Carlos (Christian) Saldana
Carlos (Christian) Saldana grew up right here in Ames, IA. He grew up at Heartland, attended Bible College, and then came on staff. Carlos started attending Heartland with his family in 2009 at the age of eight, progressing from children's church all the way to the young adult ministry. He asked Christ to save him at the age of ten while attending church camp, which was also the year he surrendered to full-time ministry.
After graduating from Ames High School, Carlos decided to leave home and move to Springfield, MO, to attend Baptist Bible College. He served as an RA for two years, with one of those years as the college's Head RA. During college, Carlos served in youth and college ministry at South Side Baptist Church and later at Real Life Church. He graduated with a B.S. in Pastoral Studies with a minor in Biblical Counseling.
Carlos worked as an all-church intern with an emphasis on youth ministry at Belmar Baptist Church in Lakewood, CO, and also completed an internship at Heartland before graduating. He now serves as the Jr. High Pastor as well as the Assistant to the Pastor at Heartland. Carlos has always had a heart for youth ministry and is very excited to be serving in that area at HBC.