Venezuela For Christ

Fear or Faith?

2012-01-26T09:34:00.000-05:00

We live in a time a great fear. Yesterday we awoke to a severe earthquake here in Venezuela. Later in the day we visited with our friend, Yoe, one of the worship leaders at Ondas de Paz United Methodist Church. He shared the pain of the home invasion in his grandfather's home and the brutal murder of his uncle. The day before we spoke with Ana, one of our staff at the Seminary. She shared the difficulty of unemployment for her husband who is among the 80% unemployed construction workers in this nation.

This raises the question: Will we live by faith or by fear? Well, which one?

John Wesley went to the English colony of Georgia in North America to reach the Native Americans and to minister to the British citizens in the fledgling colony. He was an ordained Anglican priest with a tremendous commitment to live as an authentic Christian.

Yet he was faced with failure in his work in Georgia. He returned the England on a ship while living under the pall of suspicion and accusation. He found himself at a low point in his life.

While on board ship, they encountered some severe weather threatening to sink the ship. Then they were disoriented when approaching the coast of Great Britain and feared hitting the rocks of the shore.

Here are John Wesley's own words:

"Tue 24 Jan 1738: We spoke with two ships, outward bound, from whom we had the welcome news of our wanting but 160 leagues of the Land’s End. My mind was now full of thought, part of which I writ down as follows:

I went to America to convert the Indians; but Oh! who shall convert me? Who, what is he that will deliver me from this evil heart of unbelief? I have a fair summer religion. I can talk well; nay, and believe myself, while no danger is near: but let death look me in the face, and my spirit is troubled. Nor can I say, ‘To die is gain!’

I have a sin of fear, that when I’ve spun

My last thread, I shall perish on the shore!"

Praise God, the following May he encountered the risen Christ and was soundly converted and received the assurance only the Spirit can give. That transformed his life and ministry.

It is that assurance, that absolute confidence that sees us through the really tough times in life and causes us to be willing to face opportunities and challenges with a fearlessness others cannot comprehend. "What can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus?" Nothing. Of that we are sure.

It is this assurance and confidence in Christ we are able to share in Venezuela in the best of our Wesleyan tradition unafraid and unashamed of the Gospel. And it is that strength which empowers the students and alumni of the Seminario Wesleyano de Venezuela reach this nation for Christ.

Fear? No!
Faith? Yes!

Nirgua Extension A Great Success

2012-01-23T16:51:00.001-05:00

We just had our first off-campus extension class in Nirgua, Venezuela. 25 Students attended the class, 18 of which came for the first time! Praise God!

The class was graciously hosted by a new student and her husband in a beautiful mountain home just outside of town. She has been a Christian for some time. He has been a very secular successful businessman. An accident resulted in him breaking his leg and being confined to bed. There he met Jesus. He testifies to a complete change of heart and life. He sold his business and is developing his farm to be a "Refuge for the Saints," as suggested by Bishop Juvenal Perez when he stayed in the beautiful farm house. They were absolutely gracious and provided everything needed for the weekend class.

Several years ago we looked at buying a small farm house and moving the Seminary from Barquisimeto to Nirgua. God helped us understand we needed to stay near Barquisimeto because of its role as the land transportation hub for the nation. However, we have had a warm place in our hearts for Nirgua. God provided in a way we could never have expected or even dreamed.

Two of our first graduates are pastors from Nirgua. Dr. Alberto and Professor Wilmer both shaped their ministry after what they learned in the Seminary. They have both come on the faculty and often teach on the main campus.

It was their dream to have an extension of the Seminary in their town. They said if we would provide the faculty, they would provide the students and the location. And they did! We are so happy with the result, as are they.

Pictured here (L-R) are Chris Cisneros, translator, Warren Lathem, Professor, Dr. Alberto, Professor and Host, and Pastora Nurys, Alberto's wife, Student.

Warren taught 1/2 of the Course: Mission of the Church. This is one of our Seminary's foundational courses and has been essential in shaping a new and effective way of understanding and being the church in Venezuela. This course and others like if have resulted in remarkable ministries being done in the churches served by our students.

Please pray for our students, staff and faculty as we work to equip and empower leaders to reach the lost of Venezuela!

You can send a gift for the ministry to::
Venezuela Now, Inc.
PO Box 1655
Duluth, GA 30096

Teaching in Nirgua and La Piedad

2012-01-17T06:17:00.000-05:00

Jane and I will be in Nirgua, Venezuela, Friday through Sunday teaching "The Mission Church I," and preaching in Dr. Alberto's church. We look forward to seeing all our friends in Nirgua and meeting many new students. Your prayers are most appreciated!

After Nirgua, we will be doing several administrative projects for the Seminario Wesleyano de Venezuela in La Piedad. Then we return to Nirgua for the continuation of the course, "The Mission Church II."

Next we will then teach the course, "Transformational Worship" on the main campus of the Seminary. Both courses are required courses and have been very well received by former students. We pray these courses will equip the lay and clergy leaders of the church in Venezuela to reach their nation for Christ.

Looking Both Ways

2012-01-13T08:39:00.000-05:00

“Grace and peace to you from him who is, and who was, and who is to come (Rev. 1:4).”

Our Lord is the Lord of the present, the past and the future. The Christmas and New Year holidays are a time of pause in the work of the Seminario Wesleyano de Venezuela. Most of the country of Venezuela grinds to a halt from normal business for almost a month. As we gear up for another busy year in ministry, it is a great time to reflect on the year ended and the New Year beginning. This reflection will take much more time than a normal update, but we hope you will take the time to read about the marvelous work God is doing in Venezuela!

There were some great events in the ministry of the Seminary in 2011 as well as through its students, faculty and staff, plus through the churches served by students and alumni and the work of the United Methodist Church of Venezuela, all of which were born out of this ministry of the Seminary. I am pleased to share with you some of the more significant events of the previous year. This is a representative list as a complete list would be impossibly long. And God was doing things of which we were not even aware. What a mighty God we serve!

2011 Ministry Highlights

· Taught 15 Seminary Courses involving over 80 students in 2011! That is more than twice as many courses taught in any previous year.

· Created degree planning sheets for each student, so they can know where they are in the journey toward graduation - this has meant a great deal to them because they see that we are taking the administration of the Seminary seriously and that we want to help them graduate in a timely fashion with a comprehensive spectrum of courses - which means they will have received a broadly-based and well-rounded theological education to help prepare them for real ministry in the real world.

· Supported a current Seminary student, Ivan, along with his wife, who are serving as the pastoral leaders for the 9th church plant sponsored by our largest UM congregation, the lead pastors are both members of the Seminary's first graduating class.

· Inspired and equipped current Seminary students Alex and Ama to sponsor a church plant in Agua Viva, that ministers primarily to former gang members and other troubled youth.

· Equipped a Seminary graduate in Puerto Ordaz in sponsoring a daughter church in that region with Pastors Pablo and Nieve.

· Through the models of ministry taught in the Seminary the congregation of a current Seminary student in Cabudare began in February 7 new small groups, and during the first week of the small group meetings 125 people made an initial decision to follow Jesus.

Dan discovered in October of 2011 how much he enjoys teaching Inductive Bible Study courses (through his experience of teaching the gospel of Mark), and how much the students enjoy both the IBS method and seem to benefit from Dan's way of leading them through the process of discerning what God is saying through particular passages - this was a great discovery because Dan has always loved the Bible but his "specialties" in teaching have been evangelism and missions, so to find out that the IBS method was both fun and enlightening for him and the students was a serendipitous blessing. In 2012 he will teach the Pentateuch and also the Gospel of John.

· We completed the replacement of the roof on the classroom building, a major maintenance event.

· We improved security with a heightened front wall and front gate, plus three more wall sections at another location along the Seminary's perimeter along with improvements in the kitchen, the Men’s dorm, and the cafeteria, as well as significant campus parking and landscaping improvements.

· the planned opening of an extension site in Nirgua, partnering with two of our Seminary graduates who also serve as Seminary professors.

What do we have to look forward to in 2012? Some things we know. Others will be the surprise of grace. One of the really big things is 2012 is the 10^th Anniversary of the Seminary! In many ways we can hardly believe it’s been 10 years since we offered our first class in a rented room. My, how the Spirit has worked through this ministry! Our students and alumni have fed the hungry, housed the homeless, healed the sick, visited the imprisoned, preached the Gospel to the poor, led thousands to Christ, planted dozens of new congregations, built many new churches and other ministry facilities and impacted the nation for Christ. Here are just a few of the things we hope for in 2012.

2012 Ministry Hopes

· our 3^rd Graduation Ceremony with 10-15 new graduates.

· the extension classes in Nirgua are well received and many students participate.

· the addition of Seminary alumnus Victor as a new professor will go smoothly.

· more Venezuelan professors can be mentored and deployed in the Seminary.

· all the students who are on track to graduate in August will be able to do so.

· God will raise up a missionary (single, couple, or family) to live on the Seminary property and help take care of the property and more fully organize the retreat ministry and rental of the facilities to church groups.

· God will raise up additional Venezuelan leadership and help us move toward a transition of the Seminary leadership to Venezuelans who are passionate for the Seminary and it's ministry, and also passionate to reach the lost.

· God will raise up mission teams to come serve at the Seminary and help with capital projects.

· God will provide significant financial resources for the operation of the Seminary as well as for the many capital projects that are becoming more and more critical to the Seminary's continued operation and future growth, as well as to the security of the property.

· more new students will enroll in the Seminary under the new curriculum plan.

What about our finances?

In summary, we paid all our bills in 2011 for seminary operations, made significant capital improvements, made our annual $30,000 mortgage payment ($80,000 current balance on an initial $170,000 interest free loan) and carried a few thousand dollars for operations into the new year. Praise God! This is the first time in 10 years of operation we have actually had a small balance to carry forward. Through your generosity and the careful financial administration of Nancy and Dan Dunn, God has provided for the Seminary each step of the way. This year the students and churches of Venezuela contributed a significant amount of support through gifts, tuition, fees and the retreat ministry of the Seminary. This is a huge step toward our desire to have a fully Venezuelan controlled and operated Seminary. While there have been many times when the future was unclear and the obstacles seemed so great, you have responded to every need and God has provided through your prayers and generosity.

Here are the big objectives we have before us:

· Continue to offer excellent, accessible, affordable university level Wesleyan theological education to the lay and clergy leaders of Venezuela.

· Continue to develop Venezuelan leaders and faculty for the Seminary and progress rapidly with placing in the hands of Venezuelans local control of the Seminary. Our goal is for this Seminary to be fully Venezuelan operated and sustained. We do not have a hard and fast time-table as events are so unpredictable. But we are making real tangible progress in this effort. We know we want to hand over a debt free campus to the Venezuelan Leadership as well as the primary administration of the Seminary. Of course, we will continue to work to support this ministry, teach and resource the Seminary as long as they desire and God desires and we have breath.

· Continue to develop spiritually mature leaders for the church in Venezuela and the mission of the church to the world. We will continue to lead in teaching and demonstrating our Wesleyan principles of Inward and Outward Holiness. We will continue to lead the church in Venezuela in the development of strong, vital congregations which reach out to and serve the lost of their communities.

· Continue to minister to a large variety of Christian churches in Venezuela through our retreat ministry on the Campus of the Seminary. This provides not only a critically needed resource for the church in Venezuela, but also provides significant income for the seminary to continually maintain and improve the facilities.

· Continue to develop non-traditional learning opportunities such as extension campuses, directed studies, on-line classes. We are just beginning to venture into these areas and will learn as we go.

· Continue to be the Seminary for the United Methodist Church of Venezuela, yet remain organically independent of the denomination so we can better serve lay and clergy leaders of all denominations. Some of our most effective students/pastors and alumni serve in other denominations. Most had never been exposed to Wesleyan theological education before attending the Seminary, but fully embrace its orthodox practical theology. We will provide counsel and support to the United Methodist Church of Venezuela as desired and requested by the Bishop and the church.

· Continue to partner with other effective evangelical ministries in Venezuela such as One Mission Society, The Mission Society and International Leadership Institute.

· Further develop the relationship between the Seminary and the Medical Mission, first on the campus and then in other areas of Venezuela. While we are just beginning this new area of ministry this year, we believe there is significant opportunity for expansion and will see how God leads us forward.

· One further objective with a longer range implication is to eventually provide this unique theological experience in other countries of Latin America. Initial conversations have begun with potential partners in Ecuador, Nicaragua, and Honduras. We are seeking God’s direction and timing for this to move toward reality. Your prayers for this will be greatly appreciated.

What are our 2012 Financial Goals?

· Continue to increase Venezuelan funding for the seminary through tuition and fees, gifts and the retreat ministry.

· Continue to develop faithful givers in the US who will personally invest in the lives and destinies of our students and the churches of Venezuela.

· Continue to grow our relationship with the US church developing strategic partnerships with the Seminary and Churches in Venezuela.

· Continue to pay our Operating Costs and our Mortgage in a timely fashion.

· Raise the money for the Construction, Equipment and 3 months medical supplies for the Medical Clinic.

What is on our wish list? If we have the resources, we would like to do the following:

· Ship a container of library books already purchased to Venezuela. We need a Ministry Champion to take the lead on finding a way to make this happen. Importing into Venezuela is very difficult, but not impossible, and with God, all things are possible.

