News from the Spradlins in South America

MARCH 2013 / Vol. 5 No. 3

Opening of the ASUNCIN BIBLE ACADEMY!

What an exciting month March has been! A new milestone was reached in the history of the church in Paraguay with the inauguration of the Asuncin Bible Academy (ABA). It is a new work of the church that has come to fruition after more than a year and a half of praying, planning, and preparing! THE ASUNCIN BIBLE ACADEMY With more than 7,000,000 lost souls in the country, Paraguay needs more workers in His kingdom because the fields are, indeed, white unto harvest. With our thanks to the Lord, there is now a full-time Bible school in Paraguay with the express purpose of training up workers in their own language and culture through His inspired Word! It is an intensive two year program of Biblical studies with a special focus of hands-on ministry, personal evangelism, and church planting. The Academy is being assisted by the Bear Valley Bible Institute of Denver (BVBID) by providing guidance, teachers for short courses, and curriculum materials. See more information in Bob Turners report at: http://www.wetrainpreachers.com/extension-news/ The stateside financial administrator for the Asuncion Bible Academy is the Palm Beach Lakes church of Christ in Palm Beach Gardens, FL. INAUGURATION CEREMONY On Sunday, March 10, 2013 the church held a congregational lunch and invited her sister congregation, Centro, to join the activities. Afterward, there was a special ceremony for the Academy. Similar to how Paul charged Timothy with his responsibilities, (1 Timothy 1:3,18; 5:21), brother Bob Turner, the Director of Extension Schools for BVBID, was invited to bring the charge to the congregation to remain steadfast and loyal to God while working in this new endeavor with the school. The students and faculty were then presented before the congregation and Brother Donnie Bates, Regional Director of Central and South America for BVBID, brought the charge to the schools professors regarding their new responsibility. The ceremony closed with me having the opportunity, as Director of the Academy, to deliver the final charge to the students to commit themselves to the study of Gods word. (More photos of the inauguration inside!) STUDENT BODY and FACULTY We ask you to please add this new work of the church to your prayer list along with the following names of the students and the faculty: The student body consists of: Full-time: Enrique Albera (27), Paulo Rocholl (24), William Arzamendia (24), and Ramn Paredes (27), all from the Avenida Sacramento congregation, along with Karen Gimenez (26), from the Centro congregation. Part-time: Hector Paredes The campus faculty consists of: Troy Spradlin, Director of the Academy Perry Hardin, Academic Co-Director Professors: Josh Blackmer, Perry Hardin, Troy Spradlin, Pedro Vera, Ike Yegros, and Jorge Vera, preacher at Centro congregation.

ABA students Ramn Paredes, William Arzamendia, Karen Gimenez, Enrique Albera, and Paulo Rocholl.

Evangelistic Contacts / Bible Studies: One of our Learn English Using the Bible students, Adriana Rodriguez, has finished the Book of John study and has started with Searching for Truth. Andrea is now studying Searching for Truth with Dina Aycock and with Sergia Frutos. We have several non-Christian friends and family members of our brethren who are now attending the various mid-week Bible study groups that we are conducting. We pray the seed will land on fertile soil! Marile Romi Balbuena has lots of questions and is now studying the book of Revelation with us. Steps toward mission goals: During the bi-monthly business meetings, the men are now talking more specifically about the details for the Studying English using the Bible and possible church plant in the nearby city of emby. It is Searching for Truth with Adriana Rodriguez exciting to hear them making their plans and to be working with them! Our prayer is that the new congregation will start meeting sometime in July or August. Goal reached! Having some type of Bible school has been in the plans of the mission team since first forming in 1997 at Freed-Hardeman University. With the opening of the Asuncin Bible Academy, a milestone was reached with our prayers that it will help the church in perpetuating itself through leadership development. Worship and Bible class attendance: rd th th th st Sun am 48 (3 ), 82 (10 ), 45 (17 ), 61 (24 ), 47 (31 ) rd th th th st Sun pm 27 (3 ), - (10 ), 33 (17 ), 24 (24 ), 34 (31 ) Sunday Bible study average 47 Midweek study average - 33 Current members: 84 Baptized (47 Family Units) Upcoming plans: Preparing for our annual congregational retreat in April. Our upcoming USA Furlough dates are as follows: Poolville church of Christ (Texas) - May 5 Dripping Springs church of Christ (Texas) - May 12 Margaret Street church of Christ (Florida) - May 19 Central Avenue church of Christ (Georgia) - June 2 Palm Beach Lakes church of Christ (Florida) - June 9

Bob Turner, (right) Director of Extension Schools for the Bear Valley Bible Institute of Denver, teaching the new students on the first day of classes at the Asuncion Bible Academy in Paraguay with Troy Spradlin translating.

Donnie Bates delivering the first devotional lesson in the first chapel service on the first day of clases for the Asuncion Bible Academy.

