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February 2024

Alumni pair ministering to the world in Costa Rica

As a member of the Wayland track and field and cross country teams in the late 1980s, Paul Dreessen met many international students. He had the pleasure then to not only compete alongside them but also to serve them as a student representative for the Baptist Student Union.

Decades later, those early experiences must have been a precursor to his current role as senior pastor of the International Baptist Church in San Jose, Costa Rica, an English-speaking, multicultural congregation he serves with wife Dina, also a Wayland graduate.

The Dreessens surrendered their lives to serve the Lord as students, but they admit they never imagined they’d have spent 20 years leading such a unique church. Open to missionary service, the couple says when they told God they’d go anywhere, this just wasn’t on the radar. But they aren’t complaining.

“We tell people many times if you’re going to have to live and serve in another country, Costa Rica is about as good as it gets. There’s great weather, and it’s a beautiful country,” laughs Paul. “We live just above the valley, have mountains all around us and can get to the ocean. We have to be completely honest and say it’s not so bad.”

The starting blocks

Both say the journey really began at Wayland, where they met and married. The daughter of a WBU former student Daniel Rivera, Dina came to WBU in 1983 and studied business and sociology. Paul came in 1985 on a track scholarship, ran the middle distances and was on four indoor track national championship teams.

He met Dina his freshman year and the two got engaged as she was wrapping up her degree in 1987. She went home to San Antonio to plan the wedding while he continued his education, and after the two married in 1988 they came back to Plainview, starting their life in married student housing. He graduated in 1989 with a history and Bible degree.

“Wayland was where we both sensed a call to ministry, and we both came from Christian homes,” said Paul, noting the couple moved immediately to New Orleans for him to pursue a Master of Divinity degree in preparation for ministry.

Open to mission service, they wanted to gain some additional experience and then moved to Houston, where Paul served as a youth pastor and eventually was named senior pastor. Dina was working at Union Baptist Association. During their 10 years there, they had a daughter and Dina fought a battle with cancer.

In 2001, an email came to Dina’s director about the need for a pastor at the young International Baptist Church in Costa Rica, a growing congregation that had only interim pastors but had just completed a new building. She shared it with Paul and the two began praying about the opportunity. After a six-month process and a visit to the country, the Dreessens were officially hired to serve the church – he as pastor, she as administrative assistant. Fairly quickly, Dina put her experience in Wayland’s choir into action as worship leader for the church, a role she still holds and enjoys.

Curves and straights

The couple and their daughter, then nine, moved to Costa Rica without much previous knowledge of international churches. It didn’t take long for Paul and Dina to realize this congregation was much different than anything they had encountered.

“It’s fully English in the service and almost all the groups are as well. We reach people from 20-30 nationalities every Sunday, and we have counted about 106 countries that have come through in our 21 years,” said Paul. “Costa Rica attracts a lot of expats from the U.S. and Canada, we have

several universities and multinational businesses here, and if you want a service in English we are the primary church here.”

IBC San Jose has also planted churches, one on the coast of Costa Rica and one in Panama City, Panama. They joined the International Baptist Convention, based in Frankfurt, which connects similar churches all over the world. Paul even served as president one term, and Dina was on the search committee to hire the new general secretary.

Dina led the women’s ministry before handing that off to other leaders, and she says the church works with several local entities to expand its ministry.

“We have two universities involved here, the University for Peace, which is a graduate-level program, and United World College, a high school program for students from all over the world. We have been hosting Bible studies for them at our house for several years,” she says. “For two years now, I’ve been involved with MICN, the Missional International Church Network, a worldwide network of churches of all denominations. I’m in charge of implementing all the big events each year, and I’m working on one in Bali, Indonesia; Santa Cruz, Bolivia; Rome, Italy; and Buenos Aires, Argentina. It’s really exciting to be part of that network, and it all coincides with the international church movement.”

Just like any church work, serving an international church brings its unique challenges. The congregation does include local Costa Ricans, many of whom speak English, but the church also offers simultaneous translation for non-English speakers. They often get visitors who simply want to practice their English skills, particularly from the universities in the area. But Paul says they minister to whomever comes through their doors, and that changes often.

“If we were to drop you into our service, you wouldn’t know other than the diversity of the congregation that you weren’t in the U.S. Our building is very modern, and we broadcast live every Sunday online,” he says. “We continue to grow and reach people because we’re always a transitioning church. We can count on one hand or two those that were here when we came, and within a four- or five-year period we almost have a whole new congregation coming through. Even our Costa Ricans, because they are professionals, may relocate to the US or another country.”

