Latinos from across the U.S. gathered in Dallas on Sunday to celebrate their culture and growth inside the Southern Baptist Convention.
The First Baptist Dallas hosted Celebración Hispana, a space for Spanish speakers to share their faith and learn more about the gospel.
The event was part of the annual Southern Baptist Convention, which kicked off Sunday at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center in downtown Dallas. The annual meeting, which expects 18,000 to 20,000 attendees, runs through Wednesday.
Southern Baptist pastors will gather for events including training sessions, celebrations and workshops. On Tuesday and Wednesday, voting delegates — known as messengers — will take votes that will help determine the convention’s new leadership and its stance on certain social issues.
On Sunday, the Omni Dallas Hotel hosted a Women’s Expo featuring booths from exhibitors advertising service and ministry opportunities for Southern Baptist women.
The Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission, the SBC’s public policy arm, was scheduled to host an evening event at the convention center on “Southern Baptists in the Public Square” featuring several elected officials.
At First Baptist in downtown Dallas, families were greeted by banners that read, “Bienvenidos” as they walked down an aisle full of informative booths that promoted missionary trips, biblical programs for teenagers and children, and programs like “Mejor hombre,” or “Better Man,” which focused on the role of men in the church and society.
“This day is a day of celebration,” said Salvador Estrada of Rockwall. “To share with fellow brothers and sisters our love for Jesus Christ and to be proud of our culture.”
Estrada, 47, who came with his wife and two teenage children, saw the gathering as an opportunity to continue exploring his love for God. He is from Michoacan, Mexico, and teaches Sunday biblical school at Nueva Esperanza Baptist Church in Royse City.
“The language of heaven is Spanish,” said Jeff Iorg, president and CEO of the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee, during the service.
Growth of Latino community in church
During the gospel service, church leaders from Texas and other states described the growth of the Latino community in the church and the need to keep young people involved in the National Hispanic Baptist Network (Red Nacional Bautista Hispana). The network was created to unite and support Latinos nationwide in the Southern Baptist Convention.
Bruno Molina, executive director of The National Hispanic Baptist Network, said the number of Hispanic Baptists has increased nationwide and in Texas. He said about half of the new churches planted last year by the local Southern Baptists of Texas Convention were Hispanic ones.
Hispanic-majority congregations make up about 1,066, or 20%, of the 5,302 churches affiliated with the Baptist General Convention of Texas, another local organization for Texas Baptists, according to Baptist Press. The outlet estimated the total membership of Hispanic Texas Baptist churches to be around 135,000 people.
“Los jovenes Latinos son el futuro de nuestra fe y nuestro país,” Molina said. “Toda la honra a Dios, ser un Hispano Bautista del Sur es un llamado de Dios.” (“Latino youth are the future of our faith and our country. All credit to God, being a Hispanic Southern Baptist is a calling from God.”)
Enriching the ministry
Humberto Gonzalez, the lead minister of the En Español Ministry, which was created in 2023 by First Baptist Dallas, opened the gospel service on Sunday. Gonzalez said the diversity of the Latinos enriches the ministry, and what unites them is their love for Christ.
He said the ministry now coordinates seven Spanish Sunday school classes and a Spanish-language Sunday service that sees about 200 people each week. The church’s En Español Ministry also offers Sunday evening Spanish classes in theology, ESL and business and finance at different times throughout the year.
Dania Borunda, 49, traveled from Oklahoma with her daughter, Alexa Borunda, 16, because she wanted her daughter to be surrounded by teenagers who share her faith.
Alexa Borunda said it is sometimes tough to be a religious teenager, and other teens question her faith. She said coming to the convention is an exciting opportunity to meet young Latinas who embrace their faith and culture.
Josiah Espinoza, 36, from California, has seen how over the past years, the church has recognized the role of Latinos in the faith and that they are the future. He wants to continue seeing the church support Latinos to thrive and take more leadership roles.
Adrian Ashford covers faith and religion in North Texas for The Dallas Morning News through a partnership with Report for America.
