Convencion celebrates God’s faithfulness

SAN ANTONIO—Participants at the Hispanic Baptist Convention annual meeting remembered how God has been faithful in working through Convencion for a century, celebrated how he continues to use it today and anticipated how he will use it in the future.

Volunteers (left to right) Jackie Ramirez from Primera Iglesia Bautista in Boerne and Gabriela Martinez and Cecilia Martinez, both from Iglesia Bautista Emmanuel in Boerne, spend an afternoon sorting canned goods at the San Antonio Food Bank during the Hispanic Baptist Convention of Texas. About 60 young people prepared 2,000 bags of food for needy people during the afternoon mission project. (PHOTO/Ken Camp)

The body that began in 1910 with a gathering of members from 24 Hispanic congregations drew a crowd of about 3,000—including about 800 youth—June 27-29 during its centennial annual meeting. The Convencion now has about 1,200 affiliated congregations across the state.

In business matters, messengers elected officers and approved a new unification agreement with the Baptist General Convention of Texas.

President Victor Rodriguez, pastor of South San Filadelfia Baptist Church, is in the middle of his two-year term. Jesse Rincones, pastor of Alliance Baptist Church in Lubbock, was elected first vice president. Manuel Rios, pastor of Iglesia Bautista Monte Calvario in San Antonio, was elected second vice president. Daniel “Tiny” Dominguez, pastor of Community Heights Baptist Church in Lubbock, was elected third vice president. Rafael Munoz, member of South San Filadelfia Baptist Church in San Antonio, was elected secretary.

Hispanic Baptist Convention messengers overwhelmingly approved a new unification agreement with the BGCT. The unification agreement outlines the cooperative relationship between the two conventions. Under the restated agreement, the president of the Hispanic convention will become a voting member of the BGCT Executive Board. 

In the annual convention message, Luis Gabriel César Isunza, pastor of Primera Iglesia Bautista de Ciudad Satélite, Mexico, told the Hispanic Baptist Convention of Texas that God gives people visions and dreams of the future. (PHOTOS/BGCT/John Hall)

In the annual convention message, Luis Gabriel César Isunza, pastor of Primera Iglesia Bautista de Ciudad Satélite, Mexico, said God gives people visions and dreams of what the future can be like. When people follow God’s calling—no matter how long or arduous the journey may be—great things can be accomplished.

“He puts a dream, a vision, a determination” in individual hearts, he said. “Then that vision captures a man.”

In his president’s address, Rodriguez reminded people how God has worked through the convention in the past 100 years. Although there were struggles at times, God has used Hispanic Texas Baptists to reach people throughout the state, in Mexico and around the globe, he said.

Rodriguez praised the generations of Hispanic Baptist leaders who committed themselves to expanding God’s kingdom. Calling them “heroes” and “missionaries,” Rodriguez said Hispanic Baptist work continues to grow because of the dedication of these men and women.

The Hispanic Baptist Convention of Texas honored educator and historian Josue Grijalva for his years of service to Hispanic Texas Baptists.

As Texas’ Hispanic population continues to grow, the Hispanic Baptist Convention’s importance increases as well, he said. Because they have common cultural connections, Hispanic Baptists are strategically positioned to share the gospel with other Hispanics in Texas.

“Remember Jesus was the rock,” Rodriguez said. “He is the rock. He will continue to be the rock for our convention. In the future, we will continue to be around because he is our rock.”

Dominguez of Lubbock, said he is amazed at the progress Hispanic Baptists have made. In the span of 100 years, Hispanics have gone from a group that many churches did not want attending their services to a population churches are striving to reach.

In the process, he observed, Hispanic Baptist churches have grown from being the target of short -term missions efforts to being mission forces themselves.

“We have gone from being the missionary project to being the missionary,” he said.

Dallas Baptist University President Gary Cook (center) and Frank Palos (left), director of Hispanic evangelism with the Baptist General Convention of Texas, enjoy mariachi music at a reception sponsored by DBU. (PHOTO/BGCT/John Hall)

Despite the progress, San Antonio Baptist Association Hispanic Church Planting & Health Consultant Roland Lopez believes much work remains for Hispanic churches.

“We cannot live on the successes of yesterday,” he preached. “Many of our churches have a lot of fellowship locally. This is good, but not so good because they haven’t baptized a single person the whole year.

“People from other congregations come from out of town to join our church. This is great, but not so great because few people are being reached by the gospel of Jesus Christ. Is it that we don’t believe in the power of Jesus Christ?”

Just prior to the start of the convention’s annual meeting, San Antonio-area Hispanic Baptist churches aimed to baptize 100 people, one for each year of the convention’s existence.

They surpassed that goal, baptizing 111 people on June 26.

Through cooperation, Rodriguez sees God calling Hispanic Baptists to such great outreach efforts.

“If we work together in Jesus’ name, we can work great things,” he said.