News for first term
August 17, 2011, the Center had organized an interview for 27 candidates, of which their names reached us, and were kept to test them. At the end of the tests, twenty (20) candidates had been kept for the third promotion that would begin September 5. Considering some irregularities the return was delayed one week to arrange the infrastructures and of other things.
As foreseen, the classes started September 12th at 7:30 a.m. with twenty (20) retained candidates. The youngest of the students is 23 years old and most aged has 69 years.
The work of the students
I give thanks to God for the three months of courses that we had to make with the students. Right at the beginning, the students had difficulties understanding some courses, and it is understandable because most of them came from fourteen (14) such denominations.
The students coming from the Church Christ number four. Every professor used his talent to give the best of oneself in order to make the students understand the courses.
In spite of some misunderstandings among them, it is to be noted that the students exhort themselves regularly to the love, to tolerance, to the practice of good work, to mercy and to generosity. The morning work in class begins to 8:00 a.m. after an early devotion of 7:25 a.m. to 7:55 a.m. and the morning work ends to 12:30. The afternoon courses begin at 3:00 p.m. and end at 5:15 p.m. except Wednesday afternoon when they are free (without course).
The activities of the Center
In the practice, the students attend campaigns of evangelism organized by the Center each month. Some of them take every Wednesday afternoon and Saturday morning to evangelize the population, house to house.
a. The Center, since it’s creation, April 18th 2005, is now up to eleven (11) trained evangelists working in several localities of the region.
b. The eleven evangelists are: (Akli KokouDegboe Jean; Assogbavi Adjangbo Gabriel; Assoklou Yawotse Selom; Ahanyaboe Clement Afatsawo; Senyo Folly; David Yamba Wama; Kokou Toulassi; Edoh Abraham Koumakouwe, Kossi Gidigidi, Joseph Mindamou; Yaovi Amegadjin) working in full time, except a police sergeant that works with the prisoners in the jails of the region.
c. During three months, the center organized four publics’ evangelism countries more in Kpadape, Kple-Beme, Kussuntu and Kpele-Tutu.
d. During 2011 the total number of baptized was 30.
e. Retrogrades: Only two retrogressed have been restored to the church of Nyiveme; one who abandoned God's worship following the death of his wife for 2 years, and the second was a disciple of the ex-evangelist Mark Agossor.
We have a program for public evangelism for the year 2012 in new places: Aveho-Tugbli, Atiyi, Avetonou Detsideke and Holokope of January to June.
The students in class.
Every student makes his effort to follow the courses attentively. Their efforts are seen through the tests that were submitted to this end of the term, and their reactions opposite the courses that are dispensed. To the departure they were frustrated to hear some teachings on GOD'S HOLY SPIRIT with regard to the "gifts of the Holy Spirit." When they understood, their reactions were positive. Some not wanting to continue with their former denominations wished to spend some Sundays before joining their families, because the churches of Christ are not in the surroundings of their origin.
Dreams of students
The students having understood ten courses well (10) (Introduction of Old Testament, Homiletic I, Scheme of Redemption, The ministry of the Multiplication (Evangelism), God's Holy spirit, Genesis, Music in the Cult, RTAO (Traditional Religion of West Africa), French, Acts of the Apostles) that were dispensed during the term, most of them wanted to change their denominations radically without the opinion of their founders. What worries the Center is that they already made an experience with a case with an ex-student who had reacted of this sort in Pkadape. There are more than five (5) denominations that reacted positively towards the studies that are carried by their candidates.
The joy of the Center
What makes joy in the teaching body is that during the three (3) month, five (5) students received their baptisms and adore (worship) now in Church of Christ. Not only it, they create everywhere for us multiple contacts in the country with the founders, pastors, prophets, apostles, reverends, and evangelists of the other religious confessions who now try to understand "what motivated them. They want to know how mainly responsible persons have been “rebaptized” in to the Church of Christ. This question pushed the professor of the Biblical Institute of the Churches of the Assembly of God and Apostolic Churches of Togo suited in NOTSE in a return visit to our CENTER BIBLICAL STUDIES(CBS) on 17th to 18th November, 2011. We receive two or three visitors of the pastors regularly and others in the CBS every week. Our school will bring a big change in the world of the denominations.
Correspondence Courses and the Radio program.
The Survey of the Bible, through correspondence courses continues in our CENTER BIBLICAL STUDIES (CBS). Sometimes, some people who study the courses with us are so hurried to have the continuation of the courses, because the courses, with their clear and comprehensible content, appear very interesting to them. Their excitement encourages us and shows us the importance and utility of the courses for a number of imported students. Through radio programs, several of our broadcasts are listened everywhere in the area. In this last month, we received two calls coming from the village of Agou, 17 km, by a religious group said the “center of prayer” solicited our teachings (lessons) either by cassette or copies. Our broadcasts continue every Thursday from 6:15 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. The demands for the correspondence courses increase from day to day and visits to our churches are frequent.
Need: the Notse-Kpota village asks what we preached to the radio of the place. When the evangelist inquired as to how much it would cost per hour, he told to him that it is 3500 CFA.
Our wish it is to reach everybody with the gospel.
Meeting of the staff
The body of the professors met with Brother Willie to debate some topics that concern the work of the Center. These meetings were held November 21 and December 7. In these meetings, it was discussed concerning the election of the staff of this school, and December 7, we elected an office (staff) to follow the activities of the Center. It has been decided, together with Willie, to open an account for the transaction of money for School for January 2012. Most often the journey of brother Cephas E. Nyemanta in Ghana to go and get money from brother Willie every time can have a big danger, by thieves or accident, in addition to exchanging the money of Ghana (Cedis) in franc (CFA) decreases the sum of money sent for the Center and it affects the economy of the Biblical institute.
I wish you good health and a good collaboration with the staff of the Center for the good progress of the activities and the advancement of work in Togo. God blessed you.
Your sincere brother in Christ
Cephas E. Nyemanta