Outstanding News - December 2013

In December, I highlight three ministerial key facts:

Closing of the academic year at the Baptist Seminary of Peru. On Saturday December 7 ended our academic year. 6 males and 4 females: 10 students graduated. Pray for them, may God direct and greatly use them in His kingdom. Now, we, who minister at the Seminary, we have to work hard to prepare for classes the next year. Please pray for the preparation of workers here in this Seminary. In particular, ask God to raise up more laborers for His harvest.  This year that is ending we had 20 new students; on next year we would like to double that number. Your prayers will help us to achieve that desire.

Teaching pastors and leaders in Coletas. Coletas is a town in the district of Sapillica , in the mountains of Las Lomas, Piura. I went to the village to teach Church Administration, Pastoral Theology, Mission and Pastoral Epistles. It was tough teaching these introductory materials. There were a total of 27 students. God led me to this town for the first time. I enjoyed teaching and learning with pastors and leaders from that area. When I go to places like this, what impresses me is the simplicity of the people, the simplicity of their lives and their great interest in learning the Word of God. Several students walked more than five hours to get the place where classes were held. His sacrifice challenged me. My time with them and the word of God strengthened my faith and my desire to continue serving God in His kingdom.

The work of preparing the La Esperanza Baptist Church to welcome its new pastor. As told in a previous report, the church has chosen Pastor Juan Valderrama as our pastor. His ministry among us begin on January 1, 2014. On December, my concern and my biggest job is to prepare the spiritual and logistical environment for the arrival of our new Pastor. We are fixing the house for Pastor Valderrama and his family, and ending the third floor of the church. My preaching and teaching are focused on how the church should receive the pastor. I'm also talking a lot with Pastor Valderrama. In summary, I 'm trying to help as much as I can. Please help me with your prayers.

With love,

Segundo Rodríguez

Outstanding News on October 2013

On October, I remark my visit to Baptist Bible Church in Chancay, and my participation in three important events at Baptist Seminary of Peru.

Visiting Baptist Bible Church, Chancay.

This Church was planted by Pastor Francisco Romero, and celebrated its 20th Anniversary. It is a young congregation with high potential. Pastor Romero is leading the Church. He has adult sons. It was a great blessing meeting and serving him during that week.

It was my first time at that Church. Alexander, a friend, invited me to preach there on last February (when we met at a youth camp). I preached in four evening meetings.

I remark the conversion of Natalia Beteta, an older woman who visited the Church for our meetings. She impacted me because she declared with tears that she will follow Jesus forever. Her daughter María, who already was Christian, was very happy. Pastor Francisco told me that many many times they shared the Gospel with Natalia. I am happy that God used me to have part in harvesting that new daughter for Him.

During my time in Chancay, I visited Missionary Manuel Jiménez and his family. I had part in his biblical and theological training, when he was student at Baptist Seminary of Peru.  It was a tremendous blessing to see him serving the Lord with his family at Bethesda Baptist Church, Chancay.

I also visited Pastor Oscar Ugaz, who moved from Lima to pastor Baptist Bible Church in Peralvillo. Pastor Ugaz has a tremendous challenge there.

In Chancay, I stayed with Alexander and his wife.  I thank God for them. They were very kind and hospitable to me.  They took me for sightseeing around Chancay.  May God bless them.

Here a presentation of pictures taken in Chancay:

CEPABIP Conference.

This conference for evangelists, pastors and missionaries was held at Baptist Seminary of Peru campus. We wanted them to know our ministry here. By the grace of God we had 146 servants of God from Ecuador and several areas from Peru (Cusco, Lima, Tarma, Huaraz, Chimbote, Chiclayo, Piura, Sullana, Paita, Cajamarca, Bagua Grande, Moyobamba, Tarapoto, Iquitos y Trujillo).

God provided very good preachers: Mexican Missionary Manuel Diaz (who serves in Equatorial Guinea, Africa); Evangelist Timothy Chapman (who works in Lima, Peru); and Puerto Rican Pastor Hermes Irizarry (from Paterson, NJ).

Our conference was focused in our passion for God; in personal, familiar and ministerial areas. Students and professors in this Seminary, and our 146 participants, were very blessed hearing together the Word of God.

