Reconnected: Campestre Hispano Concludes Successful Weekend, Inspires Intentional Witnessing

Paola mora zepeda

Roger Hernandez, Southern Union ministerial and evangelism director, speaks to the crowd during this year’s annual Campestre Hispano. Campestre Hispano is a weekend of revival prepared for the Spanish-speaking community of the Kentucky-Tennessee Conference.

Paola Mora Zepeda

Audience responds to the message by Roger Hernandez. Hernandez preached about the importance of reaching out to those who have left the Church.

Paola Mora Zepeda

Campestre Hispano was livestreamed on Facebook, YouTube, and Ross Video. By the end of the event, 43,866 viewers had tuned in to watch.

Paola Mora Zepeda

Southern Union Ministerial and Evangelism Director Roger Hernandez speaks to the crowd during this year’s annual Campestre Hispano. Campestre Hispano is a weekend of revival prepared for the Spanish-speaking community in KYTN.

Paola Mora Zepeda

Kentucky-Tennessee Conference’s Hispanic churches concluded the annual Campestre Hispano on June 11-12, 2021. It was a weekend revival full of worship prepared for the Spanish-speaking community. More than 200 individuals attended in person at the Nashville First Hispanic Church, and an additional 43,866 joined online.

This year’s Camp Meeting theme was “Reconecta2” (Reconnected). It was chosen in an effort to revitalize the church after a year full of challenges.

“Due to the pandemic, unfortunately, we have found that many people have disconnected from the church,” said Armando De León, Conference Hispanic ministries coordinator. “There are many things that are hindering the church growth, so we wanted to encourage and reunite the community.”

Guest speakers included Roger Hernandez, Southern Union ministerial and evangelism director, and Kathy Hernandez, Southern Union ministerial and evangelism coordinator. The Hernandezes used the acronym RAMP (Revising, Abandoning, Ministering, and Preparing) to illustrate how church members need to make active efforts in reaching out to those who no longer attend church.

“We need to be intentional to look for those who left …,” Roger Hernandez said. “Many left because they did not find the support and love they needed in the Church. We need to apologize and send them a message that we want to change. We want to improve.”

The program was livestreamed on Facebook, YouTube, and Ross Video. A video series can also be found on Hernandez’s YouTube channel, @Roger Hernandez.

Andréz Pérez Alonzo, Nashville First Hispanic Church deacon, says the program inspired him to take action.

“[The message] made me to think of my friends who got baptized in the Church but no longer come,” Alonzo said. “I’ve been praying, and I’ve actually started contacting some of them.”

De León says he hopes the impact of the meetings are longterm.

“Our target was that each individual allows Jesus to become a reality in their life,” De León said. “[Moving forward], the goal is that we reconnect with one another, God, and the mission of the Church.”

Kentucky-Tennessee | August 2021