¡Hola! ¡Hola!

That’s a greeting I hear in my congregation every Sunday. Maybe you’re hearing it too. Hispanics (or Latinos) now make up 17 percent of the U.S. population, and that number is expected to rise dramatically in the next generation. Of course those statistics represent actual people—people you may encounter in your church or community.

By the way, some struggle with the terms Latino and Hispanic—which is better? Latino has a geographical sense (from Latin America, including Brazil) and Hispanic a linguistic one (Spanish-speaker, including Spain). As with every identity marker, this is a concept under construction and there are many regional differences and personal preferences. Aware of this and with great respect, I use these terms interchangeably.

As a Latino church leader myself, I’ve sought effective ways to minister to people in this wide-ranging culture. But I’ve also been struck by the ways they have ministered to me. There are unique aspects of Latino culture that open up key biblical themes.

You may be strategizing an outreach to the Latinos in your community, and that’s great. But why not take a moment and let them reach you? The Latino experience can suggest fresh ways to look at the Bible text.

1. ¡Una familia! (We are all one family)

Latinos take care of each other. Whether working hard to send money back home or choosing to live near the extended family, this deep cultural commitment to those related to us by blood is close to the biblical model. It brings alive to me the rich biblical imagery of family. In Romans 8:15, Paul reminds us of the spirit of adoption that empowers us to call God “Father,” so it follows that we are all brothers and sisters. No one is left out.

• God is our Father: Yet there is for us only one God, the Father, who is the Creator of all things and for whom we live… (1 Corinthians 8:6a GNT)
• We are his big familia: So then, you Gentiles are not foreigners or strangers any longer; you are now citizens together with God’s people and members of the family of God. (Ephesians 2:19 GNT)
• No one should be left out: Our God, from your sacred home you take care of orphans and protect widows. You find families for those who are lonely. (Psalm 68:5-6a CEV)

Question: Latino culture calls for sacrifices (sometimes financial or geographical) as concrete ways of caring for one’s family. Are we caring for God’s family in concrete ways?

2. ¡De paso! (Just passing through)

For Latinos in the United States, many of our family members—and often we ourselves—come from other places. It’s natural for us to view life as a journey. In fact, this notion permeates everything we do and sing. Our nomadic experience has stirred up the awareness that we are just passing through. Every passionate song an immigrant sings, every adventure recounted, echoes the great biblical narrative of humanity’s journey toward God.

• Called out by God
  The Lord said to Abram, “Leave your country, your relatives, and your father’s home, and go to a land that I am going to show you. (Genesis 12:1 GNT)
• No permanent city
  For there is no permanent city for us here on earth; we are looking for the city which is to come. (Hebrews 13:14 GNT)
• God is our home
  And after I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to myself, so that you will be where I am. (John 14:3 GNT)

Question: Hispanics have learned from their particular experience that life is a journey. Am I bypassing this adventure and just trying to settle in?

3. Dios proveerá (God will provide)

When I visit families in hospitals or at their homes, I hear this phrase all the time. When we Hispanics talk about the difficulties we face, we often conclude, “But God will provide.” This affirmation, first spoken by Abraham in the midst of a crisis in his life (Genesis 22:8), is a key to the faith of Latinos. No matter the problem, the Word of God reminds us that God will provide what we need every step of the way.

• God knows
  …Your Father already knows what you need before you ask him. (Matthew 6:8 GNT)
• God cares
  For only a penny you can buy two sparrows, yet not one sparrow falls to the ground without your Father’s consent. As for you, even the hairs of your head have all been counted. So do not be afraid; you are worth much more than many sparrows! (Matthew 10:29-31 GNT)
• God provides
  And with all his abundant wealth through Christ Jesus, my God will supply all your needs. (Philippians 4:19 GNT)

Question: In difficult moments they may have, Hispanics are reminded by their culture to trust in God’s providential love. What can we do to build such trust in ourselves and our congregations?

As we rediscover with new eyes the biblical images of God as our Father (Matthew 6:9), our home (John 14:2), and our provider (Genesis 22:13-14), we realize that Latinos highlight the wider diversity of the human family. Every culture has a unique way to live and articulate its relationship with God. Every time a greeting is voiced in a cross-cultural encounter, the opportunity arises to grow closer to God, since every human face reveals God’s image.