September 22, 2025
Update on the Internet Evangelistic Campaign begun August 29, 2025.
Antonio on YouTube.
Pop-up Windows with cited Bible texts on the Spanish site.
Right. A screenshot of the heading, size reduced, for the message: “DESIRE, the Mainsail. DUTY, the Trusty Motor.” 3 video clips. 8 photographs and graphics. 11-minute read time.
UPDATE to Sept. 22, 2025, on the ENGLISH CAMPAIGN begun August 29, 2025
To Sept. 9, 2025 49,991
Video Views on our YouTube channel
To Sept. 9, 2025 171,758
We have this Campaign funded to Sept. 27, 2025, will continue to check daily “Sessions” and “Video Views,” and determine by that date if funding can and should be continued.
Three baptisms of 31 in the Central Church of Christ, Barinas, Venezuela, in 2025 to July 31. “About 60 more baptisms” in five more congregations in the state of Barinas. The Central congregation of Barinas has about 350 members. David Sosa, in the center of the above photograph, reports these baptisms.
The first stop for David and his wife Zyania was here in south Florida. Now fully supported through a fund administered by the West Broward, Plantation, FL church where we attend, the elders asked David to preach the second Sunday of August, and to use the class time, together with Antonio Shappley, to answer questions regarding his work in Venezuela. David speaks English well enough not to need an interpreter.
Both men, preparing beforehand for the class period, did an excellent job of presenting
procedures implemented in evangelizing the city of Barinas (418,000) and the state of Barinas (971,000). The special challenges confronted because of present conditions in Venezuela and how they are being delt with. Plus, the fruits of evangelistic endeavors so far this year as presented in the caption in the above photograph. The class
was recorded and you may see the video at: https://youtu.be/fLyrfqnCZqY?t=253
The downtown Church of Christ in Barinas has about 350 members. They meet in a rented theater and have a 3-acre lot where they would construct a meeting place if enough funds could be accumulated.
However, as David explains, it is so difficult, expensive, and even dangerous for many members and interested parties to get to the meeting place, that great emphasis is now being given to ten “Small Groups” meeting in different sections of the city. As in the picture on the right. Quite a “Small Group!”
Members invite relatives, neighbors, and
friends to the Small Groups where they are given tracts, offered Bible classes in their homes, etc. I embolden “tracts” because that is my small contribution to these fine works, having written them and helped to print them. Also, any use that members and non-members in Venezuela may make of the Internet sites we maintain.
The first Sunday David and Zyania were in south Florida, they spent a few pleasant and edifying hours in the afternoon with us and Antonio in our home. Thirty-two years old and already with twelve years of full-time evangelistic experience, from all David has recounted, replied to, answering many questions, presented in reports, and stated in conversations, considering also his general demeanor and third-party evaluations, my personal conclusion is that he is one of the most effective evangelists I have ever known. Zyania projects equal dedication to the Cause of Jesus Christ on Earth. If you wish to support their work in Venezuela, and that of other evangelists that continue spreading the gospel in that country, you may send an email to the West Broward church. [email protected].
With its 3.2 million souls. Where we spent 50 complete years in full-time ministry. We still talk about it. Sometimes, even events and people of those times appear in our dreams.
Though 9 years and almost 5 months have gone by since we left the island May 5, 2016.
We remain in contact with some Christians and congregations in Puerto Rico. I do not
pretend to give anything like a full-report even for this year on their status and activities. To my knowledge, there are 20 places on the
Christian women from various congregations come together in the beautiful, Bayamon, Puerto Rico church building for one of the meetings they hold regularly. They are standing on and in from of the wide pulpit platform. Behind the curtains is a large baptistry. Slides are projected on the screen. Sermons are recorded and published on a YouTube site.
island where at least some Christians meet. A number of the congregations that the Lord used us to establish, or help establish, have existed and carried on their works for more than fifty years. For example, the Park Gardens, Río Piedras, San Juan church since 1966 (59 years). The Bayamón church since January 1967 (58 years). Ponce, Arecibo, Manatí, Ceiba, Barrio Cubuy of Canóvanas, Gurabo, Loiza, and Caguas for fifty plus years. That, I think, is no small achievement on their part.
The Bayamon and Gurabo churches have elders and deacons. The Ponce church has elders. The Barrio Cubuy church had elders and deacons for about 40 years until the death of one of the two elders. The exodus of members to the USA, including men capable of leadership, continues to impact congregations on the island.
“WINDOWS” on some activities and fruits of the churches in Puerto Rico. Rather often, we receive information and photographs from members in Puerto Rico. For example, the photograph above, sent by Lili Hernández, of “Christian Women coming together for all-day activities in the Bayamón, Puerto Rico church building.” And the following:
Dalila and Efrain, of the Park Gardens church, say there were at least 18 baptisms in Puerto Rico in 2024. They added that in the early
weeks of 2025, 3 were baptized in the Barrio Montaña church, Aguadilla, PR and 4 in Bayamón.
