The Samaritans again represent a nearby people group that would normally be overlooked by the Jews who preferred to rub shoulders with "their own."  Jesus was intentional about seeing that the Samaritans were not overlooked and he left his disciples with his personal example (the woman at the well) and the missions strategy that assured this nearby people group would not be forgotten as the Gospel was carried to the uttermost parts of the earth.

The Coalition for Hispanic Ministries is a part of God's strategy today to help Friends and others to reach the special people group of Hispanics in North America.  According to Carlos Arce with Nustats International, Hispanics in the U.S. as of the first quarter of 1999 now number 31.4 million, or 11.5 percent of the total U.S. population. By mid-2002, Hispanics will become the largest minority group in the United States.  Over the course of the last decade, the Hispanic population grew at quadruple the annual growth rate of the overall U.S. population, and these figures do not include the three million undocumented Hispanics that the INS estimates are in this country.

This is a people group that must not be ignored by the American church.  CHM is actively involved in calling the church to this mission field and helping to develop and promote those ministries that advance the Hispanic church.
 

CHM's Work & Achievements (1999-2000)

In the past year, CHM has been active in several key areas.

1.  CHM serves to call the American church to Hispanic ministry.  This is an important ministry of the CHM that serves to support both the American and Hispanic churches in their outreach endeavors.  Communication has been an important part of this task as we have sent out newsletters and prayer notices about the activities in the Hispanic ministries across the country.

We have also acted to raise support for specific ministry needs that have ranged from transportation needs to raising funds for missions trips and projects.  As director of CHM, I have been able to help coordinate mission trips to México and also Hispanic conferences that have served to raise awareness of the ways that the entire body of Christ in North America can minister well in the Hispanic community.

Part of this activity includes visiting, preaching and consulting at "Anglo" congregations that are poised to begin Hispanic ministries.  It is encouraging to see new ministries begun in such diverse places as Hugoton, KS; Friendswood, TX; and Martinsville, VA. as a result of a God-given vision that challenges Christ's church to action.

One of the obstacles in beginning these new works is simply the lack of communication, of trust and of understanding.  CHM has been acting as a link that brings together the diverse cultural and theological groups in order to make sure that Hispanic ministry remains the priority.  The very existence of CHM shows:

•  A continuing commitment by the American church to Hispanic Ministry
•  A recognition of the special needs in the Hispanic Church and a willingness to accommodate those needs.
•  That Friends and others have a multicultural  vision that truly extends to all peoples.

2.  CHM unifies and strengthens existing and new Hispanic Friends churches.  In many ways, CHM is simply a service organization for the Hispanic church and we have fulfilled that mission in many ways in the past year.

Among Friends, CHM is the only organization that links Hispanic groups nationwide and across the continent.  Each Yearly Meeting of Friends has its own contact with their Hispanic ministries, but CHM has been used of God to create an awareness of the move of God among Hispanic Friends across the nation.  When CHM hosted its first North American Hispanic Friends conference in Houston in 1995 there was little sense of connection between the diverse groups and (on the contrary) a constant sense of friction between the churches and leaders on issues of faith, practice and worship styles.  That meeting was attended by about 45 Friends.

In last year's conference, with about 70 in attendance, the emphasis on prayer allowed a healing between the leadership as we all drew closer to our Lord in seeking forgiveness and reconciliation.  The resulting respect among the different groups that still have many differences that divide them allowed the 2000 Hispanic Friends Conference held two weeks ago in Baltimore to be a great blessing for all.  Instead of the 70-80 we expected in attendance there were over 160 attendees from outside of Baltimore with average attendance in our worship times of well over 200.

Some highlights of the recent 2000 conference include:

• Over 216 registered for the conference.
• More than 23 Hispanic Churches were represented in the meetings
• About 160 Hispanic Friends came from outside of Baltimore from Los Angeles, Newberg OR, Toronto, Virginia, Houston, Las Vegas, Northern Mexico, Wichita KS and other cities from across North America.
• There were several groups that attended for the first time.  The group that came from Chicago is very interested in linking up with EFC-ER as a result of its contact with Friends from across the country.
• There was a great time of rejoicing and praise together that strengthened the church with a sense that the Hispanic Friends are a vital and growing movement in God's Spirit.
• Plans were put in place for:  Next years (2001) conference in Las Vegas NV, A Cooperative Death Benefits Fund sponsored by FCSW for Hispanic Friends, Using the Instituto ALMA Leadership Training program, Working together in a Foreign Missions project (Sinaloa, Mex.), Supporting each other in prayer and ministry.
• Several groups have expressed interest in hosting the 2002 conference with the most likely location being Newberg, Oregon.

