September Newsletter

Pastor Carlos Pirona assumes the Presidency of Seminario Wesleyano de Venezuela. Warren Lathem becomes President Emeritus

Dear Jane,

Since 2002 we have had the goal of raising up a fully indigenous seminary in Venezuela. This is a major step toward the realization of that goal. President Pirona has taken over responsibility for the property, operations and the staff of the Seminary. This is a huge step forward in many ways. Particularly, it provides much better leadership for this aspect of the ministry. It also frees our US team to focus more on academics, visioning, and the launching of the new on-line SEIN, Seminario Evangélico Internacional, the development of the graduate programs of SEMWESVEN, the establishment of more extension campus sites and launching the Church Planting Institute.

Pastor Carlos Pirona, Dr Maria Pirona, Warren Lathem

President Carlos Pirona and his wife, Dr. Maria Pirona, are the founding pastors of the Restauracion UMC in Barquisimeto, our largest UMC in Venezuela. They have also planted over a dozen new congregations in Venezuela and other Latin American nations, they are both graduates of SEMWESVEN and are currently enrolled in the Master's program. They have both taught courses at the Seminary. Dr. Maria is the Medical Director of the Wesley Medical Center on the Campus of SEMWESVEN. President Carlos is the Venezuelan President of the International Leadership Institute and also serves as the President of the Ministerial Association of the Lara State, the largest association in the nation. He and Pastora Maria will continue to serve as the lead pastors of the Restauracion Church and International Ministries.

I (Warren Lathem) am assuming a greater role in development for SEMWESVEN, SEIN, and the Wesley Medical Center. I will also continue to teach courses in the Practice of Ministry and Biblical Studies at SEMWESVEN, both undergraduate and graduate level, teach at some extension locations in Venezuela, teach courses for SEIN, and help with the development of the recording studio at SEMWESVEN. Additionally, I will promote and recruit for both seminaries and continue to raise partners and funding for all the above,

Dr. Dan Dunn will continue to serve as the Academic Dean of SEMWESVEN, undergraduate and graduate degree programs. He also assumes the role of President of SEIN. He will continue to teach in all the schools, supervise the curriculum, translate on occasion for other faculty, administer the programs, recruit faculty, and raise up Venezuelan professors. He continues to play a vital role in our attempt to constantly improve the quality and accessibility of this excellent theological education.

Dr. David Cosby will continue in his role as Dean of Students of SEMWESVEN. He is a beloved professor who will continue to teach several courses in both SEMWESVEN and SEIN. Additionally, we expect to launch a new Institute of Church Planting under David's leadership and expand our extension campus offerings through his leadership. Additionally, David serves as the Field Director for One Missionary Society, Venezuela, and will be working with mission teams and other projects of OMS. He and Carol are career missionaries and bring much needed spiritual maturity and experience to this work. They are preparing to live full time in Venezuela.

Baptismal Candidates

These and many other developments in the work in Venezuela are indicative of the rapid growth of the ministry there. The church in Venezuela is exploding with growth, especially among the youth of the nation. The political, economic and secular spiritual environment is very difficult, beyond anything we can imagine in the US. But God is proportionally blessing the Church there.

Scores coming to Christ in Venezuela - Help us raise up well equipped leaders!

The greatest need for this work is the financial need. The last 12 months recorded in excess of 60% inflation in Venezuela. The rate of inflation for food was even higher! Therefore, attending seminary becomes more and more difficult.

 A young church in Venezuela needs trained leadership

Huge financial barriers stand in the way of many potential students, especially the 16-25 year old leaders of this explosive growth. They have the greatest need for this education, but the fewest financial recourses.

Will you help? I unashamedly ask you to prayerfully consider today making a $100 gift, or more, for this work. We desperately need at least 25 new people or churches to give this amount. Could you do this? If so, you may give via PayPal by clicking on the button below, 

Or you can send a check to:

VENEZUELA NOW, INC.
PO Box 1655, Duluth
GA 30096

Thank you so very much. Your gift of $100 or more, or any size gift, will have a huge return on investment in Venezuela and in eternity. Remember, no US citizen receives any compensation from these gifts.

Report re: Samuel Rojas.  Thank you for your prayers, Sam continues to be free, but has to await a decision on his legal fate. The hearing was just postponed again to September 30. Remember, he was arrested for buying cement for the construction of the Medical Center, cement that was later deemed contraband. He spent two months in jail. Please continue to pray for his full exoneration.
 

Latest News from Venezuela!

Greetings in the wonderful Name of Jesus!

