Class activities in Accra, Ghana

ACCRA

Prologue

Thanks be to God for the end of this month. Glory be to God and Savior Jesus Christ for this period.

Class Activities

We had two classes for this month, February. These classes were Diploma and the Degree programme. During the Diploma class, the students studied Church History, Prison Epistles, Pastoral Epistles, Major Prophets as their regular activities. All instructors responsible for the class carried out their teaching duties respectively and regularly. The number of students for this class were ten (10), and all were present for each course.

This followed by the Degree programme. Two courses were done in this programme, Greek, and Research and Writing by these instructors Steven Ashcraft and Jonathan Obeng Agyeapong. We had 2 students for the Greek class, and Research and Writing, 18 students and 4 instructors. We tried to get connected with the Nigerian Instructors through Skype but due to network failure and other challenges, they only joined for about one hour and stopped for another means later on. However, they could not participate till the end.

Visit to the Registrar-General’s Department

This institution carries out all registrations of institutions and filing of returns. Sammy and Steven have been trying enough to get all documents ready for filing of returns for the Accra School and Re-registering Tamale School. The processing of documents was very tedious, yet, were able to do at some point until Steven left for the US. 

School Building Project

Sammy and Steven visited the school’s plot and had discussion on how to go about with the starting. Currently, we are working on the plan for the construction of the block.

Student Profile

This profile is about Evans Awuku, a 44-year-old man and married to Vivian Nyakoa Awuku with three (3) children. He was one of the regular students who took his classes very seriously. We confirm that he is one of the students who did not absent himself for class since he was admitted, effective in all evangelism works, preaching and teaching when called upon. He is an effective evangelist for Obosomase church of Christ in Aburi. The members are thirty-two (32) and fifteen (15) Children.

He has expressed his appreciation to the wonderful works the brethren in America and Ghana are doing. He added that he was grateful to the sound teaching he had from the instructors, their time and love for the work done throughout the two years. He said “may God richly bless you all.”

In conclusion, we thank God for His care throughout this month in all the activities.

Reported by Sammy

Student outreach in Fiji

Bible Institute at Raiwaqa, Fiji

Our summer break is over and all three of our programs are back in full swing. Classes started back on our full time program on the 22 of February with three returning students and two new students. We have since picked up two additional students bringing the total to seven. To date, we have taught two classes: Language Skills and Research by Jason, and Biblical Interpretation by Rocco Pierce. Tuesday, we started two new classes with Emosi Sailo teaching the Gospel of Mark, and Jason Pierce teaching Homiletics One.

Our Monday evening program continued through the summer break, with them completing a course on Personal Evangelism where they went out into the community surrounding the school and passed out tracts for three of their sessions as part of their training. There are five students in this class and they began a new class on the 15 of March. The evening program is directed by Emosi Sailo and he does most of the teaching in that program.

This past Saturday, Jason and Rocco started back the Saturday classes in the West (Nadi / Lautoka). Our numbers have remained consistent for the program. We had ten students show up to study the book of Revelation by myself, and Planned Preaching by Jason.

Due to covid19, almost all of our students now are from Fiji except two of our returning students from Samoa who arrived before the pandemic hit. We are fortunate to have students from all over Fiji. We have students in the West from the cities of Ba, Lautoka, and Nadi. Here in Suva, we have students from the villages of Vatudamu and Nabouwalu on the northern island of Vanua Levu, one student from Kadavu island, between here and Vanua Levu. We also have two students from Naila village and four students from the greater Suva area.

Two of our graduates have been appointed elders at the Raiwaqa Church of Christ in Suva, Fiji. Emosi Sailo, who also serves as an instructor of the school, and Lesio Saurara. Both of these men have been active in preaching, teaching, and evangelism and have now taken on the challenging task of shepherding the flock at Raiwaqa. This is a historic event. The church at Raiwaqa was established over fifty years ago, and these are the first men to be appointed to this office. Please keep them in your prayers!

Pressing on in Leostho despite challenges

The school started 2021 well although we lost one of our students. BVBIL
temporarily suspended physical classes for two weeks because of the
national lockdown. Two baptisms were recorded and one restoration.

It is with sad heart that I inform you about the passing on of one of our
students brother Ramphielo on the 14th of January. Brother Ramphielo
travelled to South Africa together with brother Moliko (BVBIL student) for
a day, when they returned they were both sick. Within some few days brother
Ramphielo passed on and brother Moliko was hospitalized and he recovered.
Brother Ramphielo was one of the students who contacted Wednesday radio
programmes, he was also instrumental in organising the December evangelism
campai/gns in Quoling where the school plans to establish a congregation.
The school dearly misses him.

On the 14th of January Lesotho went on another two weeks national lockdown.
It was strictly no movement, churches, schools and other public gatherings
were banned. During those two weeks of lockdown the school delivered the
lessons online, using WhatsApp.

Lesotho has recorded 10523 cases and 308 death (8 March statistics). From
the 23rd of February to 8 March 2021, the nation has recorded an average of
5 cases per day, which is good news to us. Even though the country is
currently recording few cases, Lesotho is anticipating a third wave around
June, which would possibly mean another national lockdown.

In January brother Tawanda taught the book of James, we started the course
with 13 students and finished with 11. In February brother Tawanda taught
the New Testament church and 12 students attended the class.

The current students attendance in 2021 is 11 from 13 last year, another
student brother Lintsa has temporarily suspended classes because his mother
is critically ill. He promised that he will be back in class when the
mother recovers. The school has been visiting the mother and brother Lintsa
for prayers and encouragement.

In Spite of all these challenges, the school is still in the right direction to train competent students who are sound doctrine and capable of teaching others.

During the period of January and February, the school recorded two baptisms
and one restoration.

BVBIL is still looking for assistance with a laptop for class and
administrative purposes. The one the school owned was stolen on the 30th of
October 2020 during the burglary which happened at Maseru church Office,
the premises which the school is using. A laptop will be used for
PowerPoint presentations and administrative work which includes recording
students' transcripts and reports.

