November 2007
Dear Praying Friends,
“Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.”
In September we finished converting the fourth level of our video courses from video to DVD! As many of you know we have been working on this for many years, and the Lord has given us the strength to finish this project. God has used these courses around the world for over twenty years to train men and women for His service. We continue to send out around 2,000 discs each year to each of the Spanish-speaking countries around the globe. Please pray for the continued growth of this important training tool for churches and Bible institutes in the Spanish-speaking world.
October was an exciting month for us. A number of years ago pastors began to ask Russell about advanced training materials geared towards pastors as our video courses are geared to lay workers at a Bible institute level. God began to give Russell a strong burden to offer continued training primarily for pastors. As we sought God’s direction about offering something advanced, we decided to change our conference ministry direction. We praise the Lord that over the years many churches have begun to host general pastors’ conferences throughout Mexico and the Spanish-speaking world, but there is very little in-depth training for pastors. With this in mind, on October 4th-6th, 2007, we held our first intensive course for pastors. The course was held in Saltillo, COAH, Mexico. We had hoped to have between 15 and 25 pastors in attendance at this 3 day course, and we were pleasantly surprised with 15 on the first day, and the 2nd and 3rd day we had 23 in attendance! This course consisted of 16 hours of classroom style teaching for the pastors. Matt Bixby and AJ Gibson, teachers at the Christian University of the Americas in Monterrey, Mexico, taught 8 hours each on Homiletics and Pastoral Theology respectfully. The pastors left the course excited and encouraged. We already have two more of this particular course scheduled for the Monterrey and Tampico, Mexico areas in 2008. Our goal is to offer this course for two years in different areas of Mexico and Lord willing in other parts of the Spanish-speaking world. Russell is coordinating all these courses and preparing all necessary materials.
The last two weeks of October took us to Monterrey, where Russell recorded a block course being taught four hours each evening by missionary to Venezuela, Gary Queen. Bro. Queen taught a course entitled, “The Administration of the Local Church.” This was a necessary and informative course, as Bro. Queen filled the course with personal experience from his many years serving in Peru and Venezuela. We were excited that two of the pastors who had attended the intensive course in Saltillo attended this course also. There were several other pastors who expressed interest in attending, but with the short notice were not able to attend. This course was the third block course that we have recorded. We are thrilled that we were able to announce to the pastors in Saltillo a new program that Matt, AJ and Russell have been working on to offer even more continuing education classes for pastors. The University in Monterrey is opening a new division under its Theology department which is called Institute of Christian Ministry. This institute will have several different programs and one will be a way for pastors to take courses that we are recording at the school to receive credit towards a diploma. The intensive courses are part of this program also. The pastor will take 7 courses on DVD, take quizzes and tests online and then take the intensive course live to be eligible to receive the diploma. Please pray for this new area of ministry. Our goal is to begin offering the courses on DVD in January. Russell is currently editing the first of these courses and preparing the online testing modules.
It is hard to believe that on the 28th of this month Carena will turn three. We praise the Lord for her growth. She is such a joy to us. She continues to amaze us with her vocabulary and her understanding of both English and Spanish. She loves to sing, put on puppet shows, read, color and play with her dolls. Debbie has her hands very full keeping up with Carena each day, but she is doing a wonderful job teaching her.
Russell has reapplied for his Mexican FM3 visa. Please pray for a smooth process. Also, please pray for a personal request for Debbie’s family.
Thank you for your continued prayers and support. We thank the Lord for the your faithfulness that allows us to serve here in Mexico.
In His service,
Russell, Debbie & Carena Raymer
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