MANY SRL 2022 GRADUATES ARE ALREADY COMMITTED TO GOSPEL MINISTRIES
God willing, through the year we will share more graduates’ testimonies regarding their ministry. Samuel Bustillo, a graduate from Honduras wrote: “SRL provided me with intense and profound theological education. Distinguished professors challenged me to teach and guide others so they can also grow as I did at SRL. It would be a blessing if SRL could send the same quality of professors to Honduras, my native country. In the meantime, I would like to provide teaching and coordinating services to SRL in my country. My father, who is a pastor, and my family are members of one of the most historic and traditional denominations in Honduras that has been there for 102 years. This denomination is supposed to be Reformed, but after I attended SRL, I realized that it is necessary for our denomination to become stronger in the doctrinal bases and columns of the 16th Century Reformation. The denomination has almost 50 churches already established and more than 150 are in the planting process. All of them need truly Reformed education. My immediate desire is to serve Honduras due to the need for solid theological teaching. I want to be able to teach others what I received at SRL. I am eager to walk through the doors of opportunity that God is opening to develop my ministry in my country.” (Quote translated & edited.)
The president of the Baptist Medical and Dental Mission International (BMDMI) contacted us to learn how SRL could provide education to their pastors. They are affiliated with more than 150 churches in Nicaragua and Honduras. After a lengthy Zoom conversation with the president, SRL was invited to provide education to those churches, beginning with a conference on Bibliology and Expository Preaching. BMDMI will organize the conference in their facilities, which can accommodate up to 400. SRL will provide the professors and speakers. If God allows SRL to influence this large number of churches and provide Reformed theological education to hundreds of pastors, those ministers will have the potential to reach an average of over 60,000 people with the doctrines of Grace. Please pray that God will use SRL in this new gospel venture and that He will provide more contributors to support this mission.
DECEMBER 2022 MIRACLES
Last year we mentioned that a group of Reformed churches related to SRL desired to plant 125 churches—one in each of the 125 municipalities of the Antioquia State. So far, they have planted seven. The seventh church in Caucasia was the result of a miracle. The total budget needed to plant this congregation, including the building, was 90 million Colombian pesos ($17,284.00). On December 1, 2022, the administration in Medellin informed me that they could not plant it because they lacked sufficient funds. That same day, a phone call came to me announcing that a donation had been made in the amount of $17,284.00 toward the planting of the seventh church. After many tears and much rejoicing in the sovereignty of God, I found out that several months ago, a church in Pennsylvania had contacted the office in Medellin directly to inquire about the cost of planting a new church. At the time, the church in PA was unable to raise those funds. However, on December 1, a family in that church donated the entire amount!
SRL is also grateful to Briarwood Presbyterian Church, in Birmingham, Alabama, for providing full scholarships for two SRL seminarians to study in Medellin this year. Over 40 students have already applied for residential education. The cost per student for SRL is $3,500.00, which includes education, room and board for one year. Would you like to sponsor an SRL student for one year? What a blessing it would be to have all 40 seminarians sponsored!
In many countries across Latin America, people give “forgotten” gifts on January 6th. If you forgot SRL due to the busy-ness of the season, this month is a wonderful opportunity to bless the ministry with a special contribution.
“But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.”
Isaiah 40:31(NKJV)
Your servant in Christ,
Dr. Noé S. Acosta, SRL Chancellor