Finally, the school wants to pass its gratitude for all the support you
render to it. On behalf of the school, I appreciate you and your endeavours
to make BVBIL a success.

In His arms,

Tawanda Mwadiya

Classes continuing in Ukraine

Dear brethren,  

Greetings from Ukraine!  

The winter months are finally over and the spring is here. Unfortunately, the spring has brought the third wave of coronavirus to Ukraine. The numbers of infected people are climbing up every day while the vaccination procedures are only very recently and very slow. Many parts of the country have to implement the strict quarantine measures again. The educational, stores and public places of entertainment as well as municipal buildings will be closed. 

However, the classes at the Institute are taught the usual way, mostly in the classrooms. Majority of the Instructors were able to make the trip to Bila Tserkva, even though we have online studies as well. In February and the beginning of March the first year students had the following courses: Prison Epistles of Paul (Instructor Dennis Sopelnik), World Religions (Albert Bagdasaryan) and Hebrews (Stanislav Kuropyatnikov). 

As of right now we have a few men willing to join the program of our Bible Institute. Two of them are married. This is a good opportunity to educate and train men with established Christian beliefs but at the same time it will require some additional funds to support these men and their families. It's a challenge always but God opens new doors and there's no hindrance for Him. 

In May our students and I plan to attend a four days Christian seminar dedicated to the Church's growth. The idea was suggested by our Instructor Dmitry Galyuk and he is in charge of all organizational activities. It will be very beneficial for the leaders of the Ukrainian congregations, especially because the financial support of the event will be provided by our Ukrainian brethren. I consider it a stepping stone towards the maturity of the Lord's Church in Ukraine.  

The books we were able to publish in partnership with Jim Mettenbrink are very popular among the congregations. From time to time the preachers request them not only for the personal studies but also for some members of their congregations. These books are easy to read and they are beneficial addition to the Bible studies. 

Thank you all for your prayers and your support of our students and their families for the time of the study in our Institute.  

God keep you always, 

Your brother and coworker in His vineyard, Dennis Sopelnik

School evangelism in Lagos

PREAMBLE

We bless the Lord for the end of the 4th quarter of October to December and the end of the year 2020. We are much grateful to the Lord and thankful for the effort, prayers, and support of the brethren for the progress of the Agege School. May the Lord restore in abundance all that you have spent on the school in Jesus name, amen!

CLASS ACTIVITIES

Class activities are always in improvement during the weekends until any exceptional break. During October, Okoro Chinyere took on World Religion. In November, Ezekiel Okorougo taught Life of Christ 3 and in December, Timothy  Iwe to Personal Evangelism. We are also making sure that we enroll new members to sustain the program in Agege.

CAMPAIGN ACTIVITIES

To mark the end of the year, we went on campaign within the Agege environment. This resulted in converting a soul that was handed over to the Church at Agege.

THE EFFECT OF COVID-19

We are really grateful to God for the safety granted us all within this time frame; we were all safe and no unfavorable report. COVID prevention protocols were observed by all as sanitization of the all was always carried out every Saturday before class.

 STUDENT'S PROFILE

This time we present our dear brother, Edet Dickson from Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. A journalist by profession, married to sister Uduak, blessed with three children. He works with the University of Uyo, but on posting to its Lagos Liaison office.

He has been a member of the Lord’s Church since 1995. He is a student of the Bear Valley Bible Institute, currently doing Advance Diploma, having graduated with a Diploma last year. He is currently worshipping the Lord’s Church at Ojodu, Lagos, Nigeria. He has been instrumental in bringing in young men (new students) to the school to study.

CONCLUSION

The above report was the activities that went on during this 4th quarter of the year, 2020.

We are so much pleased and thankful to everyone, the effort you have put into the progress of the Agege weekend school: the funds, study materials, prayers, and all forms of support rendered to us.

Much appreciation goes to Steven Ashcraft, Keith Kasarjian, the Management of Bear Valley Bible Schools, the supporting churches, the teaching staff, and everyone who helped in this regard this year.

May the grace of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ be with you all.

We are also putting much effort to maintain the school's progress and the true doctrine of Christ until He comes back.

We shall never forget to thank our Lord for you in all the good plans you have for the Lord's work. Also, pray with us all the time.

Report by Olusoji Joseph Abiola of Bear Valley Bible Institute, Agege, Lagos

More souls won in Takoradi

OPERATIONAL REPORT FOR JANUARY, 2021

1. CLASSROOM WORK

School resumed from Christmas break on the 11th of January, 2021. Due to the good turnout of our interview on October 14, 2020, for prospective students, we were expecting about twelve (12) regular students and seven (7) part-time students, but things did not go as we anticipated. Therefore, we started the new academic year with seven (7) regular students and eleven (11) part-time students. Some are still pending which we are looking forward to. However, others are also declining the opportunity due to some financial constraints in their families. That is, they may be the bread winners of their families and so, things might be hard when they are away from home. In all these, we are not discouraged at all and we are seriously working hard to figure out a more effective way of getting more students for the school. Whatever method we want to adopt, will be communicated with you for your approval.

2. EVANGELISM AND BAPTISM

There was personal evangelism among some of the school’s products who are busily on the field working for Christ. There were about ten (10) baptisms won for Christ. Again, instructor Douglas Armah was given the opportunity to take up brother Joshua Aidoo’s weekly radio broadcast in the month of January.

3. SPECIAL ONE-TIME DONATION FROM BEAR-VALLEY BIBLE INSTITUTE

About a couple of months prior to the year 2021, the school received a good news from the Bear-Valley Bible Institute of Denver via Brother Steven Ashcraft about their intention to send a one-time donation to the school. They requested that we present to them some things needing urgent financial attention in order to offer a helping hand. As a result, the following were presented for consideration:

a. Deep freezer.

b. Projector.

c. Signpost.

d. Building repair (ceiling for auditorium).

e. Camera.

We will like to account for this funds in our February report instead of January. In the financial statement report, there is a non-budgeted expenses of seven thousand, six hundred Ghana cedis (GHC 7,600.00). That is for the repair of the auditorium, the purchase of the projector and also the making of the school’s signpost. But since there was still other things to do regarding the funds that was sent by Bear-Valley, we have decided to render a complete account God willing, in the February report.