· Replace the old 97 Tahoe we use in the ministry. It is worn out and a maintenance nightmare. However, we just never seem to have the funds to replace it. We need a church or Sunday School Class or individual to step forward and make this happen.

Finally, pray for God to raise up the Leadership needed in the Seminary, whether from the US, Venezuela or some other country. Pray for laborers in this prolific vineyard!

*To give via PayPal:

1. Go to www.paypal.com

2. enter your user-id and password (or set up a PayPal account, specifying what credit card you wish to use)

3. click the “send money” tab

4. enter vznowinc@gmail.com in the “to” box

5. enter amount of your donation in the “amount” box

6. click the “personal” tab under amount

7. click “gift”.

As you can see, the need is great, the opportunities remarkable and the blessings overwhelming. Please pray with us about all the above. Please place the Seminary on your daily prayer list. Also, please send a gift for this very important ministry. Additionally, please prayerfully consider making monthly gifts to the Seminary through Venezuela Now, Inc, PO Box 1655, Duluth, GA 30096 or through PayPal.

May God bless you as together we reach a nation for Christ.

Warren Lathem

Routine, But So Necessary

2011-11-19T09:46:00.000-05:00

Often the work of the Seminary is so spiritual the presence of the Holy Spirit is almost tangible and the transformation is obvious as lives are eternally changed. Classes erupt in genuine and heartfelt repentance and confession, renewal and praise. Those times are beyond description.

However, most of the time, the work is just plain hard and ordinary. Here is an example. We are having to augment the water containment system by adding two very large new cisterns. These cisterns will hold over 10,000 liters of fresh water. The requirement is due to the intermittent water supply provided by the city.

In order to install the cisterns we have to remove a junk tree and dig a footing to pour a 12 inch thick steel reenforced concrete pad. The pictures here of the beginning of that work to prepare for the construction of the pad and the installation of the water cisterns.

Unfortunately, one of the constants of life in Venezuela is ants - giant biting ants. The digging of the footing exposed a huge colony of these indigenous residents of the Seminary property. They require removal.

That process has been completed and now the footings are being dug in preparation for the pouring of the concrete pad. Why is this news? Because this improvement allows the Seminary to successfully host classes and church groups in excess of 100 persons. This will multiply the ministry of the Seminary while solving one of the most pressing physical plant problems: Water. Abundant Water. While we may take that for granted in the US, it is not the case in the cities of Venezuela. So, this improvement greatly enhances the campus in its ministry to the students and churches of Venezuela.

Giant Venezuelan Ants

Thank you for your help in this ministry. Your gifts make this possible. You may make a gift by sending a check to:
Venezuela Now, Inc.
PO Box 1655
Duluth, GA 30096

May God richly bless the alumni, students, faculty and staff of the Seminario Wesleyano de Venezuela as they reach the lost of their nation, Latin America and North America. And may God bless you for your prayers and giving to this ministry.

New Uniited Methodist Congregation in Upata, Venezuela

2011-11-09T11:36:00.000-05:00

A quick update and celebration. To the right you can see the welcoming banner for the newest United Methodist Church of the UMC of Venezuela. Pastor Elinor, a student in the Seminario Weselyano de Venezuela and a friend for many years, has established this new work.

In Venezuela, like most of Latin America, pastors plant churches wherever they discover a need. They usually do this without any outside financial support and often with little or no denominational support. They understand the necessity of planting new congregations if they are to ever reach their generation for Christ.

No only do most founding pastors have little or no financial support or denominational support, most have little or no training in Church Planting, Pastoral Leadership, Biblical Interpretation or Theology. They have a Bible and a passion to reach others who do not know Jesus, and often some very ineffective models of ministry, and sometimes even heretical theology..

Pastora Elinor, however, has many more resources than most. While there is no financial support, she does have denominational support from fellow United Methodist pastors and congregations in the eastern part of Venezuela and the support of the Conference and Bishop. She also is a student in the Seminary which makes an excellent theological education affordable and accessible to her, even though her commute to the Seminary is over 20 hours by bus.

Pastora Elinor is one of the shining examples of the impact the Seminary is having on the Kingdom in Venezuela. Local staff and faculty as well as missionaries and some of the finest professors from all across the Western Hemisphere combine to make this a unique and decidedly effective school. More and more Venezuelan leadership is emerging in both the UMC de Venezuela and the Seminary. Our goal is to eventually have the Seminary operation fully in the hands of Venezuelans.

Of course, because of the economic situation in Venezuela it continues to be necessary to provide some financial support from the US. We work at raising this support so the work of the Seminary continues uninterrupted. As we anticipate celebrating our 10th anniversary next year, we face the requirement to finish this year with all bills paid. This necessitates raising about $15,000 by year end. Would you please help? Send your check to Venezuela Now, Inc. PO Box 1655, Duluth, GA 30096

October Exciting News From The Seminary

2011-10-21T06:02:00.000-04:00

UPDATE FROM

Seminario Wesleyano de Venezuela

Last week Dan D and Chris W have just completed teaching Personal Evangelism on the campus of the Seminario Wesleyano de Venezuela. This is a wonderful course which gives a lot of very sound theological truth to the students as well as several practical models teaching them how to do personal evangelism. As you read this, Dan is teaching an intensive inductive study of the Gospel of Mark. These Inductive Bible Study Courses have been life-shaping for the students in the Seminary and their congregations. They effectively equip the church to guard against the many theological distortions present in the church in Latin America.

As you may recall from our last letter, Jane and I were scheduled to be in Venezuela teaching and preaching at this time. However, due to my Mother’s declining health she was placed in Hospice Care and we prayerfully decided our first obligation was to be with her during what the doctors believe to be her last days.

While we regret not going to Venezuela, we still plan to go down to teach in January and February. In the meantime, the work of the Seminario Weselyano de Venezuela will continue to have its remarkable impact on the leaders of the church in Venezuela.

In addition to the Evangelism Course Dan and Chris taught this month, alumnus Dr. Alberto M taught students how to Lead or Teach Self-Confrontation. They have already spent three courses learning and experiencing the material. This course teaches them how to take this excellent material back to their own churches and use it with their own congregations. This kind of experience has not been readily available to the church in Venezuela in the past.

As you know, this ministry only exists because people like you have heard God’s voice and have responded generously on behalf of this ministry. We are constantly amazed at God’s provision. Just when we think we are at the end of our means, God supplies. God does this through you.

Therefore, I want to thank you for the great impact your prayers and giving are having in Venezuela. Lives are being transformed by the grace of Jesus and a nation is being impacted for Christ.

For example, one ministry born out of the seminary occurs every Saturday evening through the Ondas de Paz UMC. Pastors and members take food and beverages to the main hospital in Barquisimeto. The medical experience in Venezuela is very different from what we experience here. Families gather at the hospital and provide much of the care received by the patient. It is a time of great stress and financial difficulty. The church takes the food and distributes to the waiting families and often to the patients. They also share the Gospel of Jesus as the opportunity arises. Many have come to faith in Christ and have joined the church through this one ministry. It is one of dozens born out of the educational experience of the pastors in the Seminario Wesleyano de Venezuela.

Your giving makes that life changing experience possible. However the Seminary continues to require your support. Not only do we provide the faculty, staff, books and materials for the students at a very small cost to them, we provide a campus which houses the Seminary. And when the Seminary is not in session the campus hosts a retreat ministry for the churches in Venezuela. Many have come to Christ on the Seminary Campus through this ministry. This has become a vital part of our ministry to the United Methodist Church of Venezuela as well as dozens of other churches. In the next few weeks we will be announcing an exciting ministry addition to the work of the Seminary. God has already confirmed this direction in many tangible ways and we are almost ready to tell you about it…but not quite. Please pray with us regarding this new thing God is doing.

What are our specific needs? First, we need your prayers. This is critical. There is an enemy which is trying at every turn to stop the ministries of the Seminary. For example, on Monday of the last session several students were prevented from getting to the Seminary due to streets being blocked by demonstrators. Some might see that as coincidental, but not if they have worked in Latin America. There is a spiritual warfare being waged and the Seminario Wesleyano de Venezuela is on the front lines. Also please pray for Dan and Nancy as they not only deal with the Seminary and the day to day challenges of living in Venezuela, but also as Dan continues to write and edit the final version of his PhD. dissertation and prepares to defend it before the faculty of Asbury Theological Seminary.

Secondly we need your gifts. We just had to add two new water tanks (cisterns) to the campus at considerable cost due to the unreliable supply of water from the city. In just two months we have to make our annual mortgage payment. We have a modest loan, interest free as long as we pay the principal on time. Each year we have to pay $30,000. This year’s payment will mean we have almost cut the original loan amount in half. We desperately need your help to pay this mortgage.

You may send your gift to:

Venezuela Now, Inc. PO Box 1655 Duluth, GA 30096

Or you can give through PayPal.

Please prayerfully consider making a very sacrificial gift for this work. Jesus is be glorified through your sacrifice and eternal lives and destinies are transformed.

Thank you for your generous gift for this ministry. I am touched by your love and generosity.

In Christ,

Warren Lathem

PS No US citizen receives any compensation from the gifts you give for the Seminary. We do pay the salaries of our staff in Venezuela, but the North Americans have to raise their support in addition to what you give for the Seminary.

October Classes at the Seminario Wesleyano de Venezuela

2011-09-21T09:32:00.000-04:00

This October we are offering more courses than ever before in a single month. When we began we offered one week of classes about 5 or 6 times a year. As you can see below, this month we are offering 4 week long classes. This is in response to the great demand for these classes by the pastors and students in Venezuela.

By offering the classes in one or two week intensives we are able to make an excellent Wesleyan theological education available in a format that is accessible and affordable to most Venezuelans. The traditional seminary model would be both cost prohibitive and inaccessible to the students attending the Seminario Wesleyano de Venezuela.

Of course, these expansions of the course offerings come with a cost. We have to be more diligent to invite new and generous partners to help us be able to continue to offer the quality undergraduate theological education so appreciated by the church in Venezuela. You can help by sending a gift to the address at the bottom of this post. We look forward to hearing from you.

OCTOBER CLASSES:

October 7-9, The Mission of the Church Ia, Dr. Warren Lathem in a first-time extension course in Nirgua. We expect at least 20 new students to attend.

October 10-14, Personal Evangelism, Professors Chris Walker and Dan Dunn, on the main campus.

October 10 -13 and 24-27, Self-Confrontation IV, Dr. Alberto Mendoza, on the main campus.

October 14-16, The Mission of the Church Ib, Dr. Warren Lathem, extension in Nirgua.

October 24-28, Transformational Worship I and II, Dr. Warren Lathem, main campus.

Send your financial gifts to:
Venezuela Now, Inc.
PO box 1655
Duluth, GA 30096
USA
For more information: warrenlathem@gmail.com

English and Spanish Books available here

2011-09-21T09:05:00.002-04:00

warrenlathematgmaildotcom's Books and Publications Spotlight

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August Classes Complete - Now To Get To October

2011-08-23T11:14:00.000-04:00

August Seminary Classes got off to a great start with worship at the center of all we do. Every day begins with worship and it is not uncommon for worship to erupt during class through a spontaneous move of the Holy Spirit. The students and faculty are almost always sensitive to the working of the Holy Spirit. Repentance is a key part of vital worship and we have seen some memorable moments of repentance and growth in grace.

It seems all Venezuelans sing and worship always involves fully participatory, harmonious spontaneous singing. Prayer is also a vital part of worship in the Seminary. Usually the class all prays at the same time, each praying out loud and each praying with abandon. Even when someone is leading the prayer, unity is is evident in every uttered, "Amen," and "Por Favor, El Senor." There is a sense in which the whole room is assaulting the gates of hell with prayers of intercession, praise, healing, provision, surrender and deliverance. I have never experienced more vital worship than in the Seminario Wesleyano de Venezuela. Praise God.

But Seminary is not just wonderful worship. It is also hard work, hard academic work. In August we hosted Dr.'s Leroy and Kay Lindsey. Kay taught Christian Education for Youth and Adults. Leroy taught Old Testament Survey. The Lindsey's are career Missionaries and Educators and are perennial favorites of the students.

Academic Dean Dan Dunn reported: "God is doing amazing things here - they (the students) are thirsty for solid, biblically-based teaching - they WANT to learn. Altogether (in August) we have welcomed 23 new students to the Seminar's ministry...a total of 51 different students will have participated in the two weeks of classes."

In October we are going offer more classes than we have ever attempted before. As recently as about a year ago we only offered one week of class each period. But God has blessed the ministry and it is expanding greatly. Look at the October class schedule below:

October 7-9, The Mission of the Church I, Dr. Warren Lathem in a first-time extension course in Nirgua. We expect at least 20 new students to attend.

October 10-14, Personal Evangelism, Professors Chris Walker and Dan Dunn, on the main campus.

October 10 -13 and 24-27, Self-Confrontation IV, Dr. Alberto Mendoza, on the main campus.

October 14-16, The Mission of the Church II, Dr. Warren Lathem, extension in Nirgua.

October 24-28, Transformational Worship I and II, Dr. Warren Lathem, main campus.

