HLIConnectBrochure

By 2050,

it is estimated that 132,000,000 or

1 in 3

Americans will be Hispanic.

Yet   the  Presbyterian  Church  in  America   (PCA)   is  not  prepared   for   this   new  
reality!    Consider  these  facts:
• Only  2%   of   PCA  churches   include   Hispanics  within  their   congregaCons  

or  have  Hispanics  on  staff.
• Less  than  1%  of  all  Teaching  Elders  within  the  PCA  are  Hispanic
• Only  1%  of  students  currently  studying  in  PCA  seminaries  are  Hispanic

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ANSWERING THE CALL

Hispanic Leadership Initiative (HLI),   a   501(c)(3)   non-­‐profit   ministry,   is  
dedicated   to   helping   the   churches   of   the   Presbyterian   Church   in   America  
(PCA)  reach  the   fiNy-­‐three   million  Hispanics   who   currently  live  in  the   United  
States  with  the  Gospel  of  Jesus  Christ.    

By   God’s   grace   and   provision,   through   personal   relaConships   and   in  acCve  
partnership  with  Mission  to   North  America,   local  PCA  churches,  educaConal  
insCtuCons,   and   individuals,   HLI   will   develop   a   pipeline   of   Hispanic  
leadership  for  the  PCA  by:

Identifying

bicultural  Hispanic  men  and  women  with  high  leadership  potenCal,  

Encouraging

these   men  and   women  to   consider  God’s   call  upon  their   life   and   how   to   best  
develop  their  giNs  for  His  service,

Supporting

these   men   and   women   in   developing   their   giNs   through   theological  
educaCon,   ministry   apprenCceships,   training   retreats,   and   personal  
relaConships,  and  help  in

Launching

these   trained   and   qualified   men   and   women   into   leadership   within   PCA  
churches   and   ministries   using   our   connecCons   with   the   presbyteries   and  
church  planCng  networks  of  the  PCA.

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If  we  believe  that  trained  Hispanic  leaders  within  our  churches  is  key  to   the  
PCA’s   ability   to   reach   Hispanics   with   the   gospel,   then   we   must   take  
immediate   acCon!  We  must  search  diligently   and   idenCfy  as   many  Hispanic  
men   and   women   as  we   can   to   be   trained,   and   then  work   together   to   get  
them  trained  and  placed  in  PCA  churches!  

Introducing HLIConnect!   HLIConnect   is   a   new   iniCaCve   to   cast   a  
naConwide   net   to   idenCfy   potenCal   Hispanic   leaders,   connect   them   with  
educaConal  opCons   that   would   fit   them  best,   and   connect  them  with   local  
PCA   churches   and   presbyteries   that   can   offer   internship   or   staff   posiCons  
for  these  future  leaders.  
As  part   of   this   iniCaCve,   we   have   developed   an  online   repository,   accessed  
through   the   HLI   website,   that   includes   informaCon   from   three   different  
sources:    Candidates;  EducaConal  OpportuniCes;  and  PosiCons  Available.

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Candidates

Names,  profiles,  and   pictures  of  Hispanic  men  and  women  
who   are   candidates   for   training   and/or     apprenCceships.  
This   informaCon   will   allow   educaConal   insCtuCons,   local  
churches,   and   presbyteries   to   see   who   is   available   for  
training   and   how   they   can   assist   in   preparing   them   for  
ministry.

OEdpupcoarttiuonniatlies

Names  and   contact   informaCon  of  educaConal  opCons   and   insCtuCons  for  
training   candidates.   This   will   help   candidates   connect   with   just   the   right  
people  to  help  them  receive  training.

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Positions
Available

Names   and   contact   informaCon  of   churches  
or   other   ministries   who   have   Internship   or  
Staff   posiCons   available.   This   will   help  
everyone   to   match   a   candidate   with   a  
posiCon  so  that  all  benefit.

