Collection 423
[April 4, 2000]
Chavarria, Rodrigo; 1956-
Interview; 1989
Audio Tapes
Restrictions
There are no restrictions on the use of this collection.
Biography
Full name: Rodrigo Chavarria
Birth date: March 22, 1956
Birth place: San Jose, Costa Rica
Parents: Alberto and Virginia Chavarria
Conversion: April 4, 1982, at a service by Dr. Wilton Nelson
Marital Status: Married Emilia Marin in 1977
Children: oldest Laura, two younger children
Education:
Liceo de Costa Rica, San Jose, Costa Rica--graduated 1973
Escuela des Estudios Pastorales, San Jose, Costa Rica--1984
Columbia Bible College, Columbia, SC--
B.A. in Bible-Pastoral Ministries, 1989
Wheaton College Graduate School, Wheaton IL--
M.A. in Theological Studies, 1991 (degree completed after interviews)
Career:
1984 Escuela des Estudios Pastorales, San Jose, Costa Rica
Secretary
1984-1985 Association of Bible Churches of Costa Rica (AIBC)
Administrator
Plans: To return to Costa Rica as a full-time professor at the Escuela des Estudios Pastorales (ESEPA) seminary.
Scope and Content
Rodrigo Chavarria was interviewed by Robert Shuster on November 8 and December 1, 1989, at the Billy Graham Center in Wheaton, Illinois. The time period covered by the interviews is 1956-1989. The boldfaced entries are intended to highlight the topics covered in the interview. Time elapsed in minutes and seconds is recorded to the left of the topics discussed in the interview. The index is keyed to a cassette copy and not to the reel-to-reel original.
T1 - side 1
00:00 Beginning of tape
00:25 Introduction to interview on November 8, 1989
00:45 Birth in Costa Rica, family, nominal Catholic background, state of Catholicism in
Costa Rica
08:15 Memories of priests from high school, gospel seen through change in other students'
lives, visit to Baptist church, national image of Christianity, Catholic beliefs and
reactions to Christianity, Christian friends, temporary positive influence of
Catholic weekend retreat
18:00 Priorities during high school years, desire to be a doctor, money difficulties leading to
studies in accounting
22:15 Meeting his wife Emilia, Christian background of wife's family, marital difficulties
because of his lifestyle, wife's conversion, their decision to have a child to try to
help the marriage, only external changes
34:00 Beginning to attend church with his wife, guilt about smoking problem, conversion at
service by Dr. Wilton Nelson, freedom from cigarettes given by God
41:45 Loss of good job at Seagram's, six months unemployed
44:50 End of tape
T1 - side 2
00:00 Beginning of tape
00:05 Overlap with side 1
02:30 Continuation of side 1
03:00 God's use of work problems to soften his heart, Assemblies of God church members
visiting his house, unable to answer his difficult questions
07:00 Attraction to friendliness at wife's church, public ashamedness about conversion,
respect for Victor Monterroso causing a desire to be a pastor
11:00 Living a conscious Christian life, reaction of family, fruitless attempts to witness to
them
18:00 Evangelism by example instead of words, unsaved friends asking for prayer,
importance of friendship evangelism
21:30 End of tape
T2 - side 1
00:00 Beginning of tape
01:25 Continuation of interview on T1
01:45 Sharing the gospel at an undesirable job, changes in life because of salvation
06:00 Love for the Bible and training, classes at the Escuela des Estudios Pastorales
(ESEPA) run by the Association of Bible Churches, working at the institute,
promotion to administrative position, unable to commit to extended time of work
because God's will was not clear, work with church problems
14:00 Decision to study in the States, departure on faith, impact of previous work with
churches to prepare his heart for future ministry, certain calling to return to Costa
Rica
17:00 Study in U.S. to prepare to combat liberation theology, problems with Seminario
Biblico Latino-Americano, false teachings and cults in Costa Rica, importance
and growth of ESEPA, nondenominational emphasis of the seminary
23:15 Impressions of Columbia Bible College, molding people rather than just teaching
minds
26:15 End of tape
T3 - side 1
00:00 Beginning of tape
00:10 Introduction to interview on December 1, 1989
00:30 Association of Bible Churches (AIBC) begun as a part of the Latin America
Mission, then given independence, problems caused by new freedom, lack of
pastors
05:00 Start of ESEPA seminary (School of Pastoral Studies) to provide national pastors,
nondenominational emphasis of seminary, attraction and influence of radical
theologies
12:00 Need at ESEPA for theology to answer difficult questions; growth of international
missions, strategic position of Costa Rica for Latin American missions
19:15 History of take-over of Seminario Biblico by liberation theologians, description of
liberation theology as a political reaction, its appeal to the poor
28:15 Nondenominational character of AIBC, persecution of churches in Costa Rica by
Catholics
37:00 Unity of evangelical church in Costa Rica caused by Catholic persecution, Costa Rica
Evangelical Alliance
41:30 Continuing dependence on foreign missionaries, Dr. William Brown, John Hoffman,
others
45:30 End of tape
T3 - side 2
00:00 Beginning of tape
00:10 Overlap with side 1
02:00 Growing number of national church leaders
03:00 Economic distribution of evangelicals in Costa Rica, conflicts between poor
uneducated pastors and rich educated converts
06:45 Unity of Costa Rican church, denominationalism in America
09:15 Good Will Caravans providing important social services but not emphasizing the
gospel enough
13:30 Need for prayer for Costa Rican church
15:45 End of tape
Provenance
The materials for this collection were received by the Center in November and December 1989 from Rodrigo Chavarria.
Accession 89-118, 89-126
May 11, 1995
Mark Congdon
Paul A. Ericksen
LOCATION RECORD
Accession 89-118, 89-126
Type of material: Audio Tapes
The following items are located in the AUDIO TAPE FILE:
T1 - Reel-to-reel, 3-3/4 ips speed, approximately 67 minutes. One side. Interview with Rodrigo Chavarria by Robert Shuster, November 8, 1989. Discussion of childhood, Catholic church in Costa Rica, marriage, conversion, Christian growth, desire to be a pastor, evangelism to friends and family.
T2 - Reel-to-reel, 3-3/4 ips speed, approximately 27 minutes. One side. Continuation of interview on T1. Discussion of Escuela des Estudios Pastorales (ESEPA), Association of Bible Churches of Costa Rica (AIBC), Seminario Biblico Latino-Americano, decision to study in the United States, Columbia Bible College.
T3 - Reel-to-reel, 3-3/4 ips speed, approximately 61 minutes. One side. Interview with
Rodrigo Chavarria by Robert Shuster, December 1, 1989. Discussion of origin of AIBC
and ESEPA, theological problems in Costa Rica, Catholic persecution of evangelical
churches, Costa Rica Evangelical Alliance, Good Will Caravans, unity of Costa Rican
church.