‘This is evidence of God’s grace’: Local Spanish-speaking church, Chapel en Español, expanding due to popularity

CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) -- A local church for Spanish-speaking families has become so popular that it has outgrown its current space.

Chapel en Español's community has quadrupled in just the past few years. On October 5, their service will move to a bigger space. 

Driving past, you wouldn’t know Chapel en Español was in the small plaza on Craig Rath Boulevard in Midlothian. With its minimal signage, it doesn’t look like much during the week. 

But on Sundays, it becomes a party. 280 people fill the building wall-to-wall for one service, turning the lobby into a makeshift overflow room. 

But that’s all about to change.  

“This is evidence of God’s grace and favor in our lives," said Senior Pastor Ismael Parades through the help of a translator. “It’s been really emotional -- everything that’s just been happening on this campus.” 

Pastor Parades and his family moved to the Richmond area in 2013, but he was born and raised in a Christian family in Colombia. Both his grandfathers were pastors. He joked that he started going to church before he was even born while his mother was pregnant with him.

He gravitated toward the musical aspect of the church, and admittedly said he didn't want to be a pastor. He said he could hear God laughing at this.

He preached over Zoom when churches around the world shuttered their doors for COVID. He said at the time, only nine people logged on. When life returned to normal, he knew there was more to be done. 

Ismael had an idea. He said he knocked on the doors of a lot of churches but was told no.

That was until his family got to The Chapel.

They called the church home for nine months before telling the pastor their proposition.

“I’ll never forget the day my wife and I presented the idea to Pastor Brandon of starting a Spanish church," he said. “Automatically he was like, ‘That’s an excellent idea.’” 

Chapel en Español is a subsect of The Chapel, a massive non-denominational church led by Pastor Brandon Samuel in Midlothian with campuses in Richmond and Moseley.  

Chapel en Español will move its services from their current space to the auditorium at The Chapel’s main campus at 3505 Old Hundred Road South. It seats 600 people.   

“[Pastor Brandon] said, ‘You're going to reach the hearts that we cannot reach," Pastor Parades said.

In a bittersweet goodbye to their first building, Pastor Parades stood on stage with his family giving a recap of his journey to this point. 39 people attended their first service just a few years ago.

After the service, dozens of congregants took down the lights and broke down the stage, but took their faith with them. 

“It’s an honor and privilege to serve in this nation where it’s not our language," Pastor Ismael said.

 Chapel en Español will now meet each Sunday at 2:00 p.m.