December 22, 2025
Colegio Biblico Turns Eighty
The history of Colegio Biblico began in 1945 when Harland Cary (1916-2014), a man of principle and commitment to the Lord, dedicated himself to serving the Lord as a missionary to Mexico.
Articles for tag: Hispanic ministry
January 16, 2019
A ‘Day of Pentecost Every Sunday’
By Jim Nieman In last week’s Christian Standard newsletter, editor Michael C. Mack mentioned a question asked in response to our January issue: “Should church leaders even bother to concern themselves with racial integration and building a multiethnic congregation?” Jim Book, senior minister with Kissimmee (Fla.) Christian Church—located in a cultural melting pot region just south of Orlando and right next door to Walt Disney World—provides an interesting viewpoint on that. “It’s the Day of Pentecost every Sunday at Kissimmee,” Book says. Kissimmee Christian Church provides multiple services every Sunday that go well beyond two “blended/contemporary” and one “traditional.” There
November 7, 2017
When You Can See the World from Your BackyardÂ
By James C. Book The church I serve is located near Walt Disney World in Florida. We encounter people from all walks of life””it”s almost like having the United Nations in our backyard! Because of this, we realized we had a golden opportunity to reach people of many different cultures with the love of Jesus. As David Hesselgrave notes in his book Communicating Christ Cross-Culturally, the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20) contains a “single imperative” . . . to “make disciples of all nations.” It”s awesome to be able to do that in our own community and to have those folks
June 25, 2016
A Church Family for All People
By Brian Jennings and José Heredia If you walked around our urban neighborhood, you”d find a mix of ethnicities, cultures, and skin colors (about 30 percent minority and growing). You”d meet widows who”ve lived in their homes for 40 years and couples restoring the floors of their first home. You”d also see lots of apartments, several of which house people with poverty, hunger, disability, or struggles with mental illness. A few years ago, the Holy Spirit began compelling us to take steps toward ethnic, generational, and socioeconomic diversity. We have a great church of loving people, but we acknowledged that issues
April 10, 2016
WHAT’S NEXT?: Every Nation, Tribe, People, and Language
We asked several Christian leaders, “What should churches served by CHRISTIAN STANDARD strive to be or do or look like in the next decades?” ____ By Cam Huxford During the Christmas holidays a dream came true for me. I had a conversation with a man who shared with me his son”s plan to attend Point University in the fall to begin his preparations for ministry. This young man is a great leader at school and in our student ministry. He is bright, gifted, articulate, likable, and passionate about his faith. He is also from a Hispanic family. As I visited with this father
November 24, 2013
Interview with Gonzalo Flores
By Paul Boatman Gonzalo Flores is president of Colegio Biblico, a college located on the Mexican border in Eagle Pass, Texas. The school has provided Hispanic ministry education for nearly 70 years. x Gonzalo, what led you to your life of international ministry? I am a product of mission work. I was rescued by Niños de Mexico when I was about 7 years old. I came from a very broken family. My father was an alcoholic, and my mother was in prostitution. There were 10 of us in the family. My oldest brother met Merlin Beeman from Niños. We were
April 22, 2011
¿Hablas Espanol?
By Kent E. Fillinger The odds are good that the face of your neighborhood has changed in the last decade, regardless of where you live, because “between 2000 and 2007 alone, the number of Hispanics grew in 2,991 of America”s 3,141 counties.”1 A recent Pew Research study said that “using 2009 population estimates from the American Community Survey, Hispanics accounted for 51 percent of the nation”s population growth since the 2000 Census. From 2000 to 2010, the nation”s population grew 9.7 percent. From 2000 to 2009 (the last year available), the Hispanic population grew 37 percent.”2 Another study said by
September 30, 2010
“˜Forcing This Issue Is a Waste of Time”
By Darrel Rowland We don”t all agree that God wants his churches to be multiculturally diverse, even in communities where such a goal can be achieved. “I think the issue of racial reconciliation is borderline irrelevant,” said Brian Jones, founding pastor of Christ”s Church of the Valley in suburban Philadelphia. “Forcing this issue, trying to create forced “˜reconciliation gatherings,” is just a waste of time and 99 times out of 100 stems from white guilt.” Fernando Soto, Hispanic minister with First Christian Church in Anaheim, said the vision of whites, blacks, Hispanics, Asians, and others coming together for church services
September 17, 2010
MEDIUM-SIZED CHURCHES: Walking Through the Wilderness
Walking Through the Wilderness By Kent E. Fillinger Faithfulness leads to fruitfulness, but this process requires patience. Ron Mobley and Northwest Christian Church, Acworth, Georgia, have experienced this truth over the last two decades. When Mobley arrived as senior minister in 1989, he found a very established, inwardly focused church that had alienated several ministers and many members of the community through the years. In spite of the church”s poor track record, Mobley saw potential for growth. Mobley spent his first five years establishing relationships and serving the church. There was an effort to build a family life center on the church”s
November 16, 2008
Changing Signs and Signs of Change in a Tulsa Congregation
By Greg Taylor In a little corner of Tulsa, Oklahoma, at the Garnett Church of Christ, we”re trying to be a sign of the kingdom of God in a way we never would have imagined three years ago. Many churches in the past two decades have changed their names, removed the denominational “brand,” and called themselves community churches or “The River” or hundreds of other names. We made a change to our sign, but for different reasons and with a much different approach. The efforts that go along with that change, and the results, have blown our minds. We”ve changed
April 13, 2008
Ministry Innovations and Changes
By Kent Fillinger and Ben Simms Representatives of megachurches and emerging megachurches were asked to respond to two questions about ministries and programming at their churches. Here is a sampling of their responses: What is one new ministry the church has launched in the last two years that has had significant impact on the church”s growth? Emerging Megachurches: Food distribution in local elementary school in conjunction with the Food Bank and The Center for People in Need has involved more than 100 people in service. Worship services other than Sunday morning. Hiring of Hispanic pastor and starting two Hispanic services.
