wfn.org | ABCUSA: Cortez is Nominee for Executive Director of International

["SCHRAMM, Richard" <Richard.Schramm@abc-usa.org>]

Ministries

American Baptist News Service (Valley Forge, Pa. 4/7/03)--The Rev. Hictor M.
Cortez, associate executive director for Community Transformation and
Justice for American Baptist National Ministries, has been named the nominee
for the position of executive director of American Baptist International
Ministries.  Cortez, a commissioned American Baptist home missionary, has
long served as a denominational leader in the development of multicultural
and cross-cultural ministries within American Baptist Churches USA.  

Cortez's name will be presented to the Board of International Ministries for
action when that board meets this June in Richmond, Va.  If elected, Cortez
will succeed the Rev. Dr. John A. Sundquist, who will be retiring this
August after 15 years of leadership.  Cortez was the choice of a search
committee chaired by American Baptist Churches USA General Secretary the
Rev. Dr. A. Roy Medley.

Cortez has served since 1998 as associate executive director of National
Ministries, initially for Biblical Justice. He has been responsible for the
work of the following home mission programs: Reconciliation Ministries,
Socially Responsible Investing and Ecology, Economic Justice, Legislative
Advocacy, Family Life Ministries and Small Church Ministries, Direct Human
Services, Community-based Ministries and American Baptist Homes and
Hospitals.  

Under the leadership of Cortez a successful partnership was established with
the American Baptist Churches of the South to sponsor New Life Florida, a
denominational strategy for growing and developing congregations in Florida.

Cross-cultural ministry has always been a focus of his work.  As interim
senior minister and pastor of the Hispanic Congregation at North Shore
Baptist Church, Chicago, from 1986-1990 he served Euro-Americans, Filipinos,
Japanese, Hispanics and others.  As area minister in Southeast Massachusetts
from 1990-1995 he served 91 churches encompassing African-American,
Portuguese/Brazilian, Hispanic and Chinese congregations.  He has been
involved in mission projects in Mexico, Nicaragua, Germany, Australia, Cuba,
Spain and South Africa.  

He also is leading National Ministries' effort to identify and minister to
emerging immigrant groups within the US.
 
Cortez joined National Ministries staff in 1995, and as director of
Hispanic/Latino/Haitian Ministries from 1995 to 1998 he developed leadership
and strengthened congregations to enable National Ministries and other
American Baptist groups to respond positively to the challenges emerging
from the various Hispanic/Latino communities.  He served as National
Ministries' liaison with the American Baptist Hispanic Caucus, Spanish
American Baptist Seminary and the Hispanic Executive Staff Council.  He also
related to and supported American Baptist Haitian and Brazilian/Portuguese
ministries and churches.

Cortez provided leadership for the six-year Hispanic initiative called
"Visisn 2001," an endeavor to plant churches, reach new believers and
produce resources for spiritual growth, Christian education and theological
training, stewardship and mission. The initiative laid groundwork for the
denominational growth and renewal emphasis called NEW LIFE 2010.

His ministry experience includes service and as pastor/director of Kansas
City Hispanic Ministries from 1984-1986.

Cortez holds the M.Div. degree from Garrett-Evangelical Seminary, Evanston,
Ill., and the B.A. from Judson College, Elgin, Ill.  He currently is
enrolled in the Doctor of Ministry Degree program at McCormick Theological
Seminary, Chicago.

International Ministries, whose overseas ministries began in 1814, currently
is guided by a 10-year strategic plan, Go Global, that focuses its work in
several areas: Evangelism and Discipleship, Christ-like Mission, Equipping
Leaders, Mission Education, Urban Mission and Mission Explosion.

Board of International Ministries President the Rev. Dr. Kirkpatrick G.
Cohall said: "Hictor Cortez will be able to sustain and implement the kind
of leadership necessary for International Ministries to fulfill its
commitment to Go Global.  He is a gifted and talented leader with a wide
array of experience that undoubtedly has prepared him for this important
task within our denomination.  I strongly believe the American Baptist
Foreign Mission Society will be greatly blessed by his leadership."

American Baptist Churches USA General Secretary the Rev. Dr. A. Roy Medley
also expressed enthusiasm for Cortez: "Hictor Cortez has provided effective
and inspired leadership in a wide range of ministries that are at the core
of our American Baptist witness and outreach.  He is motivator and a
visionary, a man of deep faith in Jesus Christ who has responded decisively
to God's call to service.  He is an inspired choice to lead International
Ministries as it implements its Go Global plan for Christ-centered global
mission within the changing paradigms of multicultural witness.  I commend
his selection to the Board of International Ministries as it prayerfully
considers its future leadership."

K/2003ABNS/03ABN51

American Baptist News Service: Office of Communication, American Baptist
Churches USA, P.O. Box 851, Valley Forge, PA 19482-0851; (800)ABC-3USA x2077
/ (610)768-2077; fax: (610)768-2320; www.abc-usa.org;
richard.schramm@abc-usa.org