The committe for the development of the Asuncion Bible Academy consisting of (L to R) Luis Yegros, Ale Yegros, Troy Spradlin, Pedro Vera, Ike Yegros, and Perry Hardin

PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT AND ACTIVITIES

HIGHLIGHT(s) of the Month: I cant even begin to explain how exciting it has been to see the official opening of the Asuncion Bible Academy! Add to that of what a wonderful feeling it is to walk into the building on a weekday morning and hear classes being conducted to train these young men and women in Gods word! Such a rich blessing! Visitation / Other Activities: We enjoyed having Ethan Hardin and Ivan Villard, Jr. teach at our Wednesday night Bible study for us via Skype. They did a great job and the brethren really enjoyed their lessons. Mirta Vera is our church secretary and a single mom with two adopted children. She is also taking care of her 90 year old mother. We spent a Saturday afternoon studying the Bible and just visiting in order to encourage her in her Christian walk. We went to hear one of our very talented brethren, Diego Acevedo, sing in the famous Italian opera, The Barber of Seville. He did a great job! Andrea held a Pinterest Party where several young ladies of the church came over and worked on special crafts together. They have now decided they want to do this once a month. We had a nice dinner with Adriana Rodriguez and her boyfriend Francisco Benitez. We are hoping to develop that friendship even more. Personal study: I am currently reading / have read: The Pentateuch by James E. Smith Elements of Biblical Exegesis: A Basic Guide by Michael J. Gorman Los Diversos Rostros y Causas de Incredulidad and La Existencia de Dios by Bert Thompson, Ph.D. and Kyle Butt, M.A. Cultural or language discovery: The Paraguayans have a very unique way of speaking Spanish. Not only do they use the peculiar form voseo (not to be confused with vosotros) for familiar conversation instead of tu, but, they also have several unique vocal inflexions which they employ to clarify what they mean. For example, if someone is slow they will say, el es lento. But, if someone is really slow, they will say leeeeeeento with a high pitch voice inflection on the eee part. There is hardly a conversation that passes that doesnt include this high pitch modulation. It is a lot of fun to hear Paraguayans telling their stories using this tone and variation. For all our Spanish speaking friends who arent familiar with it, or all those who are learning Spanish, you should Google Voseo to see what Southerncone Spanish is like. There are several good sites.
Donnie Bates delivering the charge to the teachers during the inauguration ceremony for the Bible Academy. Ike Yegros introduced the plan for this new work of the church before the congregation.

Troy delivering the charge to the student body during the inauguration ceremony for the Bible Academy.

Bob Turner charging the congregation to be faithful to God and His Word upon starting this new work during the inauguration (with Perry Hardin translating).

PARAGUAY MISSIO
Asuncion, Paraguay South America Troy and Andrea Spradlin
Casilla de Correo 13092 Shopping del Sol Asuncion, Paraguay (595) 0981-630-886 We are seeking to "equip the saints for the work of service to the building up of the body of Christ." (Ephesians 4:12)

Our Mission Team Goals for 2013:

This year, the mission team will be making a major shift in its role here by focusing on aligning its goals with those of the church and submitting itself to the authority of the Paraguayan leadership. In the past, the team had to make many of the principle decisions for the church until sufficient leadership could be properly developed. In 2013, for the first time, the Avenida Sacramento congregation itself will be making all the principle decisions for the church. The team will simply support them by their direction. The church has chosen the following goals for themselves and have asked us to help them accomplish them. Evangelism: (1) Offer various specialized seminars to the public, (2) conduct evangelism campaigns, (3), use the book "Searching for Truth" in various other ways, (4) provide more English courses, (5) plant a church in the city of emby, and (6) have a radio program. In addition, the team will continue to generate new Bible study contacts through advertising, campaigns, personal contacts, and family relationships. We pray to generate at least 65 new contacts. Edification: (1) Develop and begin an intensive, full-time Bible study program (Academy) to train brethren, (2) conduct a new leadership class, (3) have a camp / congregational retreat, (4) have two planning retreats for the men, and (5) start reconstruction of the church building. The mission team will assist and coordinate these activities according to the direction of the congregation. Benevolence: (1) Offer the course "Comfort in Times of Grief" to the public, (2), keep a box of food for those in need, (3) provide a class on the topic of "Benevolence" (4) use donations to help some members, and (5) participate in various activities of benevolence. These are some wonderful goals and we are so excited to see their growth in leadership. Please pray for the successful completion of each of these and the continual development of leadership in Paraguay!

OUR SUPPORTERS
Margaret Street church of Christ (Sponsoring Congregation) 6745 Margaret Street, Milton, FL 32570 Central Avenue church of Christ Valdosta, GA Dripping Springs church of Christ Dripping Springs, TX Palm Beach Lakes church of Christ West Palm Beach, FL Poolville church of Christ Poolville, TX Families of: Clay Bond / Chet Brown / Virginia Guess / Joseph Markham

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