Keep growing.
Sigue creciendo.
Faith doesn't end at "I believe." It begins there. Whether you're brand new to following Jesus or you've been at this for decades, the next step is the same — keep walking.
La fe no termina en "yo creo." Comienza ahí. Ya sea que apenas estés comenzando a seguir a Jesús o lo hayas hecho por décadas, el siguiente paso es el mismo — sigue caminando.
Journey to Spiritual Maturity is a four-quarter discipleship pathway built around real growth, not just information, but transformation. Free for everyone. Use it personally, in your small group, or to teach your family.
Journey to Spiritual Maturity es un camino de discipulado de cuatro trimestres, construido alrededor del crecimiento real — no solo de información, sino de transformación. Gratis para todos. Úsalo personalmente, en tu grupo pequeño, o para enseñar a tu familia.
From the streets of Los Angeles to the rain forests of Central Africa, one life-changing encounter with Jesus set an unexpected journey in motion. Born in Honduras and reunited with his mother in Los Angeles at age twelve, Joe Castillo entered a world of culture shock, family instability, and relentless pressure from street and gang life. He was heading toward a dangerous future when an encounter with Christ redirected his life.
Together, Joe and his wife, Lilyana, answered God’s call to missions. They arrived in Equatorial Guinea in 1996 and later moved to Cameroon, where they lived and served among the Baka people. Learning a new language, building relationships, teaching Scripture, and developing local leaders taught them that faithful ministry is not about becoming indispensable—it is about preparing others to lead. In this expanded edition, Joe reflects on the sacrifices, mistakes, miracles, cultural lessons, and relationships that shaped their journey. He also reveals how the work continued through Baka believers, pastors, translators, community leaders, and missionary families long after the Castillos left Mayos.
The story then returns to Los Angeles, where Joe’s calling continued through church planting, youth-violence prevention, LAPD chaplaincy, discipleship development, and pastoral ministry at 180 City Church. Beyond the Rain Forest is a story of calling, cultural humility, courageous faith, and the God who brings hope, restoration, and freedom—and continues writing the story after we hand it to others.
What if faithfulness is not finishing the story yourself, but preparing others to carry it forward?
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