We simply ask for your prayers and financial support for this great ministry. Specifically, we need you to pray for:
The students to have the heart and the resources to be able to attend these classes. Pray that these classes will have a transformational impact on the church in Venezuela and the rest of Latin America.
The faculty and staff to be protected from the attacks of the enemy and to serve with the holy love of Jesus, revealing their deepest intimate relationship with Christ.
The resources to be able to do all the above and continue to expand the ministry. This ministry is funded primnarily by relatively small gifts. None is too small. We get monthly gifts of $5, 10, 20, 50 and 100. Perhaps you could include us in your monthly giving?

Please prayerfully consider sending a gift to:
Venezuela Now, Inc.
PO Box 1655
Duluth, GA 30096

A Brief Current Testimony

2011-06-23T10:38:00.000-04:00

My recent post included a testimony of the work of Franklin and Hilde in planting the new La Red (The Network) UMC in Barquisimeto targeting the Sunday vendors in the Central Market. They continue to do construction on the site of this new congregation. Here is what we just heard from them through Dan yesterday:

“Jairo (a student in the Seminary and General Contractor for the church construction) brought a new worker to the job site for Franklin and Hilde's church construction project. Franklin asked the new worker his name and whether he knew the Lord. The man said he used to know the Lord but had strayed. Then the man began to cry and couldn't stop. Frank led him in a prayer of re-commitment, and asked all the other workers there to pray for the man. They had church! God is good.”

“Later today two ladies came to visit the construction site because some of the workers had told them it was going to be a church. One of the ladies told Franklin that some time ago she had been praying and God revealed to her that that precise house would one day be a house of prayer. She went to the house and anointed it with oil and asked God to make it so. This was very encouraging to Frank and Hilde because it confirmed that they are in the right place at the right time and that what they sensed God telling them concerning the direction of their ministry, their target audience, when they were praying in your (Warren’s) January Seminary class, was indeed from the Lord.”

I just wanted to share this good news and let you rejoice with us concerning some of the ways the Lord is moving in the work of the church in Venezuela. Your prayers and service and giving are having a huge and eternal impact for Christ in Venezuela. Thank you.

Warren

You can give on-line through PayPal by clicking on the following link:

Or you can mail a check today to:
Venezuela Now, Inc.
PO Box 1655
Duluth, GA 30096

2011-06-05T10:02:00.000-04:00

The Birth of a New UMC in Venezuela

2011-06-05T09:56:00.000-04:00

Franklin and Hilde are people of great faith and obedience. They are both teaching assistants at the Seminaro Wesleyano de Venezuela and will be great leaders in the UM movement in Venezuela. Another seminary student, Jairo, is the contractor for the work that has been done on this site. They hauled almost a dozen trucks full of debris from the site before they could start the reconstruction.

Franklin, Hilde, Emily and me at the site of a new UM congregation forming in the center of Barquisimeto. Fraklin and Hilde are students in the Seminary and became Methodists through this relationship. Through their course work they were called to start a cell group ministry, then to target the Sunday vendors in the central market. Then the Lord led them to purchase this over 100 year old house and remodel for the congregation. The walls and floor are about done. Worship will begin there soon. As resources come in they will put on a roof and tile on the floor, etc. Maybe your church would like to partner with this new UMC congregation to help with this project - this would be a great Mission Team destination. These are sharp Christian leaders!

Baptims of New Believers in Venezuela

2011-06-05T09:46:00.000-04:00

Baptisms are a common event in the UMC of Venezuela especially among youth and young adults. There is a tremendous move of the Holy Spirit among the young in VZ. Pastors Alex and Ama (students in the Seminario Wesleyano de Venezuela) are doing a great job reaching the lost, discipling new believers and reaching out in loving compassionate ministry to the community. Join in with this movement. Go where God is at work

Pastors Alex and Ama preaching at the Baptism. This was after two weeks of intensive Seminary classes. They are remarkable servants of Christ. Pray about taking a mission to Venezuela. God is moving in a mighty way there and you need to be a part of that move of the Spirit.

Exciting Developments with the Seminary

2011-05-19T07:43:00.000-04:00

Nurys, Dr. Alberto, Professor Wilmer and Dean Dan

We arrived in Barquisimeto late Tuesday. Wednesday morning Dan received a call from Dr. Alberto Mendoza.. He and Professor Wilmer Perez are teaching an extension class of the Seminary in Nirgua, with 10 students taking Inductive Bible Study I. Inductive Bible Study is the prerequisite course for all the Bible courses taught in the Seminary. Seven of the students are new students and have to have this course to be able to attend future courses in the Seminary.. They needed manuals, Bibles and other materials, which we gladly transported to them.

Dan and I drove the hour to Nirgua and met with Dr. and Mrs.(Nurys) Mendoza and had a wonderful lunch at their house along with Professor Perez. We discussed some exciting possibilities for the Seminary, especially regarding some extension courses. These two effective pastors and professors believe they can have an extension of the Seminary in Nirgua in the future with a minimum of 20 and probably 30 students attending each class. We discussed location, housing and possible schedule. While nothing was finally decided, the conversation was a holy one with considerable possibilities for impacting the Kingdom in Venezuela. Of course, greater ministry requires greater resources, but God will provide. Remember: God provides what the mission needs as the mission is able to use it for God's purpose.

They told us the "Methodist Seminary" has the reputation now for being the best seminary in all of Venezuela. They attributed this to the excellent quality of the professors, the high academic standards at the Seminary, the quality of the materials,and the theological integrity of the program. That was great to hear from two pastors, alumni and, now, professors. One reason this is possible is our schedule of teaching courses in modules of 16 hours per credit hour, 2 credits per week. This makes the classes accessible and affordable to the students. Perhaps more importantly, it allows us to recruit the very best professors from all of Latin America and the United States, all of who come as volunteers to teach for a week or two in the Seminary, often at their own expense!

The Beginning of the New Church

Part of the large lot in the Center of Nirgua

Then we visited the new site of Dr. Mendoza's 7 year old church and saw his son and another seminary student working on their new church. God has provided them a generous lot in the center of town and they are working on building a new Worship Center that will be 3 or 4 times the size of their current facility which they have outgrown, They are averaging 120 each week. The new church will also house a medical clinic to service the poor of Nirgua. The United Methodist Bishop, Juvenal Perez, has begun preliminary discussions with Dr. Mendoza about the possibility of starting a United Methodist University on that site as well. Dr. Mendoza is a medical doctor and used to be the administrator at the local hospital. But God called him to ministry and he left his full-time practice and started seminary and then planted a church. Both his wife, Nurys and his son, Josue, are currently students in the Seminary.

The Stove and Ovens that will feed the hungry!

Then we went to Wilmer's church and saw all the construction underway there. He went there 8 years ago with 20 people, now averaging 200. Since I had last visited them, they had completed the sanctuary, added a two story building behind the sanctuary housing classrooms, a children's assembly area and a beautifully modern kitchen. They are almost finished with the construction on the additions. However, they are negotiating to buy an adjoining piece of property. If they can acquire it they will move their sanctuary to the top floor and more than triple their worship space.

Cooperatively, these two churches led by these Seminary graduates are developing a "meals on wheels" ministry to shut-in non-members and will be feeding 30 homes later this summer. Both churches and their ministry have been greatly impacted by the Seminary. This is resulting in several young pastors being trained and hundreds coming to Christ. None of this was happening 9 years ago before the Seminary began. Now these pastors and churches are evidencing the very best of the Wesleyan spirit and theology in demonstrating both inward and outward holiness. They preach and live a gospel that transforms the soul and life of the individual and thrusts that individual into making a tangible difference in their world. And they learned this for the first tine in the Seminary. And that education is beginning to impact the whole Protestant (Evangelical) Church in Venezuela.

After these meetings we drove home rejoicing in the goodness of God and the joy of being a little part of what God is doing in Venezuela. Oh, we did buy some oranges, tangerines and avocados, all native to Nirgua.That made our wives smile!

The Work Continues Even When Seminary Is Not In Session

2011-04-17T12:38:00.000-04:00

Almost every weekend a different church is using the Campus of the Seminario Wesleyano de Venezuela for Men's, Women's, Youth, Children's Retreats, Chuch-wide Retreats, Evangelism Retreats, Discipleship Retreats, Marriage Enrichment Retreats, International Leadership Institute programs and more. This enables hundreds to be discipled, scores to be evangelized, Youth and Children to be nurtured in the faith and marriages to be enriched. We are raising up leadership for the entire Protestant Church in Venezuela.

The income from the facility fees from these groups allows us to keep Seminary Tuition affordable and creates a resource for ministry that is not otherwise available to them in the Lara state, Facilities are also maintained and improved though the presence of these groups.,

We just wanted you to know that even during the weeks when Seminary is not meeting, we are still in ministry to many people and making a difference for Christ.

Report From Dan and Nancy

2011-03-22T09:51:00.000-04:00

Below are some excerpts of Dan and Nancy's recent report from some of their work with the Seminario Wesleyano de Venezuela and the UMC of Venezuela as well as several other churches. God is doing amazing things through the ministry of the students and graduates of the Seminary reminiscent of the Book of Acts and the early Methodist Movement in America.

Dear Friends and Ministry Partners,

· Since February, over 150 persons have made first-time decisions to follow Jesus through the ministry of the Ondas de Paz UMC, where Alex and Ama serve as pastors

· On February 27^th Dan preached at the Kabod church in Nirgua, and a first-time visitor said “Yes” to Jesus, plus a recent convert made a public profession of faith

· In January, Dan translated for Warren Lathem’s preaching at Lugar Altisimo, and five young men chose to accept new life in Jesus

· In March, we learned of a 9^th daughter church that is being planted by Restoration UMC, with Ivan Parra as the man chosen to lead this church plant

· For the past six months, Carlos and Maria Pirona have been making the 6+ hour trip to Caracas at least twice per month, to work with two new cell groups there, one of which includes government employees

· Three weeks ago a Due West mission team partnered with Pastor Smith Useche to advance the work in the Valle Dorado community, where hundreds of children reside – they are building a combination medical clinic and sanctuary

· This past week we learned that Pastors Franklin and Hilde Peroza are in the processing of buying a house where their cell group congregation can host monthly worship experiences with all the cell groups combined – this is made possible through the growth of the cell groups and their passionate giving to the cause of Christ

In addition to the transformed lives and recent conversions that these various stories represent, they are also important because each of these churches and/or pastors has a direct connection with the Wesleyan Seminary of Venezuela. The leaders mentioned above are all currently attending Seminary classes or they are recent graduates of the Seminary. YOUR support of our ministry here in Venezuela is making a significant impact, and we want to thank you.

Through your partnership with us we are able to provide leadership, teaching, translation, administrative and financial guidance, and all the other things necessary to sustain the kind of hands-on theological training that the Seminary offers. Without your partnership, this would not be possible. Alex, Ama, Ivan, Carlos, Maria, Smith, Franklin, Hilde, and MANY MORE like them are being positively impacted through the Seminary’s ministry, and they in turn are being used by the Spirit to transform people and communities in Venezuela. We are deeply grateful for the eternal difference that your prayers and your giving make here.

Please continue praying for us, and please continue giving to make our ministry here possible.

Particular Prayer Concerns for Now Include:

· Praise for how much we are enjoying our work here

· Guidance for our future (we continue to pray for discernment concerning our length of time here)

· Mental, emotional, spiritual, and physical strength for Dan to finish his dissertation

· Continued nurture and health for our Ethiopian grandchild, yet unknown to us but intimately known and loved by God

· Financial provision for us personally, that our ministry will continue to be funded

· Financial provision for the Seminary to finish building the security fence around the Seminary property

· Financial provision to add increased security measures to our home (razor wire, a front wall with metal bars, etc.)

· Continued divine protection with legions of angels around us, our home, and the Seminary property

To partner with us financially, make your check payable to Venezuela Now, Inc., and write “Project 3455” on the memo line. Mail to VNI, P. O. Box 1655, Duluth, GA 30096. "Project 3455" is an account used exclusively to support the ministry of Dan and Nancy. All un-designated funds go directly to the support of the Seminary in Venezuela and no North American receives any remuneration from those funds for the Seminary.

Great News Out of Venezuela!

2011-03-01T08:31:00.000-05:00

Last Sunday we reported 125 professions of faith at the Ondas De Paz United Methodist Church of Venezuela. That was on just one Sunday. Wednesday night they reported 8 more adults became disciples of Jesus.

Dan shared this today: yesterday (Sunday) our friend Bishop Juvenal Perez (a graduate of the Seminario Wesleyano de Venezuela) preached in the morning at Pastor Guillermo's church (a current seminary student) and 60 people made first-time decisions to follow Jesus - he preached last night at Pastor Alberto's church (a seminary graduate) and 40 people made first-time decisions to follow Jesus - God is so good!!!!

It is remarkable how God is working through the Seminario Wesleyano de Venezuela and the United Methodist Church of Venezuela. "Thank you" to all who are supporting this work! Get on board with one of the greatest moves of the Spirit in the 21st Century in one of the most opportune places to serve.

