On Baltimore Street, in southeast Houston's 77012 zip code, Tabernáculo de Vida gathers a Spanish-speaking congregation under the banner of the United Pentecostal Church International. The building sits in a working-class neighborhood of modest homes and small storefronts near the Houston Ship Channel, and the church introduces itself with the simple phrase "una iglesia cerca de usted" - a church close to you. From that location, Tabernáculo de Vida carries out a Pentecostal mission rooted in three biblical commitments: loving God, loving people, and changing the world.
A Pentecostal identity with global reach
Tabernáculo de Vida belongs to the United Pentecostal Church International, a fellowship that the church describes as comprising 4,000 churches across North America and 40,000 churches in roughly 200 nations worldwide. The congregational motto drawn from Psalm 133 - brothers and sisters dwelling together in unity - sets the tone for what leaders call "the TDV family." Pastor Principal Wayne Monday, the church's lead minister, frames the work in straightforward terms: preach the gospel, make disciples, and help people encounter the power of the Spirit for daily living. The message that visitors hear on a typical weekend is that following Jesus is both personal and communal, an invitation to be transformed by the gospel and to join in the church's outward work.
Pastoral leadership
Three clergymen share the pastoral responsibilities at Tabernáculo de Vida. Rev. Wayne Monday serves as Pastor Principal; he worked alongside the bishop from his earliest years in ministry, beginning as a missionary in Central America before taking on pastoral duties in Houston. Rev. John Hopkins is the presiding Bishop of the work; the church describes him as a man used by God, filled with the Holy Spirit and marked by wisdom and love for the church. Rev. Agustín Álvarez serves as Pastor Asistente and is recognized as a teacher of the Word.
A weekly rhythm of prayer and worship
Tabernáculo de Vida offers three weekly touchpoints for worship and formation.
- Tuesdays - a prayer service (Servicio de Oración).
- Wednesdays - a Bible-study service running from 7:45 PM to 9:00 PM.
- Sundays - two worship services, each built around the same three-part structure: a period of Formación Espiritual (spiritual formation), congregational prayer, and the main worship service. The first service begins at 1:00 PM with formation, followed by prayer at 1:50 PM and the worship service at 2:00 PM. The second service begins at 4:00 PM with formation, prayer at 4:50 PM, and worship at 5:00 PM.
Worship at the church follows the expressive, Spirit-centered character typical of United Pentecostal practice, with congregational singing and preaching central to the gathered time together. Services are conducted in Spanish, with English-language access available on the church's bilingual pages.
Children, youth, and adult formation
Tabernáculo de Vida invests heavily in age-specific teaching. The TDV-Kids stream offers interactive lessons, puppets, and family-friendly video content; one ongoing series features a character named Pepe teaching that prayer helps overcome fear, accompanied by songs and craft ideas for the home. A separate channel of Devocional Familiar produces short devotionals designed for the family altar at home, with recent installments on anxiety, imitation of Christ, and strength through faith.
For adults, the church publishes a full Clase de Adultos curriculum. Recent downloadable study guides cover the book of Romans, Proverbs and Ecclesiastes, Galatians-Philippians-Colossians, 1 Corinthians, and a course titled Desarrollando el carácter cristiano (Developing Christian Character). Student and teacher manuals are available through the church's online platform for self-directed study or for use in small groups.
Jewels Conference: ministry to women and girls
Each year, Tabernáculo de Vida hosts the Jewels Conference, a gathering aimed at Apostolic women and girls. The conference runs separate sessions across a broad age range - from girls as young as 11 through young adults and mothers - with teaching and worship designed to encourage young women to place their futures in God's hands. Annual themes shape the gathering; the 2024 edition used the theme "Be-Jewel" alongside Matthew 25:4, while merchandise (T-shirts, tote bags, sweatshirts), vendor opportunities, and live teaching are part of the program. The Jewels Conference maintains its own Instagram presence at @jewels.conference and @tdvjewels.
MOVE the Mission and the Amado Pródigo Seminar
Tabernáculo de Vida operates two other recurring ministry streams. MOVE the MISSION anchors the church's outward-facing work, including a Houston-area campaign tagged "We Flow on Five." The Seminario Amado Pródigo ("Beloved Prodigal Seminar") is a teaching series the church invites participants to register for online. Throughout the year, the church also runs vacation Bible school resources through a dedicated VBS portal for its TDV kids, and the annual Regreso a Clases (Back to School) event supports families at the start of the academic year.
Staying connected online and in person
For those who cannot attend in person, the church livestreams services and posts recordings on its YouTube channel, with a dedicated playlist for ongoing Sunday services. Devotionals, children's lessons, and Bible-study manuals are published through the church's online blog, and giving is available online.
The church meets at 7902 Baltimore Street, Houston, TX 77012, and can be reached by phone at 713-926-6651 or by email at media@tabernaculodevida.org. Active social channels carry the handle @TDVHoustonTX on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, with YouTube under @TDVHOUSTON.