Introducing Our Spanish Translation Partner
“I believe the Hispanic community could benefit immensely from Puritan literature, especially when it is translated into clear, contemporary Spanish while faithfully preserving the authors’ original meaning.”
As we continue to make progress on our first translation project, we’re always open to the Lord’s providence in future projects. Pastor Juan Camacho is the Spanish Ministry Pastor at Believers Fellowship in San Antonio, Texas and has graciously agreed to be our translation partner for future Spanish projects at Read the Puritans. As you can see from the quote above, his vision matches ours exactly when it comes to translation projects. We want to take this opportunity to introduce him to you so that you might pray for Pastor Juan, his family, and the important ministry he leads at Believers Fellowship. The following is a conversation with Pastor Juan that we trust will show you his heart for Christ and for the ministry at Read the Puritans.
Pastor Juan Camacho and his Family
A Conversation with Pastor Juan
Tell us a little about yourself.
I am originally from Mexico, but I moved to San Antonio, Texas, in 1997 to pursue my education. However, the Lord called me to serve Him here, and I became involved in my local church. By the Lord's grace, I was ordained to pastoral ministry in May 2019 at Believers Fellowship, where I currently serve alongside seven other elders. My primary responsibility is leading the Spanish-language ministry. My family and I are passionate about ministering primarily to the Hispanic community.
In 2025, by the Lord's grace, I graduated from The Master's Seminary with a Master of Biblical Ministry, and I am currently pursuing a Master of Divinity.
How did you first discover the Puritans?
Perhaps, like many believers, my first, albeit unwitting, encounter with the Puritans was through John Bunyan's The Pilgrim's Progress. At the time, I did not even know who the author was, the circumstances under which he wrote the book, or his purpose in writing it.
I also began using Matthew Henry's Bible commentary without realizing that he, too, was a Puritan. Over time, I came across quotations from Puritans such as Thomas Brooks, John Flavel, and John Owen, among others. I found it remarkable how they could distill profound biblical wisdom into just a few words.
That sparked my desire to learn more about these faithful men of God, and I soon discovered that they were Puritans men who sought to preserve the purity of the church by refusing to compromise the truth of God's Word.
What is your favorite Puritan book?
My favorite Puritan book is Thomas Brooks's Precious Remedies Against Satan's Devices.
In this work, Brooks masterfully exposes the subtle strategies Satan uses to lure believers into sin. As the book emphasizes, although we study many biblical doctrines, we must not neglect the doctrine concerning Satan, for he is a real and relentless enemy.
The book is both doctrinally rich and highly practical, constantly urging the reader to reflect on Scripture and faithfully apply its truths in daily life.
It is truly a gem for anyone who desires to pursue holiness. Among many other insights, Brooks explains how Satan deceives us by presenting sin as pleasant and attractive while minimizing its consequences. He also tempts believers by suggesting that, because even some of the godliest saints fell into sin and were restored, we too can presume upon God's forgiveness through superficial repentance rather than genuine repentance.
What Puritan has impacted you the most?
It is difficult to choose just one, as I have been deeply influenced by several Puritan writers. However, if I had to choose one, it would be John Bunyan.
Bunyan authored more than sixty books, the most famous being The Pilgrim's Progress. What makes his life especially compelling is God's transforming grace. Bunyan himself confessed that before his conversion he delighted in many sinful pursuits. The Lord graciously used his godly wife to encourage him to attend church, but although he became outwardly religious, he continued to struggle deeply with guilt and the conviction of sin. Eventually, God used Pastor John Gifford to point him to the sufficiency of Christ and the assurance found in the gospel.
One reason Bunyan has had such a profound impact on me is that many believers can identify with his spiritual journey. His conversion was not an instantaneous experience like the apostle Paul's; rather, it was a prolonged struggle through doubt, conviction, and growing understanding until he finally rested in Christ. Many Christians can relate to that kind of testimony.
I am equally challenged by his courage and unwavering commitment to preaching God's Word. In 1660, he was imprisoned for preaching without the license required under the restored monarchy. Although he was repeatedly offered his freedom if he would agree to stop preaching, he refused, choosing faithfulness to Christ over personal comfort.
