Kittim Silva Bermúdez is a Puerto Rican Pentecostal minister, pastor, chaplain, educator, broadcaster, and author. He has led the Pentecostal Church of Jesus Christ of Queens, presided over an international Pentecostal council, helped develop Radio Visión Cristiana, hosted Retorno, and written numerous Spanish-language books on preaching, biblical interpretation, and Christian ministry.
Background
Kittim Silva Bermúdez was born on June 13, 1950, in Guayama, Puerto Rico, to Luis D. Silva and Georgina A. Bermúdez Silva. He moved to New York in 1970 and developed his ministerial and professional life there within Spanish-speaking Pentecostal communities.
His early formation included participation in Teen Challenge and later study in Bible, ministry, humanities, and medical laboratory technology. These experiences preceded his ordination to the ministry in 1974 and his subsequent work as a pastor, teacher, chaplain, broadcaster, and religious author.
Education
Silva studied at the Teen Challenge Training Center in Pennsylvania, completing the program in 1971, and attended Teriama Health School, where he trained as a medical laboratory technician. He received a diploma from International Bible Institute in New York in 1974. The institute provided Bible and theological instruction for Pentecostal ministry in an urban, multilingual setting.
He later studied Christian ministry at New York Theological Seminary, receiving a certificate in 1976 and a Master of Professional Studies in Ministry in 1982. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in humanities from the College of New Rochelle in 1980. The seminary's program placed his ministerial work within formal theological education, while the College of New Rochelle provided a liberal-arts framework for his broader humanities training.
Silva also received honorary degrees from the Universidad Nacional Evangélica in the Dominican Republic and the Latin University of Theology in California: Professor Honoris Causa in Theology in 1994, Doctor Honoris Causa in Humanities in 1998, and Doctor Honoris Causa in Divinity in 2001.
Career
Silva was ordained to the ministry in 1974 and became a director and professor at International Bible Institute, where he taught from 1974 to 1990. His teaching connected Pentecostal ministerial preparation with Bible and theology instruction.
He became pastor of the Pentecostal Church of Jesus Christ of Queens in New York in 1983. The congregation served a Spanish-speaking Pentecostal community in Queens, one of New York City's most diverse boroughs. From 1985 he also worked in Christian broadcasting as a radio host for the Retorno ministry and as a leader associated with Radio Visión Cristiana.
Silva served as president of the International Council of Pentecostal Churches of Jesus Christ from 1986 and was later identified as its bishop-president. He held advisory and board roles with the Clergy Association for Justice and Ecos Public News during the late 1980s. His public ministry included preaching and speaking at religious and civic events in New York.
He helped establish Radio Visión Cristiana Internacional and served as its president from 1994 to 2001, later continuing as a board member and vice president from 2010. He was also associated with the Coalition of Latin Ministers and Christian Leaders from 1998, helped found the Confraternity of Council Leaders, co-founded and directed the International Ministerial Clinic, and founded the Christian University of Human Development. Through preaching, radio, television, conferences, and books, his ministry reached Pentecostal audiences in Latin America and other regions.
Achievements
Silva was ordained to the Pentecostal ministry in 1974.
He developed a long ministerial career combining pastoral leadership, theological education, Pentecostal organizational administration, religious broadcasting, and Spanish-language authorship.
Works
book
A Ministerial Dialogue; Pentecostal Experience; From Darkness to Light; Daniel, History and Prophecy; Revelation of Jesus Christ; Outlines for Preachers I–IV; The Seven Words; Preaching on the Song of Songs; Preaching on Jonas; Preaching on Women of Faith; Eclesiastes; Jonas the Exclusive Prophet; David, a Role for Leadership; An Ailing Society
(A group of Spanish-language ministerial and biblical work...)
(Spanish-language biblical and devotional work by Kittim S...)
Religion
Kittim Silva Bermúdez is a Pentecostal minister. Pentecostalism is a Christian movement that emphasizes the work of the Holy Spirit, conversion, prayer, evangelism, spiritual gifts, and healing. It expanded rapidly during the twentieth century through independent churches, revival movements, radio ministry, and transnational missionary networks.
Silva's pastoral, preaching, teaching, publishing, and broadcasting activities have developed within Spanish-speaking Pentecostal Christianity. His leadership of Pentecostal churches and councils, along with his biblical books and the Retorno ministry, reflects the movement's emphasis on public preaching, ministerial training, and mass communication.
Politics
Silva's recorded political affiliation is Democratic. The Democratic Party is one of the two major political parties of the United States and has historically brought together liberal, progressive, and moderate currents. Its twentieth- and twenty-first-century platforms have generally emphasized social welfare, civil rights, labor protections, public institutions, and government action on economic and social issues.
Views
Silva's published and ministerial work emphasizes biblical preaching, Christian discipleship, Pentecostal spirituality, pastoral responsibility, and the communication of religious teaching to contemporary congregations. His books on homiletics, biblical characters, prophecy, ceremonies, faith, and spiritual gifts present ministry as a combination of scriptural interpretation, public proclamation, and practical guidance for churches and preachers.
Membership
Silva participated in professional, ministerial, humanitarian, and civic organizations connected with Pentecostal leadership and public service. His documented affiliations included the Clergy Association for Justice, Ecos Public News, the Coalition of Latin Ministers and Christian Leaders, the Confraternity of Council Leaders, and ministerial organizations that supported training, religious broadcasting, and cooperation among Christian leaders.
Served on the advisory board.
Clergy Association for Justice
,
United States
1989
Served on the advisory board.
Ecos Public News
,
United States
1988 - 1989
Co-founded the organization and served as vice president.
Coalition of Latin Ministers and Christian Leaders
,
United States
1998 - present
Interests
Biblical preaching, Pentecostal ministry, Christian education, religious broadcasting, and theological writing.
Connections
Silva married Rosa M. Quiles on November 18, 1972. They had two daughters, Janet Silva and Aimee R. Silva. His parents were Luis D. Silva and Georgina A. Bermúdez Silva.
Father:
Luis D. Silva
Mother:
Georgina A. Bermúdez Silva
Daughter:
Aimee R. Silva
Daughter:
Janet Silva
Wife:
Rosa M. Quiles
Silva married Rosa M. Quiles on November 18, 1972.
References
Editorial CLIE author biography
Documents Silva's Puerto Rican background, residence in New York, education, marriage, family, ministerial work, and authorship.
Editorial Unilit author biography
Documents Silva's presidency of the International Council of Pentecostal Churches of Jesus Christ, pastoral work in Queens, participation in Radio Visión Cristiana, and hosting of Retorno.
