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Hispanic Advisory Council

[1]

During his address to the Executive Committee on September 19, Frank S. Page, president of the SBC Executive Committee announced the appointment of a Hispanic Advisory Council. The Council is a three-year ministry initiative (2011-2014) established by the presidents of the Executive Committee and the North American Mission Board in response to a request from the Hispanic Consortium at its fall 2010 meeting. The Hispanic Consortium is an annual gathering of Hispanic leaders who serve on staff at SBC entities. Other similar ethnically-oriented advisory groups may be named as deemed appropriate.

The Hispanic Advisory Council will help the EC, NAMB, and other SBC entity leaders more fully understand and appreciate the perspectives Hispanic churches and church leaders bring to the common task of reaching the nation and the nations with the Gospel.

The Council is representative of the regions of the country and reflects the cultural diversity of the Hispanic population. Its purpose is consultation, communication, and cooperation. It will neither launch nor execute ministries. Its role is to provide information, insight, and counsel to NAMB and EC staff relative to the special needs and concerns of Hispanic churches and church leaders in the Southern Baptist family of churches.

The Council will use numerous information gathering methods, such as surveys, phone conferences, internet communication, and personal meetings, to gather and communicate valuable information from consultative Hispanic groups such as the presidents of state Hispanic fellowships, the National Hispanic Baptist Fellowship, Hispanic leaders on state convention staffs, key Hispanic pastors and laymen, and the Hispanic Consortium.

In addition, the Council will enable the presidents and staff of the EC and NAMB to maintain vital contact with the Hispanic Baptist family through participation in strategic meetings and personal conferences with key Hispanic leaders across North America with a view toward more fully integrating Hispanic Baptist churches into the total fabric of Southern Baptist life and ministry.

[2]

Individuals Invited to Serve on the Hispanic Advisory Council Include the Following:

Daniel Sanchez, Co-Chair of the Council
Associate Dean, Fish School; Director, Scarborough Institute of Church Growth; Professor of Missions, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary

Bob Sena, Co-Chair of the Council
Hispanic Evangelist and Conference Leader; Church Planting Consultant, North American Mission Board (retired)

Francisco Aular
Associate Pastor, Emmanuel Baptist Church, Etobicoke, Ontario, Canada

Pedro Avilés
Director of Evangelism, Puerto Rico Baptist Convention

Elias Bracamonte
Pastor, Iglesia Bautista Nueva Vida, Topeka, Kansas; President, National Hispanic Baptist Fellowship

Jason Carlisle
Director of Hispanic Mobilization, International Mission Board

Yolanda Calderon
Writer and conference speaker; California Director of ConPaz, a ministry of restoration for women; former recording secretary with national WMU

Joshua Del Risco
National Coordinator, Church Mobilization, North American Mission Board

Mike Gonzales
Director, Multi-Ethnic Ministries, Southern Baptist of Texas Convention

Luis Lopez
Director, Lifeway International & Espanol, LifeWay Christian Resources

Jorge Melendez
Hispanic Church Planting Strategist, Illinois Baptist State Association

Frank Moreno
Director, Language Division, Florida Baptist Convention

Salomόn Orellana
Pastor, Iglesia Bautista El Buen Pastor, Hempstead, New York, and Iglesia Bautista Luz De Las Nacion, Hempstead, New York; President of the New York/New Jersey Hispanic Baptist Association

Jesse Rincones
Pastor, Alliance Baptist Church; Attorney, Lubbock, Texas; President, Hispanic Baptist Convention of Texas

Daisy J. Rios
Bergenfield, New Jersey; elementary school teacher and pastor's wife

Jonathan Santiago
Associate Director of Student Evangelism, Baptist Convention of New York

Gus Suarez
Professor of Church Planting; Director, Center for North American Missions and Church Planting; Director, Hispanic Doctor of Ministry Program, Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary

Fermin Whittaker
Executive Director-Treasurer, California Baptist Convention