Here a presentation of pictures:

Baptist Seminary of Peru Anniversary and “hopeful students” Week

On October 21-26, during our Conference, we also celebrated Seminary Anniversary and invited those who are thinking about to study here (I call them “hopeful students”). We celebrated our 42 Anniversary praising God in a special banquet with 561 people. Beside of participants in CEPABIP Conference, we had 20 hopeful students (12 boys and 8 girls).  Please pray with us for those 20 people and other more. You know that harvest is so plenty and there are so few workers.

Here some pictures of those events: 

Finally, I want to share with you that Esperanza Baptist Church is making arrangements to welcome our new Pastor. We have set his salary, moving expenses and the special service to install him as our Pastor. New times are coming for our Church. We believe God has answered our prayers, and He has given to us a Pastor to lead us. We are very happy!

My family is doing well.  My children are studying and my wife is great help for me & family. Thank you for your prayers on our behalf.  God is so Good and Faithful; He is worth of all our lives and service.

With love, 

Segundo Rodríguez

My last trip to Requena - November 2013

Greetings and blessings for you and your families.  I pray God keep you firm, faithful, an growing in love for Christ and His kingdom. This is my report of my last trip of the year to Requena.

I went to Requena on November 18-23.  I traveled with Pastor David Rodriguez, who is pastoring in Trujillo, and he is my brother.  David taught “Missions, Evangelism and Discipleship” to 13 students.  I taught “The Book of Acts” to 10 students.  In total we had 23 students.

This time we had 5 students who already finished the ten courses of the program.  They received their certificates. 14 students are pastors, 3 are deacons, 5 are leaders of ministries, and 1is Sunday School teacher. Students came from Requena, Requenilla, Sinchi Roca, Iquitos, San Vicente, Nuevo Bagazán y Flor de Punga.

I already have the Schedule for 2014: April 8-12, August 5-8 y November 4-7.

The excitement of students is firm.  They want to go ahead studying, and I want to keep going.  On next year, I plan to provide new courses for those who have already finished the first ten.

Thank you very much for your support to God’s work in Requena and surrounding areas.  If the Lord provides and works in you to keep working together in Requena… we will go ahead.

May God richly bless you all.

Segundo

Remarkable news on September 2013

I am always glad sharing with you, who pray and care, what God is letting me do for Him. In this note I will emphasize two events: my participation in the MEBIP 2013 Missionary Conference, and the Baptist Seminary of Peru On-the-Job-Training Week.

MEBIP 2013 Missionary Conference

On September 4-7, Horeb Baptist Church hosted this Conference. I participated sent by my home Church with two tasks: to represent my Church, and request the privilege to host the 2014 Conference at La Esperanza Baptist Church in Trujillo. My time in Lima was a great blessing.  The Word of God edified and challenged me.  Fellowship with missionaries and pastors was an encouragement for me.

I came back to Trujillo with good news for my Church:  the General Assembly approved our Church to host the 2014 Conference. I also was joyful to meet in Lima with my good friend Tim Chapman and friends from Gethsemane Baptist Church.  I was part of that Church during three years when I lived in Lima.

Here I share some pictures of this MEBIP 2013 Missionary Conference:

Baptist Seminary of Peru On-The-Job-Training Week

This special week took place on September 16-22.  My job was to organize the teams and their trips. Professors, students and some pastors grouped in 27 teams worked in 27 areas of our country.  We preached, taught, evangelized, counseled, spoke at schools, and challenged congregations to serve the Lord in these areas: Tarma, Lima, Huaraz, Chiclayo, Piura, Paita, Sullana, Talara, Cajamarca, Tarapoto and Iquitos.

I went to Salamanca Baptist Church in Lima, which is pastored by Pastor Walter Espinoza. My team consisted of Maryori (First year student), Jefferson (Fourth year student), my wife, and Elena (my youngest child).

We were lovely hosted by people of the Church. Their kindness and generosity touched us; we could see how they appreciate servants of the Lord. I praise the Lord because of the work and discipleship of Pastor Espinoza. It is a missionary Church: they pray for missionaries, the give for missions, they do missionary trips, and evangelize people around them. The testimony of this Church encouraged me… and challenged me.

