Meeting Needs in the Latino Community

Article by Alison Wingfield

Meeting Needs Where They Find Them

One thing leads to another. That’s what First Baptist Church, Knoxville, Tenn. found out when they decided to expand their ESOL program by providing transportation for first generation Latinos from an apartment complex. The ESOL program led to a Latino VBS which led to a revival which led to a Spanish-speaking Sunday school class which led to a Latino church—all within a year and a half.

“Things happen and we have to respond,” said Senior Pastor Bill Shiell. “The church has been really flexible.”

The impact of the church’s Latin ministry can be summed up in one person's experience. Dora, who was attending the church’s ESOL classes, came to the revival held at FBC by a team from Iglesia Bautista Shalom church of Houston. She was one of five who accepted Christ and was baptized at the end of the week.

When FBC started their Spanish-speaking Sunday school class, Dora attended the class. Soon after it started, Dora needed a new heart valve. Because she was an undocumented immigrant, she was not eligible for Medicare and couldn’t have the surgery. Pastor Shiell called church member Sandy Wisener, who had been a healthcare consultant. Wisener started making some phone calls and soon found the help Dora needed to pay for the operation.

“If you ask enough questions, it doesn’t matter how many times you are told ‘no’,” said Wisener. “Especially in this country, there are incredible resources. You just have to ask.”

“Dora wouldn’t be alive without an ESL class, and the revival,” noted Shiell. “It was one of those things that God does, a God moment.”

After helping Dora, the church realized they needed to continue their ministry by beginning a Latino church. “At that point, we said ‘I don’t know what we’re doing, but we are going to get this church going, because there are a thousand Doras out there,” said Shiell.

Armed with a grant from CBF and matching funds from FBC, bi-vocational pastor Victor Perez and his wife Patricia are now leading the new Latino church which meets every Sunday with 20 to 30 Latinos in attendance.

“We are here because the Lord brought us here,” said Perez. “CBF and FBC have been the most helpful and supportive columns in the building of this new church.”

While the churches meet separately on Sunday, everyone comes together on Wednesday night. “It’s what I call the meshing and mingling of the missions and social, the full circle effect on Wednesday night. We integrate this into our programming, so we can teach a missions lifestyle by modeling,” said Shiell. The Latino children sing in children’s choirs and go to missions alongside the mostly white FBC children.

Shiell realizes that immigration issues are a hot button topic right now. But the church is committed to helping whoever God puts in their path. “We might be able to do good with the prejudice issue,” he said. “Look what the love of Christ can do. It breaks down the walls in our hearts and theirs.”

And mends a broken heart valve.