4. DEATH OF A REGULAR STUDENT

In our December report, we reported concerning one of our regular students who was supposed to complete his studies in the end of 2020, but fell sick and admitted at the Cape Coast Government Hospital, who was then diagnosed of Hepatitis B, Kidney failure and a cancer. On January 15, the school sent the Principal to visit him at the Hospital. And about 15 minutes after the Principal had arrived and prayed for him, he breathed his last. Which means the late brother Simon Anobil died in the presence of the Principal.

5. PREACHER PROFILE:

As part of the school’s monthly reports, we will be featuring one of the preachers who received their training through West Coast School of Preaching, and are busily working effectively in the Lord’s vineyard. A lot of preachers are in many local congregations working for the Lord. We first give the Lord the glory due Him and say God bless you to the leadership and the entire congregation at Howe.

In the month of January, we want to feature Brother Ernest Tachie-Menson.

He was added to the Lord's Church at Effia-Kuma, Takoradi in 1992, and was encouraged by the minister in charge (Bro. Saint William Kofi Dampah and Bro. Mike Kizer from USA, to go to the Bible College. So he got enrolled at West Coast School of Preaching in the year 2000.

While he was in school, the leadership of Effia-Kuma Church engaged him to work with a weak congregation as a "care taker" at Botogyina (Abbot), this is a local establishment in collaboration with the World Bible School (WBS). When he completed School in 2002, he continued to preach in that village congregation.

When the preacher for Effia-Kuma left, he was then called back to work as an acting minister from 2008-2009. He later accepted fulltime ministerial appointment at Elmina Church of Christ in 2010. After working with this congregation for about eighteen months (June 2010-December 2011), he resigned on doctrinal basis.

He then spent some few months with Upper Weija Church of Christ, with putting the leadership in order and preparing one of the young men to go to Bible School. He now works with a congregation which he spearheaded its establishment in February 2012. Today, they have 60 average adults and about 30 children. Thank God they now have two plots of land with Mission House project started on it. They have also completed a temporal place of worship on the land.

At Apewosika, a community around University of Cape Coast, he led this young congregation (Ntranoa Church of Christ) to establish a Church in the locality in 2019 with seasoned invited preachers (West Coast School of Preaching products). He was also part of the team that hosted the Effia-Kuma Church of Christ ANNUAL LEADERS SEMINAR for over decade, now hosted by West Coast School of Preaching.

He is a member of an EVANGELISM team (The Ghana Mission Effort) led by Bro Owen Yandell and the Libbys in the USA, and Bro Ransford Essien (West Coast product) in Ghana. He also preaches the gospel on the radio each Saturday night. Currently, he is pursuing a Degree program with Southern Institute of Biblical Studies (SIBS) in Accra, in affiliation with BEAR VALLEY BIBLE INSTITUTE of DENVER USA.

Yours for the Master’s service.

Joshua Aidoo

Students are back in class in Tamale

BEAR VALLEY BIBLE INSTITUTE, TAMALE - GHANA

FEBRUARY REPORT 2021

The Lord has gracefully taken us through the month of February, 2021 in a very successful manner. We owe God all appreciations. We agree with Paul the apostle indeed that “for in Him we live and move and have our very being ….” As custom demands, we write to update all concerned persons of the happenings in the school for the month of February.

STUDENTS

After our much busy activities of the month of January, the students went on a three weeks break from the 8th of February to the 28th of the same, 2021. The break was necessary for them to go and visit their families, congregations and to also put their personal things in order. All of them have reported back, as we have returned to school to continue with studies. Bibles and commentaries on the Life of Christ 1&2 have been given to them. In addition, we have had two new students who came for an interview and have qualified and have joined their colleagues as lectures are ongoing.

MEETING WITH DIRECTOR

On the 9th of February, 2021, our Director (Daniel Adjei Mensah), held a brief meeting with the regular staff, especially those of us working as instructors and doing administrative work. He appreciated our efforts during the activities of January. He also called for us to work as a team in helping to lift the school to higher esteem. We all saw the need for us to make good use of the facilities at our disposal to help the church in Northern Ghana. In attendance was Albert, James and Director Adjei.

VISITATIONS AND CAMPAIGN

We continue to strengthen our visitations and campaign for students. We believe through this channel, we will connect and create a strong bond between the school and preachers and the churches in Northern Ghana, especially congregations that our past graduates are working with. We intend to make a great impact with the tool of visitation and to send the school to the doorstep of all congregations as much as their doors will be opened to us across the breath and length of Northern Ghana.

Yes, now is the time for us to do that, with the opportunity we have through the sacrificial help of you our brethren from the United States and Bear Valley. Brother James has been to the Upper East Region twice this month alone, making visits to Bawku and Pusiga areas on the 1st to 7th and that of Sumbrongu and its environs on the 24th to the 27th February, 2021. These trips by brother James have contributed to four souls being baptized into the church at Pusiga and Zebila respectively. Brother Albert also made a journey to Naakpa for a marriage event on the 6th and 7th of February, 2021.

CHURCH PROJECT

The church project is almost completed to roofing level. As it is a great blessing to us and we rejoice over it, we believe the building as it is shaping up is also preaching to us by calling for souls to come and worship in it. We are discussing how we can do effective evangelism to convert souls into the building, so that the resources that have been directed to it will not be a wasted one. 

In all things, we continue to light and great growth is ahead of us in the coming days.

All praises to God,

Sent for the Director

Daniel Adjei Mensah

Pressing on in Wotutu

Dearest in Christ,

Greetings from this part of the globe. It is awesome for us to be alive and busy doing what we are doing for the service of Christ. We hope you are doing okay. We keep you in our prayers. Please continue to pray for us as well.

Life is full of challenges here from many ends but we are still pushing with towards our goal. The new students are trying their best. Some of them have started seeing that Bible training is not as easy as the Bible studies on Wednesday evening. It is not easy with some of them. The passed the entrance exams but it is hard for them to maintain and keep themselves in school. But thanks be to God, we are here to teach, encourage, and motivate them to remain focused. At the end of the tunnel, they will see the light.

