Members of Iglesia Bautista Agape in San Antonio during the 2021 Convención annual meeting at Dallas Baptist University (Photo provided by Convención)
God created humans to have an intrinsic desire to be connected to and live in a community. Even more, in my Latino culture, being connected to others is not just a desire, but a need to develop a healthy interdependent relationship with others.
One main reason for this is our cultural value of familismo, which implicates investing time with family and friends is a paramount social, emotional and spiritual need.
The 2021 annual meeting—or reunion—of our Hispanic Baptist Convention of Texas was a meaningful experience to me, especially after almost two years of being physically disconnected. The COVID-19 pandemic hit in the heart of our great cultural value of familismo. Getting together at the Convención gathering was a very refreshing and edifying experience.
Our Latino culture
Considering our Latino culture, being connected to Convención Bautista Hispana is very important for my wife and me. Getting together at the Convención reunion was a refreshing and profound relational experience, because I had the opportunity to reconnect with longtime friends and ministry colleagues and also build new relationships.
C.S. Lewis said: “The typical expression of opening friendship would be something like, ‘What? You too? I thought I was the only one!’” And that’s exactly what I experienced at Convención.
Sitting at the lunch table with other pastors and exchanging jokes—without copyrights—to be used in our sermons was meaningful.
Seeing so many happy faces walking by the different booths and going from one workshop to another and from one banquet to the next was a reviving experience. Looking at so many people asking for the tickets for lunch or dinner created a beautiful sense of a familial environment.
As Latinos we love to eat, especially with those we love and with new friends. Sharing a meal around the table opened the door for quality engagement and meaningful conversations.
Our spiritual and social needs
Considering our spiritual and social needs, being connected to Convención matters deeply to me, because as a Latino I need the opportunity to develop deep relationship with other pastors, and learn or relearn I am not the only one who goes through struggles in ministry. This gathering reminds us we all go through the same kind of sweet and not-too-sweet circumstances.
For church members this gathering is an exciting and joyful experience. The environment Convención creates is like a big extended family meeting; it’s like a fiesta. Church members can hug, talk and laugh with friends from other congregations.
Famous Latin poet Pablo Neruda said, “Language is the laughter of the soul,” and it really is. That laugh of the soul is so evident and was delightful to see in the faces of many Latino church members speaking in Spanish and Spanglish.
In particular, this year’s gathering was even more meaningful, because for the first time after the pandemic, we were able to reminisce about those brothers and sisters we lost to COVID-19. These conversations about lost loved ones brought closure.
Importance of connection
Convención and Texas Baptists en español are important organizations for Latino churches in Texas. We are living in a politically polarized society, and the church is getting fractured by that political polarization. Gatherings such as the annual meeting provide the opportunity to focus on what matters most—relationships, familial values and, above all, the mission we find in Jesus.
Another reason our gathering is important is pastors and church members get to connect with other parachurch organizations that provide ministry and mission opportunities for the church. Networking is an important and productive component of this annual gathering.
Furthermore, the annual meeting of Convención is a resource for us all. Through workshops and ministry and leadership training, state leaders pour into lay leaders at all levels and give them tools to minister better in their communities.
I believe God created the local church to have a global mindset. After accepting the call of revitalizing a dying church, I have seen God at work at First Baptist Chuch of Kaufman en Español, and I realize how important Convención is for our church.
Acting on that global mindset for the church, next month my wife and I are traveling to Spain to explore ministry opportunities for our church to live out fully the Great Commission and minister to a diverse community of Spanish speakers in Europe.
As Texas Baptists, we believe in the autonomy of the local church, but as Christians and Latino Christians, we find it crucial to develop strong relationships with other churches around the world for the emotional, social and spiritual health of our Latino churches.
Our Convención annual meeting provides the opportunity for Latino Texas Baptists to develop that global mindset so we can accomplish, together, our goal of reaching people to be transformed by the power of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Dr. Pablo Juarez is the pastor of First Baptist Church of Kaufman en Español. The views expressed are those solely of the author.
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