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HOUSTON—About 300 attendees gathered for the Spanish sessions of the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention Annual Meeting Nov. 10-11 at Sagemont Church in Houston.
The pastors, leaders, and church members who attended the Spanish sessions—gathering in a spirit of unity and affirmation in fulfilling the “Side by Side” theme of the meeting—represented double the average attendance compared to the past five years, according to Jesse Contreras, SBTC en Español associate.
“From the beginning, the reception was warm and emotional. Each ministry that gathered in the lobby set the mood for a special event,” said Juan Camilo Del Valle, pastor of Iglesia Bautista Getsemaní in McAllen.
On Sunday, Champion Forest Baptist Church worship pastor Job Gonzalez opened the event with a concert to prepare the hearts of the attendees. After a time of fellowship, the general session began, this time led by Sagemont Encuentro’s worship ministry.
The keynote speaker was Tony Miranda, an author, international speaker, and pastor of Primera Iglesia Bautista in Austin. Miranda challenged God’s servants to encourage one another in Christ, to believe in them, and to spur them to move forward in their calling.
“To be side by side, you must believe in the Lord with all your heart, but you must also love your neighbor and believe in him … because you cannot do the mission alone,” Miranda said.
SBTC Executive Director Nathan Lorick expressed his joy and appreciation for the convention’s Hispanic churches.
“I want you to know how much we love you and are grateful for the ministry God has called you to,” Lorick said. “This year, our theme is ‘Side by Side,’ and this is exactly what we want to do at the SBTC with you and your church. We want to come alongside you as you fulfill the mission that God has placed on your heart and to resource your church to help you fulfill that calling.”
Also during the session, Jorge Diaz was awarded the Dr. Michael Gonzalez Ministerial Legacy Award. Diaz credited the grace of God for giving him what he called an “underserved honor.” Said Diaz: “I want to encourage all my fellow pastors to stand firm, side by side, because the Lord will sustain us.”
The first day of the Spanish session concluded with a commissioning service for church planters led by Julio Arriola, director of Send Network SBTC. Arriola said the commissioning service served as tangible evidence of God’s movement among the family of churches known as the SBTC.
The second and final day of the Spanish sessions continued with workshops for men and women offering deep edification, both theological and practical. Lazaro Riesgo, pastor of Sagemont Encuentro, spoke on the topic of “Contrasts: The Value of Being Different,” based on his recent book. He challenged attendees to be different in the midst of a society that values decadence by standing firm in Christ-centered principles and purpose.
Liván Quintana, pastor of Iglesia Bautista Vida en Cristo in Nassau Bay, led another workshop on restoring pastoral integrity. He challenged pastors to raise their standard of integrity and become aware of their need for accountability.
The workshops for women were led by Inés Pacas, speaking on the theme of “Keeping the testimony,” and Karina Vázquez, who spoke about “A life with purpose.”
The Spanish session culminated with an interview with Esteban Vazquez, Spanish associate pastor of Champion Forest, during the lunch break. Arriola led the interview, which was characterized by a time of inspiring testimonies of how God works to fulfill His plan.
“If you want to run fast, run alone,” Arriola said, “but if you want to go far, go together. Let’s keep giving Christ to His church.”
