Giant Simbas And Teaching Ministry...

We just returned from Chimala Bible Institute with a warm heart about the program of training preachers in this African country. I am constantly amazed at the amount of work that goes into running a competent Bear Valley Bible Institute school. We were sent off with many well wishes from Christians in Georgia, Kentucky, Arkansas and Indiana. We picked up support from two new sources to help us as the coordinator of the Chimala Bible Institute.

We landed in Dar and then the next afternoon in Mbeya. I was with Dr. Robert Curry, whose congregation generously allowed him to come and teach two intense short courses on the General Epistles and the Godhead. Then we met brother Rueben, a preacher and school administrator in Nigeria. As you can imagine these two godly, dedicated men were able to give a wealth of knowledge, experience and ministry teaching to our students. They both spoke in chapel, mentored students and brought material that the students will be able to use for the rest of their ministry. Personally, it is also energizing to me to be around these men who have a tremendous heart for training men for the work of the Kingdom.

I was very happy to teach the two graduate classes on Christian education and Church Planning and Growth. There are some amazing men in this class. These dedicated evangelists already have many years of ministry experience. We have all of our CBI faculty as well as local preachers, including men from Malawi, who are both preaching and teaching in the school in Msusu. The material we covered was appreciated and we had many hours of classroom discussion on the work of the church in education and church planting. One of the activities these godly men are already involved with include a jail ministry in Malawi in which 34 men have been baptized. Another activity was the planting of five churches in a region where Christianity had not existed before. Another master’s student has started a Bible teaching program in four local secular schools in which many young men and women have been taught New Testament Christianity. During our two weeks together all 14 men had 30 hours of lecture and all wrote a 12-page paper in which they discussed an aspect of the class subject. We left them exhausted, and elated at the amazing amount of work they have put into their studies. This is being done while they also have been involved in the greatest work in the world; the preaching of the Gospel. 

On the last day of school for the summer some amazing young people from Oklahoma joined us. They attended chapel and the singing and fellowship was as close to what I imagine heaven must be like. They are working at the hospital and schools during the morning and having a VBS in the afternoon. The students and staff were well rewarded by their attendance and enthusiasm. Speaking of that, we have also been able to make friends and fellowship and teach “the way of the Lord more perfectly” to two amazing young Doctors from Hong Kong. Tony and Grace came this time to the mission looking for a Christian hospital to work with. One evening I was able to have a Bible study with these amazing young people and we have promised to keep in touch and continue to study together. 

Both Lord’s days we went with Robert Curry, Ezekiel Harrison and some of our students to Uturo. We bounced along the dirt road to the building and both services were so rewarding. Israel, one of our graduates of last November, has moved there to build the church. When we arrived we saw they were having a ladies class in one house and the men’s class in the building. Israel had taught the teachers, who are members of the church, to teach those classes. Last year we were having around 12 in attendance. Both Sundays we were there they had over 30. The work is going well because of the training and dedication of this one young man that CBI was able to provide. 

The last weekend we traveled to check on some churches and drove through a nearby game reserve. Just about dark we rounded the dirt road and came upon what I thought, at first, was a large pony, but no, it was the largest lion I have ever seen. We followed him for over mile until he went down to the river to drink and prepare for his nightly hunt. Of course I was remained of the “devil as a roaring lion seeking whom he might devour.” I also was reminded of the dedicated supporters, teachers and students of the Chimala Bible Institute that are working hard to prevent this as we train workers for Christ (2 Timothy 2:2). 

Garry L. Hill
Coordinator Chimala Bible Institute

Hard Working Teachers And Students...

We just finished the first half of the first quarter of our largest class at the Chimala Bible Institute. Our 36 students have settled in to a routine of study, library work, reading and memorizing Bible knowledge for test. They also continue to get practical training in doing the work of the church on the weekends in organized activities. At Nguyen last weekend there were three more baptisms and one restoration. This is another church on the mountain where the old mission used to be. The attendance was around 20 people, when just a few months ago there were three or four meeting. 

The work in the library is going well with Anna Wagner putting in the needed work as the school librarian. She is organizing the new books we have received and the carpenters are getting ready to build some much needed shelves. Anna is also conducting a computer class in the afternoon to show the students how to use the equipment. 

Brother Lia, the schools printer, took six students out last weekend and they had 18 Bible studies, which resulted in three baptisms. Brother Joseph went to Itumpi and studied with an eager group, which resulted in three more precious souls being added to the church. The class on Genesis we have been teaching is now going to be taught by brother Boaz in which our six new first year students are getting their introduction to Bible study. We are all looking forward to the year filled with studies and church work strengthening the church for the cause of Christ in southern Tanzania. 

Garry L. Hill
Extension Coordinator
Chimala Bible Institute

Becoming A Light And A Torch...

We have finished the first week of classes at the Chimala Bible Institute. After my travel of two days finished off with the small plane ride through rough weather and landing in Mbyea we traveled to school to greet the students and see that the classes, dorms, and food situation was acceptable to our students. I am constantly amazed at the humility and dedication of our fine group of teachers. Their concern for the students. their soundness in the faith, and desire to train this next generation of preachers for Tanzania and Malawi is awe inspiring. Chapel has been especially moving this past week. The speaker every day was one of our faculty members and their lessons were inspiring and thought provoking. The combined voices of over 45 in our small chapel room lifted all of our hearts to God in song. This weekend all of our students are out working in the local congregations strengthening the church.

