Student Involvement Produces Fruit In Honduras...

The following report is from Neri Irias. He shares news from each of the students who are preparing themselves for the work. 

Enrique Figueroa
I am collaborating in the church in Coyolar where the opportunity is afforded me to preach the days of assembly. Together, with the preacher, we are working hard in evangelism and have baptized this month five people, the names of whom are:

Edin Rafael Rodriguez

Felicia Danubia Vazques

Rixy Hernandez

Justa Rufina Chacon

Geferson Chacon

All these were baptized July 23. We are studying with nine people. We are teaching them about baptism now that they wish to know more about this theme so as to obey the Gospel. We ask your prayers for our new brethren and for the contacts that we have so that they can obey the truth. God bless.  

Jose Cruz Lopez
During this month I was assigned to work with the youth of the church together with brother Hector (Viera - djb). We are meeting every Friday. We invite the other youth to the youth meetings. Also I was assigned themes to preach. The themes are related to the church and its work. Also, I am going out to do evangelism each Saturday from 9:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. Sundays I participate in different things, whether it be leading singing, preaching, leading prayer, directing the communion service or collecting the offering.  The brethren keep me active in the work of the church. Also, together with a brother, we are visiting a sister that was baptized last month, but who has not attended the assemblies and this even though the church has visited her and other brethren, as well. The problem is that her mother exerts influence over her and does not permit her to go to the assemblies, but we are working on this. Sundays in the afternoon, together with brother Nery, or other brethren, we go to visit the brethren who are sick, for prayer and they also participate in the communion. 

Jose Antonio Caceres
God bless you all, brethren. I appreciate your help and the opportunity that you give me to be able to study at IBH. I am very happy with all that I have learned and am sharing with my brethren of the church. I am helping brother Oscar Morgan (IBH graduate - djb) in the place of Empalme de Trojes. There on Saturdays we go out to evangelize and we have many studies with people. We are following up on some studies, but so far we do not have baptisms since the people of this place are very hard of heart. Sunday I help the brother (Morgan) in the preaching and the songs. Also, we visit the brethren to encourage them and study with them in their homes. 

Gustavo Reyes
Greetings, dear brethren. The first Sunday in the congregation of Cuyalí the opportunity was given to me to direct the first prayer and serve the fruit of the vine. In the afternoon I went together with a brother to visit a sister who is sick to pray for her and encourage her and serve her communion.  

The second Sunday the opportunity was given to me to teach the Sunday class of the children.

The third Sunday I was assigned to lead singing, the first prayer and direct the Lord’s Supper. Later I went to the community of 24th of December of El Paraíso to help brother Porfirio where I preached the theme: Things that Cause Division.  

The next two Sundays I directed the communion and the songs. Also, I went to visit the sick brethren that could not assemble to pray and encourage them. The days of the week I cannot assemble since by night I go to school to receive classes. God bless.  

Porfirio Gonzales
I am helping the church (congregation) of El Carmen in the assignments that they have given me, collaborating in the preaching. On Sundays in the afternoon I go to the community of 24th of December where there are six brethren and we always have six visitors and five children; in total we assemble 17 on Sunday afternoons. Saturdays I go out to evangelize and have had several studies with people. 

Jairo Irias
May the Lord bless you, brethren. In the church at El Zarzal (where IBH is located - djb) where I am collaborating, we go out each Saturday to do the work of evangelism. I have had some studies with members of the denomination “United Pentecostal Church.” I am studying with a youth over the deity of Jesus and we have clarified certain wrong things that they believe about baptism and the gift of speaking in tongues. We go, also, to visit discouraged brethren with the youth of the church. I have preached some themes related to the church according to the schedule of preaching at the church at El Zarzal. I am visiting the brethren that live in Los Robles and I solicited the help of the congregation so as to be able to there whether on Wednesday or Friday, teaching the brethren and holding meetings in that place.

Neri

Honduras Campaigns Bear Fruit...

Good evening, brother,

I hope this finds you well with your wife. During this week of the month of July the students have been helping the congregations, and they have also been involved in different evangelistic campaigns. Their presence has been of much help, since there have been positive results.

In the campaign in La Villa de San Francisco there were 18 baptisms and one restoration. In the campaign in Talango there were 14 baptisms. All of the students put into practice the knowledge acquired and achieved as seen through the people who were baptized. At this moment brother Jose Cruz and I are in La Esperanza Intibuca in a campaign. We hope for the same results of the previous campaign.

Upon my return to Danlí, I will send you a personal report for the month of July for each student.  For the moment all are well. We are looking for new prospects for the next years. Here in Intibuca, brother Carlos Herandez has a group of 4 prospects to whom he is sending the books:  What Does the Bible Say? and Biblical Fundamentals.  We hope to have a major group for the next promotion.

Have a good night!

Nery Irías

Honduras Student Report...

I hope this finds you well together with your wife in your new home. To continue, I present to you the report of the work of the students: 

Porfirio Gonzales
The brother is visiting a town called “The 24th of December” with the purpose of establishing a congregation. This place is located in El Paraiso. Some brethren live there who have left the church. He, along with Yoni (his son and graduate of IBH) are visiting these brethren and 4 were reconciled this Sunday. All of them participated in the communion. There are at least 10 brethren more that are in the denominations and the brother is visiting them to get them to come back to the church. He has been distributing literature, giving classes and preaching house to house. 

