The little town of Winton has, shall we say, a “colorful” history.

 

A community of just under 10,000 in Merced County, Winton was established in 1911 on the Santa Fe Railroad line. Like many small towns of that era, Winton’s struggle to maintain law and order spanned generations – and continues today.

 

In the early 1970s, Winton earned the dubious distinction of being mentioned on Johnny Carson’s "Tonight Show" as having the highest crime rate in the nation for a city its size. Another claim to fame was the Wagon Wheel Bar, a notorious hangout for the Hell's Angels motorcycle gang.

 

Crime and disorderly conduct are still issues, says Renee Villa, a Spanish-language church planter in Winton.

 

“There is a lot of crime here, a lot of negativity,” says Renee, who launched Iglesia La Familia Cristiana in 2007. “There is a lot of need here, but what better place for a church?”

 

Villa serves as a bridge between the predominantly Anglo sponsoring church – Winton’s First Southern Baptist Church – and a community that is more than 60 percent Hispanic. He finds himself stretching to connect a more reserved Southern Baptist congregation with a lively Latin crowd.

 

“The Latin community likes hot sauce, they like everything to be dramatic, they love to sing, they love to dance, they love to hear music loud,” Renee says. “Sometimes that isn’t accepted in regular church society.

 

“I have to say to the Latin community that I know how to dance and sing like you do for yourself, but I do it for God,” he says. “I’ve got to pray for them that they can give their hearts to Christ, but I also have to teach them discipline to function in a traditional Southern Baptist world where, for example, you have to be on time.”

 

Iglesia La Familia Cristiana is reaching out in Winton through activities designed with an appeal for Latin culture. In 2007 A women’s conference drew 260 participants, and a concert attracted 350 people. By offering a free DVD of the concert, the church’s ministry teams have plenty of contact information on those who registered.

 

With almost 40 percent of the town’s children below the poverty line, there is a great need for Christian youth programs that reach out into the Latin community. This year’s California Missions Offering – under the theme “Bright Hope for Dark Days” – earmarks $184,000 for starting congregations. The offering will help a church like Iglesia La Familia Cristiana introduce those young people to Latino Christian men who can be role models for them.

 

“There is a great need for Spanish-speaking leaders who can help people understand that there is a vital decision they need to make,” says Renee. “They need someone they admire and respect to tell them not only about choosing to obey the law, but also about deciding to accept the Lord Jesus Christ as their Savior.

“We are here for anyone who wants to seek God.”