Clearing the hurdles

Paul said leadership development is challenging as the families move away and new leaders must be raised up. But the growth they were experiencing just before COVID – which saw attendance drop like churches across the world – is finally almost restored. IBC has two services, with about 500 in attendance combined. And the transient nature of the congregation just means the Dreessens must operate more like missionaries and be more intentional in winning souls and building disciples.

“We just had to get the mindset that people are here and some may be here a long time and some

not. We’re just going to love them and get to know them, invest in their lives and send them off to their next place," says Paul.

“We have stories of many who were not believers when they came and became believers. We’ve had young people come through the church and are now ministering in other countries.”

Paul and Dina return to the States every few months to visit family, most of whom are in the San Antonio/New Braunfels area, including their grown daughter and now three grandchildren. From their home, they can be there in a relatively short flight, making it easier than living overseas. And they don’t have any intention of leaving Costa Rica until the Lord nudges in another direction.

“The calling is really what keeps us here. The uniqueness of the ministry is super fun, even though it’s transient and can be crazy and adventurous,” said Dina. “And I think it’s just the place God has had us and where He wants us to be. We knew we wanted to invest our lives here but didn’t know it would be 21 years later. It’s the place in the world – and we’ve had opportunities to go all over the world with it – that he’s called us to invest, to plant and to love people for Jesus. It’s our little nook in the world.”

 

Evangelists pen devotional book for couples to connect

Authors and alumni Sherman and Tammy Aten recently visited Wayland’s Pioneer Store to sign their new book, Touching Base: 52 Devotions to Connect with Your Spouse.

“Tammy and I were excited to share our first couple’s devotional book with our West Texas friends and family at our alma mater, WBU,” said Sherman Aten, who also serves on Wayland’s Board of Trustees. The signing was the first bookstore event for the couple.

Released in November 2023 by Harvest Creek Publishing and Design, Touching Base: 52 Devotions to Connect with Your Spouse grew out of the Aten’s work with the couples comprising the Board of Directors for Aten Ministries.

“In this one-of-a-kind marriage devotional, we share some of our most intimate, vulnerable stories,” Sherman Aten said. “The book is to be used weekly for an entire year, with 52 easy-reading chapters. No matter what stage of life you're going through, you'll quickly see that you are not alone, because we have all been there and done that. We’ve learned the importance of touching base consistently in our marriage relationship.”

Based in Granbury, Texas, the Atens have been serving in full-time ministry since 1990. Many know them as worship leaders, evangelists, or Three2One Marriage Conference hosts. The couple traveled 20 years as a family with their son and daughter ministering in worship through revivals and concerts. Today, they spend an average of 30 weeks per year ministering as a couple in the U.S, as well as internationally in churches based in Canada, Mexico, Bolivia, Wales, Romania, Russia, Venezuela, South Africa, Philippines, Ukraine, Portugal, Spain, Pakistan, and Turkey.

The couple says that God has developed in them a hunger for authentic worship as well as a passion for Godly marriages and family through their Three2One marriage ministry. The book is available on Amazon .  For more information on the Atens' ministries, visit their website . 

 

Devotional: Are you a creature of habit?

Change is hard. Maybe you call it "downsizing". Either way, you have or will have a moment of  "go-through-your-stuff-and-get-rid-of-everything-that-won’t-fit". 

Do you know how much time it can take to get to the right person who can help you, when calling customer service? And for the love, why can’t we just press 0 and talk to someone?!?!

I tend to be a creature of habit, and any shift in my routine requires me to expend more energy. For example … no more driving on autopilot to get from home to work. Now there are new patterns of traffic to learn and alternate routes to know for those times when traffic backs up. Change is not easy.

If your body does not work the way it used to, a change in diet, exercise or life pace can be difficult to navigate. When you lose your job and stare long and hard at a budget that doesn'r work, fear

and anxiety can set in. And when a loved one dies, and the phone doesn’t ring like it used to, sharp pangs in the heart can abound. Sometimes change is not just hard. It is painful.

But whether we like it or not, the living of this life involves change. Relationships change. Locations change. Jobs change. Our bodies change. We change.

Life is change. The longer you live, the more you know that the only thing constant in this life is change. Whether our changes seem hard or make us happy, change teaches us that life is fragile, uncertain and temporary. Nothing lasts forever.

Well something lasts forever. God. “For I, the LORD, do not change …” (Malachi 3:6a).

In Psalm 102:27, the psalmist declares, “But You are the same, and Your years will not come to an end” (NASB).