CHM has also served the Hispanic church by providing specific motivation, inspiration, and vision for the ongoing Hispanic ministries.  This has been accomplished in part through the following:

• Participating in and casting vision for the future of Hispanic Leadership throughout Latin America at the International Friends Conference.
• Encouraging pastors and providing resources, training, and information.
• Helping to initiate new Hispanic works.
• Supporting Friends with improved communication / supervision
• Mediating misunderstandings and crises.

3.  CHM, through the Instituto ALMA, provides leadership training materials that evangelical Hispanic churches are increasingly using for the development of present and future leaders.

Some of the advances in this past year of the Instituto ALMA Leadership Training Program include:

• Continued development of the Instituto ALMA Leadership training program in terms of administration and promotion.
• The development of 4 new Instituto ALMA classes including classes in Discipleship, Bible Study for the Leader, Anthropology, and The Family Life of the Minister.
• New Instituto ALMA groups nationally and internationally.
• Greater online accessibility through www.InstitutoALMA.org.  It has been both encouraging and a challenge to try and keep up with the regular requests to participate in the Instituto ALMA program from groups from across Latin America.  Logistics of sending tapes and study guides back and forth have limited the scope of the program thus far, but we are seeking ways to make some of the more appropriate material from the institute available throughout Latin America.
• Part-time staff that has assisted in the production and now the promotion and distribution of Instituto ALMA materials.  Pedro Guzmán has worked most of the year as Production Manager for the video classes and study guides and Francisco Orozco has been assisting for the past month as Program Coordinator who is assigned to initiate 10 new cell groups over the next year.  Both of these Instituto ALMA graduates have a deep commitment to the ministry of the institute and give of themselves beyond their part-time salary.

The Future of CHM:
CHM will have a continuing ministry for the Hispanic evangelical church and for Friends as Hispanic churches and leadership develop.  Increasingly, key Hispanic leaders across the country are gaining a vision for a strong Hispanic church that will do its own church planting, pastoral support, and communication within existing denominations, yearly meetings, and church organizations.  This is an exciting transition that is already beginning to happen and will cause CHM's ministry to shift slightly as time goes by away from promotion of Hispanic ministry and more toward supporting the Hispanic churches.  Both roles will continue to have relevance and the change will only reflect the growing maturity of Hispanic ministries.

God has blessed Friends Church Southwest where Amílcar Sosa is now on staff in supervising the Hispanic ministries and Dr. Gene Pickard has begun working in Bible Training and leadership development.  In MAYM and EFC-ER there are leaders who are beginning to take the reins of overseeing an overall strategy for Hispanic ministry by Friends.

CHM's role will change as the Hispanic church matures, but in terms of keeping Friends focused on Hispanic ministries, communicating the needs and opportunities for both the Hispanic and "Anglo" churches, and helping to prepare current and future leaders in ministry - CHM will continue to make an important contribution.  CHM is an investment in the future of the Hispanic Friends Church and a contribution toward the growing Hispanic evangelical movement in North America.  CHM is just one aspect of Christ's effort to reach out to Hispanics in North America, but it is a key coordinating organization that facilitates the ministries of others.

Respectfully submitted,
Dr. David Byrne
Executive Director: CHM
www.InstitutoALMA.org/CHM/   Back to top of page.
 

We are seeing results in both awareness and activity among Friends as God moves among us to serve the Hispanic communities across the United States.  CHM is providing the rallying cry to ministry and the resources in terms of expertise, vision, and leadership that is allowing new ministries to develop.

It is incredible how God brings the answers to our prayers knocking at our door!  Acts 12 recounts that great story of when the apostles are gathered together praying for the release of Peter who is in great danger in Herod's prison.  When God intervenes and sends an angel to escort him out of the prison, Peter, the object of the apostle's prayers, knocks at the door of the home where they are gathered.  In their disbelief, they leave Peter knocking at the door until finally someone lets him in.  Friends have been praying for cross-cultural ministries, and now God has put opportunities for cross-cultural ministry at our door.  Increasingly, Friends are excited about the opportunities we have in Hispanic ministries and are looking for ways to open that door to ministry.

It is rewarding for me to look back over the past year and see the ways that God has been moving in and  through CHM.  Some highlights:

Instituto ALMA

The first two year cycle of the Instituto ALMA program was completed in the spring of 1997, and on July 12 the first graduation ceremony was held.  Four students who had been involved in the program since its inception in summer 1995 celebrated their graduation before friends, family, and other students, giving moving testimonies of the impact the program has had upon their lives.  These four men of God are a credit to the Institute and an example to the students who will follow in the months and years to come.  Back to top of page.

