Catalyst Track: When Faith Catches Fire // Day Three

This track comes from the new book, When Faith Catches Fire, by Samuel Rodriguez and Dr. Robert Crosby.

Latino Christians are catching the fire. In many ways they are changing their world today. In fact, Latino Evangelicals, “up from 14 percent in 2006 to 18 percent in 2013,” are the “fastest-growing religious group in the country.”1

There is just something about their faith in God and the ways so many of them experience it, practice it, embrace it, and live it that I find absolutely compelling. There is a passion burning in the souls of so many Latino Christians today, blazing trails of local, regional, national, and global change.

The change isn’t coming. It’s here.

But far too many churches, pastors, Christians, leaders, government officials, and others have not yet ac­knowledged what is growing up all around them.

This 3-day track is your opportunity to 1) learn about the spiritual trends happening in the Latino church and, 2) evaluate how your church or organization can be a part of them, and 3) take action!

Whether you’re a leader in a Latino organization or church, or your faith community finds itself mostly removed from the Latino church, now is the time to recognize how this part of the Church can uniquely serve and lead the whole body of Christ!

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Day 3 – Family & Leadership

 

Question 3: What’s in This for My Family?

Latinos are hungry to find churches that are family focused, that value the family and help them build and enrich their families’ lives. Similar to the Aguayos and Salvemos a la Familia, growing churches are finding ways to help build, enrich, and grow families. They are tending to the relational circles of family, church, and community. They are building circles of honor.

Latinos are known as being family oriented. Since this is true, they often work their jobs not just for their own provision but also for that of other family members and other generations, and in other countries. Many of them work hard to support the well-being of their siblings and parents, and in some cases their grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins.

 

Question 4: Will You Lead Me with Humility or Just Authority?

Next-Gen Latinos don’t want to be driven; they want to be led, led by leaders they can respect and look up to. Hierarchical or autocratic approaches are fall­ing flat with emerging Latino generations today.

While they certainly desire bold and prophetic leadership, they will increasingly respond less favorably to heavy-handed and manipulative leaders. We believe the kind of leaders they will respond to the best are teaming leaders, those who are more focused on empowering others than on being empowered themselves.

Latinos tend to value humility in their leaders. In some Latino cultures, overconfidence can be interpreted as directness, abrasiveness, and even arrogance. Rather, Latinos place a premium on humility among their leaders and the quality of maintaining harmony among the team. Thus, a humble manager with empathy toward employees may be viewed as more “suc­cessful” than the more seemingly self-assured manager and respected leader.

REFLECT/CHALLENGE:

Question 3: How do you think the Latino emphasis on family uniquely contributes to the Church and kingdom of God?

Question 4: Whether you’re a pastor of a predominantly Latino church or not, think of the Next-Gen Latinos you interact with (or maybe should start interacting with). How will you purposefully position yourself to empower them this week? It could be starting a long-term mentoring relationship or just a simple, one-time interaction.