Roadblocks & Perseverance

What constitutes a roadblock that is enough to make a seminary student pause or leave his studies? Perhaps an international pandemic? Or an ever-intensifying economic crisis under a totalitarian government?

Certainly, we could all agree that continuous electrical outages would be the ultimate barrier to a student's online studies. Yet none of those things have deterred Robinson, a second-year scholarship student of Seminario Carey studying online from Barcelona, Venezuela.

Robinson began studying in 2019, motivated by a strong desire to prepare himself for pastoral ministry, where he had already been serving since 2014. The crisis in Venezuela led many local Bible institutes to close their doors or lower the program's quality to make it cost-accessible. When Robinson heard about Seminario Carey through a friend, he found a place where he could get high-quality education online and dive deeper into theological and Biblical study.

“I just finished Systematic Theology 2, and I realized some of my own doctrinal errors that I’d been taught as a child. I’ve learned so many things that I didn’t understand before!” 

Despite the situation in Venezuela, which includes regular power cuts and therefore, no access to his online classes, Robinson hasn't stopped studying. "Sometimes, I reach out to the tutors later to explain the situation and why I never finished the final exam. They are flexible and open the virtual platform for me to be able to finish. So far, I've never lost a course, though a few times I finished late due to the power cuts." These regular electrical outages also mean that church meetings, canceled since the quarantine began, can't be held over Zoom or Skype. At the moment, eight small groups are meeting in homes. Still, even this is complicated by the economic situation.

"We haven't had gasoline for two months, no one has transportation unless you walk or take a bike."

Robinson's church, Metropolitan Bible Church, sits at the conjunction of 4 cities, which hold about 1.5 million people. It is the only reformed church in the area. As the crisis has gotten worse, many members and even pastors have left the country; the congregation currently has about 300 members. Of the pastoral council, only two pastors remain; Robinson and one other. When asked about his future plans, Robinson's goal is "to stay in Venezuela so that we can keep serving in the church." He and his wife and two children pray that the Lord will help them outlast the crisis.

Robinson plans to graduate in the next two years, with or without a good wifi connection.

"In South America, we love soccer. Any soccer player trains and prepares, day after day, to practice his profession. As a pastor, I am called to train, study, and prepare for my ministry of preaching the Word of God."

We believe there is only one solution to the hardship of the pandemic: that people would come to know the saving grace of Jesus Christ.

With your ongoing support, this has remained our mission as we support church planting in Argentina and Seminario Bíblico William Carey. Our approach dramatically shifted, and although it wasn’t the year we expected, it’s the year that God ordained in his providence. As we look forward to 2021 with new programs, new students, and resuming mission trips, we know that His faithfulness will not fail.

Your end of year gift continues spreading the gospel in Argentina. Donate to support church plant and seminary growth in 2021.

DONATION TO: The Crecer Foundation

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Learn more about our plans for 2021.