Until fifty years ago publications on Protestantism in Latin America consisted mainly of the writings and memoirs of missionaries, reporting and interpreting their work, frequently with a promotional or apologetic purpose. The reports of the early Pan American Missionary Conferences (Panama, 1916; Montevideo, 1925; and Havana, 1929) and surveys and statistics provided by World Dominion Press, the Committee on Cooperation in Latin America (CCLA) and the International Missionary Council provide some data on the beginnings of Protestant missions. Finally, the denominational journals in different countries should also be mentioned.

There are practically no significant collections of sources for the history of Latin American Protestantism. The sections on Protestantism in Comisión de Estudios de Historia de la Iglesia en América Latina (CEHILA), Para una historia de la evangelización en América Latina (Barcelona, 1977), 165–269, Materiales para una historia de la teología en América Latina (San José, C.R., 1981), 343–88, and Rakes de la teología latinoamericana (San José, C.R. 1985), 241–60, offer some information on sources. See also H. Mackenzie Goodpasture, Cross and Sword: An Eyewitness History of Christianity in Latin America (Maryknoll, NY, 1989). The most recent and reliable statistical survey is David Barrett (ed.), World Christian Encyclopedia (New York, 1982).

General bibliographies on Protestantism in Latin America, although not specializing in historiographical material, can be profitably consulted. The most complete (up to 1975) is John Sinclair, Protestantism in Latin America: A Bibliographical Guide, 2nd ed. (Pasadena, Calif, 1976). The general histories of Damboriena, H.-J. Prien and J.-P. Bastian (see below) include valuable bibliographies, as do the books by David Stoll and David Martin (also see below).