We had a busy last couple of weeks at the Chimala Bible Institute. After implementing our new evangelism program last weekend, 4 teams lead by Howell Ferguson, Remmy Joseph and Joseph Haonga and myself, went out in the area churches with our whole student body. Joseph went to Chang”ombe with six students and they had a seminar on church growth. One was baptized because of their efforts.
Howell went out to Chimala A with 6 students, his wife Mary, Upendo, Mary’s translator, and Menard Swilla. Howell did a powerful series on discipleship. Preaching three different times, he reported the outside yard was filled with children in class and the inside was packed in the stifling heat. The church was so encouraged that they asked Howell and his team to continue the series during the week. Howell received a chicken from one of the members for his efforts.
Remmy Joseph went with 5 students to Isitu. He was helped by one of the outstanding workers on the mission, Hammise. Remmy preached a series of lessons on stewardship. They have asked the team back this Sunday for more classes and evangelistic work. Mary Ferguson and her outstanding translator, Upendo, have even been asked to return and do a series for the ladies also which begins also this Sunday.
I traveled with Ezekiel and 6 students to Chosi A where one of our instructors, Lai, preaches. We had a series of lessons on the “Fruit of the Spirit.” The students then stayed the rest of the day having Bible studies with some wayward members. Because of their efforts three souls were restored to Christ. After speaking there Sunday evening one of the members made the request that our team return this Sunday. Since this is all part of the training of our students, one of the students will teach the Bible class and, as requested, I will preach on “How to Do Evangelism” at the morning worship hour. Then the students will stay all day and conduct the evening worship service while Ezekiel and I will travel to Uturo and preach.
Speaking of Ezekiel, he, after his Secondary School Bible class this past week, had a student that wanted to obey his Lord in baptism. Peter Kamatula has been conducting services there every Lord’s day and having Bible classes during the week. Peter is starting this week to spend Thursday through Sunday in Mbeya conducting classes for the Christians there and will be taking a few of our students every weekend with him for future training.
Boaz has been doing an outstanding job working with the Christians up on the mountain. He is taking three students with him this weekend with one of our students who is from there. We are planning, in the near future, to have one of our teams hold a seminar there.
One of our students, William Tembo, wrote this note this week describing there activities in his own words. “We had house to house preaching. The result, we had three restorations of brethren. (two were brothers and one sister). “The church members were very much pleased because of the cordial relationship between CBI students and Chosi A congregation. In general, the community members were also glad for the generosity and good will of students for having evangelism in off map centres.”
Classes are winding down for the quarter. We finished Jeremiah this week and Monday are reviewing for the final in Genesis. Howell has reported his finishing the book of Job and getting ready to finish Acts this week. We have put up five new maps of the Bible lands in the Swahili-Chapel room for Boaz has all of his students finding the places where God’s great activities happened. Remmy Joseph reports that he is finally getting through Proverbs while Menard is finishing up “Survey of the New Testament. Peter’s English classes are bearing fruit with the students better able to research and Joshua’s classes in Homiletics have the boys do an excellent job in learning to preach. Joshua evaluates the students after every chapel sermon and the students have all improved in their abilities to Proclaim the Word.
We had a faculty meeting in which we are all working on various task to improve the school. Task like creating a more comprehensive entrance exam, plans for more recruiting of students in the larger cities of Tanzania and better care and organization in the library were discussed. Howell gave us all a pep talk in keeping at the task at hand in the meeting. He emphasized that we are all to be constantly about the task of training the leaders of the church for the future of East Africa in which we all heartily agreed
Yes, it is hot here now, the afternoon classes are sweltering and we have had no rain. The students are finishing up sermons, papers, memorizing verses and studying there notes for finals this next week. On top of that they are going out on the weekend and teaching, holding Bible studies and directing services. We as teachers are finalizing our lectures, preparing finals, grading papers and preaching on Wednesday and every Lord’s day….Please keep all in mind and in your prayers as we work, worship, learn and serve in “Off the Map Centres” like here at the Chimala Bible Institute.
Garry L. Hill
Bear Valley Bible Institute of Denver Extension Coordinator