Hispanic Convention elects officers

Newly elected officers of the Hispanic Baptist Convention of Texas are (left to right) President Pastors Rolando Aguirre of Calvary en Español in McAllen, First Vice President Carlos Valencia of Victoria en Cristo in Fort Worth, Second Vice President Tony Miranda of Iglesia Bautista Estrella de Belen in Corpus Christi and Secretary Abiel Aké of Primera Iglesia Bautista de Edinburg. (BGCT PHOTO)

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ARLINGTON—Messengers to the Hispanic Baptist Convention of Texas elected officers during their business meeting held in conjunction with Texas Baptists’ Family Gathering.

Rolando Aguirre, pastor of Calvary en Español in McAllen, was re-elected president.

“I can attest to his great leadership, and his servant heart,” Pastor Oliver Martinez of Iglesia Bautista Getsemani in Fort Worth said in nominating Aguirre for re-election. Martinez pointed to the fruit of Aguirre’s work in McAllen, noting in 10 years, Calvary en Español has grown from 15 members to 500.

Aguirre received 117 of the 133 votes cast. The other candidate for president was Vince Gonzales, pastor of North Dallas Family Church, who previously served as first vice president of Convención. John Molina, pastor of Primera Iglesia Bautista de Taylor, nominated Gonzales.

Carlos Valencia, pastor of Victoria en Cristo in Fort Worth, unanimously was elected first vice president. Luis Calderon of Southwayside Baptist Church in Fort Worth nominated Valencia.

Tony Miranda, pastor of Iglesia Bautista Estrella de Belen in Corpus Christi, was elected second vice president. He received 80 votes, while Carmen Gaytan of Calvary Baptist Church in McAllen received 53 votes.

Gaytan, who had served as secretary for Convención, nominated Pastor Abiel Aké, of Primera Iglesia Bautista of Edinburg as secretary. Aké was elected without opposition.

Financial support for Convención

Messengers approved a motion from Convención’s executive council to extend the grace period for churches to decide whether to remain as affiliated churches or become cooperating members by giving to the unified budget to support the Hispanic Baptist Convention of Texas.

The financial support churches give directly to Convención’s budget is in addition to any Cooperative Program funds the churches send to the Baptist General Convention of Texas for its ministries.


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“We always encourage churches to give to BGCT’s Cooperative Program, but when they do that, they are not automatically cooperating with Convención,” Aguirre explained.

In addition to voting privileges, members of churches that contribute to Convención’s budget also are eligible to hold office and carry out other responsibilities.

Messengers approved a $114,600 budget for Convención to support missions, education, ministries, a program for young Latino leaders, special events, the annual meeting and various auxiliary organizations.

Focus on family

Speakers at Convención focused on the theme of family.

Aguirre in his presidential address and Alicia Zorzoli of Iglesia Victoria en Cristo in Fort Worth both discussed different ways parents are responsible to teach and lead their families according to God’s will.

“Christ is the head of the church, and it is through him that the Holy Spirit gives different gifts to all of us so that we will use them for the family and the church,” Zorzoli said.

Roberto Arrubla, pastor of Iglesia Bautista El Buen Pastor in Fort Worth, challenged Christians to imitate Christ in their families.

Even though the humility, self-sacrifice, grace, service and love Christians are called to exhibit do not make sense to the world, Christian families always must be faithful to the life Christ has called them to live, he insisted.

EDITOR’S NOTE: This article, originally published Aug. 1, was edited online Aug. 3 to clarify the difference between the BGCT Cooperative Program and the support cooperating churches provide to the Hispanic Baptist Convention of Texas budget.


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