JESUS was calling, and he just said YES!
After a lot of prayer and years of discernment our dear friend Joel Cosme announced his call for the ministry the last August.
“And the Lord came, and stood, and called as at other times, Samuel, Samuel. Then Samuel answered, Speak; for thy servant heareth.”1 Samuel 3:10
Our family has known Bro. Joel for more than a decade, Lourdes got to know him at church when both of them where in college. In her late teens, they went to the same college, she studied Corporate Communications and he studied Systems Engineering. I got to meet him and his now wife in my first trip to Peru in August of 2015, since that trip he has shared with me about his time in Utah, and how this state had a special place in his life. This just makes us think how special the month of August is becoming in our lives.
In December of 2023, when I felt God was leading our family to be church planters in the State of Utah, I began to pray for a family that could go with us. Bro. Joel and his family came immediately to my mind and since then they began to pray about God’s will in this matter. This month we decided to have a special edition for our newsletter because Bro. Joel and his family have big news to share and we are so excited for the three of them. Get to know a little better the story of Joel, Claudia and María Gracia Cosme, our dear friends from Peru.
Joel and Claudia
Bro. Joel Cosme is from Trujillo, Peru. He has been in church since he was a baby. His parents became Christians before he was even born, so growing up, going to church is all he knew. From a young age, his father asked him to lead songs for the congregation, and church quickly became his second home.
When he was about nine years old, during a family struggle at Christmas, he was alone in his room and realized he needed Jesus. Then he repented for his sins, invited Him into his heart, and decided to follow Him.
Sister Claudia grew up in a Catholic family and participated in almost all of their sacraments, but she always felt a deep longing to truly know God. For a time, she attended a Marianist church, but she didn’t find what she was seeking. In college, she drifted away from that search until a Christian friend introduced her to Joel. He told her about his church, Gethsemani BC, which was near her house. She asked if she could visit, and from the first time she went, she felt something different. Very soon she repented of her sins and gave her life to Christ.
Their spiritual influence
In his life’s story Bro. Joel feels that his parents have been pillars in leading him to follow Jesus. They taught him to value church, to serve faithfully and to see the church as his family of faith. In Sis. Claudia experience, Joel, as her husband has helped her from the beginning of their relationship and even now when she has doubts, he always points her back to the Bible.
Ministry Calling
Can you tell us a little bit about how was your experience with the ministry call?
J: I have always desired to serve the Lord full-time. After finishing high school, I prayed and even spoke with my father and with Bro. Percy Hernández about a possible pastoral call. For a time, I set it aside while studying in college and working. But when I started my family with Claudia, I began to pray about it again. Then came the birth of my daughter, a new stage of becoming a father, and this sense of calling would come and go from time to time.
A couple of years ago, in December 2023, Daniel and Lourdes Teague shared with me their vision of planting a church in Utah. That was a huge blessing, especially since I had previously lived in Utah. It felt like God’s voice urging me to pray more fervently and consistently about the call to ministry. Finally, in August 2025, God confirmed His call on my life, and I accepted it.
Tell us about the support you see in your family as you do what God is calling you to do.
J: My wife and daughter have been part of every decision. Some choices have been difficult, but we’ve always made them together as a family in the Lord. Today, our marriage is stronger than ever, and serving God as a family is a real blessing for our lives.
What scripture has helped you both to fulfill God’s purpose and plan in your life?
J: “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom” (Proverbs 9:10). This verse has marked my life. In a world where knowledge can lead to pride, true wisdom begins with fearing the Lord and surrendering your whole life to Him.
C: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come” (2 Corinthians 5:17). This verse defines my life: in Christ.
What are the biggest obstacles you both had overcome and also share with us the biggest blessings you’ve received.
J: One of my biggest struggles has been learning to keep my relationship with God fresh. Growing up in church can sometimes lead to religiosity or routine. In that aspect, Claudia has been a blessing, because she came to faith later in life. Seeing her fresh and authentic relationship with God has always inspired me to live mine more naturally and genuinely.
C: Maybe one of my biggest challenges was understanding what I needed to leave behind when I gave my life to Christ. But certainly, the greatest obstacle was becoming a mom. I went through postpartum depression, and it was a hard season for our family, but we overcame it through prayer and surrendering to the Lord’s care. In that sense, my greatest blessings have been knowing Christ and having the family He has given me.
The Utah Mission
How do you feel about partnering with the Teagues to plant a church in Utah Valley and about the relationship between your families?
J: I met Lourdes in 2010 when I began attending Gethsemani, and we quickly became good friends. Later, in 2015, I met Daniel — I was even the one who helped set up their first date. Lourdes has been Claudia’s best friend since before we were married. Our families have shared so much together, built on deep trust and love. The idea of serving God alongside them in Utah is already a great blessing and also a relief, knowing we will be able to walk this path with a family we trust.
C: Lourdes became my best Christian friend when I first joined Gethsemani. In the early months of our marriage, Joel and I practically lived in her home, and her family was a great support to us. So when the Teagues shared the mission of starting a church in Utah, it was challenging at first to discern God’s will for us, but over time God has made His direction clearer and continues to guide us.
Share with us what you are currently doing to be better equipped for the ministry God is calling you to?
J: I currently serve as part of the church board, lead the Sunday sermons, and teach adult Sunday School. And, together with Claudia, we are in charge of the youth at Gethsemani. I publicly announced my pastoral calling to the congregation, and I am pursuing growth through reading, courses like MTM, and continued training. Most importantly, I seek to surrender every area of my life to the Lord, growing in maturity, discernment, and emotional strength as He equips me.
C: I serve as a preschool Sunday School teacher and also help Joel with the youth at church. Even before becoming a mom, I had already taken the initiative to work with young children because I’ve always felt a special connection with them. When María Gracia began attending church, my service gained a deeper meaning. I prepared lessons in a way she could understand, and at the same time I was able to bless the other children as well.
For Bro. Joel this is all new and challenging but he is full of hope seeing how God is guiding them step by step.
This is how you can pray for him and for his family, as they continue moving forward with the next steps for what they believe is God’s will for his ministry, joining the mission in the Utah Valley.
- Pray he can get a different job so he can spend more time preparing for sermons and focusing on church ministry.
- Pray for their ministry, that they would always walk in God’s will and not their own.
- Pray for wisdom in every decision.
- Pray for God to open doors for them to partner in the church planting in the Utah Valley so God’s purposes may be fulfilled.
- Pray for Joel’s calling, that María Gracia and Sister Claudia would continue to support him faithfully and be a blessing in his ministry.
Serving the Lord with Gladness - Daniel Teague
How to get involved
If you would like to know more about the burden God has placed on our hearts, or would like for us to share the need and the plan at your church let us know. We’d love to schedule a time to visit.
Daniel Teague
jdt1229@gmail.com | (812) 675-2140
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