Protestant Latino Worship Practices Resource Guide

interviews with a variety of Protestant North American Latino worship leaders, musicians, and pastors, presented in both Spanish with English translation.

The goal of these interviews is to strengthen the ties that bind us together as part of Christ’s body, within and across various ethnic, denominational, and geographical lines. A crucial step in strengthening ties is that of increasing understanding—and that begins by listening.

This listening is especially important with respect to the Latino community in North America for several reasons:

Despite the growth of bilingualism in many communities, there remains a large language barrier between Spanish and English speaking members of Christ’s body.
Despite the huge numerical growth of Latino and Hispanic persons in the United States, Latino Christian voices remain under-represented in print, media, and internet sources.
The Latino community in the United States is marked by significant, often unacknowledged diversity—including 6th generation families and new immigrants (and everything in between), people from one of twenty or more countries, representatives of 30 or 40 or more denominational groups, movements, and pieties, and the unique contributions and sensibilities of each generation of worshipers.

All of this serves as an urgent invitation to listening and learning. Ultimately, this learning is best served by several kinds of sources: documentary films and newspaper articles, sociological studies and histories, and (best of all) many face-to-face conversations and experiences of worshiping together, in both Latino congregations and multi-cultural assemblies.

As the number of videos, internet resources, and academic studies of Latino Christianity continues to grow, these interviews make one modest, but still significant contribution: “in their own words testimonies” of a variety of leaders, whose unique insights help us feel the pulse of Latino communities.

We give thanks to Jaime Lázaro, a pastor and journalist form Colorado Springs, Colorado, who conducted these interviews, and to Juan Francisco Martinez, a historian, practical theologian, and seminary professor from Pasadena, California, who serves as a consultant to this learning project.

As you read these interviews, remember that they are designed to be stepping stones to further learning and conversation. As you read them, consider how you might answer these questions, consider who you might meet with to ask questions like these, write down the vignettes that you find thought-provoking, and consult the “additional resources” section of this page for ways of continuing your learning.
—John D. Witvliet, director
Calvin Institute of Christian Worship

Interviews

	Si no cambian despues de adorar Solo vinieron a hacer “aerobicos” If They Don't Change After Worship, Then They Just Came To Do Cardio
	La adoracion es la oportunidad para expresar gratitud a Dios Worship is the Opportunity to Express Gratitude to God
	Nuestra adoración está conectada a los milagros mas no a la encarnación Our worship is connected to miracles rather than to incarnation
	Elementos conectados con el machismo interfieren en la adoracion Components of Sexism Interfere with Worship
	Para el inmigrantes, la Iglesia es un santuario de proteccion, de refugio For Immigrants the Church is a Sanctuary of Protection and Refuge
	El quebrantamiento es un elemento importante en la Adoracion Brokenness Is an Important Element in Worship
	La iglesia se ha convertido en el muro de los lamentos The Church has become a Wailing Wall
	La musica es tan importante como la lirica Music Is Just As Important As Lyrics
	El ciclo de algunos adoradores famosos ha concluido The Time of Some Famous Worshipers Has Come to an End
	La verdadera adoracion es la expresion del conocimiento de Dios True Worship is the Act of Expressing Your Knowledge of God
	No se debe adorar desordenadamente porque el Señor es un Dios de orden Worship Should Not Be Done in a Disorderly Manner Because The Lord Is a God of Order
	El exito de la adoracion esta vinculada con la vida espiritual del adorador Success in Worship is Linked with the Spiritual Life of the Worshiper
	Marcos Witt habla de los cambios lricos y musicales en la adoracin de hispanos Marcos Witt on the change in music and lyrics of worship among Hispanics
	Luis Enrique Espinosa: La comercialización genera música con “masaje” en vez de mensaje Luis Enrique Espinosa on Commercialization generates music with “massage” instead of message.
	Doris Machín: “No es el género, sino el corazón lo que determina tu trabajo en el Señor” Doris Machin: "It is not one’s gender but one’s heart that defines one’s work in the Lord"
	Para Ericson, la música es un medio de salvación y motivación Ericson Alexander Molano: God Moves in the Midst of Praise and Worship
	Danilo Montero: “La Adoración está afinando el oído y el sentido musical de los Latinos” Danilo Montero: “Worship is tuning the Latino ear and musical sense”
	Tony Pérez en el silencio de Dios Tony Perez on the Silence of God
	Toda una vida promoviendo los intereses del Reino Juan Romero on what is the concept that God has for you
	El trabajo de Ingrid Rosario ha trascendido barreras culturales y sociales Ingrid Rosario on transcending cultural and social barriers
	En una discoteca Eddie Soto se reencontró con el Señor Eddie Soto on Reencountering God at a Nightclub