I am writing you from Cabuare, Venezuela, home of the Seminario Wesleyano de Venezuela and the Wesley Medical Center. Both of these ministries have been made possible by your gifts.

Did you know a year of theological education in our Seminary, SEMWESVEN, cost about $1,800 per student? Compare that to my alma mater, Candler School of Theology, where a year of education costs about $28,000. Asbury and Duke have similar costs.

Certainly, we do not claim a year of education here in Venezuela is equal to a year at those great American institutions. But our Venezuelan alumni and students declare it is the very best available in Venezuela!

Now we need your help. Over the last 12 months the inflation rate in Venezuela exceeded 60%. The predictions are it will get much higher in the next 12 months. As you can imagine, this is devastating for our students.

Therefore we have to do even more to assist in their education. The student pays only a small portion of the $1,800 annual cost. Your gifts provide the rest. However, what it the cost for each student to attend is still more than 2 months of salary for the typical Venezuelan worker. Therefore, even though costs are very low by our standards, it is terribly expensive by Venezuelan standards.

Would you please make a gift to the Seminary through Venezuela Now, Inc? No US citizen will receive any salary support from this gift. Only the students will benefit.

In 2015 we will have to cut back the number of class offerings unless more funding is received from the US. The students simply cannot afford to take as many days off work AND pay the tuition and fees. We are processing these decisions now. Your immediate gift will help us in our decision making. Please give a sacrificial gift today.

How much can you give! Anything will help. We especially need monthly gifts of $100 or more. Please prayerfully consider making regular gifts, you can send your check to:
VENEZUELA NOW, INC
PO Box 1655
Duluth, GA  30096
Or you can simply click on the PayPal button here:

 

Thank you.

Now for other news...
Thank you for praying for SAMUEL ROJAS to be released from jail. Praise God! After two months in the local jail he was released and awaits his hearing onSeptember 3. Please keep praying for complete exoneration.

The WESLEY MEDICAL CENTER is open and serving the needs of the community surrounding the Seminary. It will rapidly become the gold standard for medical care in the evangelical community.

 
DR. MARIA PIRONA is the medical director. Sandra Sanchez is the psychologist also serving on the staff. We will receive our first medical mission team in October.

Also about a dozen Rotary International Clubs in the US are working toward a partnership with the local club to benefit the Center.

Would your club like to help? Send me a message for details.

The CASA HOGAR LUZ DE ESPERANZA, the first Methodist Children's Home in Venezuela just received it's first four resident children. This is after a year of government red tape, over 5 years of construction and 13 years of dreaming and visioning. Praise God these first four siblings have a safe, nourishing and nurturing home for the first time in their lives. Hundreds more will follow.

The UNITED METHODIST CHURCH OF VENEZUELA continues to experience rapid growth comparable only to the Methodist Church of Cuba. These two national churches are the fastest growing Methodist churches in the Western Hemisphere. We not only work with the UMC here, but also a dozen other denominations and independent churches. One example of the growth of the church here: last year the Ondas de Paz UMC conducted 8 simultaneous community Vacation Bible Schools. This week they will hold SEVENTEEN simultaneous Schools in 17 communities reaching over 800 children, 600 of whom have never been to a Christian worship service. Over half of the adult membership of the church will serve in some capacity in these schools. Further, I am often asked how many congregations are in the Methodist Church in Venezuela. I don't know. New congregations seem to spring up almost overnight. It is an amazing thing to witness, unlike anything I have seen in my 42 years of ministry! Come and see!


  

The SEMINARIO EVANGÉLICO INTERNACIONAL (SEIN) is the on-line Spanish language school of theology we are birthing out of SEMWESVEN. Our first course will be ready for several groups and individuals to do beta testing in September. We are rapidly moving to get a portion of our curriculum on line byJanuary 1 for affordable access for the 400 million Spanish speakers in the world, 50 million of whom live in the US, the third largest number in the world. Through the generous gift of an anonymous donor, we have the equipment on site to record, edit and present this education on the internet and are using temporary studio space. We are waiting for the architect to complete the plans before building the permanent recording studios. Additionally, this equipment and studios will make audio and video recording accessible and affordable to the church in Venezuela, for the very first time!
 

   

There is so much more to tell. But it will have to wait. This is the most rewarding ministry of my life. Thank you for your partnership in spreading the Gospel in Venezuela, and soon to the whole Spanish speaking world!
We look forward to hearing from you. Please see our Prayer Partners for Venezuela Now on FaceBook and become one of our prayer team. Dr. Gayle Arnold will guide your prayers for the work here.

In Christ,
Warren Lathem