The Zeta batch students were out for their first mass weekend evangelism. It was great for us to meet with our graduates as well on that mission field area to help evangelize and also to train our new students in evangelism as well.

Our graduates are always happy to meet with the freshmen. We are doing a marvelous work here in Cameroon as our graduates are scattered in many locations. This gives us available access to a mission field at any time.

PLANS 

The Bassays are here to teach both the students and their wives. The Bassays graduated from Harding university and they are working as missionaries in their native country of Cameroon. Keep them in your prayers as they have spent this week with my family contributing their own talents towards training men and women to serve the Lord and further the gospel.

 APPRECIATIONS

Thank you. Thank you very much for your prayers and support in this difficult time in the world. Your prayers and support are sustaining this work. We have nothing to give but to keep thanking God daily on your behalf.

Elangwe and family

By the Grace of God Director BVBIC-Wotutu

53 souls saved in Malawi!

Bear Valley Bible Institute - Ekwendeni

Introduction

School reopens! We are thankful to God that the numbers of the covid-19 cases are decreasing daily, and this has made the government to allow all schools reopened. We are in the second week since the reopening was announced.

Bear Valley Bible Institute - Ekwendeni has the students from all the 4 regions of Malawi. We have one student who is coming from a district bordering Mozambique. The process of picking students from all-over Malawi has helped the school to be recognized the whole Malawi and the neighboring countries.

Holiday Reports from students!

We have always been telling our students to be active in preaching the sound (Health) Doctrine of our Lord Jesus Christ. Despite the pandemic threat, the students have been very busy evangelizing during the holiday. Here are the result of their work from the areas they are coming from (congregations). After we read their reports, it has been noted that 53 souls were saved in areas the students comes from, and also 13 souls restored. This is amazing! We thank God that our students are using their holiday time wisely. We always advise our students to protect our "Brand" Preaching and Training preachers - 2 Timothy 2:2

Teaching and preaching

We are thankful to God for giving us the opportunity to teach the word! The classes are in session and we thank God that the students have come with great zeal - willing to study. BV - Ekwendeni is sorrounded with many local congregations but we thank the Chinungu Church of Christ for using our students in the preaching and teaching work and serving in acts of worship. Because of the good performance of our students, the leaders of the church decided to pick one student to be their preacher the time students are at school. Brother Mateyo Ching'oma is the one chosen. This has encouraged us as teachers that the work we are doing is not in vain. Brethren are recognizing the good teaching of BV - Ekwendeni.

Development!

We are now planning to start developing the land we have bought for the school. Bids and plans of the buildings are ready and approved by architectures, (Government building planners). We hope God will open the doors of opportunities to allow funds allocated to us to start the construction work. God is always good!

We always are thankful to Bear Valley Bible Institute - International for the help of support that helps us keep going. You are always in our thoughts and prayers, that God should keep on blessing your families as this work still needs your involvement. Eternity Is Forever, Think Souls!

Ephron and Clergynton!

Tremendous progress in Togo

I give thanks to God for his blessings. We have finally arrived at the end of December which is at the same time the end of the school programs of the 2 years of training that are coming to an end. All help for the good of all those who love God. There are 6 promotions that have passed through our Institute and today there are many evangelists throughout Togo and the world who preach the gospel of Christ for the salvation of souls. More than 22 churches of Christ in the Kpalime Plateau region thanks to the Bear Valley Institute, with more than 990 members. All this is thanks to the support of Gabriel Oaks Church of Christ and with the help of Steven our coordinator.

We lost one student in the two years; others were disciplined because of their infidelity to the word of God. One student suffered heartbreak during the last year, and finally, 12 students completed the Institute's program.

Courses:

Courses are completed. The students have done homework and exams of everything they have learned over the two years. Now they are seasoned to go into the harvest the world with the gospel of Christ. We have just done two evangelistic campaigns in November and December which is not enough, but they have had enough experience with the local churches when the pandemic had slowed down the classes. They have each of the twelve students go once on the radio to preach, distribute the correspondence courses and Bible treatises to the college students in different localities and in the offices, the markets also in the streets. We often come back to the methods of teaching and evangelism because the preacher's work is more based on both methods.

We are going to put a lot of emphasis on practical activity so that our students will be familiarized with the best way to get in touch with people. As we move forward, the number of churches will increase and the membership will grow from day-to-day. Two new churches are being planted (Wokpahoue and Amoussoukope) due to lack of time because of COVID-19. An assembly in the village of Yokélé was restored thanks to the efforts of the students, especially the student OGONIDO, who continues to serve there. Fourteen members who had deserted the assembly went back to church. 

Evangelization:

Finally will be our last annual evangelistic campaign with the students in this month of December 2020. Everything started well but weakened by covid19. The same strategies were also used at Amoussoukope:

1. Every morning from 5:00 am to 6:00 am two groups go to different places to preach by megaphone.

2. When it is daylight from 7:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.: door-to-door evangelization (from heart to heart).

3. Group study from 2:30 to 4:00 p.m.: students divide into small groups to do the study for couples in their homes (daddy, mommy, and children).

4. In the public place: only in this place the local authorities did not allow the projection of film to prevent the mass gathering at de covid19.

So we chose motorcycles and loudspeakers to evangelize the village and in remote areas. We visited more villages and we brought the gospel to them using the motorcycles with the loudspeakers attached with a 12 volt battery.

Invitations:

Two villages in the locality invite us to come and plant the church of Christ. So, we already have two places in the program of planting new congregations of Christ this year. As it is an area without electricity that abounds in a large population that practices agriculture.

Baptisms:

There are 3 baptized during the evangelistic campaign. The evangelist ASSOGBAVI GABRIEL leads this new assembly implanted in December 2020. Water is scarce in the area. It was necessary to transport the candidates to the baptisms on more than 14 km to make the baptism in a dam created by a gentleman who raises oxen. It is not easy from November to April to find a water point that can serve as a baptismal site. The villagers use their bicycles and motorcycles to go very far in search of water.