I am always interested in what our students do when they are not in school, so I interviewed some of the second year students asking them what activities they were involved in during the break. Micah said he had been preaching with some of the members of the church in various places. As he expressed it he spoke “man to man” as well as to groups of people. He concluded by saying he was thankful to God for CBI, to all who support her existence and the teachers.

Payana is one of our second year Swahili students. He reported how he worked with the church all the time when school was not in session. He worked with the church and preached six Lord’s Days giving the title of his lessons. He preached on Spiritual Growth, The Importance of Assembling, the Need for Giving, and Being an Example to all people for Christ. The church he worked with was rightly blessed because this student, as well all of the others, are preparing to be better servants of God. 

In our student body this year we have four young ladies. All of these girls are local Christians who want to train themselves to teach the large group of children that so desperately need to be taught the gospel. Upendo is one of these young ladies. She has been teaching children for years and has spent many weekends translating for ladies from the States as they have come to teach. Before school started this year she shared how she has been teaching children’s classes in Chose A, Uturo, and Lyamabogo. She says she has come to school to “learn deeply what the Bible teaches and to become a light and a torch to children in learning about the Lord.” Please keep our young students in mind as they prepare themselves to continue to use their knowledge to teach the world about Jesus.

Garry L. Hill
BVBID Extension Coordinator
Chimala Bible Institute

Say What??

As a Bear Valley Extension Coordinator it is a blessing worshiping and working with various churches around the brotherhood. While getting ready to return to Chimala, we were raising money for the students at the Chimala Bible Institute through teaching a college class filled with students of a local state university. One of the students in the class, a faithful Christian, said he was taught by a Jewish man in a Christian Origins class that besides the New Testament there were no other places where Jesus was mentioned in the first century. This totally discounts Josephus, an ancient Jewish historian of the first century. My first response was, “Say what?” I then spent the rest of the class giving evidences for the existence of Jesus in the first century.

As we begin the new school year Monday, at worship this morning I was thinking about that incident. Ezekiel Harrison was preaching, one of our fine instructors both in the secondary school and in the Chimala Bible Institute. In the audience this morning was the man who taught him the gospel from his hometown. The brother was able to see how his former convert has advanced here to become one of our students. 

Ezekiel, along with Joshua, Boaz, and Xavier, Joseph, as well as, Remmy will be teaching this group of incoming students. Everything from various Biblical books to Hermeneutics to Preacher and his Work, our students will be taught by these men who have spent years, studying, teaching and preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ. All of these evangelists have graduated from the Bear Valley Bible Institute extension program. All have received, or are working on, the Bear Valley Master’s degree. All are faithful, hardworking, sound preachers of the gospel. Oh I am sure they will also have some ”say what” moments in their classes, but I am confident they will also be able to answer the questions that arise. That is why we are eagerly starting another year of the Chimala Bible Institute tomorrow. Another year of preparing the students to answer the objections of the skeptics, and fully proclaim the message of the gospel.

Yes, Ezekiel was preaching, his mentor who taught him the gospel was listening, and another generation of preachers is about to be taught because of the Bear Valley Bible Institute extension program. 

Garry L. Hill
Extension Coordinator
Chimala Bible Institute

Reflection On The Work In Chimala...

Men of God like Israel, Samuel, Silence and Godfrey all left school and are preaching and teaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ in the countries of Tanzania and Malawi today. These, and many others like them, finished a two-year program of extensive training and practical studies to prepare themselves to preach. They had classes in the Bible books, Preaching, and Personal Evangelism. They have studied, Hermeneutics, Church History and Apologetics. They were given opportunities every weekend to go out and preach, conduct services, and do home Bible studies. They had experienced godly men from the States who came and taught short courses. Men like Howell Ferguson, Donnie Bates, and Denton Landon and Jerry Bates. They were taught daily by Tanzanian preachers who have the formal education and experience to lead them to be better servants of God. 

One of our recent graduates, and currently a student in the Masters program, is brother Felix Khozomba. He preaches at the Donasi Church of Christ. Nearby is a state prison where he has been holding Bible Studies. Because of his work he has baptized 24 prisoners and meets weekly with the church there. Brother Ephron Mbano has been working in his hometown and has established two new congregations at Kamala and Mutu which now have 25 saints worshiping weekly. Another of our graduates is Brother Clergynton Harawa. He is preaching at three congregations and teaching Bible classes at the Mzuzu Bible College. He writes and says, “I appreciate Bear Valley Bible Institute because they have trained me.”

One graduate says after studying World Religions; “I will teach them about Jesus Christ how he is the Son of God and He is the truth and the life. They way to life after death is the hope in Jesus.” Another student reports; ”I am looking forward to converting more souls from these false religions. My prayer is that they may be saved!” May God continue to bless our graduates as they do the work their years at the Chimala Bible Institute have trained them to do.

Garry L. Hill
Extension Coordinator
Chimala Bible Institute