Archive for March, 2008

I graduated from SWBTS in 1992. In 1994 a few of us started meeting every year to “think together” on the issues that affected Hispanos.  We called it Network 2000 because that’s all it was … a loose network of friends who enjoyed thinking and talking about the same things … and because we planned on meeting only until the year 2000.  It’s been a while. I’m excited about thinking together again with my old friends from Network 2000 and with a bunch of new friends. 

After seminary I pastored a bilingual congregation in Corpus Christi for seven years.  I was active in the work of Convencion, Congreso, Hispanic Youth Camp, Hispanic Singles Camp, etc.  Over the last eight years I have pastored a wonderful congregation in McAllen that is predominately Anglo-American (95% when I got here).  I’ve been pretty much consumed with learning how to be the pastor of a church that is very different from what I had previously experienced.  All this to say … I feel somewhat “out of touch” with what is happening in the “Hispanic Baptist” world.  I continue to go to Convencion … but I still feel out of touch. 

For this reason … I will probably have a lot more questions than answers or advice.  I would love to get straight to the questions (always a good way to get a conversation started) … but feel a need to catch up with old friends … and get to know my knew friends a little better.  For this reason I’d like to ask each of the writers on this blog to please give me a brief synopsis of your life, call, and ministry experience.  It would really help me on the journey we are taking together …

I’ll be glad to start …

My name is Eleazar (Ellis) Orozco. I was born in Houston, Texas on October 4, 1961 to Antonio Alvardo Orozco and Carmen Flores Orozco.  My father was originally from Monterrey, and my mother from Houston.  I accepted the Lord as my Savior at the age of 14 and was baptized in the church I grew up in, Templo Bautista, South Houston.  I graduated from South Houston High School, where I played football, ran track, and chased cheerleaders (I didn’t catch very many).  I graduated from Texas A&M University (where they don’t have cheerleaders) with a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering.  I worked as an Engineer in Houston for a few years before God called me to ministry.  I earned an M.Div. from SWBTS and a D.Min. from Truett Seminary. 

I met my wife Priscilla (Castro) Orozco while I was at SWBTS. She graduated from Baylor University with a degree in Elementary Education.  She is a school teacher.  Her father is a retired pastor (Marcos Castro) and her mother, Ruby, went to be with the Lord when Priscilla was only 12 years old.  My wife comes from a wonderful Christian family and I am truly blessed that she married me.  We have three children … Gabriel (15), Michael (10), and Celeste (9).  Gabriel is a freshmen in high schoold and is beginning to carry on the legacy of chasing cheerleaders.  I think he’s going to catch a lot more than I did.  Michael is brilliant, and Celeste is beautiful (like her mother). 

Along the way I was Youth Minister at … Templo Bautista (South Houston), Primera Iglesia Bautista (Fort Worth), and Iglesia Bautista Getsemani (Fort Worth) – B.J. (before julio).  I’ve pastored two churches: Iglesia Bautista Gollihar (Corpus Christi) for 7 years, and Calvary Baptist Church (McAllen) for the last 8 years.  They are both wonderful churches with some of the greatest Christians I have ever met.  Calvary has some of the strongest and most brilliant leaders in the entire Valley.  I am truly lucky to be their pastor.

I look forward to reading a little about each of you. 

Blessings,

Ellis

Our youth were a part of Congreso this year, and as every year I am always grateful for how God uses this event to impact lives. Our kids and adults came back encouraged, challenged, closer as a group, and sleep deprived (for some reason the only time you’re allowed to sleep at Congreso is the ride up there and the ride back). Several of our youth made commitments and really felt God speaking to them. Thank you Frank and Angie for all your work, may the Lord continue to bless you and your ministry.

For a few weeks now we have been covering the book of Acts during our Wednesday night small group, here at Community Heights. My goal as the facilitator has been to show how this group of believers in Christ worked together to impact their world, and how that impact has touched generations to even today. I am excited about this new blog because I believe it is so much more than a bunch of ministers jotting down their ideas. I believe it is the beginning for us to work together to impact our world and generations to come with the same Gospel the First Century Church impacts lives with. My prayer is that when history looks back on what we did, they will be able to tell all we did was a Cool Rewind.  

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