Saturday courses:

New students for the second promotion 2021 to 2023 are recruited in Lomé (10), Kpalime (10), and Temedja (10). We have expanded the program of Saturday courses on Blita and Tsevié which will start very soon and we will let you know what is being done there.

May the peace and grace of our Jesus Christ fill all his blessings for the support you bring to the Institute.

Thanks

Your brother

NYEMANTA Essotena

Dealing with Covid in Peru

I want to communicate that Andres Nuñez one of our instructors diagnosed covid is feeling better now, thanks God. We are continuing our activities by holding online classes and it seems that it will be like that the whole year and maybe part of 2022 because many more covid cases are broken out.

Words of Juan after teaching II Corinthians:

The II Corinthians class has been another great opportunity to share and go deep in the word of God with our students, there were 5 students during this class that have satisfactorily completed the course. One of our students had health problems related to the lungs and for that reason she was not able to have the course, I am speaking of Margot Rodriguez, one of our best students, we trust God her health improve for our next course.

The class has been developed in a homiletic and expository way, intended for our students to assimilate in the best way possible the study material. One quiz every week and a series of expositions related to their investigation themes at the end of the course.

We thank your prayers and your continuous support to the ministry and the institute here in our country

Juan Abanto

Codirector - Maestro

We are praying for the work you are doing and the work all the instructors around the globe during this difficult scene.

Successful semester break in Liberia

Bear Valley Bible Institute- Ganta Liberia Operations Reports- January 2021

PROLOGUE

We continued to thank God so much for this great privileged and blessings to be part of His workforce in teaching the truth in His kingdom here in this part of the world. I am so very grateful for this opportunity to serve. Many thanks to all those making it possible through their selfless sacrifices for the sake of the kingdom. So far, all has been moving very well.. GREETINGS

SCHOOL RESUMED

I am so very happy to inform you that our students returned in full after a very successful Christmas and New year vacation. I am saying successful because of the many good work they were able to do back home and the reports gotten from the churches they worked with. Most of the preachers from the congregations they worked with called back to thank the school for the level of training and maturity seen in their students send to the school and the great future they foresee in the students preachers..

VACATION REPORTS

Meanwhile, Since our returned from the year end vacation, everyone is in high spirit to play their own role very well. Students playing students roles very well , whiles the instructor are also playing their instructing roles very well . This is our final or last quarter for this batch of students and this quarter will be ending on the 26 of March 2021.

As part of our tradition, after vacation student are required to write on their vacations activities: where they spend it, what were they involved in doing, the results of their work and contacts of the preachers or church leaders they work with. Their reports are so interesting that we think you need to know. To summarized their vacation works and experiences, all of them were involved into preaching and teaching at their different congregations, and deeply involved into houses to house evangelism and personal work. This resulted in 18 baptisms from all of them and 43 person restored with two new congregation planted. After confirming these information by placing a phone called to their congregations, I am so proud of the practical work out of the classroom done by our students. Please pray that these men continue to grow in the work of our Lord.

ABOUT A STUDENT

Student Washington V. Johnson is one of our student whose story will move you emotionally. He was born into a very devoted Muslim family that had ever since disowned him as part of the family since he chose to become a Christian against his parents advise. The family have threaten to take his life if he ever go back home . He is a very young boy born on February 18,1999 in Bomi county republic of Liberia. His father being an Iman can never agreed for his son to take another path in religion, but Brother Washington chose to be a Christian against his father wish and this has and continued to cause him hate and threats from his family and the Muslim community he comes from.

Meanwhile, when I asked him where will he go after his graduation from the Bear Valley program, he said, he does not know, that he hope God will lead him as he has resolved to serve Him no matter what. He further said, His ambition is to understand the scripture well so that he can be the instrument God can used to convert or bring changes to the lives of his Muslim brothers and sisters as well his family and the Muslim communities.

He concluded by saying, I want to be the road model of Christianity to the Muslim communities in Bomi county as Paul was to the Gentles and his fellow Jewish people. He pleads for prayer for his parents to have a change of mind and help after school to start.

APPRECIATION AND CONCLUSION

We want to thank all of you so much for supporting the work in Liberia. Without you, this effort would not be possible. May God richly bless you.

In Him,

Robert P. Dahn, Jr.

Director- BVBI-L

Making an impact in Zambia

The month of February has been once again a great month in terms of our learning as the Institute, seldom have we seen more committed students and workers in dangerous times like we are going through in terms of chances of contracting covid -19. These students have been a greatest source of encouragement to us as Institute in sharing Christ to the lost; we can just imagine what a blessing they will be to the recipients as they preach Christ. Their efforts to contact absentees or those needing some special attention in congregations where they have been attending church services have been so tremendous. We received them as learners and truly they are quickly developing into great teachers and, this is just their second quarter.

We had brother Kennedy Mukuka who taught the New Testament Church ( this was our short course). We continue to pray that corona virus continues to drop that we may have brother Donnie Estep here in the third quarter or forth quarter. This will also give us the opportunity to graduate our former students in his presence as our country Coordinator. Currently our country has recorded more deaths in the second wave of covid-19. 

In our efforts to strengthen christian homes and off course in observation of corona virus guidelines, visiting and preaching and most of the Christians visited have been very complimentary of the visits. We have baptized four (4) and restored twenty three (23) souls. Daniel Kapata and Mike Kanyangala have been leading in these evangelistic efforts. We pray that in good time the Institute have our own transportation to do more in this noble work. Daniel is a very gifted public speaker and a qualified Mathematics teacher, he also speaks five languages. Mike has been converted from singing world music to preaching Christ; he has a big plan for the future. He plans to be a preacher one day and just teach the gospel.  

The students are putting a great effort as far as their studies are concerned. We will soon change the quarter in the month of March and, we are going to have a long vacation in the middle month of May. On the other development, we continue to receive a good report on our Alumni. Clive Kabika is doing very fine in Kabwe central province and one of the Leader visited the Institute and recommended him highly on the work he is doing there.

