DMC Recap: Equipping Churches for Ethnic Ministry
Last week the Nashville Baptist Association was able to host another Diaspora Missions Collective. Lunch was provided by Homerun Burger on Murfeesboro pike, operated by our friend and fellow pastor Saeed. Pastor Matt Gray from Antioch First Baptist, announced their new partnership with Juan Natal, pastor of Renovacion Church. Andrew Phay gave a pitch for the Only Together Refugee Conference happening later in the month. Finally Joe Frejosky and Patrick Regalado of Charlotte Road Baptist gave us a testimony behind what God is doing with their church and the Ethnic Ministry Incubator.
From Friendship to a Movement: The Story Behind the Ethnic Ministry Incubator
A few years ago, Pastor Joe Frejosky at Charlotte Road Baptist Church noticed something stirring in his community. Nashville was changing—new families were arriving from different cultural backgrounds, and with them came new opportunities to share the gospel in meaningful ways.
That vision began to take shape in 2021 when Joe met Pastor Patrick Regalado, who had previously led a Hispanic congregation. Soon after, Patrick’s family joined Charlotte Road, and a small hispanic ministry began to grow.
As Joe and Patrick spent more time together—and as their wives, Pam and Vicky, grew close as friends—their vision deepened. They realized they didn’t want to two separate congregations under one roof. Instead, they longed to be one congregation with two languages, united in worship and mission.
Training That Makes a Difference
Out of this partnership grew the Ethnic Ministry Training Co-Op, a ministry designed to help churches navigate the opportunities and challenges of multicultural outreach.
The Co-Op moves beyond theory. Leaders receive an honest assessment of their ministry readiness and are guided through practical training in leadership, planning, and program development. Each church walks away with a clearer vision for planting or strengthening an ethnic ministry—and the tools to partner with others for lasting impact.
The goal is simple: to help churches step forward with confidence into ethnic and multicultural ministry, no matter where they are starting from.
Experienced Leaders, Real-World Wisdom
What makes the Co-Op unique is that it’s led by people who have lived this journey themselves. Dr. Patrick and Vicky Regalado, together with Pastor Joe and Pam Frejosky, bring decades of combined experience in ethnic and cross-cultural ministry. They know the challenges and the joys of launching new works, discipling leaders, and building congregations that reflect the diversity of God’s kingdom.
A Vision for the Future
What began as one church’s faithful response to their community has now become a resource for many. The Ethnic Ministry Training Co-Op is more than a program—it’s a movement calling churches across Tennessee and beyond to embrace the mission of ethnic ministry.
In a city as diverse as Nashville, this kind of training isn’t optional—it’s essential. And through Charlotte Road Baptist Church, countless others are being equipped to take their first faithful steps.
Please write to me so you can join us for the next Diaspora Missions Collective:
Brett Boesch