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 August, 2013

Graphic of a man climbiing the stairway of truth and righteousness to the splenderous new heavens and new earth illustrates the Shapples's Report for August, 2013.

Many high-quality graphics are available for illustrating a wide range of Bible-spiritual subjects. Like this one of a man climbing the stairway of truth and righteousness toward the splendors of “new heavens and a new earth.” All new Pages uploaded to our Sites have at least one appropriate graphic. As we revisit and improve older Pages, graphics are inserted on those without any.

Dear Brethren:

We are just about to catch up on reports for you! This one is for August, and the entries for September are almost complete. In the notes and explanations added to many e-mails, information is provided about relevant documents on our Webs. Reading them, you may get some idea of materials on the Sites. Listing and describing all the Pages would be an absolutely huge task.

“I think you Web impressive,” writes Carlos Aracil Orts as a title to his e-mail. Architect, of Alicante, Spain. Seventh Day Adventist for 28 years, but no longer. Not finding in his city any church like the one he sees in the New Testament, Mr. Aracil Orts does not presently belong to any religious organization. Since 2008, he has an Internet site where he publishes Bible studies and answers questions from visitors. www.amistadencristo.com In Spain, religious freedom is a constitutional right, but the state still pays the salaries of Roman Catholic clergy, also investing considerable sums in Catholic institutions and works.

Mr. Carlos Aracil Orts writes: “In so far as I have had time to read your commentaries on the book of Revelation, with respect to chapters 13 and 17, they have appeared impressive to me because they are so well presented, and they have given me light, helping me to a better understanding in some respects, for example, with regard to the identification of the two-horned beast like a lamb. Nevertheless, important differences exist, above all, about the identification of the little horn. … The reason for my not attending any church is because in my city of Alicante I have not found a church of Christ, which I think would better represent the true church of Christ. … If you have information about the existence of some church of Christ in my city, I would be thankful if you would send it to me so that I might make contact.”

-These statements by an educated man in Spain, an architect and writer, are very meaningful to me personally because of what I read between the lines with regard to my own writing in Spanish. Apparently it is good enough to merit his saying “well presented,” and that is comforting. Since Spanish is not my native language, often I must really work to say what I want to in a precise and acceptable way, striving not to sound like someone translating his thoughts more or less literally from English to Spanish. Really and truly, I usually think in Spanish when I am writing in Spanish.

-Mr. Aracil Orts explains that, after reading a part of the commentary we have developed on Revelation as well as commentaries by others, he wrote an eighty-page treatise on Revelation 13. While I was reading part of it, I thought: “Much of this is very, very similar to what I wrote, even to the use of phraseology and particular terms!” That is fine with me. By the way, I have no intention of spending time discussing different interpretations of Revelation with him, or any other person who does not agree with me, other subjects and tasks taking priority.

-To my knowledge, only a few churches in Spain are true to New Testament teaching. If there is one in Alicante we do not have information about it.

 

Pastor of a newly established congregation affirms Christ orders the tithe in 1 Corinthians 9:13-14. Our detailed explanation of the text convinces him otherwise, and he decides to teach correctly the congregation.

-Place not identified. Aug. 01, 2013. “After studying your commentaries on tithes, I humbly believe you are ignoring the commandment our Lord Jesus Christ registered in 1 Corinthians 9:13-14. I cite verse 14. ‘Even so the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should live of the gospel.’ There, in the context of the verses, the apostle Paul makes mention of the economic system of those who served the altar.” To briefly state what follows, Federico’s position is that Jesus wanted this same system to continue in the church. He then says: “According to my humble opinion, the Lord Jesus ordered it. Who are we to disobey an order Jesus our Lord gave because there are people today who, with astuteness, are after other people’s money? I would like to know about the Lord’s command.” Federico Andrés Muñoz Pérez. Referer: "http://www.editoriallapaz.org/Diezmos.htm"

-Given the humble tone of Federico’s communication and his specific request to know more about the Lord’s command in 1 Corinthians 9:13-14, I decided to provide as full an explanation as I could. The study thus produced was added to resources on editoriallapaz and I sent Federico a copy. His most gratifying response was received Aug. 21, and it was by means of his second e-mail I learned he was the pastor of a recently established congregation.