Austin Musonda now enrolled at Mwekelwa Institute and he is studying forestry and has just been highly recommended by one of his Teachers there for the good conduct and preaching of the gospel, this Teacher came to inquire at BVBI-Zambia on how he can have his child enrolled. Vincent Simwanza he is now accepted at Technical Vocational Training College to major in English language as a Teacher. Vincent has been a good instrument in the Kingdom even hospital patients have had numerous visits and visitors on Sunday services at the Institute here have been welcomed by Him. Vincent is teaching the gospel and also working with World Bible School literature to spread the gospel. Vincent’s interest in promoting education is commendable and can be used to further the Lords Church.

The school has received invitations from three provinces namely: Muchinga, Northern and Luapula province we pray that the dreams of our brothers and sisters in these provinces come to pass that we help in establishing churches in these provinces. Zambia has ten (10) provinces.

We continue asking for your prayers that all the operations of the school turn out to be successful. Jesus said that when we show loving concern for others we do it to Him. We believe that we can be the greatest servants in the history of the Church, if we would but follow in the footsteps of Christ Jesus.

We cherish the partnership and thank you once again to Woodland Oaks Church of Christ for their financial support. We also thank you for your prayer and indeed moral support. We will be remembering you as well in our daily prayers.

Brotherly,

Cephas and Fred   

Graduation in Accra

ACCRA

END OF JANUARY REPORT

Prologue

Thanks be to God Almighty for His care to you all and brethren in Ghana.

Classes

The school resumed on 13th January, 2021 and we started our normal classes on 14th. The courses for this first quarter and the assigned instructors were Life of Christ 3 – Roger Asante; Church History by Emmanuel Amoo-Gyimah; Pastoral Epistle by Kwabena Gyan-Mante; Old Testament 4 by E.O. Larbi, English and Computer Studies by George Osafo and Samuel Ntim. Short courses were New Testament Church 2 by Kojo and Marriage and Family Life by E.O. Larbi.

Amoo-Gyimah started his course on Monday followed by other instructors. We had a week and three (3) days break for an evangelism, Seminar and Graduation in Tamale.  Right after the campaign activities we continue with our class for a week and break once again for the Bachelors Program.

Current Number of Students

Currently, we have 10 students attending classes regularly. As I reported, we still have three (3) students who went for vacation and had not reported yet.

Campaigns

We journeyed to Tamale and joined with our colleagues, some past students, Gyan-Mante and Steven to evangelize in Tatali, in the Northern part of Ghana. The purpose of this campaign was to plant a church. In all we baptized 15 souls for the start up.

We appreciated what the Lord has done in this ministry and also driving us safely back home in Accra.

Seminar and Graduation in Tamale

We were grateful to have with us Keith, Steven and James to speak to us during the seminar. The lessons were very educational and worth holding fast. We were taught on Effective Evangelism by James, More Working Preachers by Keith and Sacrificial Giving by Steven. May the Lord bless their fruitful services. This followed with the Graduation the next morning where 13 students graduated successfully.

Graduation in Accra

In two days later, having returned from Tamale, we had our graduation on 30th January, 2021. We had 31 graduates both full-time and weekend students and about 50 admitted students both full-time and weekend matriculated. This day will be the first time these schools came together for this programme – Nsawam, Kasoa and Koforidua

Students Profile

This section is to introduce Samuel Joas Arhin. A Muslim convert and strong in the faith and faithfully working effectively in the ministry. He is 40 years and a teacher by profession. He has married Christiana Aziaka (our current cook) and has been blessed with two (2) children. He is an evangelist at Batanyaa congregation in the Central Region, with an average number of baptized members of forty-five (45). Samuel Joas is a nice man and he is one of those who participates in effective evangelism. When we count the number of baptisms for our records keeping, he does win more souls.

We shall conclude by saying glory be to God for all these activities and God bless you all for praying with us always.

Report by Sammy.

Exams in Wotutu

Dearest in Christ,

Greetings in the Name that is above all names. I hope you are doing well in the midst of all of the difficulties from, and doubts about what is happening in the world because of the present of COVID. We are still praying for the world and we know God is watching and will help the situation.

We are busy doing what we were called to do for the Lord and His church here in Cameroon, which includes the training of men to preach, the nurturing of saints, helping the needy, preaching to the lost, feeding orphans under our care, and much more.

Last week went on well in our area. In BVBIC-Wotutu, the new students have started writing exams to end the quarter. Keep them in your prayers. Thanks for your prayers for me during the whole number of days that I was in Tchad for mission work seeing and helping the church there.

Students of the Zeta class were busy this week taking their exams. This was their first exams, given after assignments, to evaluate them and see their growth in the Bible Institute after two months of intensive studies. Keep your prayers going up to God on their behalf.

PLANS

We are planning to be in a village for mass evangelism with the students this weekend. Please keep that campaign in your prayers. Next week will be the first short courses and the first wife’s class for this new batch of student’s wives. Keep their travels and studies in your prayers.

APPRECIATIONS

Thank you very much for all your prayers and support that are helping to keep this work going. God bless you all. Please share our report with others.

 Elangwe and family

 By His grace director BVBIC-Wotutu

Evangelism in Cameroon

There is joy in my heart as I send out this report to all who are able to hear from Mbanga Cameroon. Accept warm greetings from this part of the globe. I hope you are doing pretty good. I want to personally salute you for all your support during this, another two years of training with our students. They all send their salutations to their powerful support team worldwide. We are one big family.

The assembly of Mbanga is really grateful for the work the students are doing, most especially during the weekend evangelism and the teaching of lessons they have offered the church on a weekly basis. Through this, the Christians of the Mbanga church of Christ send words of appreciations as they acknowledge the fact that the preacher training school is making a great impact on the church. God bless you all. 

Even thou this last semester is also tied up with work in the class room, preparations for graduation are on-going. We have also not left behind weekend evangelism. We have gone to new areas of evangelism as need be on the voice of the Macedonian call. 

