Prince and Gina's Praise Report from Spain
October 2013
Dear Prayer Partners,
Well, I could tell you why I haven't written in a year, but it would fill this entire page. Besides that, it would just be an excuse – my father absolutely hated excuses – he just wanted results (I'm an Army Brat).
New Book Published
In April I released my second published book, in Spanish, titled, "The Seven Ways That Man Died" (Las Siete Maneras En Que El Hombre Murió). The book has had a very favorable reception in the theological community and has been generally vary popular in the Latin America and Spain. It can be found for sale on Amazón.com, Amazon.es, Barns & Noble and Google Books. My publisher is asking for my material in English. They are also asking for it in India, English speaking countries in Africa as well as other places. So please pray that can find the discipline and time to translate my works into English.
Discipleship
Last (school) year I discipled a young convert from Islam named Farid de Algeria (photo to the left).
This year four students have requested to for me to disciple them during the course of their studies: Santiago y Adriana, Enol Farpón y Miguel Ángel Expósito.
Santiago y Adriana Miguel Ángel Enol
Ministerial Activities
In the last year, apart from our home base ministry here in Spain, our ministry has taken me to Germany, Ethiopia, Ghana, Mexico and the USA (Washington DC, Omaha, Nebraska and California) for conferences, services and book presentations.
I returned to Mexico for the 30th anniversary of the church. Before we arrived that region had never had a Gospel witness. Now in the 300 kilometer stretch of Pacific coast and about 100 kilometers inland, there are about 200 churches – ours being the pioneer (very first) work in the region. Many local pastors came out to greet us as the apostles of the work in that region. Several pastors were saved as children in our church and now have healthy congregations of their own! People that were saved in our church and have moved on hold important positions or are faithful members in about 60% of the churches in the region. Many of them came to the services to greet me with joyful tears. What a change! I lived under constant death threats the whole time we worked there (2 Cor. 4:17).
Teaching at the Theological Seminary
Seven years ago, that which is today the AG Theological Seminary of Spain was a simple Bible school with 7 students (and 45 years of history). Today in the last 21/2 years, it has become a government-accredited university with 70 resident students, over 300 in our extension campuses around the country and over 700 in our on-line courses. (Note: The Assemblies of God of Spain is officially known as F.A.D.E. or Federation of the A.G. churches of Spain)
I am particularly and ineffably blessed with the privilege of being a vital part of the seminary faculty for several reasons; two of them are:
- I can fulfill one of my deepest passions – that of making disciples. Here I can profoundly influence the life of many of those with are going to take the work of God here in Spain to the next level for the next 40-50 years! I can also take individuals under my wing and invest fully into their lives.
- I can my fulfill my passion and true calling and walk entirely and genuinely in my ministerial gift of being a teacher (Ephesians 4:11).
Expansion Projects
Last June 12 fourth year students presented their theses to complete their studies and graduate with their Master of Theology (M.Th.). This is important, mind you, because these are the very first people to earn a "Protestant" theological degree in Spain accredited and publically recognized by the Spanish government. A truly historical event! Greater still, all 12 of our graduates are actively involved in the ministry with seven of them having been installed as new pastors in different parts of the country! (Note: A university here in Europe is also known as a "Faculty" "Faculdad", not to be confused with the American use of the word, which here would be "cuerpo docente" or "staff").
We have been given about three years to bring the entire institution up to total legal and academic standards in order to maintain our accredited status. With myself included, we now have eight professors with a Ph.D., Th.D. or some other form of an academic or educational themed doctorate (as opposed to being, a D.D.S. or an M.D.). This means that we will be under the gun for another year and a half and they will be going through everything we do with a fine toothed comb!
The entire curriculum of courses is divided into five different theological disciplines and departments. Only those of us with doctorates can sign off on the courses offered. We have a teaching staff of more than 60 professors distributed throughout these various departments with those with a Ph.D. or Th.D. as department heads. My particular department is that of Philology (not philosophy) and Biblical History.
As well as teaching Exegetics 2 and History of the Old Testament, I am dean of academic development and the international liaison between our seminary and many others worldwide.
On another note, since last June our facilities have been under construction with the necessary remodeling in order to bring the present structure up to legal government standards as one of the [hundreds] of demands that we need to fulfill in order to come completely up to standard. This construction project is laid out in three phases. We are, at present in stage one. I have attached a short video and a photographic overview and summary of the work and vision. Our ultimate goal between now and 2020 is to establish 1,000 new churches and provide them with rightly prepared workers for the extension of the Gospel in Western Europe.
Please Keep Us in Your Prayers
Please know that without your earnest and constant prayer and support we would be severely crippled. You must know that my ministry at the seminary IS NOT A PAID POSITION; you are are sole support! God has been blessing us so much in our work out here, but these blessings have not come without corresponding challenges. Just like Moses needed Aaron and Hur to help him hold up his arms in Exodus 17:10-13, I really need your help to hold our arms up. However, as the psalmist said, "I will hope continually, and will yet praise thee more and more." (Psalm 71:14).
Please know that we do thank you so much for all of your prayers and loving support of our ministry. May God continue to bless you for your much-needed financial support of our ministry! As always, you are a matchless BLESSING to our lives and the lives of countless others that you help us to reach for Christ! We love and deeply value you all!
H.M.S.,
Your Missionaries in Spain
Dr. & Mrs. Prince M. Parker
E-mail: prince.parker71@gmail.com
Blogsite: http://missionaries2spain.blogspot.com/