- Aug. 21, 2013. “Beloved Homero, I greet you in the grace and truth of our Lord Jesus Christ. I am very thankful for the time you dedicated to answering my question. I would like to ask you to send a more simplified version of this material so that I might share this teaching with new people. The church was recently established, two months ago, and I think it right, as pastor and teacher, to teach correctly about the economic system within the church. I will be eternally grateful for any help.” Federico Andrés Muñoz Pérez

-Barinitas, Dominican Republic. Aug. 02, 2013. “I am thankful to God who has made it possible for the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ and His sound doctrine to be spread by this means. May your heart be filled with the Lord’s peace, and I pray to God that He will continue giving you wisdom, and that you will continue instructing us.” Linda Serrano

-Place not identified. Aug. 03, 2013. Excellent! Continue to go forward.” Lorenzo Jiménez.

-Lorenzo had reference in particular to “Rome Christianized,” Scene 3, Act 7, of Chapter Eight, of the commentary on Revelation. Rome began to be “Christianized” in 312 a. d. when the emperor Constantine converted to Christianity. Did you know he himself convened the Nicene Council in 325, and unleashed a very bloody persecution of Arian Christians after that Council condemned Arius? Then later repented, restoring Arius and accepting his doctrine? Did you know that the Goths and Visigoths who sacked the city of Rome in the fourth and fifth centuries were actually Arian Christians, sparing the city in many ways because of their belief in Christ? During the development of the studies on Revelation as a course for the School of Advanced Bible Studies in Puerto Rico,I learned so much interesting history and corrected so many misconceptions I had held.  Referer: " http://www.editoriallapaz.org/apocalipsis_8_Acto7_Escena3_Romacristianizada.htm "]

-Place not identified. Aug. 03, 2013. “Wow! This has tremendous teaching.”Pedro Cabrera. [Pedro has reference to the article “A Young Christian Asks for Advice on How to Overcome the Temptation to Look at Pornography.”Referer: " http://www.editoriallapaz.org/pornografia_tentaciones_vencerlas.htm "]

-Place not identified. Aug. 04, 2013. “Hello. I write to say you are doing an excellent work, making known the mysteries of the Bible to anyone who needs to know. Thanks for your work, and to all who labor with you. God bless you.” Elias Humberto Ortíz Rodríguez [Elias wrote this when he was on the Page about the Four Beasts of Daniel. Referer: "http://www.editoriallapaz.org/daniel_cuatro_bestias.htm"]

-Naples, Florida. Aug. 07, 2013. “Dear Brother Antonio Shappley, may God continue fortifying and enriching your spirit. The hymns, songs and praises you sing are a great blessing, edifying our souls. To the Lord be the glory. We also recognize the arduous labor of Brother Homero, whom we exhort that with diligence he may continue his work.” Fernando. [More than 160 hymns and spiritual songs in Spanish are available on Antonio’s site www.alabanzas.info. Sung by Antonio in as many as six voices.]

-Place not identified. Aug. 10, 2013. “Would you please give us information about where the church and its ministries are located.” Marco Tapiero

-Agustín Codazzi, Colombia. Aug. 11, 2013. “I think this Web Page is a big blessing.” Jairo Cobo

-Place not identified. Aug. 14, 2013. “Greetings, Brother Shappley. I have been reading various ones of your valuable subjects, and have been very interested in the subject of Deity, Trinity and Jesus Only.” Oliva Pereyra

-Place not identified. Aug. 15, 2013. “Beloved brother in Christ, I rejoice to know there are still some of us preachers who denounce doctrinal error and preach the pure gospel. God bless you.” Roberto Varela Sánchez

-This comment was made when Roberto was on the Page of “The Gospel of Appearances,” an incisive article by Vicente Mercado, of Colombia. Referer: "http://www.editoriallapaz.org/evangelio_apariencias_VicenteMercado.htm". Vicente has written other articles of this nature after watching programs on Enlace, a Pentecostal-evangelical television station very popular throughout the Spanish-speaking world.

