When the apostle Paul and Titus traveled in the south Aegean Sea, they landed in Crete, a small island measuring 156 miles from east to west and 30 miles north to south. Paul gave Titus short and long-term goals recorded in Titus, chapter 1: “The reason I left you in Crete was that you might straighten out what was left unfinished and appoint elders in every town, as I directed you” (v. 5, NIV).

To appoint or establish elders in each city with the characteristics Paul expected, Titus needed to create some type of ministerial school or program. Elders were not created from one day to the next, especially if they were required to be virtuous, exemplary leaders able to share wise teachings and establish churches in their cities.

“To appoint elders in every town” is the equivalent of planting churches in each city. The most important task is to discover or motivate those who are called to serve to become prepared. To appoint elders means to establish a ministerial school and keep it open and active to prepare ministerial students.

Having recently assumed the role of District Hispanic Ministries Coordinator for the Oregon Pacific District, I have been privileged to explore more deeply the task of reaching out to Hispanics from the midst of an English-speaking ministry. While the task may seem daunting, none of us are alone in this challenge. There may already be contacts or projects in place on the district; there will certainly be people faithfully praying that Hispanic outreach would begin—congregations, pastors, and district leaders committed to support and help reach the Hispanic community.

On more than one occasion when visiting with congregations and pastors to introduce myself and explore opportunities, I felt there was a certain expectation when they would say, “Here is someone (meaning: me) that will reach the Hispanics on our district.” Later, they’d add, “We don’t know how to do this.” It was evident that my wife, Perla, and I would not be able to reach 400,000 Hispanics by ourselves. In reality, the work would fall on the 76 congregations in their respective communities.

“But we don’t speak Spanish!” one of the leaders stated when we explained our strategy of working through local congregations, “We’ll raise an offering and bring you on board to do the work, or hire the right person for the job that can speak English and Spanish.” I responded, “It’s true that money can make many things possible, but it can’t achieve what a congregation can do.” It is important to strategically coordinate what little resources are available at the beginning and invest in a congregation’s desire for success.

It is important for Hispanic ministry to be a priority on the district. The Hispanic work is one more intentional ministry of the district and its local congregations to reach out to men, women, youth, and children so they can receive the good news of salvation and grow and multiply as holiness Christians in a diverse and challenging world. It is an extension of the district superintendent’s ministry. For the district, Hispanic ministry must become as vital as Sunday School or NMI.

Our plan in Oregon is both intentional and aggressive. District leadership facilitates and coordinates with local congregations the necessary assistance and guidance for the fulfilling of the Great Commission through their cities and towns where the Hispanic presence is established and growing. The district intentionally approaches each pastor to offer the opportunity to begin and establish a strong and healthy Hispanic ministry.

Work begins as a ministry of an organized church (much like a single, adult, or youth ministry). A leader may emerge from that ministry to become the “Hispanic leader-teacher.” The pastor of the organized church will recommend the leader to the church board for a local minister’s license. The leader-teacher will work with the District Hispanic Coordinator towards the development of the ministry.

The desire is for each ministry to have a recognized leader-pastor, involved in forming prayer-discipleship cells and devoting time to the ministerial course of study. When the ministry is strong and healthy, it will be recommended to the district superintendent for organization. The goal is for each ministry to reach organization in three or four year’s time.

For these lofty goals to be achieved, it is important for the district to have specific elements in place. The district should establish a ministerial training strategy to train Hispanic leaders to lead, pastor, and be ordained according the provisions of the Manual of the Church of the Nazarene. This may require networking and connections beyond the district to supply qualified and capable Spanish-speaking instructors.

A key element is the position of District Hispanic Coordinator. More than educational background or previous job experience, it is fundamental that the person in this position possess a passion for reaching out to non-believers, whether they be Hispanic or any other race; more than knowledge would be the conviction that God’s grace is already at work, that the fields are ready for reaping; more than a strategist, the coordinator is a pastor that shepherds, cares, and leads.

It is important that this person be allowed to focus entirely on the development of Hispanic ministry on the district, with an eye towards leadership identification, ministerial training, methodologies for launching Hispanic ministries at local congregations, and the development of such ministries that will lead to the organization of Hispanic churches.

There is daily affirmation of God’s grace at work in the lives of immigrants coming to this country to seek a better future. We, as His church, cannot remain indifferent to them. The issue before us is not if those immigrants are documented or not. The real issue is if we see them with the loving eyes and the passion of our Savior. It is refreshing to work with English-speaking leaders that understand the challenges and opportunities facing their churches and communities. There is still much to learn; there is still much to do.

by Mario J. Zani
Hispanic Coordinator
Oregon Pacific District