Complete Stats on materials produced by the Shappley’s and Fruits registered

Report from Dewayne and Rita Shappley

March, 2013

The Bayamón, Puerto Rico congregation on Sunday morning, March 31, 2013. Attendance was 150. This was a “Bring all the visitors you can” Sunday and many did come. Noel Estrella is leading the singing. Jorge Ginés López preached. The last Sunday of each month, young men of the congregation plan and direct the worship service. Regular average Sunday morning attendance during March was about 108.

The Bayamón, Puerto Rico congregation on Sunday morning, March 31, 2013. Attendance was 150. This was a “Bring all the visitors you can” Sunday and many did come. Noel Estrella is leading the singing. Jorge Ginés López preached. The last Sunday of each month, young men of the congregation plan and direct the worship service. Regular average Sunday morning attendance during March was about 108.

Bayamón, Puerto Rico church. Sunday, March 31, 2013. Rodolfo Báez and Bianca Piña respond to the invitation, requesting to be baptized. On the left, Jorge Ginés, who preached that morning, and on the right, Alfonso Estrella, one of the six leaders of the congregation.
 

Bayamón, Puerto Rico church. Sunday, March 31, 2013. Rodolfo Báez and Bianca Piña respond to the invitation, requesting to be baptized. On the left, Jorge Ginés, who preached that morning, and on the right, Alfonso Estrella, one of the six leaders of the congregation.

 
 
Rodolfo Báez is baptized by Jorge Ginés López, March 31, 2013, in the church of Christ, Alturas de Flamboyán, Baymón, Puerto Rico.

 

Rodolfo Báez is baptized by Jorge Ginés López, March 31, 2013, in the church of Christ, Alturas de Flamboyán, Baymón, Puerto Rico.
Grandson of Minerva Báez, longtime member in Bayamón, and raised by her and her two daughters since he was a few months old, Rodolfo was twelve years old on March 31. About 5’ 7’’ already, he is a most respectful and pleasant young man. He came with his grandmother to several Monday-night sessions of the School of Intensive Bible Studies, sitting in on our classes for postgraduates. Shifting for a moment from this March timeframe to August, Rodolfo decided to officially enroll in the first year of studies of the School! Serious and intelligent, all of us in Bayamón will help him go as far as he wishes in his spiritual development.

 
 

E-mails received during March, 2013

-Argentina. March 03, 2013. This Web Page is very good. I needed something like this. God is going to bless you.” Jorge Blanco

-Daly City, CA. March 10, 2013. “Brother, I wrote to you about four years ago. At that time, I was a Pentecostal, as I called myself, but did not even know the meaning of the word. I am coming to realize many, many things by means of your studies. By chance, my husband found your Web Page. From that time, we have rejoiced reading your studies, but now I rejoice alone, for my husband passed away. I am attending one of the churches of Christ. To the present moment, I am not a member. I am somewhat offended. About a month ago, the brother who preaches greeted me and then said: ‘Sister, it seems like you are looking for a boyfriend.’ Brother Homero, ever since I was a Catholic, then a Pentecostal, and now, with much more reason, since I know the true doctrine of the Lord, I have dressed and continue to dress decently. Reading your study on how a Christian woman should dress, I have not had to take away or add to my way of dressing. I ask myself why he said that. I am giving the studies to all the Pentecostal brethren I know.Susana Pavón[I too ask myself why on earth he said that. This is a classic example of being a stumbling block to those seeking the more biblical way. Susana sent $100 and the amount was used to promote the site through Google AdWords.]

-Ontario, California. March 11, 2013. Rosa Flores sent a contribution of $5.00, via PayPal, to help with the promotion of our Internet site.

-Barahona, Dominican Republic. March 14, 2013. About 5,000 people attended the 25th Annual Fellowship of churches of Christ in the Dominican Republic, held in Barahona, in the southwestern area of the country. There were nine baptisms and some restorations. Of those who came forward for baptism some wished to take the step in the places from which they came.

