Follow the Dunns

Dan and Nancy Dunn, partners in the work in Venezuela where Dan is Dean of Students and a professor for the Seminario Wesleyano de Venezuela, have a new blog. You can access it at: http://missiondunns.blogspot.com. I hope you will visit their site to keep up with all they are doing. Here is a quote from Dan and Nancy:

Dan and Nancy are cross-cultural ministers who live in the United States and partner with Christians to help serve God's Kingdom in America, Venezuela, and Costa Rica. They focus on leadership training, prayer and healing ministries, and supporting ministries who focus on reaching children.

Dan has been instrumental in the work in Venezuela. His first foreign mission trip was to Venezuela in 2002 and it completely changed the direction and focus of his ministry. For the last two years Dan and Nancy have been living in Wilmore, KY where Dan is pursuing a PhD. in Evangelism. His ministgy goal is to train effective leaders for the church both in the US and Latin America. With Dan's remarkable intellect he has rapidly learned Spanish is has become quite fluent greatly enhancing his ministry in Venezuela and Costa Rica.

Additionally Dan and Nancy are Board Members of Venezuela Now, Inc. In that capacity Dan was also a co-founder of the Seminario Weselyano de Venezuela.

Please keep the Dunns in your prayers as they sacrifice for the ministry during this time of preparation and as they serve our Lord in the US, Costa Rica and especially Venezuela. Here is a report of their most recent work regarding Venezuela. Read more on their blog.

"Last Wednesday night Nancy and I had the joy of speaking with a group of about 20 Asbury students about the work God is doing in Venezuela, and ways they could pray and think about partnering with God in that work. Through God's amazing grace, 5-7 men and women are seriously considering an exploratory trip to Venezuela in January to begin discerning whether and/or how God might want to use them to reach lost people there. God's continued provision that allows us to be used as small instruments in His hands to link people with the work in Venezuela and Costa Rica truly is incredible. It has been an enormous blessing to actually see what we envisioned as part of our ministry coming to fruition. Please pray for these students as they continue in their discernment process."

October Seminary a Success

In one intensive week of seminary over 50 Venezuelan and two Columbian students and pastors completed the classroom work of three courses. Rev. Donna Goff taught the two credit hour Minor Prophets. The Dean of the Seminary taught the two hour course, Holiness in the New Testament. I (Warren Lathem) taught a 6 credit hour Practicum on Community Ministries. This practicum is part of the Practice of Ministry curriculum and a requirement for graduation. It requires extensive work in a local church over the next seven months and the proper reporting required for course credit.

Again, the Holy Spirit descended on the class in a way that defies human orchestration. On Wednesday afternoon after a harrowing experience by a couple of our team, the class gathered to celebrate God's protection and provision during the afternoon worship time. And God moved with power and glory. It was a time of great intimacy with the Holy One.

Please pray for these students and pastors. We were blessed to have a number of first time students including an attorney from Puerto Ordaz. They all remarked on how impressed they were with the quality of education being provided by the Seminario Wesleyano de Venezuela. For their recognition of this reality and for God's continued provision, we are most grateful.

On Wednesday night the United Methodists gathered at Pastor Carlos Perona's church, Restoracion, for a great worship service. Bishop Juvenal Perez preached a powerfully evangelistic sermon to the 250-300 gathered. All of the United Methodist seminary students were in attendance as well as 5 North Americans. God's spirit was poured out on the service and several persons made a profession of faith in Christ.

On Sunday we were blessed to attend worship at Lugar Altissimo. This is the church we were privileged to build in memory of our son, Ray W. Lathem, III and in honor of Jared Lathem. One of the young lay leaders, Wilmer, preached. He and his wife Juni have a beautiful baby boy named Wilmer, Jr. We, the Americans, were all touched by the outpouring of God's Spirit in the service. After a wonderful meal at a local restaurant, we made the drive to Caracas and flew home on Monday, ending a great week of magnificent blessings.