Numerically, the Institute is experiencing rapid growth as it becomes increasingly well-known throughout the area.  We continue to do mailings to some 200 Hispanic churches and individuals; I have had several opportunities to share the program with gatherings of Hispanic pastors (accompanied by enthusiastic endorsements of current students), and we are hearing from more and more students who have become aware of the program through word of mouth.  We regularly receive calls from pastors who have been referred to us by friends and colleagues in ministry.  At this point last year, approximately 35 students had participated in some aspect of the program; we are currently well over 100 and as the Institute moves into its next phase of development I believe that the growth will be explosive.  I am encouraged that we receive constant affirmation of the vision and design behind the ALMA program.  This program is touching a need that had not been previously addressed and is doing so in a way that is appropriate to the target group.

As you are aware, the first two years of the program involved bringing expert speakers to the Houston area to present classes in leadership training (see class list following).  But our vision has always been to go far beyond the Houston area to places across the country and throughout Latin America where training is desperately needed.  We are currently in the process of editing the taped ALMA sessions into class units which are accompanied by a written study guide.  It is designed for use by small groups with a leader/facilitator and involves viewing short video segments interspersed with activities and interaction between the students and the facilitator.

MidAmerica Yearly Meeting has generously provided funds for the purchase of video editing equipment which is being used for preparation of the tapes.  The first series of video classes was presented at the ministry center in September to an overwhelmingly enthusiastic response by students.  Surprisingly, the class done by video was even more effective than the original class done "live"with the visiting professor.  Editing the tapes and providing the study guide enabled us to give the sessions a clearer focus.

I am currently in contact with several different groups which are interested in using the ALMA materials for training their leaders.  Next month I will be traveling to Mexicali, Mexico to get a group started on the program there.  As the materials become available for use in virtually any geographical setting, I believe that the ALMA program will have a tremendous impact on Hispanic ministry.  The editing process is very labor-intensive, and since plans for the upcoming ALMA sessions here in Houston involve the use of videos rather than bringing in additional speakers, there will be some pressure to produce them quickly.  Please pray for God's continued blessing upon this project.  Although it has involved a substantial investment of time and finances, the results are already becoming apparent and, Lord willing, will continue to grow in the years to come.

One goal we had hoped to reach in 1997 was the appointment of a half-time director for the Instituto ALMA program.   Funds have not yet become available to implement this goal, but it is important that we continue to look in this direction.  As the local program continues to grow and as we expand nationally and internationally, this position will become important for the viability of the Institute.
 

 Church planting

The long-term goal of the ALMA program is not merely the training and equipping of effective leaders, but the planting of Hispanic Friends churches throughout the U.S. and Latin America.  As we begin to have graduates from the program I look forward to a dramatic increase in church planting efforts since there will be a supply of new leaders to work with these groups.  I often receive calls from churches or yearly meeting officials who are looking for trained leaders to work in Hispanic ministry.  It was extremely gratifying to me to be able to put one of the first graduates of Instituto ALMA, Pedro Guzman, in touch with the Newberg Friends Church which was seeking leadership for its Hispanic ministry.  Pedro has received a call to Newberg and plans to move to Oregon in the near future. Back to top of page.

The ALMA program serves pastors and leaders from many denominations, but I believe that  we as Friends  will be blessed  by our participation in this ministry and will see an increasing number of workers available to plant the churches that we envision.  As director of CHM I try to work with existing Friends congregations in seeing the possibilities of Hispanic ministry right in their own communities.  Without Spanish-speaking leaders  it has been difficult for most of these churches to take steps toward reaching out to their Hispanic neighbors, but as we begin to develop a group of trained leaders I hope to work with these existing churches to see many new Hispanic groups established.

Locally, I continue to work closely with Isaias Cordero at Iglesia Amigos and with the new Hispanic group at Langham Creek.  Isaias has found it necessary to discontinue the meeting that was initiated at League City due to personal situations involving the health of his family as well as transition in the League City church which complicated ministry involvement there.  In time I believe the door will be opened to ministry in this community and others - please be in prayer for the church planting efforts of CHM.

Nationally, there has been a steady increase in the number of Hispanic churches affiliated with the various Yearly Meetings.
 

