Teaching English and Spanish in Edna
Redeemer Lutheran Church in Edna, TX, ministers to its existing congregation while also reaching out to the Hispanic population. When the neighboring community college dropped English as a Second Language (ESL) classes from its course offerings, Redeemer saw this as an opportunity and grabbed it. In 2005, Pastor Andrew Schroer started teaching ESL classes one night a week. Because the community response to the ESL classes was overwhelming, Schroer quickly realized the need for more classes but also for more help. Volunteers from the congregation assisted until Redeemer received support from Kingdom Workers. Dana Blado served as the first full-time teacher, followed by Paul Hoversten. Eventually Redeemer had to return to offering just one 
ESL class per week taught by Schroer. The demand for more classes rapidly became apparent again; that’s when lay worker Laura Banda stepped in.
Banda, who came to Redeemer along with her family through the ESL program, volunteered to help and eventually took over two of the classes. With the continued success of the program and need for more workers, Redeemer applied for and received support for another year from Kingdom Workers. With funding in place and having recently graduated from college, Banda agreed to take over the language program. She plans on offering up to six ESL and Spanish classes each week with hopes of enrolling between 75 to 100 people each session.
Currently Redeemer is serving between 80 to 100 people from the Hispanic community, with an average of 41 attending weekly worship services. These are people brought in through the language classes, 21 of whom have already become members. What makes Redeemer’s language program so unique and successful is the approach. “We decided to conduct classes as a service to our community, out of love for our neighbors,” says Schroer. “Instead of offering Bible studies after each class, we build up relationships and friendships in order to share the gospel.” As those relationships are formed, more and more students are showing an interest in the gospel message.
“The surprising aspect of this whole ministry was when the community asked us to fulfill a need we didn’t know existed,” explains Schroer. Some local residents requested the church begin offering Spanish classes for English speaking people in addition to the English classes they were already teaching for Spanish speaking people. The response from this effort has been overwhelmingly positive for the church. Through one of these classes Schroer met Mary Beth. Mary Beth’s husband had never attended church and was soon diagnosed with
terminal cancer. Even though she was Catholic and not a member of the church, because Mary Beth had a relationship with the people at Redeemer, she asked Schroer if he would conduct her husband’s funeral service when he died. Schroer agreed to start visiting her husband in the hospital and was able to share the gospel with him. As a result Mary Beth’s husband is in heaven, and she has since joined the church.
Of course Redeemer has had some challenges along the way, too. It’s typical to experience growing pains when a congregation takes on a new ministry. Bilingual services and time changes may have put some members out of their comfort zone, but they all see the need for sharing God’s Word and have made adjustments as necessary. “Anytime you combine two cultures in a congregation, you’re going to have obstacles, but with God’s help we are able to overcome them,” states Schroer. Redeemer awaits the wonderful opportunities to reach out to even more people in 2012 through its language program.
