Convención Nacional Cristiana in Dallas

Last week I attended the Convención Nacional Cristiana in Dallas, Texas. It is a national convention of Spanish-speaking churches affiliated with the Church of Christ/Christian Church, similar in purpose to the North American Christian Convention. I had previously attended the convention in 2005, when it was held in Tulsa, Oklahoma, but was working behind the scenes at that convention with a group from College Hts. Church in Joplin, as an aid to the Spanish-speaking congregation that meets at Christview Christian Church in Tulsa, where my son was on staff.

This convention I had no organizational responsibilities. I was able to enjoy the convention, as well as to represent OCC. There was a Bible Bowl-like competition, as part of the youth program, and OCC awarded scholarships to the winners. A girl on the 1st-place team (from Dodge City, KS) wants to come to OCC, so that was pretty cool.

Overall, I was very impressed with the convention. The sermons that were preached in the adult sessions I was able to attend were excellent, and demonstrated both scholarship and the ability to "throw down" (as young preachers are wont to say). I migrated back and forth between the youth and the adult sessions. My son was leading worship in the youth sessions, which he did with the excellence I expect from him.

Next year's convention will be held in San Antonio, TX (July 22-24). The local president is Dámaso García, the minister at the Bellaire Christian Church in San Antonio. I first met him in 1992, when a group called RED (Redacción, Edición, Distribución) met together for the first time, to discuss the need for quality publication of Christian books in Spanish. Now, 15 years later, his son, Ismael, works with my son in the planning and execution of the youth sessions of this convention.

I was very impressed with the team from the hispanic congregation at Valley View Christian Church (which hosted the event). Under the leadership of their Spanish minister, David Gallegos, all who attended were well cared for.

Soli Deo Gloria.