National Hispanic Minister's Conference

One of CHM's key goals that was approved at last year's planning retreat was to host a National Hispanic Minister's Conference.  This has been an area where God answered prayer even beyond our expectations.  The conference, held in Friendswood from October 6-8, was a time of great blessing for the participants, approximately 40 Hispanic Friends leaders from California, Kansas, New York, Texas, Mexico, and Canada.  Along with the encouragement they received from being together, praying for one another, and worshipping, the group made important progress on issues such as combined efforts to publish Friends literature in Spanish, outreach to unreached people groups,  leadership training, and other ways they can work together to accomplish more for God's kingdom.  Volunteers from Friendswood Friends Church,  Iglesia Amigos, and League City Friends Church did a wonderful job of hosting the visitors and providing meals.  Several yearly meetings provided funds to enable representatives from their Hispanic groups to travel.  Back to top of page.

Initially we had hoped to encourage the group to set a goal of meeting again two years from now, but before I had chance to mention this possibility one of the leaders from Yorba Linda volunteered to work on hosting the group there in 1998.  They are looking forward to meeting again.
 

Funding

In  addition to the expanding participation in the Coalition by individuals and churches we are expecting the income base from the Instituto ALMA ministry to rise significantly from the franchising and the sale of materials.  It is reasonable to expect that the denominations and groups that will be receiving benefit from the ALMA program in the future will contribute to its ongoing viability.  A business plan for the distribution of the ALMA program is included with this packet.
 

Personal

In May of this year I experienced a milestone in my personal life when I graduated from Houston Graduate School of Theology with a Doctor of Ministry degree.  This was the culmination of three years of study and research which has been extremely beneficial both for me and for CHM.  The structure  of the D.Min. program allowed me to focus my studies on Hispanic ministry.  I believe that integrating my ministry involvement with my studies has enabled me to conduct some of the research and preparation that went into the Institute program in a more professional manner.  I am grateful to the faculty and administration of HGST for their assistance which allowed me to participate in this program.  Back to top of page.

One of the many blessings of being involved in ministry is the prayer support which our family receives from supporters across the country.  We sense the impact of these prayers in the lives of each member of our family, and are thankful for the joy and blessing we experience in our family life together.  The five of us are content in the ministry God has called us to and look to the future with excitement.
 

Funding

In  addition to the expanding participation in the Coalition by individuals and churches we are expecting the income base from the Instituto ALMA ministry to rise significantly from the franchising and the sale of materials.  It is reasonable to expect that the denominations and groups that will be receiving benefit from the ALMA program in the future will contribute to its ongoing viability.  A business plan for the distribution of the ALMA program is included with this packet.  Back to top of page.
 

One of the key considerations that was discussed in last year's board meeting was the need for CHM's executive director to dedicate large blocks of time to the production of video and written materials that will be used in the Instituto ALMA.  The past year has proved that the process of materials development is indeed time consuming!  Hundreds of hours have been spent in this task and yet we are still in the initial stages.

To date, the classes that are ready to be used (or tested) by Instituto ALMA cell groups are:
Iglesia: Crecimiento y Cultura with Dr. Daniel Sánchez
Hacía una Administración Eficaz with Guillermo Luna
Modelos de Ministerio Entre Hispanos
Historia del Liderazgo en la Iglesia Cristiana with Dr. Justo González
Teología Pastoral with José Dimas

Currently in production:
Homilética with Dr. Pablo Jiménez

As you are aware, the video is designed to guide the class through the same experience that students have had in the Instituto ALMA program in South Houston.  The study guide serves to enhance that experience by providing detailed notes for the church leader and enabling each person to leave the class with a complete set of notes.  The theory behind this approach is that adult learners who are motivated for improving their skills in ministry do not require the rigors of an academic environment but can benefit from the insights of new materials and the interaction with those materials in a group of peers.

Recently, Miguel Orozco has brought to CHM a new dynamic and productivity as he has worked beside me in the production of the videos and study guides as a part-time production assistant.  Over the past month he has worked in editing and reviewing taped material, writing and revising study material, and acting as an educational and linguistic consultant.  He is highly talented with a gift for video production.

This coming year will require that we invest more in his ministry if we hope to see the realization of the rapid growth in the Instituto ALMA program is being planned for the coming year.

Several of the completed classes have been used on a trial basis by  groups in Texas, Mexico, Wichita and New York.  The response has been overwhelmingly positive, and the groups are anxious to receive additional classes.  Feedback from these initial trials has been helpful in continuing to develop the program as we identify the weaknesses and strengths of the video approach and the particular class presentation.  Back to top of page.