-Barahona, Dominican Republic. March 14, 2013. About 5,000 people attended the 25th Annual Fellowship of churches of Christ in the Dominican Republic, held in Barahona, in the southwestern area of the country. There were nine baptisms and some restorations. Of those who came forward for baptism some wished to take the step in the places from which they came.

Some data and history for background information and perspective. In years past, I made a number of trips to Barahona and churches in outlying communities, mostly as interpreter and chauffer for elders from the Cavitt St. church, Bryan, TX and Mobberly Ave., in Longview, TX, who visited works they supported, but also, on other occasions, to preach in different places. And one time to take funds for hurricane relief. Literature and other materials prepared in Puerto Rico produced abundant fruits in several places of the area, including the establishment of congregations in Paraíso and San Rafael. The church in Paraíso grew to more than 100 members, becoming the largest in the town. On one of the trips, the elders of Cavitt St. decided to support Santos Féliz for the work in Barahona, and this brother has done an outstanding job as an evangelist during more than thirty years. Prudencio Acosta Medina, first convert in Paraíso, was supported for a time, after retiring from his position as a school teacher, by the Alamo, TN church and then by the Bayamón, Puerto Rico church. The congregation in Bayamón continues to contribute substantial amounts for benevolent and evangelistic works in Barahona and the area.  

-Place unknown. March 14, 2013. “Thanks, brother, for you investigation of and love for the truth. God has extended the offer of salvation of all humanity, but our responsibility is to take care of that salvation day after day until the end. I am fully in agreement with the word of God to the effect that a Christian can lose his salvation. I would like to contribute two Bible texts that give us clear light on this subject. Revelation 3:5, with its warning to the church in Sardis. 1 Timothy 5:11-15, where Paul comments on Christian widows some of whom had gone aside from God’s way, following after Satan. God bless you and forward, brother, defending the pure and sound doctrine of Christ.Luis Hugo Suatunce 

-Place not identified. March 16, 2013. “If we do not use our gifts to exalt the supreme name of God, for whom shall we use them? For the world? For our own desires? For vainglory? Are these gifts not given by God for use in his Kingdom? If that is not so, why did God gives us gifts?” Marcos 

-These questions prompted me to write a study on “Our Gifts: for God, the World, our Desires or our Vainglory” –Nuestros dones: ¿para Dios, el mundo, nuestros deseos o nuestra vanagloria?- and publish it on the site. Marcos’ questions are mostly about the gift of playing musical instruments and using that gift in the churches, a very popular argument among Pentecostals and other groups who love to accompany their praises with all kinds of instrumental music, even rap, rock, meringue, salsa, bachata, hip-hop, you name it. “Contemporary Christian Music” in the Spanish-speaking world is a billion dollar business. I exaggerate not. After an introduction, I listed twelve “gifts,” then asking if all of them were suitable to be used in the church. Including, the gift to sculpture beautiful statues, paint extraordinary pictures or tell jokes one after another. And from there, went on to examine several aspects of the subject. Always following the norm of being respectful to people like Marcos, not questioning their intellectual powers or ridiculing. 

 -Puerto Rico. March 16, 2013. Helen Rose Rodríguez was a Pentecostal for long years, but has become completely disillusioned with Pentecostalism. She studied in Mizpah, a Pentecostal institute in Río Piedras, part of metropolitan San Juan. Three long e-mails were received from her in March. Those and my replies are seven pages long. Many doubts. Many questions. In agreement with much of what she has read on our Web. So many questions I offered to meet with her and a group of people who are in the same spiritual predicament, but have yet to get a positive reply. Jumping ahead to the date for these notes, Sept. 04, more e-mails have been received from Helen Rose, the last asking for a study on the roll of prophets in New Testament congregations, one of the subjects on the “To write” list I keep.

-Place unknown. March 17, 2013. “Beloved brethren in the Lord, so much joy it gives us to listen to the old hymns with which we praised the Lord in years past! Today, they are so forgotten. I am taking advantage of the medium so that the new generation of my family may enjoy them and learn them. May God bless you, and continue forward. With love in Christ, Lorena de Montalván.” [Antonio has more than 160 hymns, both old and new, on his site www.alabanzas.info, and we have 107, both old and new, on our site in the PowerPoint format, with beautiful backgrounds.  

