Hispanic Pastor Meet & Greet
Thursday, April 20, 2023, 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Greetings Church Family,
The Hispanic Ministriy Search Team and Pastor Noel enthusiastically and unanimously recommend Vick Martinez as our Pastor of Hispanic Ministries.
Vick, his wife, Andrea, and their two children Victor (16) and Valentina (12), will be here April 20-23. We invite you to come meet them and hear Vick’s testimony, the story of his call to ministry, and learn of his desire to reach the lost for Christ and to disciple believers. We will have a church-wide fellowship on Thursday, April 20 at 6:00 pm in the Fellowship Hall. We will provide finger food and refreshments sufficient for those who do not have time to eat dinner before the event. The schedule for the evening will be as follows:
- 6:00pm - Informal fellowship to meet the family and visit
- 6:30pm - Vick, Andrea, Victor, and Valentina will all speak briefly
- 7:00pm - Pastor Noel will interview Vick
- 7:30pm - Dismiss – The family will remain as long as necessary to meet and visit with our congregation
This is a wonderful opportunity to hear how Vick’s call to ministry coincides with the vision the Lord has given our church to reach the Hispanic community in Nacogdoches.
The Martinez family will be in the Welcome Center on Sunday morning, April 23 from 8:15-8:45 am and in the CLC (Summit area) from 9:45-10:15 am. We will introduce them in both worship services and ask the church to approve Vick’s move to our church that Sunday.
Born in Tampico, Tamaulipas, Mexico, Pastor Vick and his family currently reside in Monterrey. He has been a pastor/minister for 21 years serving as both a church planter and as a pastor of previously established churches. In addition to his ministry in the local church, he has become a highly recognized figure in the Baptist denomination in Mexico serving as a speaker/preacher at national events including the CONAJEBA youth conference (2006-2012), “Contra Corriente,” PIB Delicias, and others. He has also served for regional conventions, camps, workshops, marriage conferences, and pastor training events, all while continuing his work and ministry with his local congregation. He has demonstrated his commitment to missions by participating and leading various mission trips to countries in South America, once partnering with the First Baptist Church of The Woodlands, Texas.
Vick earned an undergraduate degree in Industrial Relationship (Human Resources) before pursuing his theological education. Vick also earned a Bachelor of Theological Studies (cum laude) from Seminario Teológical Bautista Mexicano (2005) and a Master of Theological Studies from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary (2023). Not only is he a student of God’s Word, but Vick also serves as an instructor of online courses for two Baptist seminaries in Mexico – Instituto Teológico Betsaida and Seminario Teológico Bautista Mexicano – teaching courses in the History of Christianity and Baptists, Church Administration, New Testament Exegesis, and others.
Pastor Vick’s leadership and affiliation with the Baptist denomination in Mexico extends further to include his role as Vice President of the National Alliance of Baptist Pastors of the National Baptist Convention of Mexico. He also was part of the formation of the pastoral net of Horeb, an organization that provides pastors the opportunity to mentor and be mentored, and to hold each other accountable to one another in love and unity. Vick is well-known throughout the Baptist circles in Mexico but also has many connections to Baptist churches and Christian leaders in Texas, particularly Houston, Dallas/Fort Worth, and San Antonio.
Vick and Andrea have a beautiful marriage and Christ-centered family. They are a very close family, and all share a love for each other and for the Lord. All four of them are deeply involved in the ministry work of their church. Andrea holds a degree in Psychology with specializations in Family Therapy, Teaching of Children with Down Syndrome, and Language Therapy for Children. She also serves as a speaker for camps, workshops, and conferences which focus on young people and women. She has also served as a speaker for Editorial Mundo Hispano. Victor is an avid fútbol (soccer) player and has been recruited by the farm teams associated with FC Dallas soccer team. Valentina loves to draw and is an accomplished artist.
Prior to this search process, the Martinez family never considered moving to and serving in the United States. Pastor Vick’s name was given to the committee by a trusted source serving on staff at an established church in the Dallas metroplex, and his willingness to take this journey with us and step out on faith is a remarkable act of grace by God for the Martinez family and First Baptist Church. Upon official approval from our church, we will work to secure the appropriate Visas for Vick and his family to come to the United States. We have begun communication with an immigration law firm that has extensive experience working with churches and other Christian ministries and helping their minister candidates acquire visas. The lawyers of this firm are Christian people who love the Lord and consider this work a ministry opportunity for them. During the visa process we plan to engage Vick in a variety of ministry activities from his current residence to connect with our Hispanic Ministry at FBCNac and the Hispanic community of Nacogdoches.
The search process that led us to this point occurred over many months and led us through a vetting process of dozens of candidates from across the United States and from over a half dozen countries. The committee is excited to have reached this point in the process and to recommend such a highly trained and experienced servant of God who “Loves God,” “Loves People,” and who has a such a strong record of “Serving the Body” and “Serving the World.”
If you have any questions about Vick or this process, please contact Tom Webster, any of the members of our search team (Peter Fernandez, A.J. Gonzalez, Yamilla Herrera, Scott Newsom, and Peyton Washburn), or Pastor Noel.
Please begin now making this calling a matter of prayerful consideration. Pray for our Hispanic Ministry and the work that continues each week under volunteer leadership. Pray for the Martinez family as they prepare for their visit to Nacogdoches next week, and for the many changes that will occur in their lives in the weeks and months ahead.
Al servicio de Dios, Tom Webster
Hispanic Ministry Search Team Committee Chair & Worship Pastor