An important focus in the year ahead needs to be the marketing and distribution of the videos.  Zoila Feaster has done some part-time work with CHM helping to set up a database program to manage student records.  This has been an important first step in preparation for the large-scale expansion of the program that I believe will take place as we make it available on a broader level.  Unfortunately, Zoila has changed jobs and will have less time available to work with CHM; and the system will require further modifications before it is ready for the its full scale implementation.

Networking:

The past year has once again provided many opportunities for contacts with other groups, both Friends and other denominations, to share ways of working in Hispanic ministry.  I continue to keep in touch with the Hispanic Commission of the National Association of Evangelicals and AETH (the Association for Hispanic Theological Education).  I have traveled to several of the Friends Yearly Meetings, either to Yearly Meeting sessions or individual churches (Rocky Mountain, Southwest, Eastern Region, and Mid-America).  It is encouraging to see that Friends leaders have an increasing vision and burden for Hispanic ministry and also to see the Hispanic Friends leaders grow in their vision and excitement.  A highlight of the year was the second international conference for Hispanic Friends Pastors and Leaders held in California this past September.  The sessions were very well-attended and were a great encouragement to those who participated.  The host churches did an excellent job of preparing for and hosting the conference.

The Hispanic pastors from Kansas and Texas have offered to host next year's conference in Wichita.  They have already held a committee meeting by conference call to work on initial plans and are in the process of sending out a mailing to the churches so that people can reserve the dates of October 7-10, 1999.  There will also be an international pastors' conference in Guatemala next year for EFI, but it is the feeling of those involved in the National Hispanic Friends Conference that it meets many needs of Hispanic Friends in the United States and Canada that could not be addressed in an international gathering.  There is also a concern not to lose the momentum of the projects that this group has initiated in terms of establishing a mutual aid fund, cooperating in literature, and setting up missions projects. Back to top of page.

It is rewarding at times to see how far the influence of CHM has reached.  In an unplanned visit recently to a Baptist Church I was blessed  when a woman shared her testimony about winning some family members in Mexico to the Lord at a party she attended.  She was thrilled about the experience and how the Lord had used her.  I was curious when the pastor asked her what method of evangelism she had used.  She did not hesitate for a second but said, "The method my pastor taught us."  I thought that was great, but then the pastor explained to me and the congregation that this particular method was one that he had learned from Dr. Vidal Valencia in the Instituto ALMA.  What is most encouraging is to know that God is now working in new ways in hundreds of people now because of the ministry of CHM.

Honduras Disaster Relief:

At the time of this year's board meeting I am deeply involved in preparations for a ministry trip to Honduras, Central America.  I appreciate the vision of our board president, Jack Rea, in proposing that CHM initiate and give leadership to such a trip.  Obviously, this is not a ministry that could have been foreseen and planned as a part of our goals, and yet CHM is uniquely positioned to be able to act as a catalyst in meeting this need together with other groups.  Thus far God has blessed our efforts in amazing ways.  We have a team of 6 people representing 3 different Yearly Meetings who, Lord willing, will be in Honduras from November 17-24.  The Texas area churches have been very generous in financial support and provision of food, supplies, and medicines to take to Honduras.  I have been in contact with both missionaries and national leaders in Honduras who are anticipating our arrival.

The disaster in Central America has long-term implications for relief work and  it is possible that CHM will continue to be involved at some level in the coming months as the situation develops.  Although this does not fit neatly into our mission as the Coalition for Hispanic Ministries we recognize that there are times in life and in ministry when one must move to meet an area of desperate need.  This is one of those cases and CHM is in an excellent position to be able to contribute to the effort to bring relief to those who have been devastated by Hurricane Mitch.

In closing, I must note that CHM is both a national organization and a local organization.  We minister interdenominationally, in the broader body of Friends, and also we seek to minister locally.  In this spirit, we look with excitement to the year ahead and the possibility of collaborating with Friendswood Friends Church in establishing a Hispanic ministry as a part of their ministry.  This project was born out of our last local board meeting and has tapped into a deep interest in the Friendswood Friends congregation.

Initial plans call for a language and culture class that Joyce Byrne will lead and that will introduce conversational Spanish along with choruses in a context of fellowship with Hispanic Christians.  This group will form a base group for beginning outreach and ministry among the Hispanic families in the Friendswood area.  CHM will be on hand to counsel, guide, and minister to bring about this yet unborn child of the Friendswood Church.  Back to top of page.

God has blessed CHM over this past year with a special place of ministry and service among Friends and He continues to lead us forward to creatively bring the American church and the Hispanic church to effective ministry among Hispanics.  To God be the glory!

Respectfully submitted,
David C. Byrne
CHM Executive Director

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