Venezuela Now, Inc.
PO Box 1655
Duluth, GA 30096

March Seminary Announcement to the Students

2011-02-25T05:56:00.000-05:00

(We are offering 3 courses in March: Systematic Theology I, Self-Confrontation II, and History of the Church, I. In previous years only one course was able to be offered, but by more than doubling the amount of class time we have more than doubled the course work available for the degree. The announcement below is in Spanish and the cost is in Bolivars. The official exchange rate is about 4 Bolivars/$1US. The tuition cost is about $15US per course. The Materials cost varies with each course. Room, Board and Travel are extra. This is a huge financial sacrifice for most Venezuelans.)

Estimados Queridos Amigos del Seminario Wesleyano de Venezuela,

Saludos en el amor de Jesucristo. Espero que todo este bien con todos ustedes. Tengo algunas cosas comunicar:

1) Quiero recordarles que tengamos jornada de materias comenzando el lunes, 7 de Marzo. Las materias son las siguientes:

Marzo 7-11, 2011: Teologia Sistematica I, Prof. Oscar Aguilar, 2 creditos

Lunes: 2-6pm, Martes/Miercoles/Jueves: 8am-6pm, Viernes: 8am-12

El Costo: Matricula 60 + Materiales 100 = 160 (los materiales se servirán Teologia Sistematica II tambien)

Marzo 7-18, 2011: Auto-Confrontacion II, Dr. Alberto Mendoza, 2 creditos

Lunes/Martes/Miercoles/Jueves/Viernes, 7-10pm, ambas semanas

El Costo: Matricula 60 = 60 o si un alumno canceló a la mitad de los materiales en Enero, va a necesitar cancelar la otra mitad en Marzo, 160 – en este caso, el costo será 60 + 160 = 220

Marzo 14-18, 2011: Historia de la Iglesia I, Prof. David Thompson, 2 creditos

Lunes: 2-6pm, Martes/Miercoles/Jueves: 8am-6pm, Viernes: 8am-12

El Costo: Matricula 60 + Materiales 70 = 130

Deseo recordarles que ya que las materias de Profesores Oscar y David no tienen pre-requisito, seria una jornada buena para estudiantes nuevos inscribirse en el seminario. Por lo tanto, les animo invitar a sus amigos, pastores, y lideres para que puedan aprovechar la bendicion del ministerio del seminario.

2) Para todos ustedes que vieron la materia en Enero de La Administracion de la Mision de Dios, quiero recordarles que tienen que entregar la tarea final en Marzo (la tarea de escribir un plan del desarrollar del dar, de 3-5 paginas). Si vas a entregarmela en papel, la fecha de entrega es la manana del dia viernes, 18 de Marzo (antes de salir del seminario). Si vas a entregarmela por correo electronico, la fecha de entrega es el lunes, 21 de Marzo.

3) Todavia necesitamos ayuda con el construir de mas etapas de la cerca de seguridad. Si podrias ayudarnos con esto la proxima semana, avisame, por favor, para que podamos coordinar todo bien.

Gracias por sus ministerios y por la oportunidad servir a Dios como socios en el reino de Dios.

Bendiciones, Pastor Dan

The United Methodist Church of Venezuela

2011-02-10T08:51:00.000-05:00

The United Methodist Church of Venezuela - A Story of the Miracle of Grace

In 1995 Bishops Paulo Lockman of Brazil and Lloyd Knox of North Georgia met with Warren Lathem, then pastor of Mount Pisgah UMC in Alpharetta, GA and Carlos Gonzalez, Hispanic Pastor at Mount Pisgah and a native of Venezuela, to discuss our starting the United Methodist work in Venezuela. In April, 1996, Carlos Gonzalez, Ray Lathem, Roger and Dana Lane left Atlanta for our first venture into Venezuela. They traveled around the country, worked with a mission team from Norcross UMC building a church in La Marita, VZ and contacted pastors and entities who might be interested in becoming United Methodist and begin the organization of the ministry.

Unfortunately, these mission pioneers were killed in the ValuJet Crash in Miami on May 11, 1996 while returning from Venezeula. All of their records and contacts died with them. At least that is what we thought since no records were recovered from the crash scene.

However, by the grace of God, we received pictures from the Norcross team showing them at the work site in La Marita. These are the last pictures we have of these selfless servants and martyrs for the faith.

We had no names to pursue the relationship and our grief blinded us to so obvious options that were available to us. But God was still at work.

In 1997, Bishop Luis Palomo, Bishop of the Evangelical Methodist Church of Venezuela, contacted Warren Lathem telling him he had received inquiries from some pastors in Venezuela asking if he would help them get the Methodist work organized in their country. He said he would visit the pastors and then share with Warren his findings.

What he discovered was the pastors did not understand why there had been no follow up after the initial contact made in April and May of the previous year. They had not known the fate of those who had come to them from the US. As a result of this meeting, Bishop Palomo asked Warren if Mount Pisgah UMC would sponsor a Venezuelan national missionary living in the US. He would move his family to Venezuela and start the Evangelical Methodist Church of Venezuela. As a result of this request, Mount Pisgah provided all the cost for this pastor to move back to Venezuela, provided him with a car, a house and expenses.

At the missionary's invitation, Warren Lathem traveled to Venezuela for the first time in 1998. He was invited to preach an evangelistic crusade in Arcarigua, VZ, the city where the missionary lived. He was accompanied by Rev. Miguel Torres, a native of Maricaibo, VZ and the new Hispanic Minister at Mount Pisgah. While the crusade was effective in leading many people to faith in Christ, it was transformational for Warren Lathem. Additionally, Warren met Tito Santiago, dear friend and colleague in ministry now in Georgia. God broke Warren's heart for the people of Venezuela. In the early morning hours of solitude and prayer in Arcarigua at the mom and pop Posada (Bed and Breakfast), God birthed the vision of a training program for the pastors of Venezuela. This soon became the dream of starting what became the Seminario Wesleyan de Venezuela.

The next year Warren was invited to return to Arcarigua to conduct another evangelistic crusade. He was accompanied by his wife, Jane , Dan and Nancy Dunn, and lay members from Mount Pisgah, along with Rev. Miguel Torres. In was on this trip that God broke Dan Dunn's heart for missions, especially in Venezuela. This began a pilgrimage for the Dunn's that led to Dan being the co-founder of the Seminary and his own journey back to Seminary at Asbury Theological Seminary in Wilmore, KY where he finished his course work on a PhD. in Evangelism to enable him to teach in theological schools in Latin America and serve as Dean of Students at Seminario Wesleyano de Venezuela. He and Nancy now live in Venezuela where he serves as Dean of the Seminary while writing his PhD. Dissertation.

Subsequently, successive trips led to an Evangelistic Crusade in Barquisimeto with 10,000 in attendance, the beginning of construction of the Lugar Altissimo Church in memory of Ray Lathem and honor of Jared Lathem, and the inaugural session of the Seminary with Bishop Palomo and another professor teaching. (Never try to do that much in one week!)

The Seminary began its first session in rented space at the Assembly of God Bible Institute in Barquisimeto where it continued to meet for six years even though it had outgrown the space available. In subsequent years, many mission teams from Mount Pisgah returned to build relationships and churches. Many people were involved in these early stages, too many to mention.

Then trouble began to dawn. It became apparent to Dan and Warren that the relationship with the Missionary Mount Pisgah had been sponsoring was untenable. However, they did not want to injure the work of the pastors or seminary and did not know how to proceed. In the grace of God, some of the Methodist pastors asked to meet with Dan and Warren without the presence of the Missionary. At that meeting, they informed us that they could no longer work with this person due to serious problems, especially related to integrity and leadership. As this was resolved, the relationship with the missionary was terminated, most of the pastors and churches pulled out of the fledgling organization and began to work to form an new association. Warren and Dan traveled to Costa Rica to discuss this decision with Bishop Palomo and discovered he had independently reached the same conclusion.

Virgil and Jo Almond, members of Mount Pisgah, became our first US missionaries spending 3 months in Venezuela securing a house in Cabudare and looking for a potential permanent location for the seminary. After their time, they came back to the US, moved to Suches, GA and discovered their pastor was planning to go to a Latin American country as a missionary and they became the first long term United Methodist Missionaries to live in Venezuela before moving to the Seminary in Mexico.

They were soon followed by the second United Methodist missionary family who worked primarily with the Wesleyan Seminary of Venezuela. They continued to live in Venezuela until 2010 when they were reassigned to Mexico as well.

Then in August of 2005, the Bishop and Cabinet of the North Georgia Conference made an historic mission trip to Venezuela. This is the first time an entire US Cabinet had traveled to a foreign country on a mission trip. This was followed in January 2007 by Bishop Lindsey Davis returning to Venezuela to teach in the Seminary.

During the intervening years, several other United Methodist Churches began to work in Venezuela. The first one after Mount Pisgah was McEachern UMC in Marietta. Their long-term partnership with the congregation in Punto Fijo ( the church planted by uvenal Perez, the first Episcopal leader elected by the church in Venezuela) is a model for other churches. Rev. Donna Goff, Minister of Missions at McEachern and veteran missionary of Kenya, led this effort and also teaches in the Seminary along with the Senior Minister. Many other US churches have since developed partnerships with the church in Venezuela.

Work progressed in drafting a Discipline to form the new United Methodist Church of Venezuela. Many meetings were held with the pastors interested to being a part of this work. Now

On August 17, 2007 the first Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church of Venezuela will convened in Barquisimeto with Warren Lathem preaching the opening service and presiding under the appointment of Bishop Lindsey Davis until the delegates elected their first Bishop. 42 lay and clergy delegates attended this historic event. They proceeded to unanimously adopt the Discipline of the UMC of Venezuela and elect their first Bishop, Juvenal Perez, who would later graduate in the first class matriculating from the Seminary.

It is Done! The United Methodist Church of Venezuela is Born!

Newly Elected and Consecrated Bishop Juvenal Perez

The first conference of the United Methodist Church of Venezuela was called to order, Dr. Warren Lathem, presiding in the absence of a bishop present. Warren called the meeting to order.

The Conference began in the chapel of the Assembly of God Bible Institute with a worship service marked by singing led by Alfonso Rivera, a young adult leader of the Lugar Altissimo United Church and student in the Seminario Wesleyano de Venezuela. Dr. Lathem preached on the “Required Attributes of a Bishop” citing the 13 requirements outlined by Paul in his first letter to Timothy, Chapter 3, verses 1-7. He then stated an additional 13 attributes needed in the first Bishop of the United Methodist Church of Venezuela.

Following the worship service and a short break, the conference reconvened and Dr. Lathem explained the process that would be followed in the election of their bishop. Forty-two lay and clergy delegates were pre-qualified to vote. While many guests observed, an orderly and peaceful process began. The first Ballot was taken and declared invalid as many of the ballots contained only the first name. Three subsequent ballots were taken and tallied, the third resulting in the election of a Bishop.

Juvenal Perez, pastor of the Rey de Reys (King of Kings) United Methodist Church in Punto Fijo was elected. On the announcement of his election, the congregation erupted in applause and Bishop-elect Perez bowed his head as the weight of the episcopacy descended on him.

Dr. Lathem called Bishop-elect Perez to the front where he was joined by his loving wife and co-pastor, Nohely. The Bishop-elect and Nohely knelt and the pastors, then the lay delegates, then the guests gathered around them for a time of commissioning prayer. In the absence of a bishop, the conference consecrated its own Episcopal leader.

Bishop and Mrs. Perez were then joined by their three wonderful sons as he gave his first remarks as the leader of this new conference. His words were marked by gratitude and true humility at the confidence placed in him by his fellow United Methodists as well as his willingness to execute the duties of the office of the Bishop.

The Conference adjourned for the dinner break and pictures of the new Bishop and his family. An hour later Bishop Perez called the Conference back into session and began the work of perfecting the external Discipline. This document had been before the United Methodist Leaders on at least three other occasions and had been over a year in composition and editing. After some nominal perfections to the document were approved, the document was adopted to be sent to the Venezuelan government for legal organization of the United Methodist Church of Venezuela. The Conference adjourned for the evening about 9:00 to reconvene at 8:30 on Saturday morning.

Bishop Perez called the conference to order at approximately 8:40 on Saturday morning. Dr. Leroy Lindsey gave the opening sermon of the day from the Book of Ephesians and great time of worship and celebration was experienced. There was a contagious joy that spread throughout the room.

Following worship, Bishop Perez led the conference in the election of the officers required by the External Discipline adopted the previous evening. These leaders came from five different cities of Venezuela. They represented the remarkable leadership being given to the work of the United Methodist Church of Venezuela. Bishop Perez led the conference in a prayer of dedication of these leaders.

Bishop Perez then called all the pastors to come forward and the conference prayed for them as Seminary Dean David Cosby, Dean Dan Dunn, and President Warren Lathem laid hands on each of them and consecrated them to the task of pastoral ministry. Orders of Ministry were still being established in the Internal Discipline, but these pastors, all of whom are currently enrolled in the Seminario Wesleyano de Venezuela, were commissioned to the work of pastoral ministry.

A motion was made putting the rest of the business before the conference into the hands of the newly elected Bishop and executive committee to be brought back at a later conference to approve the Internal Discipline and other items of business. Bishop Perez adjourned the conference at noon on Saturday, August, 18, 2007.

