LifeWay Spanish resources promote unity, strengthens Hispanic church in Brooklyn

Jul 25, 2006

Robin Arias leads the youth 12-15 Sunday school class April 30 at Iglesia Evangelica Misionera de Brooklyn. The youth class is the only group at the church that uses English. LifeWay photo

BROOKLYN, N.Y. (LCR)—The long florescent tubes splash greenish hues across the face of Felipe Arias as he lifts his large black Bible from the pulpit to above his head. Arias is not a large man but his booming voice commands attention as it fills the narrow cinder-block church that was once an auto repair garage.

“It is hard but we have to be willing to learn the Word of God and apply it to every area of our lives,” he tells the 70 or so worshippers. “We spend a lot of time talking about fashion, or celebrities, or baseball and other things, but we must talk about biblical things. We learn about these other things but we must learn the Bible. Our conversations need to be more about Christ than these other things that don’t matter.”

Felipe Arias, pastor of Iglesia Evangelica Misionera de Brooklyn, says he personally studies through materials before presenting them to the church. Lifeway photp

Arias, a native of the Dominican Republic, has been pastor of Iglesia Evangelica Misionera de Brooklyn (Brooklyn [New York] Missionary Evangelical Church) for 23 of the church’s 28 years. The church has grown over the past few years but growth is beginning to come more quickly and with greater spiritual depth.

“We are gaining new members through new converts and people moving to this country,” he said, then added with a smile, “and through natural growth. We have lots of babies being born.

“But I am also seeing a great deal of change in the spiritual growth of our members. They are really studying the Bible and LifeWay [Christian Resources] has been a big part of that.”

Biblical principles foster growth, unity

During the Sunday School hour at Iglesia Evangelica Misionera de Brooklyn, adult classes throughout the church study the Spanish translation of Survival Kit, a discipleship course from LifeWay Christian Resources. LifeWay photo

The entire church is currently studying Survival Kit, which helps Christians apply biblical principles to every area of their lives, and MasterLife, designed to help Christians mature in their relationship with God.

“I study everything first for myself before introducing it into the church,” Arias said. “We’ve had a number of different products in the past, but the LifeWay resources have a lot of meat on the bones.”

Iliana Granya, director of Christian education for the church, said the majority of the church’s membership participates in the studies, including nightly small groups that meet Monday through Friday to study the Bible through the two resources.

“I can definitely see the difference it has made in all the age groups of the church,” she said. “I can see the difference it has made in my own life. It is obvious to see how the church is becoming more spiritually grounded in Scripture and I believe it is because of the material’s emphasis on the Word of God.”

Globally focused, locally relevant

Iliana Granya worships during Iglesia Evangelica Misionera's praise and worship time. Granya, who heads the education department at the Brooklyn church, says literature from LifeWay is transforming her life as well as the lives of other church members. LifeWay photo

Hearing of the transformation taking place at the church is music to Ralph Tone’s ears. Tone is a regional consultant in LifeWay’s international department. Until recently, LifeWay International, which publishes resources in more than 80 languages, focused on training and providing resources for churches in Latin America and around the world. But with the significant increase in the number of internationals — primarily Hispanics — living in the United States, and the growth of ethnic churches affiliating with the Southern Baptist Convention, LifeWay International saw an opportunity to meet a growing need by churches for resources.

During the Sunday School hour at Iglesia Evangelica Misionera de Brooklyn, adult classes throughout the church study the Spanish translation of Survival Kit, a discipleship course from LifeWay Christian Resources. The church has also studied MasterLife. LifeWay photo

Tone first met Arias in October 2005 at a training conference in the Bronx (New York) hosted by LifeWay International. Arias serves as the northeast’s General Director of Hispanic work for the Missionary Evangelical Church. After sitting through the day-long training event, Arias asked Tone if he could host a similar event at his church. Tone made the trip to Brooklyn in December.

“We always tailor the workshops for exactly what the pastor of a church feels the church needs the most,” Tone said. “Our whole focus is to find a way to support the work of the local church in helping people grow deeper in their relationship with Christ.”

Tone, who served for more than 10 years as a missionary in Latin America, sees what LifeWay International does in equipping ethnic churches in America as an opportunity to touch the people of the world.

“I remember in one Hispanic church teaching through Beth Moore’s Breaking Free and a woman just began to cry,” he said. “She told me later that she had experienced some of the same things as in the study and that God was speaking to her through the lesson. I go into every seminar praying that the Lord will dramatically change lives. I mean, what is the point in flying out to Los Angeles if you don’t expect lives to be changed?”

Unity through maturity

Church members prepare tostados for the rest of the church before beginning the second worship service. The 20-minute break affords members the opportunity to fellowship, building an already close-knit community. LifeWay photo

Tone said demographics reveal that the largest Mexican city behind Mexico City is Los Angeles. New York, Miami and Chicago all have large Hispanic populations. Helping churches mature in biblical understanding is an opportunity to help them fulfill the Great Commission right here in the United States.

“So many of the Latino pastors have the calling from God but not many of them have much formal training,” he said. “We can help them become better pastors and leaders and help their churches become more committed believers. Through our ministry we have the opportunity to help develop healthy local churches.”

Arias believes LifeWay’s influence is already revealing itself in his church.

“We have a goal to increase the number of people who are involved in discipleship by 100 by the end of this year and by 500 within five years,” he said. “I believe that will happen if we spend more time in the Bible than on learning the superficial things in our culture. LifeWay’s material is helping us mature as a church to turn outward and reach people with the Gospel.”

RESOURCES
• Survival Kit: 5 Keys to Effective Spiritual Growth helps new and growing Christians understand and deal with conflicts between old and new patterns of thoughts and habits. Survival Kit Two: Living Your Christian Values has been updated and edited into a 6-week study. Both are available at www.LifeWay.com
•The four-part MasterLife book series is available at www.LifeWay.com as a set with slip case. MasterLife is appropriate for both new Christians and experienced believers.
•Breaking Free by Beth Moore is a study of selected passages from the Book of Isaiah. It is available at www.LifeWay.com.