On alternate months, a city or town where a Church of Christ does not exist is selected by members desiring to continue evangelization, and on a determined day they go and distribute tracts from the nearest congregation to as many people as they can. There are 78 cities and towns in Puerto Rico, which is 40 miles wide and 110 long.
Congregations exist in 20 of them. Groups of 20 to 25 members have already distributed many thousands of tracts in municipalities where there is no congregation.
Antonio and I regularly supply tracts for this evangelistic outreach. 9,774 more of different titles will be shipped this week, Lord willing.
On alternate months, leaders from congregations come together for fellowship and to discuss matters relevant to the brotherhood.
Faithful and capable women of some congregations plan and execute meetings and Bible studies for their own particular fellowship and edification.
Several preaching brethren take turns presenting messages.
Above, in the foyer of the West Broward, Plantation, FL church building, left to right: Janet Rodríguez, baptized in Puerto Rico, daughter of Luis Rodríguez (on the extreme right), just retired school teacher, member, with her husband, Eduardo, of the WB church. Rita Shappley.
Milton Bonilla, born in Puerto Rico, raised in the USA, much beloved and active member of the WB Church until his recent death. Milton’s father preached in the Chicago area. His wife, Millie, also Puerto Rican by birth, retired nurse, and his brother continue attending the WB church. Antonio Shappley. Dewayne Shappley. Luis Rodríguez, 97 years old this month of September. Baptized in Puerto Rico decades ago. Long-time treasurer of the Bayamon, Puerto Rico church, a most positive and faithful Christian.
Due to age and health problems, Luis came to live here in south Florida with his two daughters, part of the time with Janet, and part with another daughter, Mildred, also a member of the church, in Miami. Luis’ wife, Tita, also baptized in Puerto Rico, passed away many years ago.
There are many Puerto Rico Christians in many congregations in the USA, not a few in leadership positions.
Ten brethren of the Bayamon church take turns in the pulpit. The two elders, three deacons, and five more capable men, four of them with decades of service in God’s “KINGDOM not of this world… not from here.” None receives financial remuneration. At least seven of the ten also teach classes. Some lead singing. This arrangement means that each man, though still employed in secular work (six are), has enough time to prepare adequately for preaching. One of the benefits to the local congregation is the variety of styles and content multiple preachers provide. A guideline is for each preacher to pay careful attention to the content of previous sermons, avoiding repetition. For as I personally always taught while in Puerto Rico, and still do: “Frequent to Extreme Repetition in sermons, prayers, at the Lord’s table, and in Bible classes is the Mother of two insidious, cold evils, Boredom and Ritualism, and these two wreak havoc among the young present and the not-so-committed, perhaps adversely impacting not a few of the more committed.”
25 yearly trips by Christians in Puerto Rico to El Salvador to carry out benevolent and evangelistic works! This year marks the 25th year these trips have been made, 13 members from 5 congregations going this time. The Barrio Cubuy, Canóvanas church initiated this work, and this year Bro. José (Cheo) Rodríguez of that congregation received a reward from the brethren in El Salvador for his leadership in this great work. In addition to evangelism, those who go provide health and hygiene related services for the sick and needy. Such has been their impact that some medical professionals in El Salvador have collaborated with them in their efforts to serve. This year, the group took 3,000 tracts we sent to them in Puerto Rico to take to the churches in El Salvador.
70 hymns in Spanish, in 4 to 6-part harmony by Antonio on his YouTube channel. 101 more to go!! For 20 years, these hymns have been available in audio only on the Internet site for them www.alabanzas.info. About 3 months ago, Antonio decided to convert all of them to the video format by using free nature and space videos and programming the texts of the hymns to appear over the videos, word by word, as he sings them. The resulting audio-videos are beautiful indeed, as well as edifying. They can be seen and listened to at: https://www.youtube.com/@himnosacapela
Bible texts open in their own window, not in Bible Gateway, with its many adds. NEW FEATURE for the Spanish site www.editoriallapaz.org. In the approximately 2,400 documents on this Spanish site, many thousands of Bible texts are cited, a large number over and over in different documents. Working his “magic” in the digital world, Antonio added code to the site and now, when a user clicks on one of those texts, which appear in light blue, indicating they are linked, a window will open with the words of the text in the window, whether one verse or many. No adds; just the text. The value of this feature is highlighted in the Spanish document, translated: “The Ideal Church According to God,” where 71 Bible texts are cited in concise article and tract formats.
Once again, we express our profound gratitude for your generous contributions which make possible our continued works via the Internet and printed materials.
This Report was prepared by Dewayne Shappley. [email protected] 561-569-9525. Oversight: Elders of the Cairo, Tennessee Church of Christ. 731- 664-5535. Contributions to: Cairo Church of Christ, Att. Lynda Riddick, 82 Lee Circle, Alamo, TN 38001
This Bismark palm was only about a foot tall when we planted it 9 years ago. Now the trunk is almost 2 feet wide and look at those tremendous, bluish- gray fronds! Divine design and beauty on display.