It was a service unlike most that Alabama Baptists host. Yet it had many of the themes so familiar to any active Alabama Baptist. It was a time of celebration, a time of encouragement, a time of friendship, a time of praise, a time of challenge.
On Sunday evening, Oct. 19, representatives from 19 different Hispanic churches and missions in Alabama gathered at Dawson Memorial Baptist Church in Birmingham for a service titled “Day of the Hispanic.” More than 500 people took part.
This was the third such event hosted by Dawson. At first, only a handful of Birmingham area congregations participated. This year practically all Alabama Baptist Hispanic groups from Montgomery north gathered for the celebration. Some non-Baptist Hispanic groups also joined the event.
This statewide meeting grew from the dream of Byron Mosquera, pastor of the Hispanic Mission of Dawson. Mosquera said Hispanics in Alabama need an opportunity to come together. He said they need to celebrate their common faith in Jesus Christ and to encourage one another in their Christian walk.
Alabama Hispanics do not have their own association or convention. Most groups are sponsored by Anglo churches. But the common links of language and culture are strong.
Hispanics share common challenges learning to live in a new place. Hispanics need a time to gather together because they need each other, Mosquerea said. The rapid growth in participation and the exciting spirit in the meeting indicate he is right.
Although not sponsored by the state convention, the meeting was supported by the State Board of Missions. Richard Alford, who works with Hispanic churches and missions in Alabama, was recognized. Reggie Quimby, director of global partnerships for Alabama Baptists, delivered the Bible message. Quimby, a former Southern Baptist missionary fluent in Spanish, challenged participants to share the gospel wherever they may be.
Quimby is working with the Hispanic churches to sponsor a revival effort in Alabama Hispanic churches April 21–May 3, 2004. Participating in the effort would be Baptist pastors from Venezuela. Alabama Baptists are in the midst of a partnership with Venezuelan Baptists.
Combining resources of Venezuelan Baptists with the resources and needs of the Hispanic churches and missions in Alabama could result in an evangelistic harvest among Hispanics, Quimby explained.
But the service was not about evangelism. It was about celebration. The front of the program declared “Praise, Praise, Praise, Praise” and that is what the group did.
Each of the attending groups was featured in music. Some brought choirs. Some brought soloists or ensembles. Some sang great old hymns. Some shared modern choruses.
One group did a traditional Spanish-style song. Another provided a guitar quartet that played with a distinct Latin flavor. Marimbas and congo drums joined pianos and keyboards and voices to praise the Lord and lift the spirits of those gathered.
Sometimes people stood and swayed to the music. At times they sang along with the soloist or choir. Frequently sections of the congregation talked to one another.
One group would shout a praise to the Lord and another section or the whole congregation at once would shout back an appropriate response. “Amens” and “Hallelujahs” were liberally sprinkled throughout the service.
No one seemed to care about the shuffling in the auditorium or the children crying or the time. What was supposed to be a two-hour service went beyond three. What they did care about was each other and about praising the Lord.
During the roll call and recognition of congregations there was applause for each group. A common sight was to see people from different groups recognize someone they had not seen for a time and go rushing over to them.
Whether this annual celebration will evolve into some kind of official group, no one really knows. What is obvious is that Baptist Hispanic work in Alabama is growing.
Hispanic leaders are trying to address the needs of that growing work and so is the leadership of our state convention.
All Alabama Baptists can join in praying that God will use these efforts to bring more Hispanics living in Alabama into His kingdom.
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