We have gone to Loum, to Kake, to Bonaberi, to Banjock, to Kombe Gare, and to Manjo where we are intending to start a new work. So far, God has been with all our trips. The new assembly in Manjo has been established for and is stable as the church has worshipped now for 6 conservative weeks, with 4 restorations and 1 baptism. Some friends have been attending worship including some kids. We are looking forward to getting them a place to worship including benches and some other items. A graduate shall be making his way to do full time ministry over there. 

Kombe Gare is located close to Kombe village. We have been preaching there for 5 weeks now. We are planning to carry out some mass evangelism there after graduation. The church in French Cameroon is at work. Implantation and follow up is what is needed now, as we still look forward to having more workers in the field to carry out this function.

It was good to have these men from various backgrounds to come and spend two years with us. They are now about to leave Mbanga as evangelistic men. Go and preach the gospel! Go preach the word! Preach the word!

The mission trip to Chad was successful. It was a good vision for us to go and see how our graduates from there are doing in the field. We met all five of them doing great work in their various communities such as in Moundou were we have 2 graduates preaching in 2 different assemblies in that same town. In Njamena, were Benjamen is also managing the assembly, there is still also the presence of 4 other ministers who graduated from other schools of preaching. We appreciate him for his full-time work. Even thou he is doing it with no financial aid, but he is still preaching the gospel. Bangar and Koingar are also doing marvelous work in their village assemblies in which they manage close to 3 assemblies each, at the same time, due to a lack of preachers. 

We met a part of the congregation in a village called Bejomdoli 2 in front of their worship place. This could be just one of the difficulties we met in these localities. Our worship on Sunday was even under a mango tree. Dear God, Please, help this work in the French world and especially in French Africa in Jesus Name. Amen 

God bless you all. From the slave in Mbanga. Happy view of the report fellow workers.

Ititi Benedict

Director BVBIC-Mbanga 

New students in Tanzania

Grace and Peace to you friends.

I hope this note finds you well, and your faith thriving. Today I want to share with you the following update from Ahimidiwe Kimaro, the local director of the Andrew Connally School of Preaching:

"We thank our Lord for great things is doing in his Kingdom. Although the world is living in most discouraging time, everyone is worried. But we forget that God is the master planner for our later days, whether is this life or the life to come. We should realize that God is the controller of this life and life to come. ITimothy 4:8 For bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come. This is the first quarter for the new students just enrolled this year. This year we were able to enroll fourteen students. Most of these students are natives, except one from Kagiado Kenya. As most of you may know, we are suffering in East Africa from corona viruses just as most countries in the world. Corona has become a hindrance of recruitment of students. Most foreign students from Kenya, Uganda and Malawi that we were expecting couldn’t cross their borders due to high cost and restrictions that are in borders. But also you should consider Tanzania in your prayers due the high rate of new corona spreading rapidly.

"In the first year class we have the following instructors:

• Losotwa Michael teaching Writing Skills.

• Desidery Masawe teaching Old Testament 1 (Genesis)

• Josephat Masawe teaching How we got the Bible

• Ahimidiwe Kimaro teaching How to Interpret the Bible

• and later brothers David Hall and Peter Kamatula will teach short courses.

"In the same way the second year is in class. All sixteen are back to school, regardless of corona restrictions. But I believe what the Philipians 4:13 says. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

"In other sad news, we lost one of our graduate brother Asher Mbasha. Mbasha was a man of faith that all christians can follow. Asher was preaching at Boma Ng’ombe, Kilimanjaro. Asher was baptized in 1998, but this man received a bible tract in 1988 from missionaries who were passing by. He kept it in his Bible for ten years. One day he read it and started looking for the church. May God comfort his family and the church at Boma Ng’ombe at this sad time. Also the Andrew Connally School Of Preaching has lost a former worker and sister, Grace Jang’andu we are expecting to burry her on Monday God willing.

"Please in your daily prayers remember us and this work. Thank you very much for reading and supporting this work."

Till all have heard,

Daniel Gaines
Mission Coordinator
Tanzania Missions

Online courses in Cambodia

International Bible Institute of Siem Reap, Cambodia

Rejoicing for Souls Saved

It has already been a very emotional and productive year and we are just getting started.

We rejoice in the baptisms of 4 new souls added to the Lord’s church! On January 9, two new students in our Bible school put on Christ. Heus and Sanith, both from Tropeang Svay village outside of Siem Reap, had been studying with us and had many questions.

A few days later we rejoiced with the angels again in the addition of two young ladies, Sreymom and SreyTuk who have been learning about God and the Bible since small children. Now they have taken the step to be saved in Christ!

In Loving Memory

We are sad to have lost our dear brother Vannak Yeng on December 16th. Vannak was one of our oldest leaders in the church and school and leaves his wide, sister Puen and three teenage children. Even though his death was sudden and unexpected we know he abides in Paradise and the hope we all desire is now his. We are a very close family here at the church in Siem Reap, and we ask for your continued prayers because of the effect his passing has had. Even though Vannak was older he did not let perceptions become obstacles and he graduated from IBISR in 2015 and continued doing the work of the Lord teaching in the school and preaching. Vannak had done a lot of great work and his legacy will be remembered by everyone that knew him or of him.

Acts / Zoom Class

Wayne Burger is an exceptional personal worker and teacher. He holds an A.A. degree in Bible and a Third Year Bible Certificate from Freed-Hardeman College; B.A. in Bible from Abilene Christian University; M.B.S. from the Bear Valley Bible Institute of Denver. He has been a regular writer for the Rocky Mountain Christian. Furthermore, he has been preaching since 1962.

From the 04th to the 29th of January, the IBISR hosted a virtual online course through Zoom Clouds Meeting and lived stream on the IBISR's official page for watching later. That virtual class was about the Book of Acts.

The IBISR and E412 centers are so grateful you were our teacher, and we thank you for your patience throughout this whole course. It meant a lot to us. We had learned a lot even it was an online class. You are hands down and ready to answer all kinds of questions, you are the best teacher we've ever had. I'll always remember attending your class. You are the best teacher!. We wish you and your family all the best in 2021.

