Ministry News

Churches Solving the Dropout Dilemma

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Monday, 06 July 2009 17:13

With the high school dropout rate among Hispanic teens rising, congregations throughout Texas are responding with more than just prayers or donations. More than 1,100 Hispanic churches recently put their faith in action by pledging to become training centers for students hoping to get their GED.

The Baptist General Convention of Texas (BGCT), which those Hispanic churches are part of, announced last week a community outreach plan that involves establishing online learning centers at each of the congregations represented and providing free educational counseling to potential dropouts. In a state with the fastest growing Hispanic population, the BGCT estimates its Latino membership to be around 125,000, and many outside observers claim the group's specific focus on Hispanic education marks a first for a large Protestant group.

Although Texas Baptists have been involved in education—including among Latino communities—for more than 150 years, 2005 marked the first time the BGCT, under its first Hispanic president, Albert Reyes, began specifically targeting the schooling dilemma among Hispanics. Last week Reyes' brother, Gus, who is leading the BGCT's new initiative, announced plans for every Hispanic BGCT church to provide a GED prep program and a volunteer education coordinator to help teens thinking about dropping out of school, as well as teens and adults with questions regarding college admission and financial aid.

Gus Reyes reiterated that the BGCT's main mission is still evangelism, but added, "If you put a Bible in their hand, and they can't read it, that doesn't help anybody." [dallasnews.com, 7/3/09]