July 9, 2001
Estrada: Jesus alone is the light
___By Ken Camp
___Texas Baptist Communications
___ABILENE--Jesus alone is the source of light, the way of salvation and the foundation for faith, according to Antonio Estrada, president of the Hispanic Baptist Convention of Texas.
___Estrada's presidential message to the convention followed the meeting's theme, "Jesucristo: Luz Para El Nuevo Milenio," or Jesus Christ: Light for the New Millennium.
___Only the light of Jesus is true and eternal, said Estrada, a minister at South Main Baptist Church in Houston. "Not only is Jesus the way to God, he is the only way to God.
RECIPIENTS of the Rudy and Micaela Camacho Scholarship are Rebecca Salinas (left) of Corpus Christi and Alicia Reyes of Miranda City. They are shown with the Camachos. (Photos by Dan Martin)
___"Not only is Jesus the criterion of biblical interpretation, he is the only criterion for interpreting the Bible. ... He is the rock, the foundation, the cornerstone on which our faith and practice as Texas Baptists is founded."
___Estrada lauded the Baptist General Convention of Texas for affirming--both in 1980 and in 1999--the 1963 Baptist Faith & Message, which included the statement, "The criterion by which the Bible is to be interpreted is Jesus Christ." The 2000 Baptist Faith & Message adopted by the Southern Baptist Convention omitted that sentence.
___Estrada pointed out that Hispanic Texas Baptists and other churches related to the BGCT share a common calling and mission, as well as a common understanding about the supremacy of Jesus.
___"The Hispanic Baptist Convention is united to the BGCT in brotherhood until Jesus comes for us," he said.
___During the convention, Estrada made available to messengers and visitors a five-page Spanish document highlighting differences between the 1963 and 2000 statements of faith.
___In particular, he noted changes regarding soul competency and the priesthood of the believer, interpretation of the Bible, the role of women and pastoral authority.
___David Garza, pastor of Primera Iglesia Bautista in Abilene, challenged Hispanic Texas Baptists in the annual convention sermon to recognize that God may have brought them into his kingdom "for such a time as this."
___Taking his text from the Old Testament book of Esther, Garza said that just as God had a plan and a challenge for Queen Esther, God also has placed a plan and a challenge beforeHispanic Baptists in Texas.
PASTORS of top Hispanic Cooperative Program-giving churches recognized at the Hispanic Baptist Convention of Texas were Sergio Mendoza of Iglesia Bautista in Arlington, Julio Guarneri of Iglesia Bautista Getsemani in Fort Worth, Mateo Rendon of Primera Iglesia Bautista in Corpus Christi, Noe Vella of Iglesia Bautista Stonegate in Alice and Mike Gonzales of Iglesia Bautista Emmanuel in Duncanville.
___Pointing to the strategic plan approved by the convention, he said the plan was worthy of support "because it places Jesus in first place." He challenged Hispanic Texas Baptists not to be "derailed or distracted by division," but to unite around a shared commitment to Jesus.
___Noting the explosive growth of the Hispanic population in Texas and the opportunities ahead, Garza said, "Our hour has come."
___Each local church must accept the responsibility of being the light of Christ in its community, according to Mateo Rendon, pastor of Primera Iglesia Bautista in Corpus Christi and chairman of the convention's strategic planning team.
___To be the light, the church and its leaders must "stop entertaining and start edifying, ... stop evaluating ourselves and begin exalting the Lord ... (and) stop deceiving and begin encouraging one another in the hope we have in Jesus," Rendon observed.
___"It's not a matter of authority. It's a matter of love. It's not a matter of power. It's a matter of privilege to serve Jesus Christ," he said. "It's not a matter a dominating. It's a matter of being devoted to Jesus."
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