Baxter Institute, Tegucigalpa, Honduras, trains preachers. That is about all I knew when I arrived on the campus in March. After listening and watching for the next eight days, I realized that this highly effective school has literally changed Honduras and all Latin America through the preaching and teaching of its graduates.

A high point of my experiences at Baxter Institute was the chance to teach 'Conversational English,' the third year of English required of all students. At my first meeting with the eight young men from seven different countries, I described the functioning of United States churches with elders, deacons and large ministerial staffs.

The second meeting of the class I spent learning about these young men and their future plans. Many were baptized when they were 12 or 13: coming from Christian families, they are passionate about their work at Baxter and about their future work as Bible teachers and preachers.

These men are representative of the 79 disciplined and godly men being trained at Baxter Institute, a powerful presence in Latin America because it has long been a premier training facility for Spanish-speaking preachers and their wives. The institute had its beginning in 1963 in Mexico City. Harris Goodwin, the dreamer and founder of the Bible training school, followed the mission impulse of the age, but his approach focused on training preachers, teachers, and church leaders for the vast mission field in Mexico, Central and South America.

Leta Baxter inspired the concept of the training school. She was not, as I had always presumed, a financial backer of the institution. Instead she was a member of the Hollywood, Calif., church where Goodwin once preached. Her devotion to young people and commitment to helping them develop the skills and abilities to live godly lives that influenced the growth of the Kingdom made her a symbol to Goodwin. Inspired by her work, he memorialized her ideals of service and training in the Baxter Institute. In 1963 Harris began crafting a Bible training program in Mexico City. Difficulties with the Mexican government and especially Mexico’s unwillingness to allow 'blacks' to enter the country to attend school eventually prompted Goodwin to start looking for another site for the Institute.

In 1978 Baxter Institute relocated to Tegucigalpa after a careful investigation of many different countries and possible campuses. Goodwin knew the importance of location, governmental openness to a Bible training school, and accessibility from other Latin American countries. He spent several years in prayer and searching before the Institute settled in Honduras. A key figure in making Baxter a world-class training program is Miguel Aquilar who along with his mother and aunt had been the first three converts in Honduras. He went to Mexico City in 1974 to study at Baxter. Completing his program in 1977, he returned to his native Tegucigalpa, where the ubiquitous Dan Coker was preaching for one of the churches. Aquilar began preaching for another congregation and became part of the staff at Baxter as it began operations in Honduras during 1978.

Aquilar has filled a variety of roles during his 24 years with Baxter. Currently he is the vice president of admissions, but he continues to teach Bible courses. His scholarly interests are obvious in his teaching and his conversation. When I asked him about his dream for his life’s work, he thought a long time before saying, 'I want all in the church to be united in presenting Christ to the world.'

Although Harris Goodwin has retired as president of Baxter, he is still active with the Board of Directors, in fund-raising and as director of the Amicus Clinic which provides daily medical care for those who will come for Bible study and prayer. He also helps churches with strategic planning and he has been working to build a home for boys. His vision for the Kingdom is as powerful as ever.

Calvin Henry succeeded Goodwin as president of Baxter. Calvin and Linda Henry served the Kingdom for a long time in Costa Rica and in Columbia. They are both talented teachers, and my one regret about the timing of my visit was that they were in the U.S. helping a team of six Baxter families find support to work in Columbia. From the students I learned that the Henrys are highly respected for their faith and their teaching.

When Baxter moved to Honduras in 1978, the nation had three churches. Today more than 180 congregations worship God and serve their communities. We know by their fruit, they are of God.

Contact BAILEY McBRIDE at bailey.mcbride@oc.edu.