Baptist Heritage Award

The Florida Baptist Historical Society, for the past 30 years, has recognized an individual for their effective preservation and promotion of Florida Baptist history. The Society’s Board of Directors is pleased to announce that their selection as the recipient of the 2026 Baptist Heritage Award is Dr. Javier A. Sotolongo, Florida.

The Baptist Heritage Award seeks to recognize and honor those Florida Baptists who have exhibited rare and unusual dedication to the cause of Florida Southern Baptist history by having made a significant impact through such means as researching and writing Baptist history, teaching Baptist history, preserving Baptist history, and/or promoting the importance of Florida Southern Baptist history.
In considering a potential candidate to be the 2026 Baptist Heritage Award recipient, there is one noteworthy individual who has produced a document that provides a major contribution to the history of the growth and development of the Hispanic Baptist movement within the Florida Baptist Convention. Dr. Javier Sotolongo wrote his 2023 dissertation, (short title), “Reverse Missions Among Southern Baptist Cuban Americans,” that was initially submitted in fulfillment of the PhD degree from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Dr. Sotolongo’s research provides an additional valuable resource on Florida's Cuban Southern Baptists. As a significant research document, it complements the research previously published under the title of “Southern Baptist Hispanic Mission in the State of Florida, 1960-2005,” written by Dr. David Lema. Additionally, Dr. Sotolongo’s research broadens and strengthens the body of knowledge about the Cuban Baptist missions' expansion among Florida Baptists. Dr. Javier A. Sotolongo of Hialeah, Florida, has served as senior pastor of the Estrella De Belen (Star of Bethlehem) Baptist Church, Hialeah, since 1990. Under his leadership the church is committed to intentionally focusing on outreach and discipleship, which results in an increase in baptisms and renewed passion for sharing the gospel within the greater Hialeah community. The church’s members have been trained in various evangelism techniques to equip them to take the gospel beyond the walls of the church building. Members regularly take to the streets, offering prayer and invitations to church services. This outreach had led to encounters with the homeless, immigrants and people from diverse backgrounds that have resulted in increased baptisms. Dr. Sotolongo has earned three degrees, including the Bachelor of Arts in Theology from the Western Cuba Baptist Seminary. Subsequently, he attended and graduated with a Master of Theological Studies (with advance coursework in Missions and Evangelism) and the PhD degrees from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. At various times, concurrent with his seminary studies, Brother Sotolongo served as a professor at Miami Bible College and as an adjunct professor at both Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and Southwestern Seminary. A native of Villa Clara, Cuba, Dr. Sotolongo (b. 1961) migrated to the United States at age 18. He served as a church planter in Buffalo, New York, under the auspices of The New York Baptist Convention. Then he re-located to Florida to begin service with the Estrella De Belen. In 2016 and 2017 he served as first vice president, Florida Baptist State Convention. He and his wife Barbara have been married since 1985 and have two adult daughters.