Initially from Monterrey, Mexico, I now function the church planter of El Buen Pastor PCA, a Hispanic church in Dallas, Texas. By God’s grace, I grew up in a Presbyterian family the place religion and repair to the church have been central. I accepted Christ as my Savior throughout childhood and have become deeply concerned within the lifetime of the church from a younger age.
Whereas volunteering with the church in highschool, I grasped the good want for pastors. Seeing this want firsthand, I started praying and asking God to ship extra staff into the sphere. It was throughout this time I first sensed God’s name on my life to serve him by vocational ministry.
In Mexico, it’s common for pastors to go straight to seminary after highschool. Nonetheless, I felt strongly that I ought to first earn a bachelor’s diploma. My purpose was not solely to raised join with folks outdoors the church but in addition to make sure that I had a occupation to help myself if the church couldn’t afford to pay me a wage. I earned a level in industrial engineering.
I labored for a number of years as an engineer after commencement, however my coronary heart remained set on serving the Lord as a pastor. I continued praying, searching for God’s steerage on how and the place to pursue this calling. Throughout this time, an in depth buddy knowledgeable me that Westminster Theological Seminary had opened a campus in Dallas (now generally known as Redeemer Seminary). Excited by this chance, I utilized for a world scholarship. By God’s grace, I used to be awarded a full scholarship, which allowed me to start my formal theological coaching.
From the beginning of my seminary research, I used to be capable of start an internship at Cristo Rey PCA, a vibrant bilingual church. This expertise uncovered me to the rising variety inside the PCA but in addition dropped at gentle a number of the challenges we face as a denomination. In conversations with pastors and leaders, I often heard the statement that the PCA is predominantly a white denomination. My response was all the time to ask, “What are you doing to assist change that?”
Whereas it’s true that the variety of minorities within the PCA remains to be small, God is clearly working, and we’re witnessing a rising variety of minority pastors being referred to as into ministry. I wouldn’t be a part of the PCA if it weren’t for the beneficiant scholarship offered to me for my seminary research. It’s one of many causes I’m excited concerning the development of minority pastors being fueled by the Unity Fund.
The Unity Fund is an unbelievable useful resource that helps minorities pursue seminary schooling, full internships, and take part at Basic Meeting. I first realized concerning the Unity Fund whereas talking at an MNA Hispanic Ministries Convocation, the place they defined that it offers scholarships for pastors and leaders to attend GA. This was an amazing blessing for me as a church planter.
For a lot of minority church planters, monetary sources are restricted. We regularly need to make tough monetary choices about the place to allocate our funds. Generally, it entails deciding whether or not to broaden your benevolence price range or attend Basic Meeting. The Unity Fund made it potential for me to attend GA with out having to sacrifice different essential ministry priorities.
Following that experience, I reached out to thank the Unity Fund for his or her help. Throughout that dialog, the PCA’s Unity Fund coordinator talked about that they have been in search of a brand new board member and requested if I might be excited about serving on this capability. I agreed with out hesitation. I noticed this as a possibility to unfold the phrase concerning the Unity Fund and encourage extra Hispanic pastors to benefit from its sources. The Unity Fund is a tremendous software for growing the variety of minority pastors, interns, and college students within the PCA, and I needed to assist share that imaginative and prescient.
Since becoming a member of the board, I’ve been capable of encourage a number of Hispanic pastors to use for scholarships by the Unity Fund. One pastor, specifically, utilized and was capable of attend Basic Meeting. It was an excellent blessing for him as he related with different pastors, participated within the Meeting, and gained a deeper understanding of our denomination’s mission and imaginative and prescient.
As I mirror on my journey, I’m reminded of the significance of the prayer and monetary help I’ve acquired. The work we’re doing by the Unity Fund isn’t just about serving to individuals. It’s about increasing God’s kingdom. By way of the help of this fund, we’re equipping and empowering extra minority brothers and sisters to serve in ministry, and collectively, we’re strengthening the physique of Christ.
There are a number of methods to foster and encourage the expansion of minority-led church buildings. Apart from supporting the Unity Fund, take into account opening your church services for use by startup church buildings targeted on reaching a language group completely different from your individual. Your area could also be a higher blessing than your cash. Our church has enormously benefited from Windfall Presbyterian Church generously allowing us to make use of their area as our personal.
Partnership is essential to the expansion and way forward for the PCA, particularly as we search to extend minority illustration in our denomination. By partnering collectively, we are able to be certain that extra pastors, college students, and interns are geared up to serve and broaden God’s Kingdom in communities throughout the nation.
Jahaziel Cantu serves as pastor of El Buen Pastor in Dallas, Texas.
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