Colombia Trip Report from Rafael Rodriguez in Maracay, Venezuela
“Greetings to my beloved brothers, here’s a short report of my visit to Colombia.
I thank the Lord first of all for His provision to be able to make this trip.
I was able to go to the city of Barranquilla and have the privilege given by the Lord to be at a conference called “Love for His Word” at Rescue Mission Church. This church holds this conference annually, and this time the theme was the authority of the Scriptures. Each speaker was excellent and a great blessing. All the speakers were American pastors.
Among the speakers at that conference was the American pastor Blake White from South Side Baptist Church. In his presentation, he gave an excellent and accurate exposition of Romans 12:1-2 and Matthew 5:17-20.
I was able to have a short meeting with author and theologian, Pastor Blake White and tell him about our desire in Venezuela and Colombia to continue deepening our understanding of New Covenant Theology, since in Colombia there are two churches with this theological position in the cities of Manizales and Chinchina, and we are in Venezuela in the city of Maracay.
Let’s pray that in God’s time and according to His will, we can grow in unity, fellowship, and faithfulness to the Scriptures, and that He grants us to see and plant more healthy churches.
During my trip to Colombia, by the grace of the Lord, I was able to visit several cities and reunite after many years with several beloved brothers who left Venezuela for economic reasons and are living in Colombia. It was a great blessing to see them and hear about them and how the Lord is helping them.
Cities visited:
- Barranquilla
- La Ceja
- Manizales
- Pereira
- Bogotá
The trip through all these cities was quite hard by bus, but it was worth it to see and be able to share and reunite with brothers and also meet new brothers and pastors.
I particularly want to express my gratitude for the hospitality of the pastors of Iglesia Bíblica Gracia Verdadera in Manizales, Jese Fray and Stéphane Rondeau, for their love and desire to do the work of the Lord in this city. It’s a beautiful church they pastor, founded about 11 years ago by American Baptist missionaries who planted the churches in the cities of Manizales and Chinchina.
While in Manizales, we went by car to the nearby city (Chinchina) to have a meeting and meet Pastor Alex from Iglesia Bajo la Gracia. This is the other church planted by the missionaries.
We had some good, very profitable conversations and a desire to continue deepening our friendships, relationships, and the advancement of a consistent biblical theology in Latin America.
It was a pleasant moment for me, after more than 12 years, to find beloved brothers who hold the same theological convictions. It was a very special moment for me to meet them in person.
I was also able to pass through the capital of Colombia, Bogotá, where I was able to have a meeting with Pastor Juan Sebastian Moreno from Iglesia Cristiana Evangelica de Bogotá. He is also the director of a ministry called Equipando Siervos (ESI) [Equipping Servants].
It was a profitable time where I was able to share with him and his family, and the pastor presented to me how that ministry works, which seems very good to bring to Venezuela. They equip men with tools for a good understanding and interpretation of the scriptures, and they have a missionary focus.
Here is a small summary of their vision:
ESI is not a church, denomination, or seminary, but a ministry of mutual discipleship and shepherding of pastors and leaders of churches/ministries where we focus on Christ and His Word, walking in the Holy Spirit for the glory of God, strengthening the local church in its task of making disciples and reaching the world with the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.
By the grace of God, the ESI ministry is currently established and growing in Bolivia, Mexico, Ecuador, Peru, Uruguay, Colombia, and Chile. Their prayer is that ESI will be established in five other Latin American countries in the next 5 years.
I also thank God for my family. My wife and my three children were waiting for me anxiously. We had never been separated for such a long time, and they received me with great joy. They also did their part by staying all of 15 days without me at home.
Let’s pray that these relationships will last over time for the glory of God and the advancement of the kingdom of God in Venezuela.
Let’s pray for the reality we are living as a nation. It’s my first time leaving the country, and seeing Colombia and its progress, and that all the basic services work, and comparing it with Venezuela, which despite having so many resources, we are so backward and deficient in the basic things, it causes me great pain. May the Lord grant us to get out of this situation that we are living here in Venezuela.”
May the peace of Christ be with all of us.
In Christ,
Rafael Rodríguez