-Place not identified. Aug. 19, 2013. “God bless you, giving you a pure heart and a mind full of wisdom, for all you present on your Web Page is very delicate, being that which forms and teaches us.” Abraham Díaz

-Place not identified. Aug. 21, 2013. Decidedly, this is correct. I am a Christian and member of the church of the Lord. I really would appreciate having these studies as a course.” Jacob Daniel Barberena Rodríguez

-Jacob has reference to a rather long document we first printed as a booklet and now have on the Internet in an improved version. “You Tell Me You Are Catholic. May I Ask: Why Are You Catholic.” Referer: "http://www.editoriallapaz.org/Yo%20soy%20catolico.htm". When we go house to house, many Catholics will say, when approached, “I am Catholic,” as if that were explanation enough, an end to any conversation. In this document, we ask, in a diplomatic way, for an explanation. “Would you tell me why you are Catholic?” Then, identify and explore possible reasons. Because you were born in a country formed by Catholics. Born to a family of Catholics. Baptized a Catholic, though you understood absolutely nothing about it because you were a baby. A Catholic like a Muslim is a Muslim, or a Hindu is a Hindu, most of them. By physical birth and spiritual inheritance. Because of traditions and culture. After many considerations, we try to motivate the reader to seek the great treasure of spiritual truths that existed before Roman Catholicism, going back beyond Catholicism to find the original church of the first century.

Pastor in Venezuela finds what we teach “practically the same” as what he upholds.

-Centaura, Anzoategui, Venezuela. Aug. 24, 2013. “Greetings, and thanks for your answer. My name is Moisés Peña. I am a native of Caracas, Venezuela. From the time I went on your Internet Portal, I was surprised to see your teachings were practically the same as those I uphold with fear and trembling of the Holy Scriptures. I beseech you, please, to provide me orientation with regard to the materials I should use to complement the teachings you present on your Portal. That is, which should I use to begin a course with a view to complete formation? I am carrying on a pastorate where I make it known that doctrines such as the rapture and the millennium, among others, are not biblical. Help me in this, please, and thanks.”

-We sent Moisés a list of links to key documents on our site, including courses for the preparation of church leaders, and links to Larry White’s materials, also in Spanish. Also information about churches of Christ in Venezuela. As to the extent Moisés is teaching sound doctrine, follow-up will show. We are just as surprised to have a pastor contact us who considers unbiblical the rapture and modern day millennium doctrines.

-Place not identified. Aug. 24, 2013. Excellent Web Page. Always continue forward. Blessings.” M. S. Sánchez

-San José, Heredia, Costa Rica. Aug. 24, 2013. “Blessings. I am a member of the church of Christ and your doctrine has been a great blessing, for I know my faith is based solely in Christ and his teaching given to the apostles through the Holy Spirit.” Isabel Solano Brenes

-Venezuela. Aug. 26, 2013. “I am very worried about the manipulation of believers with regard to tithes. And I am clear about that not being according to the will of God. I feel uneasy in my congregation because of these things, for I would like to serve the Lord in the light of His truth, with humility and a sincere heart. I would like to know about your congregations in Venezuela.” Gustavo Acevedo

-Gustavo read the article on “Pastors After Your Money.” Referer: "http://www.editoriallapaz.org/Dinero.htm". The Internet version of a tract we printed. A concise statement about abusive practices as compared to the guidelines established by the Holy Spirit for supporting legitimate works of the church. We pointed Gustavo to the Directory of churches of Christ in Venezuela on editoriallapaz.

Twenty-one year old Adalberto restored after our responding to his request for advice. (This e-mail was sent in a Brief Report.)

