For the third year running, a group of church leaders and members met together in late October to consider the great truths of the Reformation. The conference is organised by Grace Mission and their pastor, American Reformed Baptist missionary Don Donell.
Villa Carlos Paz, in the western province of Cordoba, is the scene of the church plant and hosts the conference. This year the main theme – ‘Justification, the heart of the Reformation’ – was ably and extensively expounded by Eduardo Florentino, from the Dominican Republic. Pastor Florentino ministers among Spanish speakers at Heritage Baptist Church, Mansfield, Texas.
Other speakers were Jim Adams and Kevin Houser. Jim comes from Arizona and has wide experience of work in South America, having been a church planter in Colombia. He spoke on ‘Preaching Christ in the Old Testament Scriptures’.
Kevin Houser, a Canadian, gave us a practical overview of how to expound the Word of God. Though now settled in Texas, he heads up a ministry in Chile that publishes a magazine, organises conferences and distributes Christian books to help pastors faithfully expound Scripture.
Carlos Paz is a known beauty spot, but there was hardly any time for tourism during the three-day programme. Meal times were an opportunity to renew fellowship or get to know others for the first time. Food and fellowship were good, and a big plus for poor pastors was the packet of books they were given at the conference.
There was an encouraging attendance from pastors, mostly from the Cordoba area. Also one group of five people travelled over 600 miles by car from the Province of Buenos Aires to be present. Also travelling some distance was a pastor from Greater Buenos Aires and an Argentine missionary to indigenous people in Santa Fe Province.
All told, about 30 people were present. It is good to see a growth in numbers attending. We need to pray that men will be captivated by the doctrines of grace and that this will then transform their churches even if they have to face opposition.
Trevor Routley
