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

Links to previous reports, beginning with 2008, are also on the above Page.

Report from Dewayne and Rita Shappley

For the month of June, 2013

School of Advanced Biblie Studies of the church of Christ in Puerto Rico. Eight graduate in May, 2013.

School of Advanced Bible Studies, in Puerto Rico

May 27, 2013

Eight graduate

The School has operated for twenty-two consecutive years in the facilities of the Park Gardens church, Río Piedras, a part of metropolitan San Juan (This was the first congregation we helped begin in Puerto Rico). The graduation ceremony was held this year in the Bayamón church building, with a supper afterwards. Despite very heavy thunderstorms along the northern coast of the island at the very hour of the ceremony, 67 attended.

Eight graduated this year. Seven are in the photograph. Sis. Leticia Rodríguez, a fourth year graduate, had gone to the US shortly before the ceremony. On the right, three receive a “Two Year Certificate.” From the right, Bartolo, of the Park Gardens church, Frank, of the Loiza church, and Iván, of the Sabana Hoyos church. On the left, four receive a “Four Year Certificate.” From the left, Rafael Torres, of the Bayamón church, Armando Morales, of the Bayamón church, Millie Colón, of the Carolina church, and Miguel, of the Park Gardens church.

-Between the graduates are the teachers. From the left, Jesús Germán, Julio Solá (intern for teaching Revelation), Jorge Ginés López, Dewayne Shappley, José Vizcarrondo, Carlos Pantoja, Juan Camilo and Eulogio Pantoja. Yuri Féliz, another teacher, was not present for this photograph. These men are from six different congregations.

-A “Six Year Certificate” is also offered. This year, no one graduated in that category.

 

School of Advanced Bible Studies of the church of Christ in Puerto Rico. Armando Morales, Internet convert, member in Bayamón, receives his Four Year Certificate.

Armando Morales, of the Bayamón congregation, converted through our Internet site, holds his “Four Year Certificate.” Armando wanted everyone present to know he had come to the knowledge of the truth and the church through the site, and asked for a moment to express this fact, adding a very positive evaluation of editoriallapaz.org. He almost always has that joyful smile. Happy to be a Christian! Wants to do evangelistic work. At the present time, Armando works for a health insurance company.

 
Dewayne Shappley preaches for the Barrio Cubuy, Canóvanas, Puerto Rico church in May, 2013.

Dewayne Shappley in the pulpit of the Barrio Cubuy, Canóvanas, Puerto Rico congregation.

Invited to preach there the last Sunday in May, my sermon was “La paz de Dios que sobrepasa todo entendimiento guardará vuestros corazones y vuestros pensamientos –The Peace of God which Passes All Understanding Will Guard Your Hearts and Your Thoughts.” Previous to the invitation, I had been mulling that statement over in my mind, realizing that, though it is one of my favorite verses and I have used it so many times in different contexts, I really had not understood the height, depth and width of its meaning and application. My own study of it was most edifying, personally. Many in Cubuy expressed appreciation for the content of the message. The full text was later added to the more than eight-five sermons on editoriallapaz.org. The church in Cubuy is one of more than twenty the Lord has used us to begin in Puerto Rico. It continues to be one of the most active.

 

E-mails from visitors to www.editoriallapaz.org

Angelito Reyna Díez desires to register the “mission” of which he is in charge as a church of Christ.

-México. June 03, 2013. “All that you affirm is very interesting. I am in charge of a mission, and need to give it a name, and ask the city for authorization, but do not know what steps to take with the local government. The problem I confront is that all the churches in this area are governed by the law on tithes, and they say I am teaching false doctrine. I agree with the information you provide on tithing. Could you help me with regard to registering the church.” Angelito Reyna Díaz. [This man read the document on “Requirements for Forming a New Congregation,” as indicated by Referer: "http://www.editoriallapaz.org/Requisitos%20-nueva%20congregacion.htm". We sent him a rather lengthy reply, detailing possible options and procedures.] Another e-mail was received from Angelito June 12, 2013.

-Mexico. June 12, 2013. “Thank you very much, in the love of Christ, for answering. I am of the same judgment and mind as your church. Please send me the Page. By the grace of God I found it but did not take note of the name of the Page, and now I am unable to find it. The information is of so much interest to me because I want to serve the Lord without making merchandise of his Word, and give freely what has been given to me. I am so interested because everybody wants to live under the law in order to obtain personal benefits, though we live under grace and in the Lord Jesus Christ. I am happy to have contacted you, for all the churches in my country (Mexico) are stuck in the old law, except for the Jehovah’s Witnesses. I want to serve in a way that does not have anything to do with the law. Thanks, brethren. I feel very happy and proud for you. Glory to God.” Angelito Reyna Díaz [I maintain a separate file of promising contacts, periodically reviewing it and sending follow-up e-mails.]

