March 12, 2001
Ethnic volunteers, especially Hispanics, requested
___By Mark Wingfield
___Managing Editor
___PORTLAND, Ore.--Among all the areas of potential partnership between Texas Baptists and Northwest Baptists, the appeal for Hispanic or Spanish-speaking volunteers stands out sharply.
___The Hispanic population in Washington and Oregon is growing rapidly, and Baptist work among Hispanics in the Northwest is still emerging.
___Across the two-state convention, there is an urgent need for leadership in Spanish-speaking ministries and for training additional leadership.
GIHWANG SHING, catalytic missionary for Puget Sound Baptist Association, is among those Baptist leaders in the Northwest seeking ethnic volunteers, especially those speaking Spanish or Asian languages.
___Growing Hispanic populations are found not only in the metropolitan Portland and Seattle areas but in the smaller towns across the region, where many of the nation's fruits and vegetables are grown.
___ "If we had 10 Hispanic pastors, we could start 10 Hispanic churches immediately," said Gary Benfield, director of missions for Columbia Basin Baptist Association, which encompasses a large swath of southeastern Washington.
___Four communities in his association need a Spanish-language church, he noted. And in another association between his area and Yakima, there are at least five towns where Hispanics account for 60 percent to 70 percent of the population yet there are no Spanish-language churches there, he added.
___Baptists already have one unique connection into the Hispanic community in this region. Joe Gonzalez, bivocational pastor of Grace Baptist Church in Hermiston, Ore., is manager of the top-rated Spanish radio station in Washington's Tri-Cities. The station plays mainly secular Spanish music but also features inspirational segments throughout the day.
___Each year the radio station stages an all-day festival with music and food and family entertainment. Up to 8,000 Hispanics have attended the event in the past.
___Though billed as a secular event for families, Gonzales has invited an evangelist to be part of the program each year. Many people have indicated a desire to follow Jesus Christ after hearing the evangelist speak, but there have not been enough workers to do adequate follow-up, he said.
___Spanish-speaking volunteers from Texas would be extremely valuable in making this event more successful over the long-term, Gonzales said. The event usually is held in September.
___Hispanics also account for about 10 percent of the population in the metropolitan Seattle area, said Gihwang Shing, catalytic missionary with Puget Sound Baptist Association.
___Across this association, which is metropolitan Seattle, 80 percent of all ethnic Baptist churches are five years old or less, he said.
___"We need help training ethnic leaders and calling and equipping ethnic church planters," Shing said.
___Likewise, in the Portland area, Baptist work among Hispanics is young but showing great potential, said Alfredo Valencia, pastor of Iglesia Vida Nueva.
___"We need more leaders," he said.
___Valencia and others concerned about reaching Hispanics for Christ are pouring their energy into a Contexualized Leadership Development program, CLD for short, in which 11 students meeting weekly to gain basic church leadership skills.
___Volunteers from Texas would be ideal to meet this need in several ways, according to Valencia, Benfield and Shing. Among the possibilities:
___Individuals or couples willing to relocate to the Northwest and provide ongoing leadership to Spanish-language churches.
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___Contacts: Joe Gonzales, (541) 567-5060; Alfredo Valencia, (503) 618-0252; Gary Benfield, cbbadom@aol.com, (509) 735-4622; Gihwang Shing, gshin@prodigy.net, (253) 838-6616.
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