December 8, 1999
Hemisphere becomes increasingly Hispanic
___The vision of Hispanic Baptist Theological School is to become a premier equipper of cross-cultural ministry leaders who serve in a multicultural context.
___As we prepare for a new millennium, we will be poised to equip the next generation of Texas Baptist pastors and church leaders with a Bible college education designed to maximize their effectiveness in a predominantly Hispanic context. Thirty-one million Americans currently trace their ancestry to Latin America and are expected to make up one-fourth of the nation's population over the next 50 years. In the next 34 years, Hispanics will comprise 46 percent of Texas' population, up from 29 percent today.
Albert Reyes
President, Hispanie Baptist Theological School
___Futurists predict the Western Hemisphere will become bilingual and bicultural. In 21st century Western Hemisphere, you will either be bilingual and bicultural or by yourself. Needless to say, the challenges our congregations, pastors and church leaders will face are formidable.
___For over 50 years, HBTS has provided pastoral leadership for 75 percent of Hispanic Baptist churches in Texas. Our alumni serve as pastors, chaplains, missionaries, directors of missions, Baptist Student Ministry directors and youth pastors.
___While our progress to train leaders for Hispanic ministry has been significant, we have much to strive for. Observers of evangelical Christianity in Latin America have documented that Latin America is becoming Protestant/evangelical faster than Europe became Protestant/evangelical during the Reformation. The question that begs our attention is, "Why does the rate of conversion growth among Hispanics dramatically decrease when the gospel reaches American borders?" Our purpose at HBTS is to discover answers to this question, to provide solutions for kingdom expansion and to support Texas Baptist churches as they embrace the challenges of the changing demographic landscape of our communities.
___God desires to use HBTS to prepare church leaders for ministry effectiveness in our rapidly changing mission field.
___As we reach our mission field, we also will be poised to become a missionary force. So, we are aggressively seeking authorization from the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board and accreditation from the Accrediting Association of Bible Colleges in an effort to provide a world-class Bible college education for emerging cross-cultural ministry leaders.
___In the coming year, we will host a ministry-effectiveness conference, a Bible conference and a missions conference with special emphasis related to the Hispanic context. Our Summer Language Institute will focus on both language and culture. As you reflect on your preparation for the coming millennium, consider the learning opportunities provided by HBTS.
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