DALLAS—At least three nominees for president of the Hispanic Baptist Convention of Texas will be presented at the Convencion’s annual meeting, June 28-29 at Park Cities Baptist Church in Dallas.
Teo Cisneros, pastor of Primera Iglesia Bautista in La Grange and vice president for development at Baptist University of the Americas, and Eli Rodriquez of Dallas, state coordinator for the Hispanic Baptist Convocation of the Laity, have announced their candidacy.
They join Angel Vela, pastor of Iglesia Bautista Westway in El Paso, who announced in March his plans to allow his nomination for president.
Martin Ortega, pastor of Iglesia Bautista Emanuel in Midland and president of the Hispanic Baptist Convention of Texas Pastors’ Conference, will nominate Cisneros.
Cisneros has served the La Grange church seven years, after 25 years as pastor of Templo Jerusalem Baptist Church in Victoria.
As Hispanics continue to be the fastest-growing ethnic group in the Baptist General Convention of Texas, the Convencion will face challenges and opportunities, Cisneros said.
“That growth is God-ordained, but it is still change—and change is difficult,” he said. “I am grateful God has allowed me to serve in Convencion and in the BGCT. I am confident that experience will contribute to find a common ground and keep the dialogue focused on a kingdom agenda.”
Cisneros earned a diploma in theology from Baptist University of the Americas—then known as Hispanic Baptist Theological Seminary—where he received the Jose Rivas Award for ministry, scholarship and character. He went on to graduate with honors from Wayland Baptist University with a bachelor’s degree in occupational education.
He is a past president of the pastors’ conference and a past secretary of the Convencion. He was vice chair of the search committee that called Randel Everett as executive director of the Baptist General Convention of Texas, and he chaired the last two presidential search committees at Baptist University of the Americas during his 14 years as a trustee.
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He and his wife of 28 years, Sandra, have three children and three grandchildren.
Rodriguez pledged if elected to continue to lead the Convencion in the same direction as incumbent President Baldemar Borrego. He expressed the intention to create an advisory committee of former presidents of the Convencion.
“I strongly believe we are on the right track,” he said, adding he wants to provide “the continuity that will allow the Hispanic Baptist Convention of Texas to move forward.”
Rodriquez earned a bachelor’s degree from Trinity University and holds two master’s degrees—from Antioch University and Incarnate Word College.
Rodriguez was appointed to the U.S. Department of Education as special assistant to the secretary for human resources and administration.
He served as director of community relations with Dallas Metro Care Services, as a special project coordinator in a regional student financial services office and as school board project coordinator in Bexar County.
Rodriguez is a member of Primera Iglesia Bautista in Dallas, where he is president of the church’s Varones Bautistas—the Baptist Men’s organization.
His wife of 52 years, Eve, served as second vice president of what was then called the Mexican Baptist Convention of Texas in 1975 and as first vice president in 1976. They have three children.
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