Hispanic Baptist Convention of Texas

Today I am participating in the annual meeting of the Hispanic Baptist Convention of Texas (HBCT) in Austin. The HBCT is a fellowship of 1200 Hispanic Baptist congregations in Texas affiliated with the Baptist General Convention of Texas (BGCT), a convention of 5600 churches and missions. I have been attending this meeting off and on for the past 30 years. What makes it different this year is that I will be representing Buckner Children and Family Services (BCFS) and Buckner International for the first time at this convention meeting.

For the first time in the history of BCFS, HBCT, and the BGCT we are introducing a ministry to undocumented immigrants to the member churches of the HBCT through a collaborative agreement with the Christian Life Commission (CLC) of the BGCT. Today we are introducing ISAAC, the Immigration Services and Aid Center. This collaborative agreement will provide ministry resources to churches affiliated with the Baptist General Convention of Texas as well Baptist congregations and other Christian churches across the USA. Since BCFS has ongoing ministry in Texas, Knoxville, Seattle, and Atlanta these services would be available to our ministry partners in those areas as well as ministries and congregations who seek help in ministering to undocumented immigrants in their communities.

We are able to bless undocumented immigrant families through training, orientation, accreditation assistance, and information concerning immigrant issues through local congregations thanks to the innovative spirit of Suzii Paynter, Director of the CLC and Felipe Garza, Vice President of the BCFS Church and Community Network. Suzii and Felipe have worked tirelessly toward the creation of a ministry that spans the state of Texas and beyond. Both Felipe and Suzii were guest writers on Comprehensive Immigration Reform on this blog. If you missed the entries, you will want to go back and read them. Also featured on the blog were Rev. Rolando Rodriguez, Director of Hispanic Ministry, BGCT; Pastor Sam Rodriguez, Executive Director of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference; and Rev. Brent Walker, Executive Director of the Baptist Joint Committee on Religious Liberty. These guest writers looked at the issue on Immigration Reform from ministry, congregational, denominational, advocacy, and church-state perspectives. I found the entries very helpful.

I asked Suzii Paynter if there was a special meaning behind the word ISAAC for the new ministry we were launching. She said that the biblical name of ISAAC meant “he will laugh” related to the joy she felt in anticipation of this new collaborative agreement. My prayer is there that there will be laughter where there has been sadness, fear, desperation, uncertainty, mistreatment, and a lack of hope. ISAAC will provide new and needed resources for congregations who hope to serve undocumented immigrants in their communities. In the parable of the Good Samaritan, Jesus taught that the one’s “neighbor” is anyone we encounter on a daily basis. It could be a stranger, a person living in our neighborhood, a foreigner, an undocumented immigrant, a coworker, or a friend. My prayer for our Baptist family is that we bring laughter to our undocumented “neighbors.” On the issue of undocumented immigrants, we have a biblical both/and response. Some well meaning Christians insist on a looking to Romans 13:1-2 teaching to submit to governing authorities as their point of reference for treating undocumented immigrants harshly. Other well meaning Christians only reference Matthew 25:35-40. Christians who seek the Bible as their guide for faith and practice should embrace both points of reference. This is what ISAAC seeks to do. Let’s work together to bring joy into the lives of children, widows, and the alien among us.

Comments

[Leslie Chace]

Albert when you mention here about the innovated spirit of Suzzi & Felipe and how they have worked tirelessly toward the creation of a ministry that spans the state of Texas & beyond, I'm reminded of this quote & verse that I wanted to share below. God bless them for their faithfulness. I worked with many undocumented immigrant families with our community preventative programs with Buckner, and so ISAAC is an answer to prayer!

"Pioneers must have the vision to see what no one else can see; the faith to believe things no one else believes; the initiative to be the first to try it, and the courage and the guts to see it through!

"By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went ( Heb.11:8 )."

[Albert Reyes]

Leslie, you are exactly right. God seems to bless vision that connects with his purposes. Keep up the excellent work you are doing.

[Patty Villarreal]

It's stormy & pouring rain here in San Antonio so it's a perfect day to catch up on this week's PanDulce blog. (by the way, Dr. Reyes, you may have to look for the San Antonio ofc. down in Corpus by the time it stops raining here!!:o)
I was interviewed by Deborah Knapp of KENS 5 here in SA to speak to Buckner & BGCT's launch of the ISAAC initiative. Out of my 15 min. interview with her about the ISAAC intiative only about 30 sec. of the interview was aired and addressed the controversy of our beginning this ministry. (Oh well, so much for my claim to fame!!:o) HOWEVER, on behalf of our agency, I thanked Ms. Knapp for bringing this news item to the S. TX viewers that highlighed a controversial issue where Baptist were "working together"(BGCT motto) & "doing something" (Buckner International motto) about it. I reminded her that Jesus was a controversial figure & wasn't always popular about what He said & did. He was just faithful to what His Father directed him to do; we are just following suit in obedience in our love for Him thru ISAAC. Personally, I am blessed that God allowed me to be a part of the initiative from the beginning in response to Texas Hispanic pastors who challenged our denomination to DO SOMETHING about a broken immigration system and the needs of children and families affected by this!
Thank you for not only addressing the issue of immigration these past few weeks but thanks to Dr. Hall & your leadership & Buckner staff in providing Christians and churches a comprehensive approach & solutions to very complex challenges when we become involved in the lives of orphans, children & their families around the world.
Bendiciones Hno. Reyes.......

[Albert Reyes]

Patty, so glad to know you were on TV representing Buckner. Today I learned that Immigration Legislation failed in the Senate. I am dissappointed that our lesgislature did not come to a solution regarding this issue. We all know that the system is broken and we are expecting those who work for us to fix it. I am not sure what the solution will be but I think securing our borders, enforcing the law, creating a guest worker program, and allowing for a path to citizenship for those who qualify is not too complex for our Senators to figure out. Compromize is always a tough road. Suzii Paynter's point in her address was that we would not wait for the government to pass laws to fix the system before we begin to serve undocumented immigrants who live in the shadows in fear, uniformed, and preyed upon. Through ISAAC we can begin to serve those who can begin the process for legal residence and citizenship. The response to ISAAC at Convencion was overwhelming. Glad to know we are off to a great start. Thanks for your leadership in this effort.