This author cannot express the joy that accompanied the privilege of having a hand in leading the work in Venezuela to this historical step. I now look forward to supporting the Venezuelan leadership as they lead their country to faith in Jesus Christ, building on the work of Wesley and reaching out to the world. Praise God for all His bountiful blessings! Please pray for this new United Methodist expression in Venezuela and newly elected Bishop Perez and his family.

(Editor’s Note: The requirement of the “External and Internal Disciplines” is a state requirement peculiar to Venezuela. The two documents combined would constitute the Discipline of the United Methodist Church of Venezuela. However, they must remain separate due to church and state laws in this country.)

On Friday, March 10, 2010 Dan Dunn, David Cosby and Warren Lathem met with Bishop Juvenal Perez. He had some questions for us and we discussed at length issues such as ministerial ethics, church planting, Disciplinary fidelity, the 10% mission offering from each church for the work of the Conference, the role of the Seminary, Clergy accountability, statistical reports, planning and communication. It was a full agenda, but well worth the time since Obispo Perez is such a mature and devoted Christian evangelist and pastor with a teachable spirit and hunger for knowledge. He also serves as the UM pastor in Punto Fijo as well as having planted three other new congregations and assigned lay pastors to them.

Saturday morning we traveled to the Seminary for a United Methodist Pastor’s seminar. At the request of the Bishop I taught and Dan translated for about 4 hours and addressed several issues for the UMC of Venezuela using the Church at Antioch in the Book of Acts as the pattern. It was a wonderful time with many of the UM pastors and spouses. While we missed some who could not be there, these pastors had gathered from all across the country at significant expense and inconvenience.

Many pastors shared great testimonies of what God had done and is doing through their churches. These testimonies sounded like they came right out of the Book of Acts. A medical doctor and graduate of the seminary told of a recent event witnessed by a number of doctors in which a man was being autopsied and revived. He had been dead so long much of his innards were destroyed and had to be replaced with plastic parts. But he is alive and praising God for the miracle, giving thanks to the Great Physician. Another pastor shared the picture of a man who was completely debilitated by a tumor on his brain. It had cut his brain function to just 30%. The pastor shared how difficult this was for him and his family. The church gathered and prayed for him and he was instantaneously healed. The healing was certified by his doctor. As the pastor showed me a picture of the man he told me he had been cleared by his doctors and was employed driving an 18-wheel truck across the country. Another pastor told of the new church plant north of the city and had the layman in whose home it is meeting at the seminar. He will be enrolled in the Seminary on Monday! More stories like these there were shared and we rejoiced.

United Methodist Camp in Puerto Ordaz

In 2010 during Holy Week 120 children, youth and adults are camped on the river near Puerto Ordaz, Venezuela engaged in a Methodist Campmeeting. They were ministered to by the Methodist pastors of the State of Bolivar. This is a joint effort of all the Methodist churches in the area with support from other United Methodist congregations across the country. All the pastors working in the Campmeeting were students or graduates of the Seminario Wesleyano de Venezuela.

The Seminary has had tremendous impact on the pastors and churches in the Bolivar State. New churches, new Christians, and new pastors are just some of the results of this ministry in that state.

The Connectional Church is alive and well in Venezuela. For example, two of our United Methodist student/pastors held services over the past weekend. Pastor Thoby Ramirez is the pastor of Casa de Dios UMC (House of God) in the large city of Puerto Ordaz. Pastors Alexander and Amaryllis of Ondas de Paz UMC (Waves of Peace) in Cabudare led the services for Pastor Thoby. On this past Sunday 50 persons made professions of faith!

Bishop Juvenal Perez called to order the 3rd annual conference of the United Methodist Church of Venezuela at about 3:00 on Friday, August 6, 2010 on the Campus of the Seminario Wesleyano de Venezuela in LaPiedad, Venezuela. Pastors and laity came from all across the country to be a part of this time of reunion, reporting, worship, celebration and business. As the afternoon session adjourned for dinner, pastors were still arriving by bus from 20-24 hours away.

On Saturday, the Conference worshiped and heard reports of conversions and new churches started. Then the Bishop asked Warren Lathem to take the gavel for the election since he felt to preside at what might be his own election would be inappropriate. According to the Discipline of the United Methodist Church of Venezuela, the Bishop is elected to serve a three year term. After a long process Bishop Perez was reelected and then presided over the closing worship service and Holy Communion.

The Seminario Wesleyano de Venezuela was the birthing room for this Conference of the United Methodist Church of Venezuela and continues to provide a critical link for the connection here among the United Methodist churches and pastors across all regions of this large country.

God Provides!

2011-02-02T03:34:00.000-05:00

Dr. Mendoza and me.

Please join me in praising our Lord for His mercy and provision. By His grace and your generosity we are able to make our required mortgage payment in time to avoid paying interest on the loan. So many sacrificed to make this possible, and I simply want to say, “Thank you!”

A little over a month ago we had no idea how we would be able to meet this obligation. But we serve a good God who has hidden treasures. You are among them. We rejoice and give God all the glory. What a great blessing to the Seminario Wesleyano de Venezuela. This means we will not have to spend almost $10,000 on interest and can instead spend that money educating pastors and lay leaders here in Venezuela.

We just finished two weeks of classes in which 3 full courses were taught. “Preaching for Response” was taught all day the first week with 35 students. What a joy it was for me to teach that class again! Every night for both weeks, Dr. Alberto Mendoza taught “Self Confrontation” and he had 15 students. This course has been taught several times in the past, but as a Required Course it needed to be taught again to enable some students to be able to graduate in August of this year.

The second week I taught “The Administration of the Mission Church.” 30 students attended class, and we had a great time. One day there was a remarkable outpouring of the Holy Spirit during worship. WOW! What a blessing it is to worship with our Venezuelan pastors and lay leaders.

Additionally we were able to attend several worship services in local United Methodist Churches. I preached a few times and we saw God touch many lives, and several people became followers of Christ.

Last night we had dinner with a couple which has been enrolled in the Seminary for the last three years. They both have university degrees and have been successful business persons. They said even though they have been Christians for 20 years and have been in ministry in some local churches, “the Seminary has changed our lives.” They are now planting a new United Methodist Church and pursuing ordination as UM Ministers.

Additionally, we had some time with Bishop Juvenal Perez, a graduate of the Seminary. He preached one of the morning devotional times. What a great evangelistic preacher he is! We talked at length about the UMC of Venezuela and are continuing to work with him in a consulting role.

We also met with a student pastor who has planted 5 independent churches. He has discovered his theological home in the Wesleyan theology of the Seminary and has started the process to lead his churches into the UMC fold.

There is so much more I would like to tell you, but time will not allow. I covet the day you will be able to travel to Venezuela and experience what has become the most rewarding ministry we have ever experienced. God is so good!

Dan & Nancy Dunn and Jane & I fly back to the US tomorrow (Wednesday). The Dunn’s will be back in the U.S. only two weeks before returning to Venezuela. Jane and I will notbe able to return to Venezuela before May, when I will be teaching again.

This is not an appeal. However, if God moves you to give to this ministry, you simply need to click on the PayPal link below or mail your check to Venezuela Now, Inc. PO Box 1655, Duluth, GA 30107.

Report: January Seminary Has Begun

2011-01-18T05:29:00.000-05:00

Greetings from Venezuela! Seminary got off to a great start yesterday. 30 students are taking the class: Preaching for a Response I, which I am teaching during the day this week and 15 are taking Self-Confrontation I, which is being taught by a Venezuelan pastor and Seminary Graduate: Dr. Alberto Mendoza. I believe we had 6 new students yesterday.

I preached Sunday in the church pastored by Jesus Rivero, a student in the Seminary. Jesus “overheard” the Gospel in 2002 when we were doing an evangelistic crusade on a soccer field near his house. He was later called to preach and began a congregation in his home. He has since planted 3 congregations and one of them has 300 people in attendance. I preached in the congregation in his home and it reminded me of the experience the early Methodists had in the US. The house was full, the porch was full and people were on the street outside listening to the service. We experienced the joy of the presence of the Holy Spirit as Jesus healed some broken lives, relationships and memories.

The Campus of the Seminary looks great. A mission team from Jesus’ church finished 3 more showers and toilet stalls in the men’s dorm, repaired some roof damage caused by a fallen tree and did a lot of painting and clean up. While we have a tremendous need to finish replacing the remaining chain-link fence with a security wall, we are making progress.

Please accept my thanks for your prayers and encouragement and giving for this work. At last report we were only about $5,000 away from being able to make our full mortgage payment on January 31 and avoid the almost $10,000 interest payment that will accrue if we do not pay on time. Thanks for your help so far and if you can help some more, or for the first time, we would so appreciate it.

Simply make your check to Venezuela Now, Inc. PO Box 1655, Duluth, GA 30096 or simply click on this link to give on-line via PayPal:
http://blogspot.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=5a6f34035205036edd3c2d610&id=72c040623c&e=832924ce0d

January Seminary

2011-01-13T06:16:00.000-05:00

After a long absence, I am delighted to be able to bring you up to date on the Seminary. The last two months have been spent here in the US raising funds for the Seminary, both Operating and Capital. We have an annual mortgage payment of $30,000US due on December 31 on the property in Venezuela. We were able to make an $18,000 payment and got an extension for the other $12,000 until January 31, 2011. If we make this payment we will avoid any interest on the balance of the loan ($110,000 after the payment is made). The property is valued at over $500,000US so our debt ratio is wonderful and our loan agreement (no interest if the principal is paid on time) is excellent. God has always provided in the past and we are trusting Gog to provide today. We still have $5,000-6,000US to raise before the end of the month, but we know there is no shortage with God. Jehovah Jireh!

Click this link to donate to the seminary in Venezuela. http://blogspot.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=5a6f34035205036edd3c2d610&id=72c040623c&e=832924ce0d

Next week I, Warren Lathem, will be teaching Preaching for a Response, I for 2 Credits, Dr. Alberto Mendoza will be teaching Auto-Confrontaion I for 2 Credits, on Saturday, Professor Wilmer Perez will be teaching Inductive Bible Study, III for 1 credit, and then the next week Dan will be teaching History of Christianity, I, for 2 credits. Our previously scheduled professor has had a family emergency and cannot travel to Venezuela for this class.Please pray for Dr. and Mrs. David Thompson and for Dan as he hurriedly prepares for the course.

Please pray for the students to arrive safely from all across the country. Pray for financial provision for the students as most are bi-vocational and miss work in order to attend Seminary, as well as paying for travel costs, tuition, room and board and materials/books. This s a huge sacrifice for most of them. Yet they continue to come to class to receive what many of them call the best theological education available in their country.

We have worked to provide an excellent Orthodox, Wesleyan undergraduate theology degree that is practical and transformational. Our goal has been to make it affordable and accessible. The gifts from the US are of great assistance in dong this work.

Also, please for the staff: Ana, Anna, Marcia, Sam, Laura, Alejandro, Chris, Dan and Nancy, and others who will work tirelessly during Seminary after weeks of preparation and a week of recovery of the facility (cleaning, laundry, repairs, etc.) Pray for the Professors to be divinely inspired and teach at a level beyond their ability, inspired by the Holy Spirit. Pray for transformation in the lives of students, faculty and staff that will result in wining Venezuelans for Christ. Finally, pray for protection. We are engaged on the front lines of Spiritual Warfare and covet/need your prayers.

We still need Church work teams to help with renovations/additions to the property. For example, we need a second classroom immediately. The space is available and only needs finishing, e.g. electrical, lights, interior walls, paint and air-conditioning. A good team from the US could do this work along with a mission team from a church in Venezuela. What a rewarding experience this will be for both! The cost of materials would not be prohibitive for any US church. The space is there, deconstruction has been complete, now we just need to make it usable. Is God calling you? Come on!

Next Class Offerings - Please Pray

2010-12-01T04:53:00.000-05:00

Students and pastors from across Venezuela are preparing to travel, some as much as 24 hours by bus, to attend the December session of the Seminario Wesleyano de Venezuela at our campus in La Piedad, Venezuela. Normally about 50 students will be engaged in what has proven to be a life changing experience. The transformation (or formation) of their ministry is resulting in hundreds and thousands of Venezuelans discovering the joy of following Christ and serving him in their very secular country.

December 6-10, 2010:

David will teach The Person and Ministry of the Holy Spirit, 1 and 2, entire week, 2 credits

Wilmer Perez will teach Inductive Bible Study 2, ½ night class, 1 credit

January 17-21 y 24 - 28, 2011:

Warren will teach Preaching for Response I , January 17-21.2 credits

David Thompson will teach Church History 1, January 24-28: 2 credits

Dr Alberto Mendoza will teach Auto-Confrontation I at night, January 17-28, 2 credits

Of course, any of this is subject to change, but is confirmed at this time. Occasionally flight arrangements or other issues force a last minute change. However, normally the classes occur as planned. The students are excited to be coming back to the campus, Dan and Nancy are excited to be hosting the classes and God is being glorified in all that happens there.

You can help by sending your gift to Venezuela Now, Inc., PO Box 1655, Duluth, GA 30096. Help us make an eternal difference in countless lives in this generation and for generations to come. Through your support the church in Venezuela is experiencing growth like it has never seen before. Please give generously and sacrificially.

