“The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you! First, I would like to give you a short update of what the Lord has been doing in our lives during this last year. Earlier this May, Bethlehem Baptist Church voted to transition me from a Pastoral Resident position to a full pastoral staff position as Pastor for Worship and Hispanic Ministry. I feel honored and humbled, and ask for your prayers as I continue to serve at Bethlehem. Also, in June, the Lord allowed me to co- lead a short-term ministry team to my home country, El Salvador, where we had different opportunities to spread a passion for God’s supremacy through seminars, sermons (eight in just one Sunday!), children’s ministry, youth gatherings, testimonies, and fellowship. The Lord granted us a blessed time, all sustained by his grace and in his name. Finally, I want to thank you for your commitment to God-centered, Christ-exulting, joy-producing theological education, and for your continued support to The Alex Steddom Fund for international students. My personal life and ministry are influenced daily by the formative time that I experienced at Bethlehem College and Seminary.”
RENÉ A. GONZÁLEZ
Pastor for Worship and Hispanic Ministry, Bethlehem Baptist Church
San Salvador, El Salvador
“I rejoice in the Lord even though doing ministry and studying at seminary simultaneously is a great struggle. Because my calling is to be a teacher and pastor, I now serve as a pastor for worship and music at Texas Kachin Baptist Church while studying at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. In addition, I preach a weekly online sermon to a small Kachin Church in San Francisco. Still, I have the desire to return to Myanmar and serve among Kachin churches, primarily through teaching at Kachin Theological College & Seminary in the near future. Even now, I teach an online course called “Biblical Theology of Worship” at Kachin Theological College & Seminary. I thank God for all my brothers and sisters who have contributed to The Alex Steddom International Student Fund, which has impacted the lives of countless individuals. I appreciate your generous gift. May God continue to bless you with grace and peace.”
ZAU ‘CHYING CHYING’ NAW
Pastor for Music & Worship at Texas Kachin Baptist Church Student at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary
Myitkyina, Kachin State, Myanmar