By Johnny Vega, Hispanic Ministry Program Administrator
Growth from Small Beginnings
This year, we celebrate the 5-year anniversary of our Hispanic Ministry Program. We are so grateful for God’s grace, goodness, and favor over the past five years. Since 2017 we have diligently worked to fulfill our motto, “equipping leaders, changing lives!”
First GCUPM cohort in Holland
This year we have seen a great return on the hard work that has gone into building the program. The HMP has grown from the initial 55 students to over 120 students today (representing seven different denominations) in our Graduate Certificate program and our new Master of Arts program launched in the 2022-23 academic year.
Vital Role
Western’s efforts are in response to the hunger of the Latino community to equip and prepare leaders of the church for lifelong ministry. The breadth and depth of the Hispanic community throughout the United States continues to shed light on the vital role of churches in Latino communities. According to UCLA professor and Brown Church Institute founder Robert Chao Romero, “Latino churches are proximate to the pain felt by communities; they are often first responders in crisis situations like COVID or immigration cases, and they are a vital, though often overlooked, partner in the social safety net.”
Michigan Cohort in 2018
Our students have shown the efforts they will take to obtain their graduate degrees. The vast majority of our students are bi-vocational, bilingual pastors and church leaders working outside of the church and maintaining a church community. They participate in the program with Spanish as their language of context and ministry while working in an environment using their second language (English).
Casting the Vision
We thank God for the blessing of a great HMP team at WTS, growing from three full-time staff to nine staff members assisting us throughout the country with their individual gifts and talents.
First HMP cohort in Delaware
We are very grateful to Lily Endowment Inc. for the Pathways for Tomorrow Initiative grant, enabling us to strengthen and sustain our capacities to prepare and support pastoral leaders for the Christian church. These funds will provide for our newest endeavor, a Hispanic Summer Institute program here at WTS in 2023, 2024, and 2025. We will host a two-week residential intensive experience where students will participate in two masters-level courses taught by two world-renowned professors. More information is soon to come!
Meet the Team
David A. Escobar Arcay, Associate Professor of Theology, Director of the Hispanic Ministry Program
Johnny Vega, Hispanic Ministry Program Administrator
Gretchen Torres, Hispanic Ministry Program and Th.M. Program Administrator
