Latino/Latina Studies Program
By Lizette M. Acosta, Latino/Latina Studies Program, Asbury Theological Seminary
“What I love most about LLSP is the community we have; we are a family!” “I love the quality of the teaching and the care of the professors.” “Being a part of LLSP has transformed my life. I am not the person I was when I began. I praise God for LLSP!” These are some of the comments expressed in a recent focus group meeting for LLSP. It is no secret how
our students feel about the program. It is evident in the chatter during a class break. We hear it in their comments in the classroom, not to mention in face-to-face conversations. For so many, LLSP has been not only a place of learning but also of growth and healing.
Our students are living testimonies of the work of LLSP. On several occasions, students have been challenged and inspired by a class to go out into the community and put into practice what they have learned in the classroom. Last semester, as a result of a Kingdom, Church and World course, three students resolved to serve the homeless in Lake Eola by providing food and conversation. After a counseling course on Prevention of Family Violence, one student began an organization to help women in transition. A couple of students participated on a mission trip to China, and they continue to be involved in local ministries with Chinese folks.
LLSP is a program where mind and heart truly do go hand in hand. Recently, a member of our LLSP community lost a loved one. Immediately, students and faculty gathered around her to shower her with love and care. Our students also strive for academic excellence. Two of our graduates are currently completing doctoral program; one of them now teaches for the Program, having completed two graduate degrees with Asbury!
For nearly 13 years, the Latino/Latina Studies Program (LLSP) has been providing quality theological education
in Spanish. During this time, we have serviced more than 300 students, including pastors and other church leaders. You may wonder what is the Latino/Latina Studies Program. LLSP was conceived at the request of a group of pastors in the community who perceived a critical need for education among Hispanics. Asbury Seminary responded positively to this need and began to offer courses in Spanish in 2001. LLSP has come a long ways since then. Many evolutions later, LLSP has become a 48-credit Certificate in Pastoral Studies or Counseling. Currently, we are about to undergo another significant change. LLSP is completing the application process to become a Certified Bible Institute under the Association of Theological Studies for 
Hispanics (AETH, in Spanish), in collaboration with the Association for Theological Schools. This certification will allow LLSP graduates to enroll in any TATS accredited seminary in the nation. The impact this certification will have on this program cannot be sufficiently stressed. In its adolescent years, oh the places LLSP will go!