The Figure of Our Future
By: Rudy Sanchez
My imagination runs at full-speed ahead when I begin thinking of our great host of young men and young women that are the future in ministry. Their goal is "to serve the Lord with gladness." They seem so anxiously ready that they show a holy impatience.
Their challenge and ours is to bring our Texas Baptist family together as one mighty army of witnesses until all our beloved state have heard of the Savior. This surely was the very reason that our faith-forefathers imagined that all of us gather as was the prayer of the Savior, "that all of us may be one."
Our God, the Almighty, is therefore challenging us to envision the interweaving of our lives, our churches, our conventions to become more and more the "One-People-of -God." We already see some of our young leaders assuming significant responsibilities in Texas Baptist life. The young leaders are well versed in Scripture as well as our Baptist faith and heritage.
Two of these are in ministry in Corpus Christi. Mateo Rendon, pastor of Primera Iglesia Bautista, is serving on the BGCT Administrative committee. Mateo gave yeomen's service as 1996-98 President of our Hispanic Baptist Convention of Texas.
Another excellent one is Ellis Orozco, pastor of Corpus Christi Baptist Church. He recently preached majestically in our recent Texas Baptist Family Reunion gathered in Glorieta this summer. He has just completed a two year term as Chairman of the Texas Baptist Christian Life Commission and will serve on the Committee on Resolution when the BGCT meets in Houston, November 9-10.
These are just two examples of a growing number of Hispanic leaders being integrated into the service of our Lord with the BGCT. God is alive and at work throughout our vast, beloved state of Texas through the imagination of these tempered lives of brethren that are ready and willing to carry-out the Lord's command to evangelize Texas.
Another servant-leader that has climbed the ladder of Christian service is our Rudy Camacho of Fort Worth, presently serving as President of the Hispanic Baptist Convention of Texas. Recently, Camacho joined Jimmy Garcia,III, Texas Baptist Ethnic Missions Coordinator, in the effort to restore Del Rio and Villa Acuna from the devastating floods.
Garcia presented a challenge that 100 Hispanic Baptists meet in Del Rio to make the disaster be transformed into a Christian victory. All that was done, emergency feeding, clothes distribution, plus the repair of houses brought a community-wide Thanksgiving Gathering. Working together with imagination is bringing spiritual victories.
Hispanics are interwoven in Texas Baptist life and ministry. So come and participate in BGCT meeting in Houston. Monday afternoon is very important as we vote for the constitutional changes to implement the Effectiveness and Efficiency Report. Churches need to call Dr. Pinson's office to request messenger cards for your church. Come as a messenger.
Texas Baptists Committed's Annual Breakfast is offering a special invitation to our Hispanic's. It is on Tuesday, 7 a.m., Nov. 10 at the George Brown Convention Center in Houston. Several Hispanic leaders are on the program. Call the TBC office and ask about the special invitation to Hispanics for the breakfast (915-659-4102).
October 1998