Congreso de la Frontera brings families together_51903

Posted: 5/19/03

Congreso de la Frontera

brings families together

By John Hall

Texas Baptist Communications

PIEDRAS NEGRAS, Mexico–More than 400 pastors, their spouses and children from both sides of the Texas-Mexico border reconnected and strengthened their families at Congreso de la Frontera in late April.

The family oriented conference was organized by Baptist leaders on both sides of the border.

“It was an exceptional thing. A number of concerns from all levels were expressed,” said Dexton Shores, director of the Baptist General Convention of Texas River Ministry. “It was a phenomenal effort.”

Conference participants traveled many hours from places as far away and diverse as Colorado, Oklahoma and Mexico City.

Conference topics focused on social issues that pastors, their wives and their children face.

Plenary sessions focused on the biblical nature and characteristics of a strong family and featured Gilberto Gutierrez, president of the National Baptist Convention of Mexico, and Ricardo Vera, pastor of Emanuel Baptist Church in Englewood, Colo. Their spouses led conferences for the pastors' wives.

Adult-oriented sessions provided suggestions about how better to balance time between the church and family and reminded parents that the family is the building block of ministry. A minister's family life must be strong to set a model for a strong church, conference leaders said.

Pastors' kids found their breakout conferences particularly helpful for releasing pent-up frustrations.

Several youth said they had problems spending time with their fathers outside a church setting because the pastors are so busy. Some felt like their fathers put a higher priority on ministering to others in the congregation than on caring for their families.

The youth also described the social difficulties of growing up as a minister's kid. Some felt pressured to live up to the expectations of others while some said they were isolated because of their father's position.

One young person praised the event as a unique opportunity for the kids to vent their emotions, saying, “In all of our lives, we have never had anything like this as pastors' kids where we could express our frustrations, resentments and problems.”

Conference counselors represented the children's concerns in a dialogue between the youth and adults.

“More than anything, I think we were able to present another area of ministry that was much needed and which the pastors needed even more than they realized,” wrote Jack Calk, director of missions in Del Rio-Uvalde Baptist Association.

The event was sponsored by the BGCT River Ministry, which provided financial support. Several other groups supplied personnel for the event, including National Baptist Convention of Mexico, Hispanic Baptist Theological School, all Mexico border Baptist regional conventions, all Texas border Baptist associations and Texas Baptist Men, who fed the conference participants and many residents in two colonias.

Next year, organizers hope to hold another event for laypeople as well as ministers' families.