Dr. Varela, Interim Associate for SLM

     Julio Varela is our Interim Associate for the Spanish Language Ministry.  This position which was a full-time position and became vacant in 2019 is now a part-time position in our 2020 budget.  It is interim because its future depends on the development of the full-time Pastor for SLM position (see explanation about that below).

     I am so thankful that Dr. Varela accepted my invitation to fill this need during this important time of transition for our church.

     Our Constitution and Bylaws spells out the process for calling pastoral staff and for hiring support staff.  In the interest of continuity and effectiveness, the Lead (Senior) Pastor is given the responsibility to hire interim pastoral staff (Article II.II.E.1, p. 9).  You can access Article II of CBC's Constitution (Staff and Employees) here.  We are blessed that in God's timing Bro. Varela was available and willing to accept this assignment.

     Julio Varela's is a pastor and professor whose ministry objective is to make disciples by teaching them the Word of God: "I believe equipping spiritual leaders helps fulfill the Great Commission."  Bro. Varela is originally from Torreón, Coahuila, Mexico and has served as,

• Pastor of Student Ministries at Grace Bible Church in Colorado Springs, Colorado
• Adjunct Professor at Grace School of Theology (July 2018 to date), teaching classes online
• Professor and staff, including having the role of IT director and Registrar, at Rio Grande Bible Institute in Edinburg, Texas (July 2007--May 2019)
• Pastor of the Hispanic Ministry at Open Door Bible Church, Belton, Missouri (2003-2007)
• Computer programmer and analyst at Aluprint S.A. de C.V., San Luis Potosi, SLP, Mexico (1996-2001)

     The Varela's, Julio and Alma, have been members of Calvary, where they have served in the teaching and worship ministry since 2015.  Bro. Varela's education includes,

• Computer Systems Engineer degree from Instituto Tecnológico de la Laguna, Torreón, Coahuila, Mexico, 1996
• Diploma with emphasis in Theology from Rio Grande Bible Institute, Edinburg, Texas, 2003
• Master of Arts in Christian Theology and Master of Divinity, Pastoral Studies, Calvary Bible College and Theological Seminary, Kansas City, Missouri, 2007
• Ph. D. in Theology at Piedmont Baptist College, Winston Salem, North Carolina, 2017

     As Part-Time Interim Associate for Spanish Language Ministries at Calvary, Dr. Varela is responsible to the Lead Pastor for providing pastoral care and leadership support in assigned areas of the Spanish Language Ministry, including, among other things,

• Serving as the pastoral liaison to Spanish Language ABFs (Grupos de Conexión)
• Preaching in the Spanish Language service on occasion (see my post on the preaching team plan here)
• Conducting pastoral counseling sessions and make hospital visits as needed or requested
• Visiting with new member prospects and support the new member process, including baptizing new believers
• Assisting in funeral services and weddings as requested
• Teaching in the Spanish Language training institute on Wednesday nights
• Serving as the pastoral liaison to WIT en español

     We ask that you pray for Julio & Alma Varela while they continue to serve here at Calvary and for God's discernment and direction for both their's and Calvary's future.

     The position that Dr. Rolando D. Aguirre held, Pastor for Spanish Language Ministry and D-Team Leader, is a full-time position and is it currently vacant.  This position needs to change in title, responsibility and scope.  The position and the profile for this position will look very different from the one Pastor Rolando filled.  I am working with the personnel committee to revise the job description, the title and the profile.  Once it is ready we will present it to the church so that a search committee can be elected by the church, hopefully at our April 19 Church in Conference.  (See Article II.II.2, p. 8 for CBC's search committee's bylaws provision).

     Once the Full-Time position is restructured, the part-time associate for SLM position may either change or stay the same.  That remains to be determined.  At that point the associate position will go from interim to permanent and the appropriate process to fill it will be followed.  So there are two different position under development:

1. Pastor for Spanish Language Ministries (full-time), and
2. Associate for Spanish Language Ministries (part-time)

Bro Varela is filling the second one on an iterim basis.  Please pray for this process.

     
     I am confident that God has great things this year and in the future for our Spanish Language Ministry and for Calvary in general.  May we make disciple-makers.  May His kingdom be extended.  May God receive the glory!