Hispanic Ministries (guidebook + videos)

Hispanic churches and leaders are looking for ways to recast a vision for their ministries, for both community and personal growth, to allow the current globalized culture to see peace in them. Developing this perspective will help us be peacemakers in our contexts.

PATHWAY GUIDES

Steve Austin and J. Omar Palafox

GUIDEBOOK

Click below to flip through a digital guidebook, view recordings of each session, and explore resources to extend your learning. Additionally, the session videos are accessible in the Summit 2020 playlist on the Siburt Institute’s YouTube channel.

SESSIONS

CHURCH AS A PLACE OF PEACEMAKING: Creating a Fearless Culture

Jacob Bautista

It is easy to feel overwhelmed in a world of many uncertainties. Worse than being overwhelmed is letting adversity pin us down with fear. Fear paralyzes ministries and trumps spiritual growth. If we are to be peacemakers, we need to deal with fear in order to promote a culture of fearless peacemakers for the kingdom. God wants much more for us and from us to let ourselves be consumed by fear!

CHURCH AS A PEACEMAKING GROUP: Building Bridges of Peace and Reconciliation

Alejandro Ezquerra

A church after God's own heart lives out five principles that bring peace in its community. In this session, Alejandro will discuss how the church can be proactive in building bridges of reconciliation towards minorities and why this is important for the church.

MINISTER FORMATION AS A PEACEMAKER: Seeking Peace in the Form of Integration

Juan Manuel Meza

We live in a time of division, walls, and hostility, both cultural and ethnic. We need peace. As peacemakers, we need to act as bridges to help others understand the necessity of integration and unity. Real integration is not one group taking the form and shape of the other; rather, it means accepting each other as we are and understanding that we need each other for the sake of the gospel.

PEACE AS A FORM OF RECONCILIATION: He Is Our Peace – Ephesians 2:11-22

Steve Austin and J. Omar Palafox

Jesus is the reason we seek peace through reconciliation in our churches. In Ephesians, Paul addresses Jews and Gentiles, reminding them of the peace they have in Jesus. This type of peace echoes the themes of shalom throughout Scripture, and God invites us to join him in this reconciliation. The Ephesian conflict between Jews and Gentiles feels familiar to us today in our country and communities. We must learn, listen, repent, and act in love with Jesus for reconciliation.

THE PEACEFUL CHURCH

Wilmer Rivera

We do not arrive at peace by merely acting passively or choosing to not offend. Peace occurs first when we decide that we will serve God and remain firm in following him. From there, we must engage in bringing the message of peace that occurs through discipleship. We must learn from the master of peace himself – Jesus – so we can continue in peace as he did.

Speakers and Pathway Guides

STEVE AUSTIN

Steve Austin is the founding director of the Texas International Bible Institute, which trains men and women of Latin America in biblical text and ministry, in Spanish, through cutting edge technology. He also has edited a Spanish hymnal, Cantos del Camino, used in all Latin American countries. He and his wife, Lynette, are the proud parents of two children.

JACOB BAUTISTA

Jacob Bautista is a second-generation minister and second-generation Latino in this country. He and his wife, Savanna, currently work at the South Walker congregation in Oklahoma City, ministering to a predominantly English-speaking Latino community. They plan to learn how to serve in this unique ministry so that they may bless other Latino congregations in the mission field.

ALEJANDRO EZQUERRA

Alejandro Ezquerra has been the Spanish pulpit minister at Bammel Church of Christ since 2007. He is a journalist who is passionate about the great news. Before Bammel, Alejandro worked as youth minister at Westbury Church of Christ. Alejandro holds degrees in theology and journalism from Houston Baptist University.

JUAN MANUEL MEZA

Juan Manuel Meza is the Latino minister at the Church of Christ at White Station in Memphis, Tennessee. Originally from Torreón, Mexico, he is married to Valentina Meza, and they have two children. Juan enjoys teaching, theology within the church, and helping Latino and bilingual churches develop leaders.

J. OMAR PALAFOX

J. Omar Palafox is a Mexican missionary from Guadalajara. Omar graduated with his Master of Divinity from ACU’s Graduate School of Theology. His ministry is the expansion of ASHREI, a resource network for spiritual formation, while he ministers at the Colgate Bilingual Church of Christ. He has been married to his wife, Tana, for over 20 years, and together they have two children.

WILMER RIVERA

Wilmer Rivera works at High Pointe Church of Christ in McKinney, Texas. He works on training a team to evangelize, facilitate Bible studies, and make disciples as well as teaching them to equip others to do the same (2 Tim. 2:2). He has a Bachelor of Arts in Bible and ministry from Oklahoma Christian University and a Master of Science in leadership from Lubbock Christian University.