Even while imprisoned, Bunyan continued to care for his family as best he could. He made long tagged laces to help provide financial support for his wife and children a small detail that beautifully illustrates both his diligence and his love for his family.
It was during his imprisonment that he wrote The Pilgrim's Progress. Rather than becoming bitter or abandoning his faith, he applied the very biblical truths he preached, enduring suffering with remarkable perseverance for the sake of Christ.
Bunyan also honored God in the way he finished his life. In 1688, after traveling to reconcile a father and son and to preach, he became seriously ill after riding through heavy rain. He developed a fever and died a few days later. Even his final days reflected a life spent serving others for the glory of God.
John Bunyan inspires me because he demonstrates that extraordinary faithfulness does not require an extraordinary life. His life reminds us that God is pleased to use ordinary believers who remain faithful to Christ, whatever the cost.
Why do you believe Christians should read the Puritans?
Christians should read the Puritans because of the way they expound the Scriptures. Their writings are deeply biblical, profoundly practical, and consistently call the reader to holiness. They do not merely explain what a passage means; they press its truths upon the heart and encourage faithful obedience.
One aspect of their writing that has especially impacted me is their care for the soul. They possessed remarkable pastoral wisdom in addressing the struggles of the Christian life. Their insights continue to provide invaluable help for what we now call biblical counseling, benefiting not only pastors but every believer.
Another reason is their unique writing style. Their ability to condense profound biblical truth into just a few carefully chosen words reveal the depth of their meditation on Scripture.
Finally, the enduring influence of the Puritans is evident in the lives of many faithful contemporary pastors and theologians. Men such as Paul Washer, Joel Beeke, and John MacArthur have openly acknowledged the significant role that Puritan writings have played in shaping their ministries. Their example encourages me to continue learning from these faithful servants of God.
What excites you most about translating the Puritans into Spanish?
What excites me most is the opportunity to make the rich theological and pastoral heritage of the Puritans more accessible to the Spanish-speaking church.
I believe the Hispanic community could benefit immensely from Puritan literature, especially when it is translated into clear, contemporary Spanish while faithfully preserving the authors' original meaning. I am convinced that many Spanish-speaking believers are in the same position I once was: they have heard of the Puritans but know very little about who they were or the lasting legacy they left for the church.
One indication of the tremendous need for Puritan literature in Spanish is the relatively small number of works that have been translated. A review of specialized publishers' catalogs such as Banner of Truth shows that only a small percentage of classic Puritan works are currently available in Spanish.
Consider John Owen as an example. His collected works in English span twenty-four volumes in the Banner of Truth edition, in addition to his letters, sermons, and shorter treatises. By comparison, only a handful of his major works have been translated into Spanish, including:
The Mortification of Sin
Of Temptation
The Glory of Christ
Communion with God
The Holy Spirit (depending on the edition, either abridged or partial)
A limited selection of sermons and shorter treatises
This means that the vast majority of Owen's writings remain unavailable to Spanish-speaking readers.
For that reason, I believe translating the Puritans would help fill a significant gap in the Hispanic church. Making these works available would strengthen expository preaching, enrich pastoral ministry, deepen biblical counseling, and encourage believers to pursue greater holiness through a richer understanding of God's Word.
How can the Puritan Fellowship be praying for you and the Spanish Ministry at Believer’s Fellowship?
I am convinced that the Lord is doing a wonderful work among the Hispanic community. In recent years, we have witnessed a growing interest in Reformed theology through conferences, books by Hispanic authors, new Spanish translations, theological seminaries, and many other resources.
We have also experienced this encouragement in our own local church. Please pray that we would remain faithful to the Lord and be good stewards of the opportunities He has entrusted to us. Our desire is to continue serving the Hispanic community by helping make sound biblical resources more accessible.
Please also pray that more Puritan works, biblical counseling resources, and other theologically rich materials would become available in Spanish, so that Spanish-speaking believers may be equipped and strengthened with the same abundance of resources that has blessed the English-speaking church for generations.
The Lord has been so gracious to this ministry in our short existence and Pastor Juan is the latest in a series of providential meetings. We hope, after reading about Pastor Juan, that you share our excitement about future projects we can do in Spanish at Read the Puritans. Join us in praying for him and that the Lord would provide the means for us to carry out many projects in the years to come.