Courses Studied

Besides the recent Acts class on Zoom, Piseth has just finished his class on 1 & 2 Peter and Darat has just finished the book of Romans.

Upcoming Zoom Short Course

In a few weeks we are looking forward to being taught by brother Denny Petrillo on the subject of “How We Got the Bible”. We are excited to learn more about this topic.

Church

Since the COVID-19 pandemic hadn't spread much in Cambodia, the Ministry of Health has allowed us to meet in the church building as usual. We have gathered together in the church building since September 2020 in a small adult group, but now we spend two hours in a large group.

Thanks to everyone around the world.

Appreciation for all your support through physical and spiritual things. We couldn’t do all these things without the Lord and your contributions. Please keep us in your prayers!

Servants of Christ,

Darat Run - Co-Director

Piseth Rin - Co-Director

Pros Rok - Staff

Memorial service for Samuel Raju

Dear brethren in Christ,

Greetings to you in the precious name of Lord Jesus Christ our Saviour. By the grace of God we are doing good, we are experiencing a great loss due to the loss of my father, who directed all of us during last 12 years in Visakhapatnam. It was great loss, very hard to find someone to fill up that gap. We sure need your prayers to keep up the work going.

We pray that all of you are doing good, hope all of you have gotten the Vaccine, hope it keeps you all protected. We haven’t gotten that opportunity yet because we are large number in our country, based on the availability it is being offered to the serious patients first, then medical staff. We may have to wait for another 3 months to get the vaccine available in the market.

Classes & Trade Education:

At present Classes are going on as usual, it has been very expensive to travel between long distance places, because of hike of fuel prices as well as Covid Charges. We request you to be mindful of this hike of prices. To give an example, Diesel is now crossed $5 per gallon, the propane gas which we used to buy for $6 is now $12 , including delivery. Obviously the relative effect is on prices of Cooking oil, Daal, Rice and other items.

Trade education classes are going on good, our students are very excited about this program, 6 of them are very talented and learning like anything, we are proud of them. May be next month we shall be starting computer education classes every week, kind pray for the success. At the same time Free tailoring institute which we are operating at our school premises also giving some wonderful results in reaching out several families through this program. Several ladies, mainly from Hindu back ground are getting free classes from our institute.

Memorial Meeting: Memorial meeting was held in Memory of my father at Visakha Valley Bible College campus on 26th of Jan, it was done in great honor of our Director M Samuel Raju for all his wonderful work throughout the last 40 years of Lord’s ministry.  He really set a great model to follow, we miss so badly, your prayers are appreciated.

We send our love from all the students and faculty members , we are praying for you all daily. Our students memorize an English verse every day, before that in a daily devotional they offer a prayer for you. It is such a joy to uplift each other in prayer, especially during this difficult time. However we believe in the mighty power of God which would enable to keep on keeping on.

On the 3rd March faculty will be meeting to discuss several things, especially to finalize the year end date and other important things. Please pray that our Lord will bless us with knowledge, wisdom and courage to continue the mission.

Thank you very much for your prayers of encouragement, please greet all the Church family for us. We especially thank the brethren at Lake Houston, Strickland Church of Christ. Our special thanks to brother Jerry Bates for his part of encouragement in running the Bear Valley International Preaching School in Visakhapatnam. God bless you all

In Christ

John Dean M

For Visakha Valley Bible College

Improvement in Ukraine

Dear brethren,  

I trust the Lord was merciful to you and you were strengthened by His power. In January and the beginning of February we had a lot of interesting and exciting events in the Institute and the local church. 

As I had written in the previous report we had some very strongly implemented quarantine restrictions during 3 weeks of January. Educational institutions, some businesses, restaurants and cafes were closed. It hurt the country's economy but  hindered the spread of the virus in a positive way. As of now the peak of the epidemic is in the past.  

My family had a successful trip to the winter retreat for the Western Ukrainian congregations. It's an annual event hosted by the brethren of Lviv Church of Christ in partnership with some American churches. They try very hard to unite the Christians from the Western Ukraine and encourage them. The congregations in the Western part of the country are few in numbers, so the events of this nature are very successful. Personally I enjoyed great lessons, fellowship with many dear brothers and sisters in person, meeting new friends and telling them all about the ministry of our Bible Institute.  

We had most of our January classes in the building. It's a great blessing to maintain peace and keep studying the Word. We are very grateful to all congregations and families who support our students letting our them focus on the deep studies of the Holy Scriptures, keeping them from the need of working outside jobs in the effort of providing for their families. Thus, our second year students had the following classes: Homiletics, part 2 (Instructor - Stanislav Kuropyatnikov), Personal Evangelism (Valentin Tsopa), Romans (Andrew Zhuravlev) and Prison Epistles (Dennis Sopelnik).  

We are also very grateful to the Lord for healing the brethren after having been seriously sick with corona virus. Our preacher Konstantin Kisilenko as well as Sergey Gritsenko were hospitalized in the serious conditions. Thanks to God and right therapy, they are home now completing their recovery.  

Just a few days ago we had the most joyful event when one more person was added to the Lord's family - brother Victor from Konstantinivka. He moved to Bila Tserkva searching for a job because his home city is struggling with employment problems. He has some friends here and they kept inviting him to Sunday worship services and studying the Bible. After these efforts I had a personal study with him as well. As the result Victor decided to obey the Gospel. The rest of his family is still in Konstantinivka and we hope that they will join him in the right decision of obedience to the Savior.  

The other news we have is that the next portion of "A Commentary on Job" by Homer Hailey was printed. Thanks to the financial help of brother Jim Mettenbrink we are able to accomplish such interesting projects. After the books are printed we ship them to the Ukrainian congregations. During the last four years we were able to provide the local congregations' libraries with 4 books of different commentaries. All of the congregations were very thankful for the opportunity to read and study the Word, 

Our family, our church and the Bible Institute send you greetings and our love. 

Thank you for the constant prayers and support for us.  

Your brother and coworker in the Lord's vineyard,  

Dennis Sopelnik