December 1 marked a milestone in Hispanic Baptist work in central Alabama. The Hispanic Baptist Bible Institute in Indian Springs, an extension of Instituto Biblico Bautista Hispano (Hispanic Baptist Bible Institute) in Louisville, Ky., graduated its first class of Superior Diploma students at First Baptist Church, Indian Springs.
When the institute opened its doors in 2010, at that time meeting at First Baptist Church, Hoover, 17 students enrolled and completed a first-year certificate of ministry. Three years later, 11 of these 17 students have completed the entire three-year program and are ready for gospel ministry.
“The students we have, even before they finished their third year, were talking about what God was doing in their lives. Several of them, when they graduated this time, asked for a place to serve,” said Cary Hanks, catalytic missionary for the Central Alabama Baptist Hispanic Ministry Coalition. “That really meant a lot to me.”
Hanks, who also serves as the coordinator for the institute’s extension in Alabama, was one of the men who helped bring the institute there. “The institute is strategic to Baptist work among Hispanics in the future,” he said. “If we don’t have trained leadership, it’s going to be hard to have strong leadership in the future.
“We are preparing missionaries to go back to their home countries,” Hanks added. “Some of the men have said to me, ‘If I go back, I’m going to start a church in my hometown.’ We are having an international impact as well as a national impact here in Alabama.”
Although the 11 graduates signify a dream coming to fruition for many Hispanic Baptist leaders in central Alabama, it poses a new problem.
“One of the pastors who has also been a student with us was telling us that one of his church members who graduated with him said he feels called to full-time ministry,” Hanks said. “But we just don’t have the churches open for positions to be filled. We need new churches.”
There is work for at least three students who graduated with the Superior Diploma. Carlos Lemus, Hispanic missionary for Autauga and Chilton Baptist associations, plans to make these three students associate pastors at his churches in Chilton and Autauga counties. He also plans to open another church in Chilton County, where he hopes a student still in the program will eventually serve as pastor.
Healthy churches need well-trained leaders, both clergy and lay, said Byron Mosquera, pastor of the Hispanic congregation at Dawson Memorial Baptist Church, Birmingham.
“Some of [the students] are going to be able to lead small congregations as pastors or elders, or they’re going to support the churches that exist,” said Mosquera, who serves on faculty at the institute. “They are very equipped … to be more effective people in doing what they need to be doing in local churches.”
The fact that students have completed each of the three years is a great accomplishment in light of the odds against them, Lemus said. Some difficulties include poverty, distance to the institute and little to no previous education. But in Lemus’ associations, he has seen churches and associations help students by offering scholarships for tuition.
“We thank God most of the students have some kind of support from some kind of church or institution,” Lemus said. “We hope the churches can see the potential and help us develop leaders in the Hispanic community.”
The institute is a ministry of the Central Alabama Baptist Hispanic Ministry Coalition and currently runs on the support of students’ tuition. Faculty members consist of Hispanic pastors and leaders like Hanks, who volunteer their time.
“We do it because we want to see more churches planted and more churches grow,” Hanks said.
For more information, contact Hanks at 205-602-0082 or cary.cabhmc@hotmail.com.
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