Enrique Figueroa
The brother is collaborating in Coyolar together with the preacher. He is visiting a place where he is preaching the Gospel. He has studied with some sectarian pastors over the necessity of obeying the truth and to seek the restoration and unity of the church. Each Saturday and Sunday he collaborates in the preaching and classes in the church. They have realized two weddings and four baptisms.  

Jairo Irías
He is collaborating in El Zarzal in the preaching, evangelism, songs and direction of the Lord’s Supper. He continues attending on Wednesdays Los Robles to teach the Bible to people. Also, he has visited the brethren who have left (the church) and to encourage those who are discouraged.  

Jose Cruz Lopez
The brother is collaborating in El Zarzal. The past week he was collaborating in a campaign that was realized in La Villa de San Francisco where there were 10 baptisms and 4 restorations. I have contributed and one person was baptized. Also he is active in the work of evangelism, the songs and the preaching. For the moment he takes charge of the youth group of the church, together with Hector (another graduate).  

Jose Antonio Caceres
The brother is always helping brother Oscar each weekend in El Empalme de Trojes. This month a gentleman was baptized and they helped him since he has problems of paralysis. Brother Oscar is very satisfied by the work that Antonio does since he helps in every aspect of the work. 

Gustavo Reyes
The brother continues helping the church of Cuyali, El Paraiso. The preacher does not give him much participation in the services of the church. Each Saturday he leave together with another brother to give studies and encourage the brethren. The preacher feels jealousy toward Gustavo because the brethren like the way in which he teaches in the classes and sermons. Gustavo spoken to him about it, saying that all he is doing is so as to affirm the church and help in its spiritual growth.

We are preparing ourselves for the campaign that will begin July 8 to July 14 in Talanga.  Brother Donnie, I want you to please do me a favor and send me the program of studies of the Beta Class, since I did not make copies and one day cleaning the office with the students, I believe it was lost among the papers of the trash. I will appreciate it very much if you send it to me and I will make sure to make some copies.

With that relating to the wall, we still do not have an answer on the part of the authorities, only a backhoe came and deepened more the creek and I believe that that is not sufficient, but our authorities are negligent. I just hope to pay the taxes so that later, if possible, to interpose a demand for the possible damages that the creek causes to the property of the church.

God bless you and have a happy day!

Nery

Church Is Assisted By Students...

Yesterday, brethren Luis Camacho and Jerry Bates accompanied us in the evangelism and were able to have a panorama of Danli and of the people. Below is a report about the activities of students at BIH.

Jose Cruz is helping the church at El Zarzal, the congregation where the school is located. He helps with the songs and the preaching. Also, on Sundays he gives classes to the people. Saturday, he went with me and gave a Bible study. 

Jose Antonio is helping brother Oscar at El Empalme de trojes. He is evangelizing each Saturday and helps with the singing and preaching. 

Jairo Irias is helping the congregation at El Zarzal. He is going each Wednesday with Jose Cruz and Jose Antonio to preach the gospel at a place called Los Robles. Saturday he went with Luis Camacho and Jerry to Los Robles to give a Bible study to a contact. 

Enrique Figueroa is helping the church at Coyolar. On Saturday he leaves together with the preacher to preach the gospel and they have realized four baptisms, one wedding, and he is helping the preacher with the singing and preaching.

Porfirio Gonzalez is preaching in the church at El Carmen. There he helps the local preacher in evangelism. Also, he visits the church of Christ in La Union and helps brother Yoni (his son and a graduate of IBH) in the preaching and the evangelism.

Gustavo Reyes is helping the church in Cuyali. Saturdays he is going to a school to take classes in mechanics. When he leaves there he visits brethren and Sundays he helps the preacher there whether in singing or in preaching. His wife is pregnant and he is very happy.

Everything is very well and the brethren are very motivated. 

God bless
Nery

Challenges In Honduras...

Report from Danlí, Honduras 

What follows is an edited excerpt of a report received from brother Nery Irías, who is the director of the Bible Institute of Honduras (IBH).  Porfirio and Enrique are our two oldest students and while they struggle with their studies a bit more than their younger classmates “they are punctual and the brethren that they help have nothing but good things to say about them; such as their cooperation with the church with studies, preaching and evangelism.”

“Antonio, Jose Cruz and Jairo work together on Wednesdays and visit a colony called Los Robles to meet for studies of God’s word.  Gustavo married and he works in the evenings at the congregation since Saturday and Sunday he is studying at a secular automotive institute.  He requested that I give him the opportunity to finish and that this would not affect his Biblical studies."

We are sad to report that three of our students have chosen not to continue in their studies, and to make matters worse, their parting was not on good terms.  While we are saddened by the events that transpired, we believe that the six men who remain will continue to do well with their studies and the work they are already doing in the churches in this area.

God bless you all! 

Donnie Bates
Latin American Coordinator
Bear Valley Bible Institute of Denver
www.WeTrainPreachers.com
www.Donniebates.com