Asbury Seminary launched a bilingual Graduate Certificate in Hispanic Ministry Formation in September with 14 students enrolled. The certificate program consists of five classes, all of which are available bilingually. Upon completing the graduate certificate, students may continue their education with a master’s degree.

“The future of the Latino church is bilingual,” Dr. Danny Roman-Gloro, Director of the Asbury Latino Center and the Excellence in Preaching Initiative, said. “Younger Latinos speak English, but still want to retain the food, music and family traditions of the Latino culture. We decided to focus on bilingual instead of full Spanish because we are trying to prepare leaders for the future of the Latino church.”

Classes combine online learning with face-to-face instruction during short residencies. The courses are specifically designed to meet the needs of the Hispanic community. The faculty members are either Latino or were missionaries in a Spanish speaking country for many years. The books and assignments are crafted to embrace the Latino perspective and be culturally relevant.

“Latinos live in between two cultures,” Dr. Roman-Gloro said. “We are trying to bridge the gap.”

In addition to the certificate program, the Seminary’s Florida Dunnam campus also offers a bilingual D.Min. cohort, as well as the Latino Ministry Formation Program. This is a bachelor’s equivalency program that is approved by the Association of Theological Schools (ATS). After completing this program, students can then enroll in any master’s program approved by ATS. All classes are offered in a bilingual format.