Archive for February 12th, 2009

I have enjoyed reading Dr. Albert Reyes’ post about Dr. Rudy Sanchez here and on his pandulce blog. I have also enjoyed the articles published in the Baptist Standard and on the North Dallas Family Church website. (See links to these below).

Bro. Rudy was not my pastor but he was nevertheless an encourager and his ministry has blessed me in so many ways. I first came in contact with Bro. Rudy Sanchez as I attended Convención each year as a young man. I was encouraged by his no-nonsense assertiveness. I watched him as he interacted with people, as he spoke from the platform (whether preaching, speaking as a messenger, or leading as the president) and noticed his enthusiasm for the Lord’s work, his concern for our youth and singles, and his determination to advance the cause of the kingdom. He would often honor those Hispanic leaders who had come a generation or two before him. He referred to them as “Los paladines de la obra bautista en Texas” (a graphic image of a champion knight to refer to the heroic service of those pioneers of the Baptist work among Hispanics in Texas). Though he referred to people of the caliber of Josue Grijalva, Leobardo Estrada, Ignacio Gonzalez, Carlos Paredes, Fortunato Gonzalez and others who came before them, I count Dr. Sanchez as one of those “paladines.” His desire to work across denominations and vocational domains to advance the cause of Christ, his ability to relate cross-culturally in the denomination, and his tireless efforts to see Hispanic work on the same playing field as its Anglo compliment mark him as such. We were all proud the day that Dr. Albert Reyes was elected the first Hispanic president of the BGCT, but it was a few years before that Dr. Rudy Sanchez broke ground by becoming the first Hispanic chairman of the executive board of the same institution!

Bro. Rudy Sanchez encouraged me with affection and words. He would see me at denominational events, spoke words of encouragement to me and hugged me with affection. That was significant to me. I saw him doing that with other young ministers also. He had a deep sense of connection with those who had come before him and those who were coming after him. He made it known that he was confident about the leadership that God has raised among us. May we be encouragers to those God is raising up and will raise up after us!

Though not explicitly stated below, Dr. Sanchez was also pastor of Primera in Fort Worth. This is significant because it is during his pastorate there that he met and married Hna. Ruth. It is significant to me because many of the members of my congregation were members of Primera then and remember him fondly. In fact, because of this connection, I have had the privilege of celebrating wedding anniversaries and officiating funerals for families in my church that loved him and whom he loved also. On one occasion, a family in Fort Worth that had not attended any church for many years asked him to officiate a funeral. Bro. Rudy agreed but asked if I could also officiate. This was his way of lovingly connecting a family with a local church. It was also a way of his communicating to me his trust of my pastoral leadership. It has been about ten years since this incident and that family continues to attend Getsemani faithfully every Sunday. What a lesson in pastoral ministry!

I am grateful to the Lord for the opportunity to have known Bro. Rudy, to have been encouraged by him and to learn from his leadership.

Julio S. Guarneri, pastor

Iglesia Bautista Getsemani

Fort Worth

On Saturday, I learned that my former pastor, Dr. Rudy Sanchez passed away in Dallas, Texas. He served as pastor of Primera Iglesia Bautista (First Mexican Baptist Church) of Corpus Christi, Dallas, Bryan, and Trinity Baptist Church of Houston. He is survived by his wife Ruth, two daughters: Rhoda (Rev. Vincent Gonzales) and Rebekah (Chris Layne) and three sons: Reggie Sánchez, Scottie Sánchez, and Herman Splatt.

Dr. Rudy Sanchez

The Memorial Service will be held on Thursday, February 12, 2009 at 7pm at Northway Baptist Church in Dallas and an Interment Service will be held at 10 am on Friday, February 13th at Rest Land Cemetery in Dallas.

I would not normally write about a personal friend on this blog. However, Bro. Rudy was my pastor when I answered a call to vocational ministry in 1974. I walked forward in the service during a revival to respond to an invitation to vocational ministry. I felt the Lord moving my heart in that service. Bro. Rudy took me under his wing and put me to work, immediately. He affirmed my fragile sense of calling and put me to work taking me at my word and heart. He gave me a responsibility in the children’s ministry, youth ministry and within one year provided an opportunity to preach my first sermon in a public congregational service. If you have heard me preach lately, you have heard me recount that experience. About 34 years have passed by and I am still preaching the same gospel. I am one of many of his sons in the ministry to include Frank Palos, Dr. Gus Reyes, Dr. Delfino Aleman, Joe Rojo, Charlie Diaz, Dr. Ellis Orozco, and the list goes on. There are many who will read this blog and will also add their names to the list of those who were formed for vocational ministry under Dr. Sánchez’ leadership or influenced by his life and ministry.

I have been asked to participate in the funeral services as one of the ministers to remember his life and ministry. Bro. Rudy taught several lessons through his example. He taught me to see the community as his parish rather than merely the congregation that met on Sunday. He demonstrated the value of engaging pastors and priests of other denominations while fiercely advancing the Baptist vision of Kingdom work. He never forgot his life journey as an orphan and found ways to serve the least of these: the orphan, the widow, the poor, the sick, the prisoner, and the oppressed. He taught me how to love the larger Baptist family and demonstrated that you enact change by personal involvement rather than critiquing from a distance. He taught me to expect much from the Texas Baptist Family and to dream for better days to advance the Kingdom. Most of all, he taught me how to be a pastor by taking the time to attend an awards ceremony at my high school Navy Reserve Officers Training Corps. He made time for me. To this day, I remain amazed but remembered how important it was for me to have my pastor there. I tried to replicate that value in my pastoral ministry but I am sure I missed of few of those divine appointments. Please take time to pray for Bro. Rudy’s family: Ruth, Rhoda, Vincent, Rebekah, Reggie, Scottie, Herman and their grandchildren as they remember their dad and grandpa.

Written by: Dr. Albert Reyes

Other articles written on Dr. Rudy Sanchez
Baptist Standard
North Dallas Family