April 22, 2002

Hispanic Congreso emphasizes commitment, abstinence
___By Dan Martin
___Texas Baptist Communications
___HOUSTON--More than 3,000 youth were challenged to salvation, rededication, commitment and sexual abstinence before marriage during the 38th annual Texas Baptist Hispanic Youth and Singles Congreso at Reliant Arena.
___They also participated in age-group seminars on topics ranging from television watching habits to sharing their testimony with peers to leadership development. Along the way, they spent the afternoon at Six Flags AstroWorld.
___Voddie Baucham, teaching pastor at Sagemont Baptist Church in Houston, addressed the young people and their leaders twice, first appealing to them to accept Jesus as Savior, and then calling them to make a commitment to God's call on their lives.
___The theme of the conference was "Houston, we have a problem."
___"Whatever your problem is, we have a solution," he said. "We are not here to have a history lesson about a God who was, or to look into the future about a God who might be. We are here to celebrate a right-now God.
___"What is your problem? It doesn't matter. He is bigger than any problem in your life."
___Baucham told the young people and their leaders: "Every other religious system in the world gives the same answer: 'Be good. Do more good than bad.' But I have two problems with that. First, I can't be good. It just doesn't work that way. And second, what happens to all of the bad stuff that happened before I started trying to be good?
___"No faith in the world--except Christianity--has an answer for either of those problems. I am a finite human being, and I always am tempted by the flesh. Only the blood of Jesus can give us the solution."
___When he gave an altar call at the end of the first night, 35 people professed faith in Jesus, and another 30 rededicated their lives.
___In his last presentation, Baucham issued the invitation for young people to take their places as leaders and to accept the call of God to ministry. Pulpits were set up around the sprawling arena, and those who wished to respond were asked to go to one of the pulpits.
___Conference leaders said 106 people accepted God's call to ministry.
___Another key part of the program was a presentation of True Love Waits, a emphasis in which young people pledge to abstain from sex until marriage. The presentation resulted in about 900 young people signing True Love Waits pledge cards.
___The young people from 177 churches attended a variety of breakout sessions.
___Seventh- and eighth-graders were challenged by San and Sara Rangel of Iglesia Bautista Sinai in Garland to be careful about what they watch on television.
___Ellis Orozco, pastor of Calvary Baptist Church of McAllen, met in two small groups of about 20 people each to develop a network of emerging leaders for Hispanic Baptist work in Texas.
___Gus Reyes, consultant in ethnic evangelism with the Center for Strategic Evangelism at the Baptist General Convention of Texas, served as conference planner.

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