Hope Store Sale to Benefit the Seminary

2010-11-22T08:03:00.001-05:00

Great Results

2010-11-05T09:21:00.000-04:00

I asked Dean Dan to share a couple of recent reports from Venezuela. What you see below are a few examples of how your prayers and contributions are making a real Kingdom difference in Venezuela. Please send gifts to Venezuela Now, Inc. PO Box 1655, Duluth, GA 30096.

This week Wilmer Perez, pastor of a congregation in Nirgua, Venezuela, is finishing the installation of equipment and finishing of interior walls in the kitchen/dining room behind their sanctuary. It will be used for a ministry of feeding 30 senior citizens once per day, Monday - Friday. When I preached there a few weeks ago and Wilmer shared this vision with me, I mentioned words of congratulations and thanks for addressing community needs. His reply to me was "I was taught and inspired to do this kind of ministry through the Wesleyan Seminary of Venezuela." Pastor Wilmer was in the first graduating class of the Seminary and now teaches the Inductive Bible Courses at the Seminary and serves on the Advisory Group.

Bishop Juvenal Perez preached at Ondas de Paz United Methodist Church on October 17, and 14 people gave their lives to Christ. Among those 14 was a young man who was a drug addict. He owed money to his supplier, and that week he went to his supplier and paid his debit, and told him he wouldn't be coming back, because he was a new man in Christ. The dealer offered him some free drugs, but he continued to repeat "I'm a new man in Christ." He also burned over 300 CD's that had inappropriate lyrics in them. Bishop Perez is a gradate of the Seminary and the first Bishop of the United Methodist Church of Venezuela.

Also on October 17, Franklin and Hilde Perez were welcomed into the United Methodist Church family in Venezuela, as Bishop Juvenal consecrated them as pastors in the UMC. Franklin and Hilde have taught two workshops now for a local church in Barquisimeto on cell group ministry. The first workshop was so well-received that the pastor of the church invited 3 pastoral friends from out of town to come to the second workshop, which they did. Franklin and Hilde are extremely thankful for this and other material they are learning through the Seminary. Both are currently enrolled in the Seminary and through their association with United Methodists at the Seminary made the very prayerful and significant decision to become a part of the work of the UMC in Venezuela. They are also extremely supportive of the work of the seminary and are giving excellent leadership among the student body.

Dan shares these prayer concerns: 1. financial provision for completing the security fence around the property. 2.God to raise up mission teams to come work at the Seminary. 3, (We add) The needed $30,000 due December 31 for the annual mortgage payment on the property. If we pay this amount on time, it is interest free (We owe $140,000 on a facility worth over $500,000 and have an interest free loan as long as we make the annual $30,000 payment.)

Global Focus Class At Work

2010-10-13T07:41:00.000-04:00

Pray for the Students and Faculty and Staff of the Seminario Wesleyano de Venezuela. Three classes are currently being taught. See the previous blog post.

Pictured here are students in the Global Focus class discussing how the Gospel first came to their communities/people group. Our Dean, Dan, is teaching this course and handling all the administration of the seminary along with help from Nancy, Sam, Laura, Ana, Marcia and others. Pray for all involved as these student and pastoral leaders learn to take the whole Gospel to the whole world!

The Seminary Expands

2010-10-12T06:44:00.000-04:00

After 8 years of operation and significant impact on the pastors and churches of Venezuela, the Seminario Wesleyano de Venezuela expanded this week offering not just two classes, but three. Rev. Carey Akin, Mission Pastor at Mt. Bethel UMC in Marietta, begins teaching today: "Prayer and Devotional Life of the Pastor." Yesterday Professor and SEMWESVEN graduate, Wilmer Perez, began teaching "Inductive Bible Study I," the first half of a prerequisite course for all subsequent Bible courses in the Seminary. 25 students attended that first class. Additionally, our Dean, Dan began teaching "Global Outreach I," the first half of a powerful mission course. 27 Students attended the first day of the Global Focus course.

In December Dan will be teaching the "Gospel of Mark" and Professor Perez will be teaching "Inductive Bible Study II." This will be tough week for Dan as he will be teaching a 2 credit course in one week, or essentially teaching all day, every day . Pastor Perez's course will be at night as is the case this week.

This step up to three courses in one week is the precursor to even further expansion of the program. In 2011 we plan to offer courses in back-to-back weeks with a third period of teaching during the middle weekend. For example, the Students would arrive on Campus on Sunday night and begin classes Monday afternoon of the first week. I would teach Preaching for Response I, and Dan would teach Global Focus II. On the weekend Jesus Rivera, a student in the seminary with an advanced degree, would teach Self-Confrontation. The next week Professor David Thompson would teach The Person and Work of the Holy Spirit. (These courses are still being determined, but this is an example). This would allow the students to save a lot of travel time as some are coming from all across the nation and travel as much as 24 hours each way to attend the classes. It will also allow us to offer more courses, and hopefully reduce the amount of time it takes to earn a degree.

Other improvements are in the works and we will share them as they become more definite. Keep up with what God is doing and pray for the work.

Specifically please pray for:
1. Protection by the Lord of Hosts against the constant attacks of Satan on this work.
2. Safety and security of all the students, staff and faculty as well as the campus and materials of the Seminary.
3. Financial resources. These expansions come at a price. However, after much prayer, study and exploration with students, pastors and alumni, this clearly appears to be the leading of the Holy Spirit. Pray that God will raise up new and generous donors and that our current givers will be most generous.

You can send your gifts to:

Venezuela Now, Inc.

PO Box 1655

Duluth, GA 30096

Dan Reports Fom Venezuela

2010-09-17T11:24:00.000-04:00

42 Young Adults from Venezuela, Chile, and El Salvador

This week the Seminary has been the host site for a History Makers Conference with 42 young adult Christian leaders. They have been focusing on 8 core issues related to Christian leadership, with a strong immersion in Biblical foundations. The eight core issues include Passion for the Harvest, Multiplication, Vision, and Leadership. In addition to teaching times, the participants have benefited from worship experiences, focused prayer time, and intentional periods of silence to help them listen to God's voice. The students have been deeply impacted through their participation in this conference. They have spoken of renewed vision, strong encouragement, fresh insight, increased capacity to lead ministry teams, and closer relationships with Jesus and with one another.

An exciting facet of this Conference from our perspective is that the leadership of the Venezuelan organizational team is made up entirely of pastors who are either currently attending the Wesleyan Seminary of Venezuela, or have already graduated. This is a testament to the commitment and effectiveness and the pastors who participate in the Seminary training, and we are thankful that the Seminary has played a part in developing these strong leaders. Thank you for your prayer support and your financial support of the work in Venezuela. This week, YOU have made a difference in Venezuela, in Chile, and in El Salvador. (The pictures: Leadership Training, History Makers, Leaders of the Event, Skit Portraying Giving a New Heart Through Jesus Christ).

What Do We Believe at Seminario Wesleyano de Venezuela?

2010-09-05T07:37:00.002-04:00

Statement of Faith

We Believe:

God

In the one God, Creator and Sustainer of all things, infinite in love, perfect in judgments and unchanging in mercy. God exists eternally in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit;

Scripture

In the divine inspiration, truthfulness and authority of both the Old and New Testaments, the only written Word of God. The Scriptures are the only infallible and sufficient rule of both faith and practice. The Holy Spirit enlivens the truth of God’s Word to all people of every age;

Humankind

That human beings were created in the image of God. This image was marred in every part through the disobedience of our first parents, and fellowship with God was broken by sin. God, through prevenient grace, restores moral sensibility to all humankind and enable all to respond to His redemptive love and accept his saving grace, if they will;

Jesus Christ

That Jesus Christ is God’s incarnate Son, born of the virgin Mary, conceived by the Holy Spirit. He died for the sins of all, taking on Himself God’s judgment upon sin. He died and three days later bodily rose from the grave and ascended Heaven where He intercedes for us;

Holy Spirit

That the Holy Spirit is God present and active in the world. The Holy Spirit was given to believers in the Church in His fullness at Pentecost. By the Spirit, Christ lives in His church, the Gospel is proclaimed and the Kingdom of God is manifested in the world;

Justification

That God graciously justifies and regenerates all who trust in Jesus Christ. Saved by grace through faith children of God begin to live in holiness through the power of the Holy Spirit;

Entire Sanctification

That God calls all believers to entire sanctification through full surrender and faith. Through sanctifying grace believers overcome sin and live in perfect love for God and neighbor;

Assurance of Believers

That believers are assured that they are children of God through the inward witness of the Holy Spirit with their spirit, receive the gracious promises of the Word to believers and are enabled to bear the fruit of the Spirit;

Witness of Believers

That Christians are called to live in daily witness to the grace of God in Christ through both faith and action, word and deed. Believers witness to the will of God for justice, righteousness and mercy in all structures and relationships of human society;

The Church

That the church is the people of God redeemed by the grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord sharing corporately in the proclamation of the Word and celebrating the Sacraments of Baptism and The Lord’s Supper. The church is the Body of Christ visible and present in the world. Its primary mission is to make disciples of all the peoples of the world;

The Second Coming of Christ

In the personal return of Jesus Christ, in the bodily resurrection of all persons, in final judgment and in eternal reward and punishment, the reign of Christ in the ultimate victory over Satan and all evil.

Spiritual Warfare

2010-09-02T05:34:00.000-04:00

"You armed me with strength for the battle (Ps 18:39)." We have learned in our work of ministry
for nearly 40 years the enemy will attack when we start to "tear down
the strongholds of the devil." Sometimes the attack is subtle, sometimes
vicious. But the "battle belongs to the Lord."
Many Christians do not get this. Why? Because we have ceased to engage in spiritual warfare by so compromising the gospel that it has no power to transform or by simply failing to take on the bastions of evil in culture or individuals or even our own lives. So we wander blissfully from Sunday to Sunday unmolested by the devil. Why does he not fight against us? Because we have already surrendered. This is one of the reasons church fights are usually about insignificant things. I have seen so called Cristian church leaders almost come to blows over the color of the carpet, the placement of the pulpit, the change in the bulletin, the mural on the wall of the nursery, the setting for the thermostat, the layout of the parking lot, the contract for the insurance, and the list is interinable. This is not spiritual warefare. This is just bickering in the family. War is war! Bunker Buster Booms dropped into the middle of our lives and ministries make it clear this is not just a family squabble. An enemy has attacked and seeks to destroy us, our lives, our marriages, our children, or effectiveness, our witness and our ministries. The Bible speaks of this as the "shipwreck of faith." See more of this at www.MinistryTransformers.blogspot.com. www.MinistryTransformers.blogspot.com

August Report

2010-08-29T07:58:00.000-04:00

August was a busy month for the work of the Seminario Wesleyano de Venezuela. We hosted the National International Leadership Institute in which over 30 Venezuelan leaders received this excellent training authored by Wes and Joy Griffin. We hosted the 3rd Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church of Venezuela at which they reelected Juvenal Perez their Bishop for the next three years. We held the August classes which involved about 45 students. The Seminary celebrated its second graduation as 11 students received their Bachelor of Theology (equivalent) Degree after six years of study in this rigorous program. We completed several improvement projects on the campus including air conditioning for the second Men's Dorm Room, air conditioning of the Cafeteria, Roof repairs, new ceiling and lights in the cafeteria and a lot of painting as well as minor repairs.

David and Carol moved out of the Mission House as they return to the US for a year of deputation work with their supporters and are reassigned by OMS to head the field in Mexico City. We are greatly indebted to them for their years of work in Venezuela.. As they moved out, God called Dan and Nancy to move into the house and take over the management of the Seminary for the next year as Dan writes his PhD. Dissertation.

When we returned from Venezuela we had a great Disciples in Song Reunion Concert at Alpharetta First UMC to benefit the Seminary. About $6500 was given for this ministry and we hope this can become an annual event. We are grateful for the 700-800 people who attended, most of whom have been friends and supporters for many years.

Now we have another great opportunity for you to support the work of the Seminary. THE HOPE STORE is a ministry selling slightly used items to benefit various missions here and abroad. We are the recipients of the December net sales.The HOPE STORE collects and sells used clothing and home furnishings, books, baby items, etc. with the financial benefit each month going to a different mission or ministry.

You can help.

Here is what we need you to do:

Organize your local church or community to make a collection of used clothing and furnishings.

Deliver the collected items to the HOPE STORE on Wednesday, Friday or Saturday of Thanksgiving weekend, Nov. 24, 25, 27, 10am - 6pm (arrangements can be made to deliver the items at times other than above). The HOPE STORE will receive, price and store the items until they are put on sale December 1. Unsold items after December 31 will remain in the store for inventory to benefit other ministries.

Publicize the sale in your local church and community encouraging people to shop at the HOPE STORE in December.

The HOPE STORE is located in the Roswell/Alpharetta/Johns Creek community in the Nesbit Ferry Crossing Shopping Center (near Mount Pisgah UMC) at 9850 Nesbit Ferry Road, Suite 10, Alpharetta, GA 30022, at the intersection of Old Alabama and Nesbit Ferry Roads. Learn more about the HOPE STORE at www.thehopestore.com or call Cathy Bailey, THE HOPE STORE at 678-777-2786 or CathyCBailey@gmail.com.

