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DALLAS—Criswell College hosted a small group of Hispanic Baptist leaders March 25 for a Hispanic Leadership Summit to discuss ways to increase ministry to that growing segment of Texas’ population.
“We wanted to host this meeting to gain insight from leaders on the ground as to how we can more effectively partner with them to reach Hispanics with the gospel. We also discussed how we can help train Hispanic men and women for ministry leadership,” said Criswell College President Jerry Johnson.
Rudy González, dean of the San Antonio extension center of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and a Criswell alumnus, headlined the event as chapel speaker.
Johnson opened a brainstorming session with invited participants by asking what the school can do to become a more effective partner in training leaders and pursuing ministry among Hispanics in Texas.
“We have a lot of Hispanic neighbors,” Johnson acknowledged. “It is crazy for us to be talking about China and not be thinking of what’s right here as well,” he said.
“Our Jerusalem is a largely Hispanic congregation and many of our students will be serving in Texas where they have a Hispanic opportunity and responsibility,” he added, appealing for effective educational preparation.
“If we’re going to get the Great Commission right for the United States we have to have a Hispanic component to that Great Commission task, and, of course, the international scene as well in the Americas to the north and the south. Our students need to know how to relate to Latinos.”
The Southern Baptists of Texas Convention partners with Criswell College, Jacksonville College and Southwestern Seminary to develop Hispanic leaders and pastors with access to higher education through what is known as the “Hispanic education superhighway.”
Johnson conceded that the college does not have the number of Hispanic students they had hoped to recruit and expressed hope that participants in the luncheon discussion would encourage that activity.
Some Hispanic pastors have sought increased visibility for Criswell College, hoping to encourage laymen to seek ministry education. In some cases, such courses might be offered in an extension that may or may not lead to a degree, some participants suggested.
Mike Gonzáles, the SBTC Hispanic Initiative/Ethnic Ministries director, noted that Hispanic students could come to Criswell College and complete 26 hours that can transfer into higher education. With courses also being offered in Jacksonville and San Angelo, Johnson said distance education provides a viable option for instruction in both English and Spanish.
Joining Johnson, González and Gonzáles in a brainstorming session over lunch were David Galvan, Criswell trustee and pastor of Primera Iglesia Bautista Nueva Vida in Dallas; Loui Canchola, pastor of Cornerstone Church in McAllen and SBTC vice president; Alex Gonzáles, pastor of Hickory Tree Baptist in Balch Springs; Eddie Lopez, pastor of Primera Iglesia Bautista in Forney; Rene Lopez, pastor of Iglesia Biblical Nuestra Fe in Dallas and an adjunct professor at Criswell College; Manuel Martinez, pastor of Primera Iglesia Bautista in Irving; Chuck Padilla, church planting consultant for Dallas Baptist Association; SBTC Executive Director Jim Richards; and two other Criswell representatives, B.B. Alvarez, assistant professor of biblical and theological studies, and Andrew Hebert, chief of staff.
Johnson told the TEXAN the summit will serve the college as it continues to develop its Hispanic diploma program through the SBTC’s Hispanic Initiative, explore options to “package” certain classes in Spanish so that Hispanic pastors can use them as teaching tools for laypeople in their churches, and begin sending professors and students to Hispanic churches to strengthen the ministry relationship.
“We look forward to the opportunities God has for us to partner with other leaders in Texas to reach our state for Christ,” he said.
