Our Mission
Equipping Lives - Fulfilling Destinies
BIOGRAPHY
Pastor Jay Velez was born in Vieques Puerto Rico, on October 11, 1963. A month after being born, his maternal grandmother took him to live in New York, where he would grow up in the sector of Bay Ridge, Brooklyn.
In 1982, after beginning medical studies at Stony Brook University, he had an encounter with the Lord in the streets of New York. At the time of his conversion, the Lord placed in this youth of only nineteen years a passion for ministry that would guide him for the rest of his life.
A year later, he began to direct the youth ministry of his church and developed it so that it would meet the needs of the Hispanic youth and youths of Hispanic origin, that did not speak Spanish. Jay led this ministry as youth pastor for three years, helping it grow until it reached 200 members.
In 1984, now a Pastor, Jay Velez receives a prophetic word from Reverend Ronald Short where it is revealed that God would use him as a missionary evangelist. The following year, Pastor Velez travels on his first missionary trip to Ecuador, where he was entrusted with the responsibility of restoring a church and creating a school of ministry. This would be the first of many missionary trips that would include Central and South America, the Caribbean and various parts of the United States.
From 1986 to 1995, Pastor Velez traveled intensely to fulfill his missionary calling. During this same time, Pastor Velez formed part of the evangelical ministry of Pastor Ronald Short, traveling with him as an associate minister and interpreter.
Reverend Short began to mentor Pastor Velez during those years, greatly influencing his life. It was under Pastor Short’s mentoring that Jay was ordained in 1990. This same year, Pastor Velez finished his university studies with a Bachelors in theology.
In 1989 the Lord united Jay’s life with Yolanda Diaz, friends from the years spent in ministry with the youth on 47th Street. Together they now have two children, Jay Jr. and Stephanie. During their years of marriage and pastoral ministry, Yolanda has participated actively in the development of counseling ministries in various churches.
In another phase of his ministry work, Pastor Velez participated in the foundation of churches in New York, New Jersey and Florida from 1986 to 2003 while also being a member of the Bay Ridge Christian Center, led by Reverend Luciano Padilla, Jr.
It was during this time, specífically in 1996, where Reverend Padilla Jr. assigned Pastor Velez the work of restoring a church in the sector of Corona Queens, known as Bible Center Church, which is characterized by the great number of Hispanic immigrants that assist. Pastors Velez have been leading this church up to the present. Presently, Pastor Velez has continued his missionary work in the Caribbean, particularly with Cuba where he hs served in the care of restructuring 230 churches.
Likewise, Pastor Velez has continued with his work bringing a conscience to the body of Christ in Puerto Rico regarding the need to help in the missionary field. With this purpose, CIMAS ministry was created (2004), helping to provide counseling and church consulting to pastors on the island, New York and New Jersey. At present time, Pastor Velez and his family are presently residing in Orlando, Florida.