Juan Molina, pastor of Iglesia Bautista Alpha y Omega in Landrum, was named Small Church Pastor of the Year during the November meeting of the South Carolina Baptist Convention.

Originally from Mexico, Molina immigrated to the U.S. and began working in construction. While in Florida, he was invited to church services, and his life was changed. The former Catholic began to have a personal relationship with Christ, and his passion grew, resulting in a call to become a bivocational pastor.

Molina owns a company that pours concrete foundations. His work took him to North Carolina, where he led a Hispanic ministry at a local church. He was then called to South Carolina to pastor the first Hispanic church plant in Landrum. Iglesia Bautista Alpha y Omega held its first service on Easter Sunday in 2009. Landrum First Baptist Church has partnered with Alpha y Omega, which now has a sanctuary that seats 100 people.

Alpha y Omega has planted another Hispanic church in Columbus, N.C., which meets on Saturday nights. Molina has pastored both churches for the past two years. He has also started a church in his home city in Mexico and constructed its building. He returns annually to sponsor a Christmas breakfast at the church, where he shares the story of Jesus’ birth and provides gifts for children.

Molina also plans and participates in mission trips to Latin American countries, where he preaches and helps build churches and orphanages.

Jim Goodroe, director of missions for Spartanburg County Baptist Network, said Molina’s testimony “inspired me five years ago, and his passion and perseverance continue to amaze me.”

“I am challenged as a ‘full-time’ minister to do as much witnessing, visitation, church meetings and mission trips as he does while doing construction work to support his family,” said Goodroe.