-Place not identified. June 04, 2013. “Very good article. Thanks for making it available. I learned a lot, and it helps me to remember the beautiful promise of the Lord our God. May the Lord bless and keep you.” Janet. [The article referred to is a study on the vision of the ark of the covenant in Revelation 11:19. Referer: "http://www.editoriallapaz.org/Apocalipsis_11_19_arca_del_pacto.htm"]

-Location not identified. June 04, 2013. Referring to an analysis on our site of the valley of the dry bones (Ezequiel 37), Edgardo writes: “I believe the explanation is quite logical, for where the Israelites found themselves they were like a dead people, even though alive. A change was necessary for them to revive, and come out of that way of living.” Edgardo Guillermo Cóndor Huamán. Referer: "http://www.editoriallapaz.org/valle_huesos_secos.htm"

-Location not identified. June 08, 2013. “Very good. Blessings. It has been very useful for my studies. There should be commentaries on other books.” Wendy. [Reference is to the Commentary on Colossians, by Bro. Zepeda Mir, of the church of Christ in Chile. Referer: "http://www.editoriallapaz.org/colosenses_Mir_1.htm". Full commentaries on Acts and Revelation are also on our site, and many, many commentaries on parts of other books of the Bible, mostly of the New Testament. Texts in this category are listed, with links, by book, chapter and verse, in www.editoriallapaz.org/textos_dificiles.htm.]

-Place not identified. June 13, 2013. “Is what Jesus says to His apostles in Luke 22:28-30 exclusively for them with reference to their judging the nation of Israel? In verse 29, when He speaks of assigning them a kingdom, are we, as gentiles, excluded?” José Alvarado Artavia.

-José Alvarado identifies himself as a pastor. Intrigued by his questions, and having never really studied carefully those words of Christ, I prepared a rather full commentary on the passage, and published it on our site as Los apóstoles de Cristo, habiendo sido asignado un reino, se sientan “en tronos juzgando a las doce tribus de Israel –The Apostles of Christ, Having Been Assigned a Kingdom, Are Seated “On Thrones Judging the Twelve Tribes of Israel. The link is www.editoriallapaz.org/reino-apostoles-tronos-juicio-Lucas22.html. Commentaries of this nature on particular texts are identified in www.editoriallapaz.org/textos_dificiles.htm, a list of such texts by book, chapter and verse, with links. By the way, I was also motivated to prepare the study because José, as a pastor, so respectfully requested it.

-Place not identified. June 14, 2013. “Beloved brethren, I have been impacted by the initial reading [of the statement] in the Orientation Room…” Edgar Rebutti Duque.

-In 2002-2003, when I first considered how to offer on the Internet all the materials we had been printing –not only tracts, but a large quantity of expository studies, resources for the development of church leaders, sermons, etc.- the concept I settled on was that of a Centro de Estudios y Recursos Espirituales –Center for Spiritual Studies and Resources- with an Orientation Room and fifteen virtual “rooms” where materials in fifteen different categories would be available. The concept was implemented and is still followed to some extent, but with an emphasis on “Portals” rather than “rooms.” The “Orientation Room” explains to visitors who may go there how the site is organized, provides certain guidelines, and then offers the visitor a “Short Orientation” on our purpose and goals, or a “Detailed and Comprehensive Orientation”, which is a statement of the biblical vision on undenominational Christianity and the perfect unity for which Christ prayed, with a considerable number of passages cited. It was this statement Edgar read.

Internet Stats

Schools are out, and it is summer! The daily average of visits goes lower in June, July and August, then again dips in December and January. Still the daily average for the 30 days of June is a rather respectable 3,265. I wish it were at least ten times that!

June, 2013 (30 days)

-Total visits........................................................................................................................ 97,938

-Daily average of visits...................................................................................................... 3,265

-Page views.................................................................................................................... 177,170

Totals for the year 2013

-Total visits...................................................................................................................... 711,818

-Page views................................................................................................................. 1,249,102

Grand Totals through June 30, 2013

-Grand Total of visits................................................................................................ 10,783,961

-Grand Total of Page Views (documents accessed by visitors)....................... 21,904,179

 

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

Links to previous reports, beginning with 2008, are also on the above Page.

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