Help your church become more directly involved in the global mission by supporting these two great opportunities.Please continue to pray for the work of the Seminario Wesleyano de Venezuela. Pray specifically about you or your church or church group sponsoring a student (currently $2500/yr.). Send your gifts to

Venezuela Now, Inc.

PO Box 1655

Duluth, GA 30096.

Graduation, August 14, 2010, LaPiedad, Venezuela

2010-08-14T18:30:00.001-04:00

Seminario Wesleyano de Venzuela celebrated its second graduation today after its founding in October, 2002. Eleven students received the "Bachelor" of Theology degree after 6 or more years of rigorous study and work. Pictured to the left is our oldest graduate: Luis Beltran Figueroa Rojas, "Abuello" to the other students.

These eleven graduates include pastors and Christian lay leaders who are working effectively to reach the lost of Venezuela. Some of pastors of very large churches and some have recently started new congregations in their own homes. Others are pastors of multiple congregations scattered as much as 5 hours apart. Some have endured significant hardship for the sake of the ministry. All have sacrificed financial gain in order to reach others with the gospel of Christ.

Additionally, the Officers of the Seminary conferred its first Honorary Doctor of Theology and Sacred Letters Degree to Dean David Cosby. Dr. Cosby has served a lifetime as a missionary, leading others to Christ and equipping the indigenous leaders in Colombia, Hungary, Mexico and Venezuela. He and his wife Carol finish their work as residents in Venezuela after they are being reassigned to Mexico where he will be the Field Director of the OMS work in Mexico City.

This is a time of transition as the Cosby's leave Venezuela and Dan and Nancy Dunn take over the leadership of the Seminary. They will be traveling between the US and Venezuela frequently during the next twelve months. Pictured here: Jane Lathem, Warren Lathem, Dan Dunn, Nancy Dunn, Carol Cosby, David Cosby. Warren Lathem will continue to serve as President of the Seminary until a new Venezuelan President can be named at a later date. This is a part of an intentional process of gradually creating indigenous Christian leaders. Lathem will continue to serve the Seminary in a capacity to his current one, but with more sharing of leadership with the Venezuelans.

The Seminaro Wesleyano de Venezuela has served as the incubator for the United Methodist Church of Venezuela. This church recently held its 3rd Annual Conference on the campus of the Seminary. The conference re-elected Juvenal Perez to his second three year term as Bishop of the Church. This seminal relationship is celebrated by both the Seminary and the Church.

Here the Bishop meets with Drs. David Cosby and Warren Lathem to consult on matters facing the church. This meeting took place immediately following the graduation celebration.

You can support this ministry by giving to:

Venezuela Now, Inc.
PO Box 1655
Duluth, GA 30096.

August at the Seminaro Wesleyano de Venezuela

2010-08-14T09:27:00.000-04:00

Wow, what a busy and great month in the Seminary. It began with an International Leadership Institute national conference in which 32 national leaders were trained to share the learning and wisdom of the ILI here in Venezuela. That was followed by a day-long pastor's conference then the 3rd Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church of Venezuela. Then we had 45 students taking two courses, one taught by Daivd Cosby and the other by me, Warren Lathem.

Last night we had the Graduation Dinner where we not only had a great meal and were blessed by the music of the Ondas de Paz MC Worship Team, but hear the moving testimonies of all 11 graduates. Today we will have our second graduation and celebrate the great work God has done in the lives of these graduates through the ministry of the Seminaro.

One example was the testimony of Pastor Antonio Toloza, pastor a great church in Barquisimeto, Venezuela. He said, "My church talks about my ministry as 'before and after' attending seminary. It has changed the way I do ministry and it has changed the effectiveness of our entire church."

More will follow, but just wanted to give a quick update. You can send gifts to:

Venezuela Now, Inc.

PO Box 1655
Duluth, GA 30096

2010-08-08T21:28:00.001-04:00

Today we were privileged to participate in a joyful and powerful worship experience at Ondas de Paz UMC. Musical worship helped us focus on celebrating God's love in our lives and giving Him thanks and glory, with an exuberant spirit of gratitude and glee. The preaching was strongly based in Biblical truth, with an emphasis upon the full life which God intends for each of us, in conjunction with an emphasis upon honoring God as God rather than attempting to use God for our own ends. Several people made first-time decisions to become Christ-followers (pictured on the left), and there was also a 20-minute time of prayer for married couples focusing on restoration, reconciliation, or renewed commitment. This was a special work of the Spirit for many couples (some of whom are pictured at the right). This local congregation has just recently moved the setting of its worship experiences because it outgrew the former facilities. It is exciting to see how the pastors and lay ministers of this congregation have been impacted by some of the training they have shared in the Wesleyan Seminary of Venezuela. God is amazing! Please continue to pray for the UMC of Venezuela (and for all other churches too). There is a great need here for a strong move of the Spirit.

3rd Annual Conference of the UMC de Venezuela

2010-08-07T07:05:00.000-04:00

Pastor Toby Victor Ramirez led the opening devotional time followed by typical spirited Venezuelan singing and worship (Oh, how I long for the Church in the US to experience such vital worship). This was followed by a few words from the Bishop and then I taught/preached on Paul's call to the church at Philippi to "Shine like the Stars in the Universe." Dean Dan Dunn translated for me and did his usual excellent work. A short break followed (with VZ coffee!) and then pastor Carlos Pirona preached from Exodus and defined the difference between selfish dreams or visions and God's vision and the necessity of the church holding on to the vision of God for the church. Needless to say, he preached circles around the gringo.

There followed a break for dinner and then the Conference gathered for a time of high worship at the Ondas de Pas UMC in Cabudare. This church has outgrown its former meeting place and is now renting space in the community of Aqua Viva Unfortunately, my intestinal bug returned and I was unable to attend. Hopefully we can get a later report from others who were there.

Today (Saturday) the conference will worship, hear some reports about conversions and new churches, elect their second bishop and close with Holy Communion and commissioning of the pastors. The Bishop has asked me to take the gavel for the election since he feels to preside at what may be his own election would be inappropriate. He has also asked me to Celebrate Holy Communion at the end of the day.

Please keep this conference in your thoughts and prayers. God is blessing the UMC de Venezuela with reaching a lot of lost people. Pray for faithfulness, integrity and strength.

The Seminario Wesleano de Venezuela was the birthing room for this Conference of the United Methodist Church and continues to provide a critical link for the connection here among the United Methodist churches and pastors across all regions of this large country.

You can help in this work by sending a gift to;
Venezuela Now, Inc.
PO Box 1655
Duluth, GA 30096 USA

Article from www.MinistryTransformers.blogspot.com

2010-08-02T07:53:00.001-04:00

Inward or Outward Focus?

I just finished teaching for a day in a State-wide pastor's conference in Venezuela. I was asked to teach on the Mission Church. The invitation came from a pastor who was the Valedictorian of the first graduating class of the Seminario Wesleyano de Venezuela (www.venezuelaforchrist.blogspot.com). Pastor Wilmer Perez had taken my course on the Mission of the Church and wanted to introduce his fellow pastors to both the concept and the seminary. He stated to them that going to the Seminary had changed his life and ministry, particularly the course on the Mission of the Church.

One of the primary differences between effective and ineffective churches is the primary direction of their focus. Ineffective churches are inwardly focused - almost exclusively. Effective churches are primarily outwardly focused. Ineffective churches consume all given to them (leadership resources, finances, location, facilities, etc.) with centripetal power. Effective churches multiply resources given through the release of centrifugal energy into the world. Effective churches are about "them," those outside the church. Ineffective churches are about "us." those inside the church.

This simple comparison and contrast is worth much more examination and something I do in the Seminary course. However, it is enough of a thumbnail sketch for one to begin to understand the basic difference between the Mission Church and the Traditional or "Chapel" Church.

The pastors in the conference in Venezuela demonstrated this simple, but profound truth in an exercise depicted in the following pictures. I asked for volunteers and 10-12 people quickly stepped to the front. Then I asked them to form a circle and join hands. They did what I have seen in every case where I have scores of times asked this to be done.

Then I asked them if they could still hold hands and form a different kind of circle. After some discomfort and confusion they eventually moved to the form of a circle pictured here in which they were facing outward. These contrasting ways to be in community (holding hands) are powerfully demonstrative of the difference between the inward focus or outward focus of ineffective and effective churches.

There are many ways illustrate this and/or examine objectively which one best describes our church. However, simply asking this question is a great beginning: "Are we primarily an inwardly or outwardly focused church?" The answers may help us change the focus and move from ineffective, irrelevant church life to transformational ministry in a lost and broken world.

ILI National Conference in Full Swing

2010-07-30T17:25:00.000-04:00

Thirty national church leaders have been meeting this week on the campus of the Seminario Wesleyano de Venezuela for the 6 day National International Leadership Institute conference. Pictured to the left is Dr. Warren Lathem, President of the Seminary, and translator and Seminary student, Pastor Chris Cisneros as Lathem teaches on the importance of mentoring in the work of raising up the next generation of leadership for the mission of the church.

Several of the Conference participants are students in the Seminary, but many are not currently enrolled and this was their first exposure to the work of the Seminario Wesleyano de Venezela. Many of them expressed to Lathem their appreciation for the opportunity to attend the Conference at the Seminary Campus. The work of ILI in Venezuela was birthed in the Seminary and is completely in the hands of the national church leaders.

For more on the work and ministry of ILI be sure to visit their website. Founders Wes and Joy Griffin have provided a critical ministry to the church where people want to share the Good News of the Gospel of Christ, We are honored to be a partner in this work.

ILI at the Seminary

2010-07-28T04:15:00.002-04:00

International Leadership Institute - Venezuela

Over 25 pastors are gathered at the Seminario Wesleyano de Venezuela for an intensive week of training trough the International Leadership Institute (www.iliteam.org). This leadership training is being conducted almost exclusively by Venezuelans who have been sponsored by the Seminary to receive their own training in ILI at other South and Central American countries. The first Venezuelans to receive this training were Carlos Pirona (the leader of this training event), Victor Ramirez and (now) Bishop Juvenal Perez.

One of the great benefits and multiplied impact of the Seminary is the operation of the Campus during times when the Seminary is not in session. During its "off" weeks, the Seminary hosts events like this weeklong training for Venezuelan pastoral leaders from various denominations, Marriage Renewal Retreats, Vacation Bible Schools, Bible Camps, Youth Retreats, Retreats for inner city kids, Men's and Women's retreats, Local Church Council Retreats, etc.

Through its Conference and Retreats ministry the Seminary provides a resource for indigenous leaders that was previously unavailable in the central part of the country. Barquisimeto is the ground transportation hub of Venezuela (similar to Atlanta as the air transportation hub in the US) and as such provides an easily accessible location for nationwide events. But it is also a city of increasing importance to the entire country and within which is a rapidly growing evangelical Christian community. The Seminary Campus offers an accessible, comfortable, affordable site for local and national events, a site not otherwise available in the area.

I look forward to being an instructor in the Leadership Institute on Friday and visiting with old friends and making new ones in the evangelical community of Venezuela. Then next Friday the Seminary Campus will host the 4th Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church of Venezuela. I have been honored to be invited to preach at this conference. The UMC of Venezuela was organized primarily as a result of the ministry of the Seminary and has had a great part in reaching this nation for Christ.

Please pray for these two national conferences meeting on the Campus of the Seminario Wesleyano de Venezuela and for the August Seminary Class and Graduation which will meet immediately after the Annual Conference. Send your financial gifts for this ministry to:
Venezuela Now, Inc.
PO Box 1655
Duluth, GA 30096

Celebrating True Freedom

2010-07-14T05:20:00.000-04:00

"The one that the Son makes free is free indeed."

July 5 is Independence Day in Venezuela. It is normally a celebration of that country's independence from Colonial Spain and has the same significance in Venezuela as July 4 in the US. However, this July 5 was a day of even greater celebration for the congregation of the Ondas de Paz UMC in Cabudare, Venezuela. 25 new followers of Jesus celebrated their deliverance from sin and freedom in Christ by taking the vows of Baptism and receiving the holy sacrament.

This congregation was founded by Efrain and Bethsaida Morales (seen here with daughter, Lim), graduates of the Seminario Wesleyano de Venezuela (now pastors at the Snellville UMC in Georgia). It met in their home in Cabudare until recently when the growth of the congregation required them to relocate to a rented facility for weekly worship.

Pastors Alexander and Amaryllis Comacho were converted in this congregation and when the Morales' moved to the US, they were given responsibility for the congregation. What wonderful leadership they have given! The church is known for its ministry to children and their families. They have a strong missional orientation that causes them to reach out to the community. This was almost unknown before the Seminary began teaching the necessity of becoming a Mission Church. They have learned the lesson well and are applying it in culturally appropriate ways and the result is remarkable growth of the Kingdom.

In the last month the Ondas de Paz UMC and the Lugar Altissimo UMC cooperated together in the best of the Wesleyan connectional spirit and conducted joint Men's retreats (19 in attendance) and Women's Retreats (50). (Shown here: Pastor Yolanda Caceido and husband Mariano at a recent Annual Conference)This cooperative spirit is seen throughout the UMC of Venezuela and a large part of this attitude and conduct is fostered by their experience together at the Seminario Wesleyano de Venezuela. The pastors at Ondas de Paz are currently students in the Seminary and the pastor at Lugar Altissimo UMC is a graduate of the Seminary.