On evenings we sang, and preached the Word of God.  We were focused on youth people, but all the Church was involved. Praise the Lord we saw some professions of faith, for instance: George Andrew Ccencho Tumbalobos. I heard recently that George is attending to the Church. Praise the Lord for this permanent fruit.

Here I share some pictures of our ministry at Salamanca Baptist Church: 

Finally, on September I kept ministering at La Esperanza Baptist Church, and teaching at Baptist Seminary of Peru. I started to teach the book of Revelation at my Church. I finished my study notes on the book of Acts as I teach that book at the Seminary. 

God has been faithful keeping my family. Each day we see His mercy on us. He is using us in spite of our weaknesses. He is providing opportunities to serve Him. There is nothing better than to have the Lord God as our God.

Thank you very much for helping us with your prayers.

With love, 

Segundo Rodríguez

On last August there were three events that I have to emphasize.

First event: Calling a Pastor for La Esperanza Baptist Church.

As many of you know, my local church has no Pastor since February 2011.  Since that moment, part of my ministerial life was dedicated to pastor and manage the Church.

On July, during mi visit to the USA, our Church invited Pastor Juan Valderrama to visit us.  That time together was part of the process to know him better and, Lord willing, be our Pastor.  August 11 was the date appointed for voting on him.

Our business meeting was held on that date, and Pastor Juan Valderrama was called to be our Pastor.  When Pastor Valderrama was a child, he attended to our Church.  As a young person went to study at Baptist Seminary of Peru with recommendation of our Church.  After graduation, Pastor Valderrama was called to work with Pastor Enoc Principe at Bethel Baptist Church as Assistant Pastor.  Now, thanks to that election under God’s direction, he will come back to our Church and he will be our Pastor.   Lord willing, he will be installed as our Pastor on January 1 this coming 2014.

Second event:  Ministerial trip to Requena.  This time I traveled with Pastor Raul Vargas from Bible Baptist Church (Puente Piedra, Lima).  It was his first time in that area of Peru for Pastor Vargas.

During our visit we taught two courses. Pastor Vargas taught “History of the Church” to 14 people during 4 days.  On evenings, Pastor Vargas preached at Bethesda Baptist Church.  On my side, I taught “The Book of Revelation” to 7 people, who faithfully attended to learn the Word of God.

Pastor Vargas and I enjoyed so much that experience, serving together to our brothers.  This trip also was useful to know more each other and share our vision for ministry.

Pastor Raul Vargas came back to Lima with vision to start, Lord willing, centers of training similar to Requena Center in other Peruvian areas: Huanuco and Tingo Maria.  Let’s see how God bless this plan, and how my partners and I could help to run this plan.  Traveling and teaching with Pastor Vargas was a tremendous blessing to me.

Third event: Teaching the Book of Acts at Baptist Seminary of Peru.   This year, after several years, I restarted to teach Bible courses at this Seminary.  In the first semester I taught “Life of Christ” and “Daniel”.  This semester I am teaching “The Book of Acts”.

I taught “Acts” 14 years ago at Baptist Seminary of Peru.  On that time I could write material until chapter 12.  This year, I have the challenge to write material until chapter 28.  I am working on that goal.  Lord willing, at the end of September I have to finish my notes on that important book of the New Testament.  Please, help me by praying.

These are remarkable news on August.  Thank you very much for reading my update and for praying for me, for my family, and for the ministry God has given to me.

“Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving; Withal praying also for us, that God would open unto us a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds: That I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak.”  (Col. 4:2-4).

My visit to the U.S. – July 2013

On July, the most relevant thing was my trip to the US.

I visited my friends at Hispanic Action Baptist Church, Miami.  I spent a wonderful time with Pastor Mario Rodriguez and Pastor Arodys Garcia.  Please pray for them; may God keep, encourage and use them in powerful ways to spread the gospel.  The Church in Miami is new, but it is growing.

I also was in Texas.  I visited several good friends.  I was in Dallas and Forth Worth, also in Wichita Falls.  Praise the Lord, Wichita Falls Baptist Church is a Church which supports my ministry with prayers and gifts.  I enjoyed fellowship with them.  I am blessed by them; they provided a very warm welcome.  Preaching to them was a great blessing to me; their attention to the Word encouraged me and showed to me their love to God and His Word.

