How To Start A Hispanic Ministry

How to start a Hispanic Ministry

CENTRAL PASTORAL OFFICE FOR HISPANIC MINISTRIES

Rev. Dr. Huberto Pimentel

National Pastor for Hispanic Ministries

Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)

IntroductionHispanics now account for more than 15% of the US population, and their surge is largely the result of births among people already in the country, according to the Census Bureau data.

In an annual report, the Census said there are 45.5 million Hispanic’s in the US., up from 35.7 million in 2007, when they made up 12.6% of the population.

Kenneth Johnson, senior demographer at the University of New Hampshire’s Carsey Institute, “If you close the borders tomorrow, there still going to be a large Hispanic increase.

The Wall Street Journal online - Surge in US. Hispanic Population Driven by Births, Not Immigration, by Conor Dougherty and Miriam Jordan

RealityMany Disciples congregations feel called by God to minister to the growing Hispanic community in their areas.

Acknowledging this yearning, the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) created the Central Pastoral Office for Hispanic Ministries (CPOHM) with the following mission:

★Offering pastoral care to Hispanic ministers, congregations and their leaders.

★Advising the different units, Regions and areas of the Church on Hispanic Ministries.

★Advocating for the rights of Hispanic congregations and individuals

General Orientation

The National Pastor for Hispanic Ministries is the officer in charge of the CPOHM and the “Obra Hispana”. The Pastoral Commission for Hispanic Ministries oversees the ministry of both the CPOHM and the National Pastor.

CPOHM hopes that this presentation with general guidelines to start or work with a Hispanic Ministry - Church will be a blessing for all the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).

1. Prayer

The leadership of the Holy Spirit is imperative in ethnic church planting. People committing themselves should seek the empowering of the Spirit as they launch themselves into planting a new congregation in a complex cultural context.

Christian from all cultural backgrounds can be in solidarity with those who suffer discrimination, injustice and invisibility.

The only visibility is that most of them are illegal (reality is that they are undocumented).

2. LearnHispanic culture - Hispanic culture is diverse.

Hispanic theology - Many come from different traditions: Pentecostal, Charismatic, Independent, Apostolic and Prophets, Prosperity movement etc. This is an explosive combination compare to our congregational goverment. Some of them express their theology in the context of their struggles.

The Hispanic language - To facilitate communication with first generation Hispanics.

3. Envision the opportunity

People are important. The cultural myopic scales need to be shed for a new vision, that all people are important before God. Personal relationships and attitudes need to be examined; and where these are not in tune with God, they should be changed.

Become acquainted with them. Treat them with kindness and courtesy. Respect them. Accept them as fellow Americans; after all, we are all immigrants or descendants of immigrants.

A visit to a nearby mall, shopping center or neighborhood will help to discern if language-culture people live in the area.

4. Network - ConnectStarting a new Hispanic church can not be an isolated project of a local church or Region.

Seek the guidance of existing Hispanic Conventions (Northeast, Southeast, Midwest, Arizona, Pacific Southwest, and Southwest).

Seek the wisdom of the New Church Ministry.

Seek the wisdom of the National Pastor - CPOHM.

Attend the next biennial National Hispanic & Bilingual Assembly. (10-13 July 2008, New Jersey)

Visit the CPOHM booth at the General Assembly.

5. Worship - visitYou will find that Hispanic congregations are lively and energetic. They pray with fervor and worship with joy. Do not expect an hour of great sharing service. They clap, they dance, they shout. Silence is not a virtue in the Hispanic churches.

Hispanic are enthused by the Holy Spirit, willing to fulfill the Great Commission.

In their work space they can’t speak Spanish, and they can’t complain in English, so the service is the place where they can open up their frustrations and dreams with hope.

6. Work together

Local congregational programs, getting together for worship, outreach, or fellowship. Spanish-Latin food is real good.

Get to know each other “how to do and be church”. How to do finances, Lord table, congregational meetings, Board members, elders, deacons etc.

English class - conversational, Spanish class, etc.

7. PartnerYou may develop joint programs for women, men, children, or youth. You will discover how different Hispanic are in the way they do this kind of programs. Learn from each other. Avoid the “I know this attitude”.