-Place unknown. March 24, 2013. “May God bless you. I have read many of your commentaries and testimonies, and God bless them in Christ the Savior. I will pray to God that he give you strength so as not to faint, for the days we are living are dangerous times, seeing that those of us who call ourselves Christians do not have love or discernment. It is sad to see how brethren talk about the Scriptures without having searched them, allowing themselves to be carried away by fanaticism. I am Pentecostal, but in truth I give thanks to God for having opened my eyes. In the church we are practicing many things that do not have any biblical basis, and I think the church is not going anywhere. I have seen everything: Adultery, fornication, making merchandise, idolatry, fanaticism, lies, egotism, occultism and other practices it is a shame even to mention. It seems like today’s Christian is without love and made of glass. But Jesus Christ, John the Baptist and the apostle Paul were hard, confronting untruth with the truth. Thanks, brethren. Forward in the Lord.” Julio. [The Referer element shows Julio had been reading www.editoriallapaz.org/archivo_d_pentecostal.htm, one of several electronic archives each containing a number of exchanges with Pentecostals on a wide array of subjects.]

-Place unknown. March 25, 2013. “May God bless you. This is extremely good.Nancy Velázquez [The Referer shows Nancy was reading subjects in the category on the Second Coming of Christ. www.editoriallapaz.org/salon_segunda_venida.htm.]

-Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego, Argentina. March 26, 2013. “Brethren, today I came upon your Web Page and I am delighting myself reading about Bible School teachers, and about workers. Really, the Web Page is a blessing. May the Lord reward your work and give you even more sound wisdom that you may continue to bless in this way His people throughout the world. My name is Sandra Laudani. I live in the city of Ushuaia, in the province of Tierra del Fuego, Argentina.” [The Referer shows Sandra was reading “Buenos ministros de Jesucristo –Good Ministers of Jesus Christ”, a series of several lessons for preachers, teachers, elders and other servants in God’s Kingdom. Referer: "http://www.editoriallapaz.org/BM_Evangelista_PowerPoint.htm" Tierra del Fuego is the southernmost province of Argentina, at the tip of South America.]

-Place unknown. March 27, 2013. “Well, in the first place, I congratulate you. Yours is an excellent production. Those of us who like to read and learn more feel very thankful. May God give you more light and prosper you so that you may continue this work. Blessings.” Otilio Esteban Pastrana Gonzáles [The Referer for this e-mail is for the whole site Referer: "http://www.editoriallapaz.org/"]

-Place unknown. March 27, 2013. “I thought it super interesting…”Wilfredo Tercero Quiñónez [The Referer shows Wilfredo had reference to one of several complete wedding ceremonies on our site. For the last so many years, I have written special ceremonies for each couple I have married, including two Golden Wedding ceremonies. Referer: "http://www.editoriallapaz.org/boda_bendiciones_tesoros.htm"]

-Place unknown. March 28, 2013. “Thanks for your answer with regard to women pastors. An excellent analysis. I have known the Lord Jesus Christ for about a year. Not long ago, a woman pastor preached in the church where I attend. What should I do now that I know what is correct? Ubaldo Mandujano [We advised Ubaldo to find a church of Christ. A certain Dr. Caballero wrote a defense of women pastors, presenting his arguments as if they were the last word on the subject. I replied, publishing the material as a dialogue. Ubaldo had reference to that document when he wrote.  Referer: "http://www.editoriallapaz.org/mujer_intercambio_doctorCaballero.htm"]

 

Internet Stats

March, 2013 (31 days)

-Total visits...................................................................................................................... 133,099

-Daily average of visits...................................................................................................... 4,294

-Page views.................................................................................................................... 225,214

Totals for the year 2013

-Total visits...................................................................................................................... 369,237

-Page views.................................................................................................................... 650,256

Grand Totals through March 31, 2013

-Grand Total of visits................................................................................................ 10,441,380

-Grand Total of Page Views (documents accessed by visitors)....................... 21,305,343

 

Complete Stats on materials produced by the Shappley’s and Fruits registered

  

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