The Hispanic community is the nation’s fastest growing minority group. The church, however, is behind the curve in trying to reach the Hispanic community. I am currently pastor of a Hispanic church, La Luz del Mundo, in Charleston, SC. I plead with all pastors to help us reach the increasingly growing Hispanic population. We cannot do it without you! Do not think of this as simply my plea, but as a command from our “Chief Shepherd” Jesus. He said it Himself, “Go and make disciples of all nations…” or in the Greek, “panta ta ethne,” which can be translated as, “Go and make disciples of all the ethnic groups.”
Before you stop reading; I know this is old news for most of us. We have all heard, memorized, and even preached recycled sermons on the Great Commission, but why do we keep treating it as a secondary issue? For example, we are surrounded by the fastest-growing ethnic group in America, yet we (and I include myself) act as if it is not our problem. God is convicting me even as I write this article. I need to be more strategic in reaching Hispanics for the glory of Christ. In other words, reaching all the ethnic groups is not an option. I know that many of you who are reading this article already have an interest in the multi-ethnic ministry, or you wouldn’t have clicked on this webpage. The question is not should we, but how do we reach the Hispanic community with the Gospel? In the following paragraphs I hope to help you overcome some of the common barriers in reaching Hispanics.
1. Language Barrier: “No hablo español.” How could I possibly share the Gospel?
This is one is easy to overcome. Learn Spanish. Alright, so it’s not that easy. However, there are many options. Your church can partner with a local Hispanic congregation and coordinate community events together. This also spurs unity and kingdom awareness within our churches. On a more practical level, there are bilingual resources available that can simply be handed out, i.e. tracts, Bibles, videos. Some churches provide ESL (English as a econd Language) classes, or a Spanish Bible study, which eventually can grow into a ministry or Mission of the church. Our church was born out of this model.
2. Cultural Barrier: “What could we possibly have in common, besides Taco Bell?”
Many Hispanics are blown-away and humbled when you simply show an interest in them. I run into Hispanics all the time that feel discriminated against, by whites and blacks. Simply showing humility and the love of Jesus will pave the way for the Gospel, and you don’t even have to speak Spanish. They appreciate that someone would even want to learn their culture and language. They may laugh at your pronunciation (accent), but it is a laughter of acceptance and friendship, not ridicule. Also, in better understanding their culture, you get to know their values, which help you effectively communicate the Gospel.
3. Socio-Economic Barrier: “They probably won’t feel comfortable in our church.”
Again, it’s your heart attitude that speaks volumes. They may not speak English, or even have an education, but they are not dumb. They can tell when you and I are not sincere. Many Hispanics in SC are below the poverty line. However, I have also discovered that many of them do not want, or expect hand-outs/bail-outs. It is a cultural thing. They want to be respected and are willing to work hard to earn that right. When they come to your church, they simply want to be treated equally. It does not matter whether they are in landscaping and you are in banking; we are all sinners saved by grace.
4. Legal Barriers: “What if the government finds out?”
In Scripture, when the authorities attempted to stop Peter and John from preaching the Gospel, their response was: “We must obey God rather than men.” No church has been prosecuted in this country for preaching the Gospel, and no matter how we feel about the immigration issue; surely we can all agree that nothing would be better than for everyone who is currently residing in our country to become a true follower of Jesus Christ. I believe that, by whatever means people have arrived in our country, we are responsible for sharing the Gospel truth with them. Whatever their legal situation, they are people created by God in His image, men and women for whom Christ died. How will we respond to Christ on the Day of Judgment when He asks us why we have not shared the Gospel with those who are (sometimes literally) in our own backyard? I pray that it would be our love for God and our love for people that drives us to reach the ethnic, minority groups who live within reach of our churches. “For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all…so from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view.” 2 Corinthians 5:14a, 16a
Pastor, Ignacio Herrera
Iglesia Luz del Mundo, Charleston
nacho1herrera@gmail.com
