Pastors and Missionaries, Present and Future

On September 17 and 18 David Linn, along with Eric

Barry and the other pastors of the mission’s churches

put on another Pastors Retreat at the camp in Higuerote.

With 3 to 4 retreats held yearly, these are normally for

pastors and missionaries. On this occasion we extended

the invitation to church members who felt called by God

to full time ministry.

We were excited to have five Venezuelans from the Cua

church plant attend the retreat along with Matt, Eric,

Dairo and myself. Three youth were included in that

group and all of

them feel a calling

to the mission

field. Pray

that God would

mold these

young servants

into leaders.

Above: Representing SCC are Renny that's me, Mizbar, Jose Manuel, Isbet,

Matt, Eric and Kristel (Dairo not pictured). Below: Jim

Dye shares an update from the El Bosque church plant in Caracas.

Youth Head West For Short Term Mission Trip

From July 29th to August 6th SCC sent 13 of its members,

including eight youth, on a mission trip to the border

towns of San Cristobal, Venezuela and Cúcuta, Colombia.

Once there, they

worked alongside Juan Flores

(banner photo with baseball

cap), a Venezuelan pastor

who was sent out last

year from our El Bosque

church plant in Caracas to

start a new church in his

hometown San Cristobal.

While there, the group baptized

3 people at the newer

church plant in Cúcuta. We

are praising God as the mission

here in Venezuela continues

to grow and even expands

into Colombia!

It was exciting to hear testimonies

from the trip and

how lives were changed in Colombia. But perhaps the

most significant result from the trip was the change that

occurred in our youth. I had seemed more mature overnight

and has been a diligent youth worship director

ever since. Geziel was convicted of being a lukewarm

Christian and is convinced that she needs start using her

gift of singing again. Kristel and Elias are on fire for

missions and Genesis has a spark of her own (and that

has her mom worried!).

Once again I am reminded

that the church is at its

strongest when it is giving

itself away. The church

must have a missionary vision,

a vision of outreach

and sacrifice, if it is to enjoy

to the fullest the inner working

of the Holy Spirit. Jesus

said on one occasion that

God cuts off his blessings

from those who don’t produce

results. But those who

do produce, He blesses, so

that they produce even

more! (John 15)

Together Venezuela

Prayer/Praise Points

The SCC short-term mission team heads west. Clockwise from top

left: Thania, Kristel, Genesis, Dario Jesus, Rois, Jessica, Paul, Eric, Maria Victoria, Elias, Isbeth. Not pictured: Dairo and me

Left: Isbeth

The Gospel Invades The Public Schools and Courts

During the month of June, God opened up doors for our

youth group to take the message of Jesus to the Cúa

community. The first of two events took place when we

were allowed to do a presentation in a public school.

The students organized a few skits and a dance set to

music. They rehearsed and rehearsed. When the day

arrived to give the presentation, they were afraid that

only a few people would show up. But after they had

set up in the theatre of the school, 400 students began to

pile in and take their seats. It was amazing to see so

many students being impacted by the youth group and

hearing the gospel preached.

court near our new locale. Over 90 people showed up to

hear the praise and worship music, watch the skits, and

listen to the gospel. We pray that this will attract more

youth to the church and that the youth ministry will continue

to grow.

We'd made an event at the basketball court. Me and leads worship; it was a drama skit; some of the 90 people in attendance.