United for His Glory: We celebrate what God is doing among Hispanic Baptists

On June 7 and 8, 2026 , the Hispanic Baptist Network had the privilege of bringing together leaders, pastors, churches, and families from across the country for the Southern Baptist Convention's annual meeting in Orlando, Florida. Under the theme "United for His Glory," we celebrated two special days of worship, training, and ministry fellowship. The Hispanic Celebration took place on Sunday, June 7, at First Baptist Orlando , while the training workshops and conferences were held on Monday, June 8, at the Orange County Convention Center , bringing together hundreds of participants committed to advancing the Gospel and strengthening Hispanic churches.

A celebration of worship, unity, and transformation

The Hispanic Celebration brought together approximately 1,200 people at First Baptist Orlando for a special time of fellowship, worship, and the proclamation of God's Word. The afternoon began with family activities, opportunities to connect with partner ministries, entities, and organizations, and a joyful atmosphere that united people from different states and backgrounds.

The celebration was also livestreamed for those unable to attend in person. Through Facebook and our website , more than 100 people connected simultaneously to participate in worship, hear the proclamation of the Word, and join in this special time of unity and celebration. This broadcast extended the event's reach beyond Orlando and connected with churches, leaders, and families in different locations. The recording of the celebration remains available for those who wish to view it or share it with their congregations at redbh.org/celebracionlive .

Pastor Verning Suárez , president of the Hispanic Baptist Network, welcomed the attendees and emphasized the importance of remaining united in the mission of reaching the nations with the Gospel. He also highlighted the work the Network carries out throughout the year through various ministries focused on supporting and strengthening Hispanic churches, their leaders, and their families.

The main message was delivered by Pastor Gilberto Corredera of Prestonwood en Español, who shared a powerful reflection based on the letter to the Ephesians about the importance of unity in the body of Christ. Corredera reminded the congregation that true unity begins when believers are nourished by Christ and live with humility, patience, and love. He also emphasized that churches, associations, and conventions are most effective when they set aside individual protagonism to work together in fulfilling God's mission.

At the end of his message, he extended an invitation to those who wished to give their lives to Christ, reconcile with God, renew their commitment to ministry, or respond to God's call to serve. Thirty people responded to this invitation, while seven believers gave public testimony of their faith through baptism.

Our thanks to First Baptist Orlando

The Hispanic Baptist Network wishes to express its sincere gratitude to Pastor Israel Martín , the leadership of First Baptist Orlando, and all the volunteers who served with excellence during our events. Their willingness to open their church doors, share their facilities, and serve with joy made it possible for hundreds of people to gather to worship, receive training, and celebrate God's work among Hispanic Baptists.

We are deeply grateful for your hospitality, support, and collaborative spirit, reflecting the love of Christ and your commitment to the mission we share. Every detail, from the logistics to the care given to our attendees, was a demonstration of genuine service and a heart dedicated to the Kingdom of God.

We pray that the Lord will continue to abundantly bless First Baptist Orlando, its leadership, and every volunteer who dedicated their time and effort to make this celebration possible.

Recognizing a lifetime of service

During the celebration, the Hispanic Baptist Network and Dr. Gus Reyes of Dallas Baptist University had the honor of recognizing Pastor Frank Moreno for more than forty years of faithful service to the Lord and significant contributions to strengthening the Hispanic Baptist work.

His leadership in training pastors, developing leaders, and strengthening churches has impacted multiple generations. Upon receiving this recognition, he expressed his gratitude to God for His faithfulness throughout the years and thanked his wife, Magdalena, for faithfully accompanying him in ministry.

Cooperation and resources to strengthen churches

During the celebration, Dr. Bruno Molina , executive director of the Hispanic Baptist Network, introduced several of the main leaders of the Southern Baptist Convention and its entities, who shared words of encouragement and reaffirmed their commitment to the growth and strengthening of Hispanic churches.

In his message, Molina emphasized the importance of cooperation among churches, leaders, and organizations to advance their mission together. He also encouraged attendees to actively engage with the Hispanic Baptist Network by staying connected through the monthly newsletter, participating in ministry initiatives, and financially supporting projects that continue to develop resources, training, and opportunities for Hispanic churches nationwide.

As part of the program, attendees also had the opportunity to learn more about the resources available to their congregations through panels led by Fabio Castellanos , vice president of the Hispanic Baptist Network. Representatives from various sponsors and ministry partners shared how their organizations are serving churches in areas such as evangelism, missions, church planting, theological education, discipleship, leadership, family ministry, and ministry strengthening.

These spaces allowed pastors and leaders to learn about tools, programs, and collaboration opportunities that can help them more effectively develop their churches' missions and expand their impact in the communities they serve. We are deeply grateful to our sponsors and ministry partners for their commitment to Hispanic churches and for investing in the development of resources that strengthen the work of the Kingdom.