Aug. 29, 2013. “Have an excellent and joyful day in the Lord, esteemed Brother Homero. I am Adalberto, the young, 21 year old who, a few months ago, had the great blessing of receiving answers from you about the state in which I found myself. I am immensely grateful in the Lord for the time you took. I was really surprised when I received your answers; by your attitude and attention to a Christian you did not even know. I inform you your advice was of the greatest importance to help me be reconciled with Christ and the spiritual brotherhood, which took place a few days after receiving it. It helped me understand that I was looking for pretexts and excuses to not follow the true way of life and that I had fallen away principally because of not searching the Scriptures, not taking the responsibility of nourishing myself with spiritual milk. I was going the way of peace the world offers with its human wisdom, not taking into account that I had the best way before me in the Sacred Scriptures. I just needed to dig deeper, like the eunuch, and found much of great help in www.editoriallapaz.org, as well as in other materials. I assure you that you are always in my prayers and that you are one of my mentors on this earth.”

-The temptations and problems Adalberto was confronting when he first wrote were of a moral, worldly nature typical of young men his age. Perhaps to a more serious degree. In this second e-mail he also asks several additional questions. We are glad to be in a position to provide some guidance. While there is much doctrinal and expository material on our sites, there is also no small amount dealing with spiritual problems of many different kinds.

-Place not identified. Aug. 31, 2013. “I have read the articles on false prophets and, of a truth, I have been saddened, because God’s Holy Spirit has definitely shown me the word I was listening to daily to fortify my faith in God was turning me away to faith in faith –that I can just believe it, that I can make donations, that I can make contracts- and it is very hard, for we allow ourselves to be taken away by emotions. The best thing is to listen to the word of sound doctrine in our churches, and stop listening to Cash Luna, Joyce Meyer, Mr. Maldonado, perhaps everything on Enlace. How terrible it is that the only Christian television station for our edification actually causes us to distance ourselves from our Savior Jesus Christ.” Sofía Tarazona 

-The Referer shows Sofía had read “False Prophets, False Teachings” on editoriallapaz, an excellent study by Wuiston Medina, of Venezuela, presented, because of its length, in four parts, on our site. Referer: "http://www.editoriallapaz.org/prosperidad-falsos-profetas-falsas-ensenanzas-Medina-2.html. This lady learned she should not put her faith in faith, as she says. Her expressions about “just believe it... make donations... make contracts” are the common terminology of the prosperity gospel movement. “Contracts with God.” “God, I will give a $100 to Joyce Meyer, and you will give me back $1,000.” Cash Luna is a very rich Guatemalan preacher of prosperity, an absolute clown in the pulpit. Maldonado and his wife are stationed in Miami, and making themselves very wealthy through the prosperity gospel. “Enlace” is a powerful Pentecostal-evangelical television station reaching perhaps almost all the Spanish-speaking people in the western hemisphere. Money, money, money is their game, and they broadcast all kinds of gospels to get it. Thankfully, many in the Pentecostal-evangelical world are waking up to the worldliness and spiritual absurdity of the prosperity gospel, among them Mr. Medina, author of the material identified above, and now Sofía Tarazona.

-Piritu, Portuguesa, Venezuela. Aug. 31, 2013. “I want to receive this material for I think it is good.” Jorge Pereira, pastor

-Place not identified. I am so happy with your Web Page. Thanks to God for what can be learned in it.” Ángel Recio

 

Grafic  for Internet Stats in Report by Dewayne and Rita Shappley for August, 2013.

 

Internet Stats

For August, 2013 (31 days)

-Visits

-To editoriallapaz.org........................................................................................... 94,220

-To iglesia-de-cristo.com.......................................................................................... 173

-To vimeo.com, for videos........................................................................................ 314

-Total visits.............................................................................................. 94,707

-Daily average of visits........................................................................................ 3,055

-Page views for all sites.............................................................................................. 170,435

Totals for the year 2013

-Total visits...................................................................................................................... 903,313

-Daily average for 243 days.................................................................................. 3,717

-Page views................................................................................................................. 1,594,519

Grand Totals through August 31, 2013

-Grand Total of visits................................................................................................ 11,073,351

-Grand Total of Page Views (documents accessed by visitors)........................... 22,318,593

 

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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