News > Latin America

 

From September 16-23 we had our Second National Summer Bible Conference, entitled: "Jesus: The True Way - Follow Him and you will live!”

Four months before the Conference we held a members meeting to discuss the conference theme. At that meeting we felt that university students are seeking many ways to be happy such as materialism, false ideologies, the love of a boyfriends or girlfriends, etc. This year we also will have presidential elections in Venezuela and people will choose between two candidates. Some think that the way to happiness is one candidate, others think is the other. But none of these ways can give us true joy and peace, because none of them can give us the forgiveness of our sins, which is our fundamental problem. Jesus died on the cross to forgive our sins, opening up the way to the Father. He is the way to eternal life and abundant life. So we had a clear conviction to preach at this conference that Jesus is the True Way.

 

Preparation

The beginning of the preparation for the conference coincided with the Sunday message about Numbers chapter 2, where we learned about our identity before God to be soldiers of Jesus Christ preparing to march towards the spiritual battle in order and as a family.

Three months before the conference, every Friday we held nightly prayers from 6:30 p. m. until 9:00 p. m. There was praise and worship,short messages delivered by shepherds taking turn, and personal prayer for 30-45 minutes. After the prayer we ate delicious food prepared by the disciples and then group meetings of 5-6 people sharing Biblical testimonies, and ending with group prayer for invited sheep and prayer topics for the conference. Through these Friday prayer meetings, our faith was strengthened to serve the Lord with all our heart.

 

Video invitation: The brothers of the technology department made up four graceful Invitation videos. We projected these videos in almost every invitation meeting we held, and it was so useful to explain what we would do at the conference.

Through the commission made up by Gustavo Prato, Juan Carlos and Leibins( fellowhip leaders) we organized and conducted four Bible seminaries at three universities in Caracas, in order to catch new sheep for the conference. The first seminar at the UCV, entitled “Follow Me” (Message: P. Gustavo, Testimony: Raul). Second Seminar, USB, “The young will see visions” (Message: M. John Seo, Testimony: Wuidiana). Third Seminar, IPC, “The blind receive sight” (Message: P. Rafael, Testimony: Euker). Fourth Seminar, UCV “Son, your sins are forgiven” (Message: P. Annibal, Testimony: P. Leibins). We got permission to hold the seminars in classrooms or auditoriums of the universities. Through these four university seminars in Caracas, an atmosphere was formed for spiritual struggle and it opened opportunities for several disciples and pastors to serve, to preach, to share testimonies, to praise, to act, and to fish. Most of all, we expressed our faith in Jesus ay the University. Several members even asked permission at their jobs to participate in these seminars and God blessed us with the participation of many sheep. Many brothers could contact new sheep, having Bible studies and by the grace of God some of these sheep went to the summer conference and are participating regularly in the Sunday Worship Service. We pray that God will keep their hearts and help them to grow in the love and Words of God.

 

Messengers Contest: We held a messengers contest, where each brother competed with others to have a chance to be the main messengers at the conference. This year we opened new opportunities for younger pastors to be main messengers. We could see the hope of God in each one and His hope to continue raising many messengers of His Word in our ministry. Preparation of messengers: Missionary Juan Seo coordinated the training of messengers. This time he commissioned one shepherd to tutor each messenger.He reviewed the message in coordination with the tutor. The messengers made three or more versions, struggling spiritually to accept the word of God in their hearts.

 

Special Sunday Services: We also made two special Sunday services to invite sheep. P. Luis (Jesus called Saulo) a month earlier, and P. Gustavo (The king's invitation), two weeks before. By the grace of God many sheep were encourage to go to the conference through these services.

 

Worship Group, orchestra, choir, theater, dance and special activities were practiced three months in advance. Two weeks before,we started to pray every day by groups. A few days before the conference the brothers from Maracaibo and Merida chapters arrived in Caracas. They also brought guests. We welcome them at the center,met their sheep and shared a delicious cake together. We also had a visit from Brazil--Peter Park and Joshua Park, sons of Elias Park. They supported us with their musical talents, playing guitar, piano, and violin. Everything was ready for our spiritual feast.

 

Conference

The conference had 176 participants: Downey, USA (M. John Kwon), Sao Paulo, Brazil (M. Joshua Park and M. Peter Park), Maracaibo (9), Mérida (4), Valles del Tuy (28), Caracas (114). Also 19 children of shepherds and sheep attended.