The experience of Seminary is of such great importance the pastors and congregations are taking greater ownership in supporting the work (see previous article). For example, pastor Alexander has given days and days of construction labor to the improvement of the campus. Additionally, when we were there in March, while he and his wife and their pre-school age son attended class, each day at the lunch break he was laboring as a volunteer in the kitchen.

You can be a part of this great move of the Spirit in Venezuela and see the fruit of your labor bearing everlasting fruit for the Kingdom of God. How can you do this? 1. Pray for the pastors and churches of Venezuela. 2. Pray for the Seminario Wesleyano de Venezuela. 3. Pray for the leaders of the Seminary. 4. Give for the work of the Seminary (see below). 4. Help with the Hope Store sale in Roswell in December - more details to come later.

(Warren Lathem teaching and Dan Dunn translating for a recent Seminary class.)

Please send your gifts for the Seminary to:
Venezuela for Christ, Inc,.
PO Box 1655
Duluth, GA 30096

Thank you for your prayerful and generous support for this work.

July at Seminario Wesleyano de Venezuela

2010-07-08T04:46:00.000-04:00

Renovation projects continue (See Previous Post) and new projects commence. Preparing the Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church of Venezuela on Campus in August, a week of Seminary classes and Graduation activities.

In the meantime, the Seminary Campus and staff are not idle. A church group of 60 used the campus on Monday, July 5, National Independence Day in Venezuela. This weekend Ondas de Paz United Methodist Church is using it for a retreat. Then there are 2 more retreats scheduled this month before International Leadership Institute and the Seminary jointly host a national conference on the campus for the week of July 24 - 31. Pray for Dr. Wes Griffin, the staff of ILI and this Leadership Training ministry in Venezuela and around the world. We are grateful for the many years of association with Wes and Joy Griffin and ILI.

Campus Improvements Continue After a Great Week of Class

2010-07-01T07:38:00.000-04:00

The Seminario Wesleyano leadership continues to invest resources in improving the campus and its function as the primary Wesleyan Theological Seminary in Venezuela and as a retreat center for church groups, annual conferences, etc. Below are some of the pictures of the work being done before and after the recent class. Here is what is reported by the Academic Dean, David, about the student body and their shared commitment to this ministry:

"On Monday several students asked David to come outside to their car. They presented to him an air conditioner to be installed in one of the men's dorm rooms. The other dorm room has an a/c that was given by two other students in April. The students continue to give to the seminary which now includes these two a/c, sheets for the dorms, Internet router large enough to cover the campus, labor to lay tile in the men's bathroom, and labor to weld the security gate and build the security wall. David has been involved in training national leaders for over 30 years and in four countries and has never seen this kind of support by students for the institution."

This report is indicative of the unique ministry being done by the Seminary. The reason students are so involved in it is they understand better than anyone how very effective and important this work is for the Kingdom and their own country.

Here is the most recently donated air conditioner.

Here work progresses on replacing some of the roof, the broken, stained and dirty tile and installing a higher, better ceiling in the dining hall. Due to this construction, June students ate their meals under an outside awning. But this will be complete in time for the August Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church of Venezuela and the August session of the Seminary. It will be the location of the Friday night Graduation Dinner in August as well.

Also shown here are the new sinks installed in the kitchen and the old kitchen sink that was moved outside the kitchen for various uses. Can you imagine washing dishes three times a day for over 50 people in that old sink? Our volunteers and employees did that and never complained. Someone from the US saw the situation and said, this has to be fixed, bought the sinks and they are now installed. This is such an improvement. Other improvements continue as well such as construction of the security fence on the front and back of the property, new airconditioners for the dining hall and the installation of the new units in the men's dorms and other timely improvements. We just finished improving the large staff house on campus where Samuel lives and on August will live with his new wife, Laura after their wedding on Sunday after graduation.

We continue to need your prayers and support. We also need your financial help and we need ministry teams to come to the Seminary. For more information contact Warren Lathem at warrenlathem@gmail.com or send gifts to Venezuela Now, Inc.

PO Box 1655,

Norcross, GA 30096

Seminary Week, June, 2010

2010-06-24T16:48:00.000-04:00

Seminary is meeting this week in Cabudare, Venezuela on the campus of Seminario Weselyano de Venezuela. Academic Dean David and his wife Carol are hosting the week. The professors are Randy and Rachel Coleman. Class meets Monday, 2pm through Friday Noon. A student satisfying all the requirements of the classes can earn 4 hours toward a Bachelor's (equivalent) level degree. It is expected that 8-12 students will be awarded the degree in August after completing over 6 years of study.

Randy and Rachel Coleman served 13 years in Ecuador with OMS International. They currently direct the OMS student center on the Asbury campuses in Wilmore. The topic this week is Christian Marriage. On Friday afternoon the seminary will host a seminar on the Theology of Women in Ministry, which Rachel and Randy will teach.

The photos are of a class-participation exercise on Wednesday afternoon. There are 40 students in class this week from all parts of

the country. The Coleman's have commented several times on how anxious the students are to learn and what a joy it is to teach these who so want to put into practice what they are learning.

Update

2010-06-02T10:57:00.002-04:00

The Seminary has our heart. Founded by Dan Dunn and me in 2002, we are now in our 8^th year of operation and will have our second graduation in August, 2010. The Seminary is a 6 year non-traditional undergraduate program granting the Bachelor of Theology (equivalent) degree. We have over 100 students enrolled, most of which are pastors in

Venezuela

. A typical class will have 50 students and meet for 16 contact hours during one week. Each week offer at least 2 classes, 6 times a year. This ministry is having a huge impact on the church and country of

Venezuela

For example, two of our United Methodist student/pastors held services over the past weekend. Pastor Thoby Ramirez is the pastor of Casa de Dios UMC (House of God) in the large city of Puerto Ordaz. Pastors Alexander and Amaryllis of Ondas de Paz UMC (Waves of Peace) in Cabudare led the services for Pastor Thoby. On this past Sunday 50 persons made professions of faith! Another example of the impact of the Seminary: Pastors Carlos and Dr. Maria Perona now have 8 congregations for which they are responsible including the largest UMC of Venezuela and a Chinese language service.

The next class is June 21-25 with professors Randy and Rachael Coleman. They are some of the favorites of the students in the Seminary. Dean David and Carol will host them for the week.

Coming up: Dan and Nancy will move to Venezuela for a year while David and Carol are in the US. Dan will be in charge of the Seminary operations.

In August, in addition to graduation, I will be leading a state-wide pastor’s conference, preaching to the 3^rd Annual Conference of the UMC of Venezuela, teaching a course in the Seminary, presiding at the graduation, and performing the wedding of Samuel (our ministry assistant) and Laura, all with Dan and David’s assistance through translation.

We welcome your involvement in and support of the Seminary. It costs about $2500 a year to educate one student. Any help you feel led to give will be greatly appreciated. More importantly we covet your prayers. This is a wonderful ministry, but this kind of ministry in

Venezuela

is not without significant challenges! However, God provides each step of the way.

Contact us at Venezuela Now, Inc. PO Box 1655, Duluth, GA 30096 or send your checks to Venezuela Now, Inc. at the same address.

In Christ,

Warren Lathem

President, Venezuela Now, Inc.

I always thank God for you because of his grace given you in Christ Jesus. (ICorinthians 1:4)

Facilities Progress Continues at the Seminary

2010-04-16T06:09:00.000-04:00

A new ceiling, lighting and air-conditioning system is being installed in the Dining Hall in preparation for the guests and the students coming in June as well as Graduation Banquet in August. We hope to keep the cost for these improvements to less than $3,000US.

Next week we hope Pastor and Seminary Graduate Julio Lopez and his team from the Upata UMC can complete the security wall on the front street of the Seminary property. Pastor Lopez and the 5 or 6 men with him will take a week of from work - and therefore compensation - travel over 20 hours each way by bus and give their considerable talents to the ministry of the Seminary. Pastor Julio is a building contractor (bi-vocational as is the case with most Venezuelan pastors) and has considerable skills and a tremendous work ethic as well as a deep love for the Seminary. We hope to keep the cost of the wall under $4,000US.

Why does any of this matter? The Seminario Wesleyano de Venezuela has a great ministry equipping and empowering pastors and lay leaders for effective, transformational ministry. Because of the experience received in the seminary, lives are being transformed through the grace of Jesus, ministries are being created, churches are being strengthened, and new churches planted all across the country and across denominational lines. While the Seminary is the official Methodist Seminary of Venezuela, it also has become one of the most significant educational opportunities for the Assembly of God pastors in Venezuela. Some of our graduates are teaching in their Bible college and many of their pastors are students at the Seminary. Because these men and women of God of many denominations are making a difference in the world, they deserve a safe and comfortable place to learn to effectively follow Christ in the Great Commission.

You are invited to a dinner to benefit the Seminary on April 23 at 7:00 at the Due West UMC. The dinner is free, but of course we will ask for gifts for the Seminary. Simply call to make a reservation: 404 502 5678. You can send a gift for this ministry to:
Venezuela Now, Inc.
PO 1655
Duluth, GA 30096

Great News from VZ Campmeeting

2010-04-08T10:43:00.000-04:00

Below is the report Pastor Toby Ramirez sent us via FaceBook:

Victor Alexander Ramirez Orduño Brother Warren
estimated hope this well with his family, I am writing to share with you
the blessings of the camp, 15 people opened their hearts to Christ and 7
children were baptized, also 2 children were presented, the food was in
abundance and sermons were powerful, God is good, and we are
preparing the camp of 2011, thank you for your prayers. Thoby pastor

United Methodist Camp in Puerto Ordaz

2010-04-01T06:50:00.000-04:00

Yesterday, today and tomorrow 120 children, youth and adults are camping on the river near Puerto Ordaz, Venezuela engaged in a Methodist Campmeeting. They are being ministered to by the Methodist pastors of the State of Bolivar. This is a joint effort of all the Methodist churches in the area with support from other United Methodist congregations across the country. All the pastors working in the Campmeeting are students or graduates of the Seminario Wesleyano de Venezuela.

The Seminary has had tremendous impact on the pastors and churches in the Bolivar State. New churches, new Christians, and new pastors are just some of the results of this ministry in that state. Your giving to the Seminary makes this possible, so "thank you."

These pastors travel over 20 hours (some more) each way by bus to come to the Seminary. They leave after church on Sunday, ride all night, and are in class when it begins at 2:00 on Monday. They are among the most faithful students in the seminary, making this sacrificial effort 5 or 6 times a year.

This fall they have invited Dan and me to come to their state for a state-wide evangelistic crusade. Please pray for this as these pastors and churches band together to reach the state and the nation for Christ. I am excited about this opportunity since I have not preached an evangelistic crusade in Venezuela since 2002 in Barquisimeto. They said there were 10,000 at that event and hundreds made a commitment to Christ.This crusade in the Bolivar State should have much greater impact since the pastors and churches will be organized to follow up with converts and begin the lifelong process of spiritual growth. Please pray for this event.

You can support the work these pastors through the Seminary by giving a gift to:
Venezuela Now, Inc.
PO Box 1655
Duluth, GA 30096

Looking Ahead

2010-03-27T11:22:00.000-04:00

As we look to the immediate future of what will be happening with the Seminario Wesleyano de Venezuela we are most excited and somewhat overwhelmed by the amount of work to be done. We have to immediately improve the security fence(wall) on the front side of the property. There have been breaches in the security and that is unacceptable. We must have a safe and secure place for the people who live on campus as well as the classes and groups that come to the Seminary on a regular basis. This will cost about $4000US plus labor. Fortunately, we do not have to pay the labor costs since one of our alumns is planning to do the work at very little cost to the Semninary other than materials cost.

We are simultaneously improving the kitchen and dining hall. The women who cook for the Seminary have been washing dishes for 30 or more people, 3 times a day, in a sink that is about 4 inches deep and 14"X8". We have purchased two deep stainless sinks and faucets and will build concrete counters into which the sinks will be installed. This will be a HUGE improvement. We still need to add a 20'X20' kitchen addition with a 6' deep water cistern underneath it. However, that is for another time or when God places it on someones' heart to provide that. We are also tearing down the old dirty and rusting dropped ceiling in the Dining Hall and replacing it with rigid insulation and finished luan as well as adding new lights to replace the old rusted tubes and adding two new air conditioners. This will cost about $3,000 (not including the needed but delayed Kitchen/Cistern expansion).

There are many more improvements needed on the campus, but they will have to wait for additional resources. Generally, the students are most understanding, even when sleeping without air-conditioning and lacking any furniture for resting or lounging as well as other needs. Thank God for their humble, generous attitude.

In June we will have another week of Seminary. During the next months we will host a variety of church groups. Then in August we will host the 3rd annual conference of the United Methodist Church of Venezuela. We will also have the August Seminary session, followed by our Second Graduation as 12 students receive their equivalent Bachelor of Theology degree.

All of this will happen through the hard work of many people in Venezuela and the US. Obviously, most of the cost will have to be covered by giving in the US. Therefore, we invite you to give generously to the Seminary at:
Venezuela Now, Inc.
PO Box 1655
Duluth, GA 30096