National Christian Convention (Hispanic): history, purpose, and this year’s theme
The National Christian Convention (Hispanic) began in 1984 and has grown into a family-focused gathering serving Spanish-speaking churches of Christ/Christian churches across the United States. The convention includes Spanish adult sessions, bilingual teen programming, and children’s sessions in English. This year’s event will be held July 18-20 in Dallas, Texas, with the theme “To the Glory of God.”
- The convention emphasizes unity, doctrine, and encouraging youth participation in ministry.
- Programming is designed for the whole family, including workshops, teen activities, and children’s themed sessions.
- This year’s convention features main sessions and workshops centered on manifesting the glory of God.
By Marilyn Custer
History and growth
The National Christian Convention (Hispanic) began in 1984 when several church leaders in Texas and California felt the need to get together and have fellowship with one another. There is a national convention in Mexico that several of these leaders attended when they were growing up. They wanted something similar, so in July 1984 the first Hispanic convention took place in San Antonio, Texas. Feliciano Moreno was the president.
For 10 years the convention was held primarily in Texas or Southern California. But since 2000 the convention has been held in Longmont, Colorado; Scottsbluff, Nebraska; Chicago, Illinois; Amarillo, Texas; Tulsa, Oklahoma; and Beaverton, Oregon.
In recent years, the convention has seen tremendous growth—from about 200 in 1998 to more than 800 in 2004. The attendance barrier of 1,000 will be broken soon—perhaps in 2008 when the convention celebrates its 25th anniversary.
A Family Convention
The vision of the convention is to “support new ministries, promote and maintain the unity of the congregations of the churches of Christ/Christian churches in the United States, to preserve the doctrine of the churches of Christ and to motivate the youth to take part in the ministry of the church.”
All adult sessions are conducted in Spanish, the teen sessions are bilingual, and the children’s sessions are in English. At least 33 to 40 percent of the attendance consists of those 18 years or younger. This is truly a family convention.
The teen sessions include a basketball tournament and Bible quiz similar to Bible Bowl. Trophies are awarded at the last evening session in front of the entire convention.
The children’s sessions follow a theme for the week. They learn special songs to sing for their parents on the last night of the convention.
The adult sessions include the main sessions and workshops. Plenty of free time is included so people can visit with one another or just take time to rest. The convention runs Tuesday evening through Thursday night.
Every year in October a planning meeting is held in El Paso, Texas. Various committees are already in place, but anyone (ministers, church leaders, and members) who works with a Spanish-speaking congregation is invited to attend.
The convention has no national office, but it has national officers who operate from their respective cities. Damaso Garcia, minister in San Antonio, Texas, is executive director. Mario Alberto Lara, church planter in the Des Moines, Iowa, area is secretary; and Agustin “Augustine” Ortega, professor at Colegio Biblico (Eagle Pass, Texas, and Piedras Negras, Coahuila, Mexico), is treasurer. The convention also has a director for the children’s convention, Alejandra Carales of San Antonio. The teen convention is overseen by a committee composed of Lesby Flores, Ismael Garcia, Neill Snyder, and Samuel Guzman Jr.
The executive committee consists of five voting members and five honorary members. Local officers for each convention are ministers of the churches in the area where the convention is being held.
To the Glory of God
This year’s convention will be held at Valley View Christian Church in Dallas, Texas, July 18-20. Arturo Herrera is serving as president.
The convention theme is “To the Glory of God.” Speakers include Augustine Ortega of Colegio Biblico; Jesus Castillo; and Arturo Herrera, minister with the Iglesia de Cristo (Church of Christ) in Carrollton, Texas.
The main session topics are “The Church: For the Praise of His Glory” (Ephesians 1:13, 14); “Man: Transformed for His Glory” (2 Corinthians 3:18); “The Gospel: Proclaiming the Glory of God” (Colossians 1:27, 28); “Creation: Testifying to the Glory of God” (Psalm 19:1); and “God: His Glory Made Visible in Jesus Christ” (2 Corinthians 4:6).
Workshops centering on “How the Christian ought to manifest the glory of God” will be conducted by Gonzalo Flores, academic dean of Colegio Biblico; Alfredo Field, professor at Colegio Biblico; Ramon Rendon, minister of the Hispanic congregation at Westside Christian Church in Indianapolis; Mario Lara, minister of the Hispanic congregation at Rising Sun Christian Church in Des Moines, Iowa, and also secretary for the convention; Esther Alvarado, minister’s wife from Garland, Texas; Fidel Jose, minister of the Hispanic congregation at South Memorial Christian Church in San Antonio, Texas; and others.
Plans are already being made for a great 25th anniversary convention in 2008. It will be held in San Antonio, where it all began, and Damaso Garcia, executive director and Hispanic minister at Bellaire Christian Church in San Antonio, will serve as president.
For more information about the National Christian Convention (Hispanic), contact Damaso Garcia (422 E. Ackard, San Antonio, TX 78211), Mario Lara (6390 NE Rising Sun Drive, Pleasant Hill, IA 50327, or e-mail ig*************@*ol.com), or Augustine Ortega (8008 Fair Bend, San Antonio, TX 78250).
Marilyn Custer is editor of special projects for Spanish American Evangelistic Ministries, El Paso, Texas. She lives in Nowata, Oklahoma.