 

The messengers were:

Opening Message: Mr. Jesus (Primary School Teacher - Opening Message);

Daily Bread: Wuidiana Ramos (21 - Mathematics) (“Enter by the narrow gate”) P. Socrates (Valles del Tuy Pastor)

Main Messages: Leibins Rivas (Education), John 3:1-16 "You must be born again"; Pedro Hernandez , John 8:1-11 “The truth will set you free”; Juan Carlos, John 19:1-42 “The Cross: Entrance to the true way”; Pastor Hugo (Maracaibo), John 21:1-7 “Do you love me?”.

Messages late Friday and Saturday: Jose Manuel Garrido (Civil Engineering) Lk 15:11-24 “I will arise and go to my Father”; Pastor Jaime (Merida), John 14:6 “Seminary: Jesus the Way, the Truth and the Life”

Closing Message: John Kwon (Downey, USA) 2 Tim 4:1-2 “Preach in season and out of season”.

 

Through all the messages we realized that our own way is a path to perdition, but if we follow Jesus in repentance and with a sincere heart we will receive forgiveness of sins and eternal life. We also learned that the way of following Jesus is a narrow road, a way of voluntary commitment wherewe must preach his word in season and out of season.

Testimonies: Josverlyn, Josmary, Hortencia, Yamiletzys, José Cecilio, and Gabriela. Our hearts were touched listening to the brothers and sisters confessing their sins and remembering the saving grace of Jesus. Through their testimonies we could remember once again that in our country there are many wounded by broken and unstable families, divorce, abandonment, adultery, domestic violence, or parental rejection. But if we meet Jesus, the true way, our wounds can be healed and we can hope to grow as healthy men and women which in the future will form beautiful families in Christ with much spiritual fruit. On Saturday night we had a spiritual feast: a Maracaibo drama, a musical “transformed by Christ”, a traditional dance, a mime and a drama, through which we remember the love of Jesus to forgive a sinful woman and his hope in restoring families broken by sin.

Joshua Park and Peter Park shared their life testimonies on Sunday. They shared the spiritual struggle being children of missionaries in Latin America. They were tempted by the path of human love and carnal desire. But the word of God and the Holy Spirit worked in their hearts and through repentance and forgiveness of Jesus they were free from the burden of sin. Now they are growing as shepherds. We pray that their faith be strengthened and their communion with Jesus grows, well glued to Jesus.

Two brothers who were separated from the church attended the conference and began to gather again.We hope in Jesus that they can be restored by repentance and God's word.

 

Distribution of rooms: Three weeks before the conference we received the news that a main building at the conference could not be occupied due to repairs. This represented a challenge to not be discouraged to invite 200 people. To accommodate all participants we had to include an extra beds in each remaining room (each room slept eight people, now nine) and by the grace of God 20 brothers and sisters volunteered to sleep in extra rooms without baths (Living Rooms in which we put four or five beds). In the end they were the most blessed because they enjoyed the rooms with the largest windows and the best view of the conference place.

 

For the first time we organized children activities coordinated by Shep. Yenny Rosales. Several brothers told us they enjoyed the activities with more ease. We hope that every year we ma organize more to offer children an uplifting time where they can also receive the grace of God and also allow parents to enjoy with more peace the Word of God.

 

New stage of discipleship

More than 14 new brothers made the decision to be disciples. One of them is Mr. Alirio, the father of Pastor Alirio and missionary Maria Mercedes (Panama). He persecuted his children for many years, but now he made the decision to grow in the Word of God. Also the students of UCV, USB, IPC, ULA, LUZ made the decision to receive discipleship training. Please, pray for all these brothers and sisters to remain faithful to the word of God and grow in the grace of Jesus.

 

Listening to the testimony of our disciples and pastors, I could see that by seeking our own path away from God, we received many wounds and we suffer because of our sins. But with repentance, we have made the decision to follow Jesus and receive h is forgiveness. Jesus gave us a new life, now we pray that all of us may abide in His word and be continually transformed into the image of Jesus.

 

I thank God for our Conference: Jesus the True Way. We continue praying that all of us may be rooted in His Word, discarding the deceptive ways of this world and constantly purifying to bear much fruit for God.

 

One Word: Jesus, the True Way.

 

By Shep. Gustavo Prato (Caracas, Venezuela)