Conexión Esposas ministers to Hispanic pastors’ wives

“There is no area of your heart or your life that escapes the presence of God or that he does not have within the reach of his hand. … The Lord loves us, and we need to be united, have fellowship together, remembering what God has prepared for us,” said Brenda Rincones, director of Conexión Esposas, a ministry of Convención Bautista Hispana de Texas.

“The enemy has already made plans to destroy it. We have to be prepared and united, serving together for the glory of God,” she added.

“Together, faithful and healthy” is the motto of Conexión Esposas (Wives’ Connection), which includes retreats, conferences, connection groups and resources.

“I have been waiting 32 years for this event,” said Martha Aranda, pastor’s wife, who participated in the event. “It was very refreshing to come to South Padre Island away from everything to spend time with God, fellowship and also learn together with my sisters,” she added.

During the retreat, the participants had the opportunity to spend time together, meditate on the word of God, pray together, participate in games, exchange information, walk on the beach, express their opinions on current issues in the ministry, praise and worship God.

According to Rincones, there is a great need to hold this retreat every year. “For several years, we have had a connection for pastors, but the pastors who attended wanted to bring their wives, and I volunteered to minister to them,” Rincones said.

“But thank God, now, for the first time, this Conexión retreat is only for the pastor’s wife,” Rincones continued. “We want them to have companionship, to stay together, faithful and healthy, supporting each other to build lasting relationships,” added Rincones.

Sharing struggles

Lulú Martínez of First Baptist Church in San Antonio, who is undergoing cancer treatment for the second time, prayed for Sunday’s session and encouraged her fellow pastor’s wives to do self-examinations for cancer and to go to the doctor every year to get tested.

“Remember that you are never too young or too old to get tested for cancer,” Martínez said.

Martínez also shared how she accepted her cancer diagnosis, the will of God, and how she continues to serve God with faith and determination.

“I didn’t want to see my cancer as a tribulation, or as a struggle. I want to really use my cancer this time as an opportunity to get closer to God. … I have been able to see God work in me, because sometimes in ministry, we feel so overwhelmed that everything we do becomes a routine and an awakening is needed,” she continued.

Her cancer has served as her awakening. “I know that through this opportunity, this cancer, God has allowed my husband and I to become closer. It has allowed me to get closer to my family, and our prayers have become more meaningful and are no longer empty, because now I have learned to pray specifically,” Martinez said.

Purpose for connecting pastors’ wives

Lydia Martínez-Lara, another pastor’s wife, said: “I feel renewed. We don’t know why God put us in the positions we are in now, as pastors’ wives. We don’t know, but no matter what comes, we praise God for this ministry.”

“Serving God is a blessing. Let’s meet next year to share what God will be doing among us. I am encouraged and ready to go reach and win more souls for God,” Martínez-Lara noted.

Jesse Rincones, executive director of Convención Bautista Hispana de Texas and senior pastor of Alliance Church in Lubbock, welcomed all pastors’ wives. He invited them to be part of a new initiative through the convention that encourages them to start connection groups of pastors’ wives in their community and throughout the state of Texas.

“You need to meet once a month, and we will be offering you financial aid sponsored by the Lily Endowment and our convention” as part of Convención’s Pastors Intiative, said Rincones.

According to Rincones: “The objective of the Conexión Pastors Initiative is to strengthen and support Hispanic Baptist pastors in the state of Texas with the objective of advancing in their ministry, forming a like-minded group of pastors, contextualizing ‘peer groups’ for each network of fellowships (compañerismos), and fostering ongoing relationships that lead to healthy development on a personal and ministerial level.”

Resourcing pastors’ wives

During the retreat, Zoricelis Dávila—professor at Liberty University, professional counselor and native of Puerto Rico—led the wives to examine their emotions and learn to control them based on her book ¡No sé lo que me pasa! (I Don’t Know What’s Happening to me!), published by Mundo Hispano.

With a biblical basis, Dávila offered them tools so they can control their emotions. Being a professional counselor, she spent one-on-one time with some of the women and was part of a panel where pastors’ wives were able to ask her questions about various health topics that affect or could affect their ministries.

Clara Molina—adjunct professor at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and women’s team leader of the National Hispanic Baptist Network, originally from the Dominican Republic—guided the pastors’ wives to consider how they can serve God together.

Molina also helped them to identify seven thorns that could grow in their ministry that can take away their focus from ministering to their families and other women, and badly influence their marriages. Molina also gave each of them her book, ¡Oh no! Mi esposo es el pastor, published by Mundo Hispano (Oh no! I Married the Pastor is published by Thomas Nelson/Zondervan in English).

Convención’s vision for the Conexión Pastors Initiative is “to see healthy pastoral families,” said Jorge Vázquez, who leads the initiative. “As director, my main goal at Conexión is to see pastors and their wives prosper and sustain their relationship in the ministry they already have, offer them resources and minister to them through the events we offer,” Vázquez added.

The retreat took place Oct. 25-27, at the Holiday Inn Resort on South Padre Island, and the next retreat is scheduled for Oct. 24-25, 2025, in San Antonio. For more information visit conventionbautista.org.