Blog Archives
Travel & Teaching — March 2024 Prayer Letter
Reading time: 3 minutes
Dear Praying Friends & Family,
God continues to open abundant opportunities to serve him here in Colombia and beyond. This year has been packed with travel & teaching. We are deeply grateful for your prayers and support, which have been instrumental in our mission work.
Training Pastors in India And Nepal
I was invited to train national pastors in India and Nepal in January. Over one month, I preached and taught 41 times in 8 churches and 11 different pastors’ and leaders’ conferences. Over 2,000 people attended, with 800 of those being pastors. We were in many regions, each with its own dialect and culture. The travel was strenuous, and the schedule was demanding, but God blessed us in huge ways! The theme of these conferences was Gospel-Centered life and ministry.
Multiply Conference in Chile
March brought a new opportunity to preach and teach in the annual pastors and leaders conference at the Chile Baptist Seminary, hosted by veteran missionary Jason Holt. It was a blessing to share with the Chilean pastors about evangelism and discipleship and learn from the ministry experience of other faithful missionaries and pastors.
Growing Churches in Colombia
We are thrilled with the spiritual and numerical growth of the churches God has allowed us to start in Colombia. We regularly witness new people getting saved, baptized, and joining the local churches, but it never gets old! The Gospel is changing lives! God has blessed our evangelism and discipleship efforts, and we’re always looking for ways to continue to push forward. There is still much to do!
Men’s Camp
The men from our churches always look forward to gathering collectively in March for our annual men’s retreat. We focused this year on living out the principles of the upside-down kingdom of God. Pastors Felix and Juan joined me in teaching, and the Lord worked in many hearts.
New Semester of Bible Institute
We also started a new year of Bible and ministry training classes in March to prepare our churches’ upcoming pastors and leaders. We praise God for the 40(+) students studying apologetics and ecclesiology this semester. Additionally, I gather with 25 men weekly who feel called into pastoral ministry. We go over doctrine, ministry ethics, and homiletics. Only God knows what the future holds for these faithful believers!
Building Prayer Request
We have mentioned the fundraising efforts to purchase our current rented facility for Agape Baptist Church. We praise God for meeting the initial goal and being able to start the paperwork process. However, the US dollar has lost about 25% of its value compared to the Colombian Peso over the past year, and it is now the lowest it has been in 3 years. Aside from affecting our personal finances, this significantly impacts the value of the funds we still need to bring from the US to Colombia to finalize the purchase of the building. Pray for this need.
For The Cause of Christ,
Aaron & Aubrie Vance
(Along with the girls: Amira, Anabel, Aris & Alethea)
“Being enriched in every thing to all bountifulness, which causeth through us thanksgiving to God. For the administration of this service not only supplieth the ant of the saints, but is abundant also by many thanksgivings unto God;”
—2 Corinthians 9:11-12—
I learned to preach shoe-less and in a kurta (man dress) in India. All things to all men! 
What a great work God is doing in Chile! The night sessions were held outdoors. 
“We spent 15 years in a religion that only gave us more fear of eternity. Now we know Christ, his Gospel and his peace!”
-Luis Fernando giving his testimony before getting baptized.
Pastor Felix teaching in the men’s retreat. It’s been great seeing God’s work in him and through him during the past decade. 
It’s a great honor to teach and train God’s choice servants. Pray for his work in them. 
In February & March we celebrated birthdays for Aubrie, Aris (9), and Amira (14)! 
August 2016 Prayer Letter
Dear Praying Friends,
The work of the ministry in Colombia is flourishing and God is adding much fruit to your account! We’re pleased to share the latest in this month’s prayer letter…
((Click here to download a printable PDF of this letter))
Ministry Milestones…
It’s hard to believe that it’s been two years since we officially opened our main work in Colombia! We celebrated our church anniversary in July with over 170 attending! I’m humbled that God would allow us to be a part of such a great ministry. The church is packed out each week. Just in the last few months, we’ve seen dozens trust Christ, follow in believer’s baptism and begin discipleship. Several of these new believers have even joined the other men in our Bible Institute to train for the ministry.
Faithful Men…
I am so glad that God allows us to have a part in the spiritual formation and training of these men of God. Many of them are showing great potential. In addition to preaching and teaching in bible studies and children’s ministry, we have one of them give a “mini-sermon” during each service. This is truly the reason we are here! To reach people, yes; to start churches, yes; but we are here primarily to train men who can continue to do the work for generations to come, as seen in 2 Timothy 2:2.
Pray for several of these men who are looking to take the next step in their preparation. Many are giving up their careers and university majors to pursue the calling God has placed on their lives. We are looking into developing a work program for them to be able to focus entirely on their training. This will be an added expense to the ministry. Could I also ask you to pray about whether God would have you increase or begin support of our ministry specifically for this purpose of training faithful men?
God’s Work Among The Nations…
In July, I had the opportunity to travel to Chile to preach a youth conference hosted by ministry friends. One of the men who is training with me was able to make the trip as well. I was encouraged by the local churches and the men in the Bible college there, as well as the missionaries who labor in Chile. God is doing a mighty work all around the world. How will you be a part? Will you go as a missionary? Will you help others as a sender? We all must pray that the Lord of the harvest would raise up more laborers for his harvest! We all must be busy about the Father’s business!!
Praises & Prayer Requests…
We literally could not do what we do without your help in prayer. It is always an encouragement to know there are people holding the ropes for us. Please remember us in the following requests.
- Our church family — especially as we plan to organize our church in September.
- Men preparing for ministry: (Alfredo, David, Ernesto, Félix, Javier, Jhon Fredi, Juan Carlos, Juan Danilo, Julián, Kenneth, Leonardo, Libardo, Mario, Óscar, Santiago…)
- Several men who have drifted off — some into sin and the cares of this world, others who are battling discouragement and sickness.
- Our 2nd mission work in the north part of the city, the leaders who serve there, and wisdom for our next steps.
- Our family — specifically our health and finances.
We love you all. Let us know how we can be praying for you! May the Lord bless you as you glorify Him, and may his peace, hope and love reign in your hearts.
Love In Christ Jesus,
Aaron Vance & Family
PS — Here are some recent photos of the ministry:
The Vance Family 