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HOW IT WORKS

It’s all about numbers.   We   must   idenCfy   more   Hispanic   men   and   women  
more   quickly   and   on   a   larger   scale   so   that   we   have   a   larger   pool   of  
candidates.    We   must  help  these   men  and  women  receive  the  training  they  
need   to  become  effecCve  in  ministry.   And  we   must  have  places  for  them  to  
serve  once  they  have  been  trained.

The   focus   of   HLIConnect   is   sharing.   This   repository   allows   candidates,  
educaConal   insCtuCons,   and   local   churches   to   share   informaCon   and  
connect   with   each  other.   It   also   allows   local   churches   and   presbyteries   to  
follow   candidates   through   the   preparaCon   process,   providing   opportuniCes  
for  increased  partnership.    

Imagine   a   seminary  reading   the   profile   of  a   candidate   in   HLIConnect,   then  
contacCng  that  candidate,   assessing  his   or   her   needs,   and   then  helping  him  
or  her   to   get   started   in   the   training  he   or   she  needs.    At  the   same   Cme,   a  
local   PCA   church   desires   to   reach   the   Hispanic   community   around   their  
church  and  begins  looking  for  an  Hispanic   man  or  woman  to   help  them  with  
that.    They  come  to   HLIConnect  to  see  who  might  be  available  and   connect  
with  several  candidates  to  try  to  fill  that  posiCon.

Identifying Potential Candidates

We  are  looking  for  Hispanic   men  and  women  who   are  sensing   God’s  call  to  
future  ministry  and  who  possess  and  exhibit  the  following  characterisCcs:  
! A   love   for   Jesus   Christ,   demonstrated   in   a   growing   and   ongoing  

obedience  to  His  commands  and  a  love  for  His  body,  the  church;
! Bi-­‐cultural   awareness,   demonstrated   in  the   ability  to   build   relaConships  

across  cultural,  economical,  and  ethnic  divides;

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! GiNs   for  ministry,   as   demonstrated   in  a   desire   to   pursue   ministry   and   a  
history  of  fruibul  impact  for  the  Kingdom;      

! An  expressed  intenCon  to   pursue  ministry  in  the   Presbyterian  Church  in  
America  among  Hispanics  in  the  United  States;  

! A  commitment  to  the  values  of  HLI,  as  expressed  in  HLI’s  Vision,  Mission,  
and  Values  statements  (see  the  HLI  website);

! A  good  witness  to  the  world,  as  shown  by  living  in  obedience  to   the  civil  
magistrate.  

If   you   know   of   an   Hispanic   man   or   woman   who   fits   this   profile,   please  
contact   Gene   Bowman,   HLI   ExecuCve   Director,   915.892.4778   or  
[email protected],   so   that   we   can   get   them   into   the   database   and   begin  
helping  them  to  be  trained.

Educational Opportunities

We   need   the   help   of  PCA   seminaries   and   other   educaConal  insCtuCons   in  
providing   us   with  educaConal  tracks   and   degrees  for   our   candidates,   along  
with  scholarships  available  to   them.    We  also   need   regular  reports  from  them  
to  track  a  candidate’s  progress  while  in  training.

Positions Available

We   need   the   help   of   local   PCA   churches   and   other   ministries   in   posCng  
internship  and  staff  posiCons  that  the  church  or  ministry  has  to  offer.    

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KINGDOM BENEFITS

As  we   build   this   informaCon  exchange   together,   we  will  see   more   Hispanic  
men  and   women  available   for  leadership   posiCons  within  PCA  churches   and  
ministries.    
This  will  translate  into   more  leaders  who  are  equipped  to   take  the  gospel  to  
Hispanics  within  the  community  around  their  churches.    
And   by  God’s  grace  and   blessing,  this  will  translate  into  the  expansion  of  His  
Kingdom   throughout   the   United   States   and   the   rest   of   the   world,   to   His  
glory!

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TOMORROW’S  HISPANIC  LEADERS  FOR  CHRIST’S  CHURCH

www.hlipca.com