We are so grateful for your support, prayers and much love. We are still adjusting to being a family of five while being in ministry full-time. It has at times stretched us, but it is always amazing to see God’s grace come through. We are thankful for those times when the Lord shows us our sin and shapes and molds us more into the image of His Son. Please do continue praying for strength and discipline, especially to continue striving to do all things for the glory of God. We have a great church body here in Leon that encourages us and are great examples to us. Thank you again for your prayers!
Here is an update on what we have been up to the last couple of months and what is ahead.
September
Retreat in Galicia
On the weekend of September 16th – 18th, Ruben traveled to Galicia (4-hour drive north of Leon) to teach at a church-wide retreat for the Evangelical Church of Teis at Codeseda. He taught on spiritual growth out of 2 Peter 1, and was encouraged to see that the people were eager to learn. For most of the sessions, a few teenage girls sat in the front row fervently taking notes and behind them sat a row of elderly women who seemed to drink up every single word. One of the ladies told Ruben that she moved up her dialysis date to before the retreat so that she could attend and hear the Word! One of the elders mentioned how churches have abandoned that type of preaching and that it’s necessary to bring it back.
Berea Seminary Extension in Murcia
The following weekend, September 23rd – 25th, Ruben and other Berea professors traveled to Murcia (8-hour drive southeast) to begin the Berea Seminary extension. This first class consists of 16 men from that area and others who travel from the Canary Islands (by Africa), Seville, Barcelona and Madrid. What a joy it was for the professors to see the enthusiasm that these students portrayed despite the large load of work that was dropped on their shoulders! One of the students is a firefighter in his mid-50’s who confessed that he had never touched a computer, but because he so desperately wants to increase in His knowledge of the Word, he signed up for a computer class in order to be able to complete all of the assignments, do research, etc. Ruben returned home very encouraged and thankful!
TMAI Americas in Leon
Two days later, the professors of the Spanish-speaking TMAI seminaries in Mexico and Honduras arrived in Leon where they gathered with the Berea professors to discuss their academic programs and how they can improve for Christ’s glory and the good of the Church. They had the privilege of having world-renown scholar Dr. Evis Carballosa from Galicia and Dr. Steve Lawson come and speak to them. Their time together was refreshing and encouraging.
October
Berea Conference with Steve Lawson
From September 30th through October 2nd, Berea had its last conference of 2016 with Dr. Steve Lawson who spoke on the preaching that God blesses. We cannot express how amazing and timely this teaching was for those of us who attended! We walked away from every session encouraged, convicted and desirous for more. We encourage you all to listen to the sessions by clicking here. He was translated into Spanish by Pastor Luis Contreras from Mexico throughout the conference, and Ruben translated on Sunday night at our church’s evening service. All of the seminary students were required to attend this conference, which was also the official start of the academic year. It was incredible to see that the majority of those in attendance were students and others who we know that are like-minded and scattered all over Spain. God is doing a great work for His glory!!
Preaching in Galicia
The following weekend our entire family was supposed to travel to Galicia together, but we had to take Ollie back to the ER to get breathing treatments, so Ruben traveled to Vigo by himself on Sunday, October 9th to preach at Iglesia Evangélica de Fragoso. It was special for Ruben to be there on that particular Sunday because one of his childhood friends was baptized. Ruben preached on sanctification and by God’s grace, the following week the Lord used the sermon to bring a lady to salvation, and others whose life has not yielded good fruit were left wondering if they are saved. Please pray that God will grant them the gift of eternal life in Christ.
November
Trip to Linares
From November 10th to the 13th we will be traveling as a family to Linares. Ruben will be preaching at a Conference at a church of one of the Seminary graduates. He will be speaking on the True Gospel That Saves. Pray that God will use these sermons to bring salvation and clarity on such a crucial issue. Jenn was asked to teach the women on the 12th. She will be teaching an overview of 1 John to explain the true marks of a believer. Pray that the ladies will be blessed by her teaching, and also would be humble enough to examine their life in light of John’s teaching in his epistle. We will be staying at the house of one of the graduates, so we ask you to pray that we might be an example and of great encouragement to this family.
Berea Classes
The week after, from November 18-20 Ruben will be teaching Old Testament Survey I for a new Bible and Theology program that the Seminary is launching. All the professors are really excited about this great opportunity, although it is a lot of work, so not only Ruben but also everybody else involved in the Seminary covets your prayers for God’s strength and wisdom. In the end, we do what we do, to train men to more faithfully preach Scripture for the glory of God.
Our family is doing great. Our kids often get sick, but it is normal, since it seems that they like to share their germs with one another. =) Besides the colds, by God’s kind grace, we are doing wonderful. We love serving our Lord in Spain. It is so encouraging to see some of the fruit among our church and our students. There is also opposition, but nothing that would ever thwart God’s plans for His church in Spain.
