiting,” wrote Texas Baptists spokesman John Hall. “The home-based churches have baptized more than 60 people in the last 11 months, enough that (ministry coordinator Mario) Garcia recently retrofitted a trailer with a frame, platform and horse trough to make it a mobile baptismal that the churches can share.”

The new churches are lay-led, but often remain connected to existing congregations and Texas Baptists’ ongoing leadership training programs, the organization said. Norma Sanchez, in the video above, is a convert attending one of the new house churches.