Your congregation may sponsor a Hispanic congregation, providing human or financial resources.

Your congregation may become “sisters” (because in Spanish the word “church” is a feminine noun).

8. ReachAt this point the New Church Ministries provides great resource in the Link2Lead program to assist you in the specific Hispanic population in your zip code area.

Hispanics may be concentrated in urban areas in a particular town close to their worksite. Look out for factories, meat packing plants, among others.

Volunteer time, donate goods or contribute financially to non-profit organizations that serve the poor. You will gain valuable expertise through this experience.

9. New ChurchInvite them to become members of your congregation, particularly if they are second or third generation Hispanics (and therefore, native English speakers.

Consider becoming a bilingual congregation, revitalizing thus your ministry. We will be having some Hispanic Seminarians who will be graduating from Disciples Seminaries who are English speakers.

Invite these brothers and sisters to become the core group of a new Hispanic congregation.

10. An Affiliation groupMaybe you have an independent group who want to use your facilities or may express the idea to joint the Disciples.

Be clear, about who the Disciples are. What will be the non-negotiable terms in non-Disciples becoming Disciples?

Do not accept them because you want to be hospitable. Do not have the attitude of “Us and Them” because of the cultural differences. We can be one even in our differences.

Do not try to assimilate them to become like you.

11. ProcessWe are one church but sometimes we behave independently of the other Ministries of the General Church and vice versa.

Regions accepts affiliations, start new churches, granted license to lay pastors without the wisdom and guidance of the National Pastor (CPOHM), Hispanic Conventions and also New Church Ministry.

This is not about who has the right or the power to do ministry, but exercising this power in real partnership with CPOHM and New Church Ministry.

12. Boundaries and commitments

Establish since the start the boundaries and commitments for the new church start or an affiliation group becoming a Disciples church.

In supporting in covenant relationship the Regional level as well as the General level of the church. Attending the Regional Assembly and meetings of the Board, attending the New Church Ministry Events, Attending the Hispanic Events (Hispanic Conventions and the Hispanic Bilingual Fellowship biennial Assembly.)

Issues in new Hispanic ministries

Both groups should be willing to accept differences in culture, worship style, and theological understanding due to linguistic differences and ethnic sensibilities.

Is there a schedule for the use of the building? When will each group use facilities. Who has copies of the schedule? Where is posted? Is there a monthly meeting from representatives of both groups fro evaluation of needs and concerns?

Can both groups meet separately on Sunday morning? Is there a booking process for special events?


Will the developing congregation use the host church’s equipment (office, copier, classrooms, nursery, kitchen, sound equipment, etc)? Are there user fees to be paid?

Is there storage room that the developing congregation may use to secure its equipment? Who else has access to this storage space?

Does the developing congregation report to the host church’s board?


What are the financial arrangements? Does the developing congregation donate a percentage of its offering to the host church? Is there a fix rental fee agreement to be paid? Is the developing congregation considered as part of the host church’s outreach program? Does the developing church receive funds from the host church or Region as part of their outreach?

Are the members of the developing congregation also members of the host church?

What are the janitorial arrangements?


Have these arrangements been written? Who has copies of these documents? Are these agreements binding in case of a change in pastoral leadership? Is the area, regional, and general leadership aware of these agreements?

Would the Region recommend a pin number to the new church start or congregation in formation?

ConclusionIn order to better serve the growing ethnic constituencies in the U.S. and Canada, our Church must explore new ways of “being church”. We must go beyond the multi-staffed “First Christian Church on Main Street” model to either multiethnic congregations, bilingual congregations, multi-congregational church buildings, small congregation served by licensed preachers, or any other combination.

We hope these recommendations will help your congregation to better serve the growing Hispanic community.

What else?

For more information, please go to our Web site at www.obrahispana.org, or email us at [email protected]

Central Pastoral Office for Hispanic Ministries. P.O. Box 1986 Indianapolis, IN 46206. Tel. 317-713-2583, Fax 317-635-4323, cell 317-289-8535

Education

How To Start A Hispanic Ministry