Dear fellow servants of God.
Grace, peace and mercy be multiplied unto you from God our Father and from Jesus Christ Our Saviour and High Priest. Below is the report of some of our activities for this month of August 2022.
OVERVIEW
1. Students teaching practice resulted into over 30 conversions and about 40 restorations
2. 20th annual Bible Lectureship & Graduation
3. First Semester classes begins for 2022/23 session
4. BVBIN BACHELOR’S DEGREE PROGRAM
5. August 17-20 Great Workshop hosted by Church of Christ, Orodu – Lagos State.
STUDENTS’ FIVE WEEKS TEACHING PRACTICE:
The five weeks students teaching practice which started on June 25 through August 7, 2022 resulted into conversions of over 30 souls and restoration of about 40 erring brethren.
20TH ANNUAL BIBLE LECTURESHIP & GRADUATION
The four days Annual Bible Lectureship hosted by BVBIN & SWSE – Ibadan was graced with about 300 brethren from 15 states of the Federation of Nigeria. This year lectureship centered on Marriage and the Home which was handled satisfactorily by 15 gospel preachers and 2 sisters. The graduation ceremony came up on the noon of August 13, 2022. Forty four students came from three BVBIN & SWSE centers graduated. Three of the Students was honored with Certificate, 25 with Diploma and 16 with Advanced Diploma in Biblical Studies.
Bible dictionaries, Thompson- Chain – References Bible, sermon outlines written by brethren was presented as gifts to twenty students and a box of Preacher’s book from Mission Printing International to each of the 26 Advanced Students while all the participants also went home with package of VOTI Vol. 113, BVBIN & SWSE – 2023 Calendar and many other gifts.
Bro. Keith Kasarijan served as our guest speaker during the graduation program.
FIRST SEMESTER CLASSES BEGINS
According to our schedule, the first semester courses began fully on August 15, 2022 with 18 students in year one, while nine of our year two students resume their one year practicum in nine different congregations.
The following brothers are the instructors for this semester: Bro. Isaac Olaniyan, Bro. Kayode Eniafe, Bro. Makinde John, Bro. Andrew Adeolu, Bro. Oladokun Samuel and I (Bro. Makinde Ebens)
BVBIN BACHELOR’S DEGREE PROGRAM
The 2nd batch of our degree program came up as scheduled from August 1 through 12, 2022 at Anuoluwapo Library, Butubutu, Ibadan. I, Bro. Makinde Ebens taught on Advanced Homiletics 1 from August 1- 5, while Bro. Ayobami Akanji, an elder serving at Isheri – Oshin Congregation, Lagos State taught on Congregational Development 1 from August 8 – 12, 2022. Eight students actively participated in the two weeks program. Next class will come up on Nov. 28 through Dec. 9, 2022 Lord’s willing.
AUGUST 17 – 20 GREAT WORKSHOP, 2022:
This year great workshop for WBSFUW/Evangelists in the Southern States of Nigeria and Abuja was held at Orodu Congregation, Lagos State, Nigeria. Over 500 brethren graced it across the country. Bro. Chad Wagner was one of the key brethren that graced the workshop that centered on Discipleship Training. Four thousand VOTI Vol. 113. Three hundred and fifty BVBIN & SWSE Calendar and 600 copies of BVBIN & SWSE July – Sept. 2022 Newsletter was freely distributed during the workshop.
A soul was baptized during the events that began in the noon of August 17 and ended in the evening of August 19, 2022. Next year workshop is stated for Rivers State, Nigeria.
ABOUT A STUDENT
Bro. Odulaja Samuel Opeyemi is one of the present BVBIN Bachelor’s degree students. Born on 6 October 1995 in Imota, Lagos State. He became a member of the Lord’s Church on 9 October 2011 at Church of Christ, Ikorodu 1, Lagos State. He attended Keme Balogun Junior and Senior Secondary School, Ibeshe – Ikorodu for his Secondary school education. A graduate of BVBIN & SWSE, Ibadan.
His mission is planting of the Lord’s Church where it is not and by God’s grace, he will be leading the school here in Ibadan in the planting of the Lord’s Church at Erinlu, Ogun state before the end of the year 2022.
ACCOMPLISHMENT
With God’s help coupled with the prayers and financial supports of brethren from United States of America and Nigeria, we were able to successfully host the just concluded 20th Annual Bible Lectureship in Butubutu village via Badeku/Jago, Ibadan. We fed over 300 brethren from Tuesday evening of August through the evening of August 14, 2022. We appreciate you all for your moral and financial supports. May the Lord continue to bless our work together is our fervent prayers in Christ Jesus’ name, Amen.
In Conclusion: We thank you all for your partnership and concern for the growth of the Lord's Church in Africa most especially in Nigeria. May the Lord continue to bless all our work together in Jesus Christ name, amen.
Sincerely yours in His Grace as a servant,
Makinde Ebenezer Olufemi
(The Chief servant of BVBIN & SWSE-IBADAN and WBSFUW)