Equipping the church for today's challenges

On Monday, June 8 , at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando , the Hispanic Baptist Network brought together hundreds of pastors, leaders, and church members for an intensive day of training, learning, and ministry growth. Through 24 specialized workshops and two keynote addresses , participants received practical tools and biblical principles to strengthen their ministries and serve more effectively in their communities.

The workshops covered a wide variety of topics relevant to the church today.

Among them were Connecting Generations: Digital Communication, AI and Strategies for Today's Church , presented by Ariel Irizarry and Johann Irizarry of inweb.ai ; Creative Church , by Benjamin Rivera of Creative LED Wall ; and Tools for Sharing the Gospel , led by Dr. Clara Molina of the Hispanic Baptist Network – Women .

In the area of leadership and pastoral ministry, attendees participated in workshops such as Prayer and Pastoral Support , presented by pastors Randolph Mercelita and David Pérez ; Evangelism and Discipleship , led by pastor Eloy Rodríguez and Dr. Luis Soto ; and Children's Ministry – Emerging Leaders , shared by pastor Luigi Reggiardo and Dr. David Lema , all representing the Hispanic Baptist Network – Serving and Guiding the Mission .

Baptist educational institutions were also represented through workshops such as Learning to Learn Better to Be More Effective at Teaching , by Ricardo Sánchez, Ed.D. , of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary ; Jesus, as a Model for Pastoral Ministry , by Dr. Arnaldo Achurcarro of Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary ; Introduction to Translations and Textual Criticism , by Dr. Fabio Castellanos of New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary ; The Leadership Principles of Moses: Balancing Power and Humility , by Dr. Josiah Espinoza of Gateway Seminary ; and How to Overcome Fear Through Love and Self-Discipline , by Dr. Edgar Trinidad of Louisiana Baptist University .

Participants also had the opportunity to learn about ministries and resources offered by partner organizations, including Compassion International , represented by Samuel Polanco with the workshop Walking with Dignity in Compassion ; Samaritan's Purse and the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association , through Joe Mott and Pastor Lipe Fernandez with the workshop Effective Evangelism for the Latino Church in the USA ; International Mission Board , represented by Annel Robayna with the workshop Loving the Unreached: The Church and Its Responsibility in God's Mission ; Send Relief , through Jonathan Santiago with A Church Prepared for Disasters ; and Prison Fellowship/Angel Tree , represented by Karin Arango with the workshop A Small Gift, an Eternal Message for the Families of the Incarcerated .

Attendees also received practical guidance for family life and holistic church development through workshops such as Implementing a Multiplication Strategy , presented by José Abella and Winston Williams of NAMB Send Network ; The Formative Home , led by Uriel Flores and Marigrey Francis of Awana ; Live Together, Share, and Connect Because Your Family Matters , presented by Dr. David Lema of Relate Well, Live Well ; and Starting Well, Finishing Well: What Financial Resources Does My Convention Offer for Retirement?, led by Dr. David Miranda of GuideStone Financial Resources .

In particular, the Women's Ministry of the Hispanic Baptist Network offered a series of workshops aimed at strengthening women's spiritual lives and leadership. These included "Walking as Steadfast Women ," led by Arlene Sanabria ; "Growing in My Relationship with God ," led by Carolina Santander ; "Firmly Living My Calling as a Woman ," led by Zoila López ; and "Tools for Sharing the Gospel ," led by Dr. Clara Molina .

The day culminated with two special conferences. The Women's Conference , organized by the Hispanic Baptist Network, featured Wendy Bello as the keynote speaker and the worship team from First Baptist Orlando Worship . Simultaneously, the Men's Conference was led by Armando Allen , Director of Men's Ministry for the Hispanic Baptist Network, with Benjamin Rivera leading the worship.

The Hispanic Baptist Network expresses its deepest gratitude to each speaker, workshop facilitator, ministry leader, sponsor, and participating organization. Thank you for investing your time, expertise, and resources to equip the Hispanic church and strengthen those who faithfully serve in the Kingdom of God. The outstanding participation in these sessions reaffirmed our churches' desire to continue growing, learning, and preparing to impact their communities with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Looking to the future

These spaces for celebration, training, and collaboration reflect the Hispanic Baptist Network's ongoing commitment to serving Hispanic churches, equipping leaders, and promoting cooperation for the advancement of God's Kingdom.

It fills us with hope to see hundreds of leaders, volunteers, pastors, women, men, and young people committed to God's mission. We firmly believe that the Lord continues to raise up a generation passionate about His Word, dedicated to discipleship, and committed to reaching our communities for Christ.

To all who participated, served, prayed, and supported these events, thank you for being a part of what God is doing among Hispanic Baptists.

We continue to move forward together, strengthened in our faith, united in our mission, and committed to living for one cause: United for His Glory!