Two important things in regard to Wichita Falls Baptist Church: 1) I met Pastor Lukus Love, who is now the new Pastor of the Church.  He is a young man with a great potential to serve God.  I beg may God bless and use this young servant and his family.  2) I was encouraged with Susan Stevens’ testimony.  She is a young girl in engagement with plans to be a missionary.   She said that our Lord touched her life for ministry when she was a teenager and I visited there.  Her words caused tremendous encouragement in my heart.

The last stage of my trip was Utah, specifically, I was in Salt Lake City, where Pastor Lukus Counterman and his family, making a team with other three servants & their families, are planting a church called Gospel Grace Church.  God is blessing their work with fruit.  They have a growing congregation over twelve months of work.

My time with Lukus and his co-workers reminded me about the four missionaries who were killed spreading the gospel in Ecuador rain forest.  Now, especially in large cities as Salt Lake City, there is no danger to be killed by preaching the gospel, but it is necessary the same courage and determination of those who died in Ecuador.

Praise the Lord, Pastor Lukus and his co-workers have that kind of resolution and bravery.   They really love Jesus and went to that city in obedience to their Lord to make true Disciples of Christ.  May God bless those modern and valiant missionaries in that metropolis.  May God produce abundant fruit for eternal life.

The Project of Lukus Counterman and his co-workers includes to plant several churches in Salt Lake City and around.  It is a good plan, I am sure God will be highly glorified with plenteous children of God and disciples of Christ.

You can know more about it visiting at:
http://www.plant4thegospel.com/

The Bible says: “How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!!” (Romans 10:15). Lukus and his co-workers have beautiful feet because they are preaching peace through Christ to people in Salt Lake City.  May God richly bless that team of His servants!

You can watch a summary of the first year of Gospel Grace Church at:

http://vimeo.com/72666772

Update – May & June 2013 – Evangelist Segundo Rodriguez

Family. My wife is good partner. My children are growing and going ahead in their education and dedication to the Lord and His local church. We are not perfect, we are on our way I had joyful times because of my wife and children. My wife went with me to the rain forest and taught to the ladies. My son Noe played in a drama, and he acted gracefully. Andrew is learning to play guitar, and he is playing some songs. Elena is developing independence; she likes to spend time with other girls, and sometimes she looks like a small adult. I thank God for my family. They make my day, and help me to keep my feet on earth more often.

Ministry at local Church.  La Esperanza (Hope) Baptist Church is going through a critical time.  We are getting to know Pastor Juan Valderrama, who is candidate to be called as Pastor of the Church.  I spent several weeks teaching about Church’s responsibilities toward a Pastor.  Pastor Juan Valderrama will be ministering among us during all July.  Lord willing, the Church will meet on August 11 to make a decision about him.

Ministry at Baptist Seminary of Peru.  I help in this Seminary in two functions: Professor, and Director of Public Relations.  I am not satisfied with my performance; I think I could do more than I have done.  In Public Relations are I have the goal to involve more pastors and churches to be part of this ministry.  We depend on God, and on the support of churches & pastors; I know I could not improve that support.  I hope to do better in the following days.  As professor, in our second semester I will teach the book of Acts and Summary of Doctrine (an analytical course to fourth-year students).  I am working now in those courses.  I want to be a blessing to my students.

Ministry in other towns.  On May I traveled to Sullana city with a team from the Baptist Seminary of Peru.  We worked evangelizing, making disciples, and preaching at Divine Redeemer Baptist Church.  We went door to door, preached by open air services at streets, and taught at Church.  There were professions of faith.  On June I went to Sullana again to teach Hermeneutics and Homiletics to students at a Bible Institute of churches in that area.  On June, I also went to Santa Rosa, a rain forest town four hours from Tarapoto.  I went with my wife and other friends to teach and preach because of their anniversary.  In Santa Rosa there were several professions of faith in Christ; most of them were children.

Our Lord is using me; I thank Him for that.  I thank God for you who work “with me” by prayers and offerings.  May God richly bless you all always!!

Segundo Rodríguez