Venezuela Baptist College - Macedonia World Baptist Missions, Inc.
Transcription
Venezuela Baptist College - Macedonia World Baptist Missions, Inc.
Venezuela Baptist College “And they…shall know that there hath been a prophet among them.” Ezekiel 2:5 November – December 2014 NEW SCHOOL YEAR WITH LARGEST NUMBER OF COLLEGE STUDENTS EVER October is the month when the new school year starts, and Venezuela Baptist College registered the largest enrolment ever with a total of 53 fulltime students. The purpose of our Bible College is to prepare men and women that are seriously geared toward fulltime ministry. All male students are expected to be involved in starting a chapel extension or a mission church in their junior year, and all students (male and female) to be actively involved in mission trips throughout the year. Ministry in our country is not for the faint of hear, and we strive to make of college years a true boot camp for our students. By the time they graduate, most go to the field with the spiritual stamina to survive the rigors of the ministry. We appreciate your prayers for all of them. FOURTY (40) CHAPEL EXTENSIONS FOR CARACAS We have in plan to start forty chapel extensions in the city of Caracas. Locally referred to as “Urban Missions,” the first one was already launched before years end (picture down left). This project involves participation from VBC graduates, students, and regular church members. This is the most ambitious project ever to start independent Baptist churches in the capital city of Caracas. There are only six independent Baptist churches in this city that boasts a population of more than six million people. Our purpose is to see these “Urban Missions” become independent churches within the next five years. MEN AND WOMEN IN UNIFORM GETTING THE MESSAGE OF THE GOSPEL The Venezuela National Police has invited us to teach “principles and values” to their active personnel in the city of Caracas. I know it looks unusual coming from a government that identifies itself as communist. And although they have insisted that we are not allowed to openly preach salvation during sessions, there is no way to avoid influencing countless lives of men and women in uniform with the message of the gospel after sessions. This is a great opportunity! 1 Pastor Rafael Ramirez, a VBC graduate and part of the VBC teaching staff, has already started this same program in a National Guard Training School (pictures above left and right), and he has seen a number of students visit his church and get saved. Highranking officers have expressed their satisfaction with the program and issued recommendations to have it implemented in other jurisdictions. Please pray that this door will remain open to the preaching of the gospel. EMERGENCY! LOW OIL PRICES HURTING OUR MINISTRY The price of oil has drastically tumbled down from $120 to less than $50 in just a few months, and forecasts indicate that it will probably keep going down to as low as $20. And while the rest of the world is benefiting, it definitely is bad news for our country as its economy depends mostly (90%+) on oil export. So, we are actually bracing ourselves for an economic collapse. This is already affecting our Bible College: The expense of keeping students in dorms, feeding them, paying teaching staff and covering other operating costs is going above the means of our church to keep our Bible College running. We also need to make investments to enlarge our student dorms, furnish them and replace very old equipment (computers, printers, video projectors, etc.). Because of this, the fulfillment of our vision to train a larger number of laborers for the ministry and plant churches could be hampered. This is affecting our church planters: Inflation in our country for 2014 closed above 64%. Bloomberg has just published that Bank of America estimates that if the Venezuelan government does not take drastic measures, inflation for 2015 could top 1000%. This situation has begun to affect our missionaries in the field. We do not know how long this crisis will last, but we feel compelled to do something to protect them and any others going to the field. This is affecting our TV Ministry: I have shared with you lately of the blessings of reaching out to hundreds of thousands through our TV program “Living Hope,” even beyond our borders through international cable TV, and how many have come to know the Lord through this ministry. Never before had the gospel been preached on radio and TV by a fundamental Baptist preacher in our country country. Sadly, the main financial supporter of this ministry has also been affected by our troubled economy and forced to withdraw his support. This is a devastating event as we are now $550 short to keep this ministry running, and we are just about to see local broadcasting come to a complete halt. This is affecting our Radio Ministry: We had to stop broadcasting our 2minute radio program aired three times a day through a radio station in the city of Caracas. Nevertheless, “Living Hope - Radio” is still being aired in stations covering several states of our country. Our response to the need: Well, in spite of all the bad news, the gospel still is good news, and we have a God in heaven that knows our every 2 need. We will keep doing everything within our reach to keep moving forward toward the fulfillment of our vision, and leave to the Lord anything out of our reach. Due to the dire needs of our ministry, my wife and I might have to make several trips to the US and Canada throughout the year to visit churches and raise our level of support. I remind you that since we begun receiving support from abroad twelve years ago, unless otherwise specified, it has all gone to cover Bible College expenses and support national church planters. It is my resolve that it continues being so, since I am a national pastor fully supported by the church I serve. Dear pastor and friend, would you help us reach out to pastors that might share a burden for our ministry? Our up coming trip will be to the state of California. Your help in this regard would be very much appreciated. Thank you very much for keeping us in your prayers! Phil. 4:19 But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Support Address: Field Information: In the United States: E-mail: vpaezg1@mac.com Office Tel. (58-212) 4723509 Cell. Tel. (58-414) 2596709 Skype USA Number: (661) 9020655 Skype Name: pastorvp MACEDONIA WORLD BAPTIST MISSIONS INC. P.O. Box 519 Braselton, GA 30517 Tel: (706) 6542818 In Canada: MACEDONIA WORLD BAPTIST MISSIONS INTERNATIONAL OF CANADA 407 Rue St-Alexis Ouest, Trois-Rivières, QC G8W 2E2 Mail Address: 2da. Transv. Avenida Rotaria, con Calle Ciega. Quinta Bautista, Urb. La Paz, Caracas 1020, DC VENEZUELA Tel: (819) 3753655 3
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