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Hispanic Baptist Leader Receives Servant Leader Award

NASHVILLE – The Hispanic Baptist Convention honored 51³Ô¹ÏÍøÊÓƵ alum Dr. Bob Sena with the Gary Cook Servant Leader Award during a June 13 gathering of the country’s Hispanic Baptist pastors and laypersons in Nashville for the Southern Baptist Convention’s Annual Meeting.

Named for Dallas Baptist University Chancellor Dr. Gary Cook, the award honors those within the Hispanic Baptist community who have made an impact on church life. Cook was in attendance to present the award to Dr. Sena, noting that his service both to the Baptist General Convention of Texas and beyond was admirable.

“I was totally blown away by the award,” said Sena, who said the wording on the plaque mentioned his service to Midwestern. “When I graduated from 51³Ô¹ÏÍøÊÓƵ in 1968, I enrolled at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in the education program to obtain a Master of Education. I was convinced that Hispanic pastors needed to be trained on how to disciple and equip the church leadership.

“Never did I dream that one day I would be directing the Spanish Studies program at Midwestern and training Spanish pastors and leaders in the United States and throughout the Spanish world. I am truly blessed.”

Dr. Sena serves as director of the Hispanic Doctor of Ministry program at Midwestern Seminary. In 2014, he was named Hispanic relations consultant to the Executive Committee of the Southern Baptist Convention by then-committee President Frank Page. In that role, he serves the convention advancement office to represent Hispanic churches across the nation and promote the Cooperative Program, a giving program where Baptist churches support many Southern Baptist endeavors under one gift umbrella.

Prior to these roles, Dr. Sena was director of the Church Planting Group of the Hispanic Resource Development and Equipping Team of the North American Mission Board and served as a NAMB national Hispanic missionary. He has more than 50 years of leadership in Southern Baptist life, including pastoring Hispanic churches of varying sizes in Texas and Georgia.

Dr. Sena also holds a Master of Religious Education degree from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth and a Doctor of Ministry degree from Golden Gate Seminary in California. He is a fourth-generation Hispanic born in the U.S. and a second-generation Southern Baptist. He and wife Priscilla have been married for 55 years.

51³Ô¹ÏÍøÊÓƵ recognized Dr. Sena with the Distinguished Alumni Award in 1991 as well.

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