ThatTheyMayKnow - Bible School

Notes from My Journal 01-27-2012

Matt Allen — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 19:10:50 UT

Instant gratification has an equal and opposite reaction—instant boredom.

We live in the most entertained generation of history—yet the most bored generation. How does that work? The rest of the world dreams of these opportunities and our generation squanders these same opportunities in boredom. Instant gratification has an equal and opposite reaction—instant boredom.

The hearts of men and women yearn to fantasize about the epic—romantic movies and fictional books; epic war movies, D-Day invasions that have been dressed up to feature the survivors; and yet, these same men and women eat Doritos™, while sitting on a plush leather couch and surfing both the internet and cable TV at the same time (and possibly DVR-ing another show, because they don’t want to miss something).

Well, there is an epic battle raging—it has been for millennia. It’s the battle for the souls of men. Why not jump in and join this battle? The King of kings has commissioned you, Christian friend, for this fight. Depending on your performance, He may choose to allow you to lead in the fight.

Quit fantasizing about the epic—join in the fight and live out the epic!

PHOTO ALBUM: SPECIAL MEETINGS & VISITORS 2010

John Allen — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 19:29:03 UT

Tags: construction, devotions, preaching, salvation, visitors, youth

Thirty Miracles

Andrew Schellenberger — Mon, 01 Nov 2010 08:00:08 UT

“But ye are a chosen generation…a peculiar people…that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light.” Truly salvation is a miracle!

It has been amazing to see God work miracles in lives here in Papua New Guinea—yes, miracles! I have just returned from the States after going back for a couple weeks to obtain my one-year visa. Last week, the week of my return to PNG, I had another exciting time seeing the Lord work—one I thank God for. I got back into PNG last Tuesday and on Thursday Brother Matt flew me, Pastor James’ wife Keresa and son Caleb to Kamina. Kamina is a village with an airstrip about a five minute flight away from the existing airstrip. From Kamina we hiked an hour to Wawa where Sino, one of Matt’s Bible-school graduates, is pastoring a church (Wawa Baptist Fellowship). Pastor James and Jorim—another preacher from Kotidanga, had hiked the 6 hours to Wawa the day before we flew in. They missed the 5 minute flight in with us, but Matt was able to give them a ride back at the end of the meetings. Pastor Sino had special meetings planned for Wednesday through Sunday, and he had invited Brother Matt, Jorim, and Pastor James to speak during the meetings, so we planned on staying until Sunday morning.

Sino and Lisa wave from the front porch of their house. Sino always gives a BIG grin!

It was a great time spending the four nights in Sino’s bush house and sitting in on the preaching services during the day. For a good while I had been looking forward to being at this meeting because back in June, when I first arrived in PNG, Sino had invited me to come. I was able to get to know Sino on my first long hike in PNG—a 6-hour hike to a village named Ania. For some reason Sino just decided to stick next to me on the hike; but I think it was more like he decided to wait for me and help me along the way since hiking in the jungle is not my forte. He, too, gave me some of my first good lessons in Tok Pisin on that hike—I really appreciated his heart. From the little Pisin that I picked up from his speaking while on the hike, I did understand that he was planning an evangelistic meeting in the next year. Well, the time came; and thank the Lord, I made it back from the States in time to go to Sino’s meetings.

Under the green tarp, the people gathered at Wawa Baptist Church.

Now when I say meetings, I mean meetings! They had four services every day: two in the morning from 8:30-11:30 and two in the afternoon from 2:00-4:30. That is 2 ½ to 3 hours sitting on the ground. I don’t know how the people sit for so long without their legs falling asleep! Well, that is besides the point: sitting there and enduring the little discomfort was well worth the instruction and conviction that the preaching brought. By Friday, 9 people had come to Christ; but Sino was praying for more. Well, the Lord was working. In the Saturday morning services, 10 more souls were saved, and by Saturday night the total was at 30! Praise the Lord!
Talking to Brother Matt afterwards, he told me how much of a blessing it was to see Sino’s leadership in the church and also to see his burden for lost souls.

During the three days of meetings, it seemed that a pervading theme throughout the messages was “Are You Ready?”—ready to die, or ready for Christ to come back. The Gospel was presented very clearly in every message and now at least 30 more precious souls are “ready” to meet their Savior. It takes the miracle of salvation to prepare us to meet our Maker, and what a miracle it is! Christ takes the sinner when he is nothing and makes him something. One of my favorite verses that explains this is 1Peter 2:9 “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:”. Truly salvation is a miracle!

Please pray that these new believers will become faithful growing members of Wawa Baptist Fellowship, and too, that these 30 miracles will continue to be an encouragement to Sino as he labors for Christ.
—
Only by Christ,
Andrew Schellenberger
2 Cor.5:21 “…made him to be sin for us…”

Photo Journal April 27th, 2008

John Allen — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 03:30:00 UT

Bible School

Matt Allen — Wed, 11 Apr 2007 13:33:24 UT

Bible school in session

Bible student with wife

Bible student and family

Bible Students in Kotidanga

As soon as we arrived, several believers approached us about doing some sort of Bible training so they would be able to preach the Gospel message to their own people. We waited until we were settled into the village location (early 2005) to start classes. In the mean time we did literacy training. Eight students have now finished their first year of classes (New Testament Survey, Doctrines of the Bible, Dispensations, Christian Character, and Homiletics). We now have another eight students who have started their first year of classes as well.

Update (December 2008): We have now graduated a total of 8 men who are active in the ministry working in the villages of Kotidanga, Kemu, Anewa, Tiyava, Wawa, and Suatuwa. Pray for these young preachers as they labor to win their people to Christ, to disciple the new converts, and to show them the importance of reaching their region for the glory of God!