God doesn’t change. He has always been and will always be never-changing.

We should be so glad to know that we serve a God who stays the same. He is the same yesterday, today and forever. Whether we move homes, change jobs, experience relational, physical or emotional changes, God is a constant and dependable anchor.

Not only does God stay the same but so do His loving plans for us that are based in His Word. Psalm 33:11 says, “The counsel of the LORD stands forever, The plans of His heart from generation to generation” (NASB). Isaiah 40:8 tells us “The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever” (ESV).

And because His plans are unshakeable, His loving intention toward us never wavers. His Word is dependable, so we can find comfort in our relationship with Him whatever change comes our way.

During seasons of change, we learn the importance of resting in the immutable God — the God who never changes. There are many things we cannot control, but we can depend on God to be a refuge in times of trouble, provide comfort to my aching heart and give guidance through His Word so we can effectively navigate life’s changes.

Despite feeling like some changes in our life extend far beyond our control, we have come to know the beauty of resting in the arms of a God who is always totally in control of the circumstances of my life.

Can we encourage each other today? Nothing that’s happened to you surprised God.

And because He does not change and is faithful to all generations (Psalm 119:90), you can trust Him to carry you through whatever changes you face today.

If God has allowed a change in your life, let that change motivate you to draw closer to Him and to His Word. Let Him be your refuge, your comfort and your strength.

 

In the Mix

The Harral Memorial Auditorium is a 1,256 seat auditorium built in 1968. It serves as one of the main performance venues on Wayland's campus, and is used Wayland and the Plainview community for numerous events throughout the year.

It features a large stage, spacious wing space, and Broadway style dressing rooms with entrances on both sides of the backstage area. It averages 350 reservations per year and has hosted famous artists such as Neil Diamond, Rebecca St. James, Newsboys, Billy Dean, Kutless, and former First Lady Laura Bush.

What are other areas involved within the Harral? 

• Graphic Design Mac Lab: The School of Creative Arts MAC Lab is equipped with all the necessary tools for the graphic design student. The lab is outfitted with 13 iMac computers with retina displays, quad core processors and 16GB of RAM. It also features all the necessary auxiliary equipment such as Cannon scanners, Wacom Intuos tablets and a Xerox color laser printer. Each computer is installed with design software by Adobe including Photoshop, InDesign and Illustrator. The lab is available for students outside of class times at posted hours, and lab assistants are available to answer questions and provide help with projects.
• Art Studio: Situated in a comfortable, open room with large north-facing windows, Wayland's painting studio houses upright painting stations, as well as drawing tables. The room is open to all major and minor art students and all students taking a painting or drawing course.
• Television and Radio Studio: Claiming perhaps the most plentiful array of colorful buttons and switches in the School of Creative Arts is the department of Media Communication. Housed within the Harral Arts Complex are KWLD Radio and WIN-TV, Wayland's student-run broadcasting outlets. Both stations exist to serve the community with family oriented, Christian programming and as a training ground for students of media communication.                   

KWLD is a low-power radio station broadcasting to all of Hale County. Student DJs get behind the mike in a radio studio to deliver news, weather, live sports, and the most current and popular contemporary Christian hits. The versatile studio spaces allow for a wide variety of live programming to be broadcast, and a mobile unit allows for live remote broadcasts and community engagement. Up-to-date automation systems provide content for the tens of thousands of listeners when a personality is not on duty.

Radio Home of Wayland Athletics. You can now listen around the world 24/7 by downloading the RadiioFX App from the Apple Store or Google Play.

 

 To listen directly on your computer, use:

 In addition to encouraging Christian music, Wayland Athletics, and our chapel services, we will be programming new and exciting material in the future!  Listen for the latest updates.

WIN-TV, a FamilyNet affiliate, delivers quality programming with family values to Plainview and surrounding communities' cable television systems. Broadcasting from the spacious studio and master control suite, WBU's television channel provides a wide array of network and local interest programs. Students have the ability to produce and broadcast live television using the full-featured live studio systems or create new content on the industry-standard Avid non-linear editing system. WIN-TV also produces and streams all home sporting events with a mobile production unit capable of providing high-quality video, graphics, and live audio from our on-air commentators.

• Harral Studio: The Harral Studio, also called the Black Box, is a 50' X 50' space that includes a completely flexible seating plan, available to convert into a variety of audience configurations. State of the art lighting and sound complement a suspended grid that allows for the redistribution of light and sound for each production. This intimate performance venue serves as our largest television studio.

We would like to know your experiences and memories of Harral Auditorium? Please email veraj@wbu.edu

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