NEW ORLEANS (BP) — Hispanic Baptists are “striving to reach our city through many different means of outreach” as part of Crossover New Orleans, reported Jonathan Sharpe, cross-cultural evangelism strategist for the New Orleans Baptist Association.
Sharpe, the person in charge of coordinating most of the 40-plus multicultural events planned for Crossover, noted, “At least six of those events, will be planned to reach Hispanic communities and led by the Hispanic churches in the area.”
More than a dozen Hispanic congregations are part of the Baptist association and all are participating in some way in the many Crossover outreach and church development activities planned in the days preceding the Southern Baptist Convention’s June 19-20 annual meeting in New Orleans.
Many of the events will take place on Saturday, June 16, in different areas of the city. Sharpe is excited that “more than 1,000 volunteers have already signed up to come and help the New Orleans churches make an impact in their city during the Crossover week and events.” Many of these volunteers will be coming from Hispanic churches in other states, including Georgia, Mississippi, Texas, and Florida.
“Thanks to the multitude of volunteers coming,” Sharpe believes, “the activities such as door-to-door visitation, prayerwalking, community events and revivals planned during the week prior to the SBC will be a huge success for the glory of God.”
The culmination for Hispanic churches involved in Crossover New Orleans will come on Celebration Night, June 17, at 6:30 p.m. at First Baptist Church in New Orleans, 5290 Canal Blvd. The Sunday night Hispanic gathering will feature guest speakers as well as musical groups from churches involved in the Crossover outreach.
Slated for Monday, June 18, will be “Avance Hispano,” a conference for Hispanic pastors and leaders to celebrate Hispanic ministries, beginning at 9 a.m. in the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, rooms 212, 213 and 218. The conference, including a luncheon (rooms 220-221), is jointly sponsored by the North American Mission Board, International Mission Board and LifeWay Christian Resources.
Speakers at the Hispanic conference will include Joshua del Risco of NAMB church mobilization and Robert Amaya, a Hispanic Southern Baptist pastor who starred in the film “Courageous.”
Hispanic activities at the SBC annual meeting will end on Monday evening, June 18, at 7 p.m. with a national day of prayer event sponsored by the Hispanic Fellowship of Southern Baptist Churches in the SBC Prayer Room at the convention center.
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David Raul Lema Jr. is a Baptist Press correspondent in Miami.
