Enjoyed Preaching in Spanish Today

Today Dan had the opportunity to preach twice in Spanish. His theme was "Cuando Dios se manifiesta, la transformacion siempre es posible." We continue to marvel at God's grace in bringing Dan's Spanish to this point, and ask for God's continued favor with language learning. Thank you for your prayers!

Closed on the VZ Seminary Property Today!

Praise God, we were able to close on the VZ Seminary property today. We are so thankful for the hard work that David, Carol, Samuel, Tricia, Warren, and others have put into this project. We still need to pay the rest of the money in five months and also make capital improvements, so we continue to pray for generous gifts to help this dream come to full reality. But today was certainly a grand step in the right direction. Thank you for your prayers and your generous giving.

Back in Wilmore

Nancy and I made it back to Wilmore last night, and have begun the process of going through our mail and assorted errands that have piled up during our absence. We are very thankful for a great summer of ministry in America, Venezuela, and Costa Rica, but we are also delighted to be home. Nancy looks forward to several learning opportunities this Fall, focusing on Prayer, Healing, and Spiritual Warfare. I have some helpful learning awaiting me as well. I am particularly interested in an opportunity I have to design a Mission course this Fall that I can use in the future in various teachings settings that God might call us to. Thank you for your continued prayers as we serve Christ together to reach lost people with His love. Many Blessings, Dan

Seminary Graduation

Wow! Go God! Wow! Go God!

What a grand graduation celebration we enjoyed yesterday. After seven years of dreaming, planning, and hard work, the first 12 graduates of the Wesleyan Seminary of Venezuela received their diplomas. Families and friends gathered to witness this exciting event, and we basked in the blessings of God's grace. It has been such a joy for us to be a part of the teaching team through the years and engage in mutual learning with the students. We have learned so much from them, and more importantly, we have become friends in Christ. The graduates are pictured here tossing their graduation caps into the air in a final act of celebration.

Graduation Banquet a Huge Success

Last night we celebrated the Graduation Banquet of the Wesleyan Seminary of Venezuela. The twelve graduates and their friends and families were in attendance, along with the Cosbys, Dunns, and Lathems, who helped found the Seminary through Mount Pisgah UMC in October of 2002. It was a great evening of joy and laughter and remembering, as well as looking ahead. The Mount Pisgah mission team presented beautiful crosses to the graduates, and two representatives from another supporting church, McEachern, also presented gifts. Dan had the joy of serving as master of ceremonies. At the close of the evening, Wilmer Perez, the Valedictorian, preached about the paralytic man who was carried to Jesus by friends and let down through the roof of the house and laid at Jesus' feet, where he received healing. Wilmer asked Dan to close in prayer with Bishop Juvenal Perez, Rev. Julio Lopez, and a Venezuelan teen, representing each of those four persons carrying one corner of a stretcher, symbolizing that our mutual responsibility is to carry the lost people of VZ to Jesus to receive His love, healing, and salvation. Thanks for your continued love and support. We are deeply grateful for your partnership with us in Venezuela, Costa Rica, and the Americas. Much Love, Dan and Nancy

Consecration Service

Here is a picture from the Consecration Service this afternoon. What a grand time we had celebrating God's grace in providing a place for the Wesleyan Seminary of Venezuela. About 100 people were in attendance and the Spirit moved in a powerful way. Much Love, Dan and Nancy

Another Update from Venezuela

We apologize for not updating you in a couple days, but the pace has been hectic here. Tuesday Dan had a blast teaching a session in the Seminary on New Church Planting. The students seemed to enjoy the material, and we had a great time getting excited about new church planting possibilities in VZ. Wednesday (yesterday) Dan spent the entire morning with the students discussing the Urban Challenge that faces us today. This is especially pertinent in VZ. Worldwide, about 55% of people live in large cities, but in VZ 87% live in large cities. In recent Christian history we have often ignored ministry in the cities because of fear, prejudice, and the unknown. This must change if we are to reach lost people. We ended our session with Bishop Juvenal Perez praying for the cities of Venezuela. This was quite a moving experience. Today Dan will teach a session on How to Reach Secular People. Nancy is busy working on graduation-related tasks. Today and tomorrow she will be ironing all the robes that the students and faculty will wear for graduation. Last night she wrapped graduation gifts for the students. Please continue to pray for good health. We are doing well but we are definitely getting tired. We love you and appreciate your partnership with us in ministry.

Blessed Afternoon in VZ Seminary

We praise God that 60 students were in the Seminary today, which is a great turnout. This included 10 new students, something we are especially thankful for. Dan enjoyed teaching his first-ever Spanish-only session in the Seminary, without the aid of a translator. This is an amazing gift of God's grace. Dan is pictured here with our great missionary friend, David Cosby, who is the Academic Dean of the Seminary. The other picture is of some of the students who were in attendance today. Please continue to pray for God to be glorified and lost people to be brought to Jesus. Much Love, Dan and Nancy

Seminary Week Begins Today in VZ

This afternoon we begin another Seminary week in VZ. I will be co-teaching a course on Church Growth with Warren Lathem. Contrary to what the term sometimes implies, Church Growth is a field within mission/evangelism that focuses on continually discovering ways to creatively reach non-Christians with the gospel of Jesus in order to invite them into a living relationship with Him and help incorporate them into a local expression of His Body (congregation, church, etc.). It is about how to Make Disciples of people who are currently not disciples, and how to do that through local congregations. The focus is on growing the global church of Jesus, not local denominational churches (though that is sometimes a side benefit). I look forward to sharing with the students this week, and learning from them. Nancy and I both slept very well last night, and we are most thankful. Our recent illness and tiring travels had gotten us down, so we are thankful for renewed strength. We are still a little tired, but so much better than before. Please continue to pray for us. Much Love, Dan and Nancy

Safely Arrived in Venezuela

Nancy and I arrived safely today in Cabudare, VZ, after a 29-hour journey from San Jose, CR to Atlanta to Houston to Caracas to Cabudare. We praise God for healing us of our recent illness, and ask for your continued prayers for strength and recovery as Dan teaches in the Seminary this week and as we both celebrate the graduation weekend of our first graduating class of the Wesleyan Seminary of VZ.