40 Precious Souls Added To The Kingdom In Kenya...

Dear Brethren,

After the long productive December holiday, we are finally back to school and the classes have begun well.

During the December break, both Elias and I traveled to the villages to be with home congregations and joined two different gospel campaigns. I taught a one week class (Homiletics) in Sigomre and thereafter joined other brethren in Mumias for gospel campaign where 8 souls obeyed the gospel and one church planted. We had six former KSOP graduates leading the door to door evangelism groups. This is the first campaign where the ladies were fully involved in knocking doors and the outcome was great. At the other gospel meeting that Elias participated in, 5 obeyed the gospel. John Paul a former KSOP student reported 3 baptisms at Marega church.

19 students have reported back to school, one is very sick and admitted in hospital, remember him in your prayers. I am teaching the gospel according Mark and Hermeneutics I while Elias is teaching Pentateuch II and Homiletics. Jacob Omollo will teach a short course on Prison Epistle. We are off to great start but had a problem with the school printer which developed mechanical problems, the transfer roller unit broke down and it requires Ksh 13,700 to buy and replace. We also have been having persistence power blackout which makes it difficult to carry out training. The school is greatly in need of a power generator to help us in such times.

Just after one quarter in class, the KSOP students were really the busiest. Five of them led a youth meeting attended by 17 congregations and 3 obeyed the gospel. Two of them joined together in converting a denomination into the church of the New Testament with 10 baptized in Christ’s church. From Mombasa we had 2 baptisms, 9 further baptism from four congregations within Nairobi, Kisii and Kakamega. Three congregations were taught the truth on handclapping and church organization. These are congregations that have been having men who are not even married serving as pastors while married men serve as overseers. One student said, “We stepped on members especially the leaders toes” but we are excited they accepted to obey the gospel.

In my earlier report last year I praised this class as being very evangelistic, the report above speaks for itself. Just one hour ago they were knocking doors around the school and hope good will come out of the work.

Beloved, words may not correctly express our thanks and appreciation for the prayers and sacrifices you are making to train and reach the lost but it will be all joy to be told by the Lord, “Well done, good and faithful servant”

Blessings

His servant,
Charles Ogutu

Evangelism Results In A New Congregation With Ten Converts...

Beloved in Christ,

Grace and peace be multiplied unto you from God our Father and from Jesus Christ our Lord and sustainer.

Brother Augustine Odoh reported the conversion of an idol priest named Sunday Ubagwu Agbo. He was a Deeper Life Bible church's pastor who embraced the truth on Saturday and was baptized by brother Odoh before leaving his home town on Saturday evening to Lagos state.

The new congregation is now blessed with ten converts, as the result of the two weeks evangelism.

Our weekend evangelism of January 10, 2015 was divided into two groups. The first group evangelized Asejire town in Osun state under the leadership of brother Kayode Solomon Eniafe and brother David Edoh, while I and brother Abraham Idu Yeje, a graduate of SWSE Ibadan and our campus minister, led the second group to the Jago and Kupalo villages.

Brother Kayode reported the conversion of three Egede people in Asejire, Osun state.

On Sunday, I worshipped with the Kute congregation, one of the congregations planted by a graduate of SWSE in 2003. I taught on “Looking unto Jesus, the Author and Finisher of Our Faith.” 

At the SWSE campus church, brother Abraham Idu Yeje taught on “New Year, New Revolution,” while brother Akinade Oluwaseun Akinleye admonished the campus church from Ruth chapter one.

Brother Adedoyin Sola Rotimi taught at the Jago congregation on “Determination to Serve the Lord Better in the New Year” from Daniel chapter one.

Several students were in class and were involved in evangelism at Jago in Ona Ara L.G.A. Oyo state, Nigeria.

Beloved, we are concluding our classes this week and we set aside next week for revision, and January 26-30, 2015 for second semester examinations.

We appreciate you all for your love and partnership. May the Lord of blessing continue to bless you all in Jesus Christ name, amen.

Sincerely His & yours,

Makinde Ebenezer Olufemi (Founder & Director of Studies)
Southwest School of Evangelism (SWSE), Ibadan & Lagos campus, Nigeria, West Africa

Successful Future Preacher's Training Camp In Arusha, Tanzania...

We held a successful Future Preacher’s Training Camp (FPTC) from December 14th-19th, in which 43 young men attended. It was a busy week for the young men as they prepared sermons and presented them at the end of the camp. Maurice Gasper taught them the general principles of exegetical preaching. I taught on how to study the meaning of words in a passage, plus the six parts of a sermon (title, text, introduction, etc.). Every morning we had guest preachers deliver a lesson. The classes and lessons had the desired effect as we heard Ramadhan Enzi, one of the campers, emphatically say, “I need to study more to become a good preacher.” 

At the end of camp, two young men were baptized. We are deeply grateful to Roger Shepherd, the originator of FPTC. Truly, great people think about others and act upon their idea.

From January 5th-10th, we held a very successful Tanzania Christian Camp (TCC). This camp involved more than 90 youth and was one of the best TCC’s to date. We rejoice and give glory to the Father that 14 campers put on Christ in baptism.

The Andrew Connally School of Preaching starts classes on February 7th. Please pray for the students as they return and start classes.

May the Lord bless you for your concern, prayers and generosity. We thank you for your participation in spreading the Gospel in East Africa.  You are changing lives and giving hope to people who did not have any.  We love you and appreciate your sacrifices and are eternally indebted to you.

Your servant in Him,

Losotwa Michael
Dean of Academics,
Andrew Connally School of Preaching
A Bear Valley Bible Institute International extension school
Arusha, TZ

Exciting Possibilities Await In The New Year...

Moving quickly into the new year is a reminder of the exciting possibilities involved in training men to preach and teach the word of God. This week begins a new class of students at the Denver location of the Bear Valley Bible Institute. These men and their families are beginning a two year journey in preparing themselves for full-time service in the Lord’s kingdom. The first few days of class are always interesting as they receive assignments. The incredible workload introduces a new level of stress for these students, but they quickly adjust and discipline themselves to the required work that will guide their path for the next two years.

A new class of students also began their journey in Cameroon. Twenty-two men have dedicated themselves to the study of God’s word for the next two years. Based on the history of the work in Cameroon, these men will actively participate in weekend evangelism, preaching, teaching, and quarterly campaigns. Their influence each week is changing the eternal destiny of hundreds, if not thousands, of souls.

Additionally, reports from other schools around the world indicate the great ways God is blessing their efforts in the kingdom. The first graduation is less than a month away for the Asunción Bible Academy in Paraguay. We are all encouraged by the plans for the next class, as they are growing in number. Other reports share news about their specific development in preparing men to share the gospel of Jesus.

Now on to more great news in this week’s reports...

Coordinator Updates
Reports from the coordinators are now located on the website, under Staff Reports. The address is http://www.wetrainpreachers.com/extension-schools/

The latest report from Howell Ferguson can be read here.

Extension Reports 

The Gamma Class Of Students Begin Studies In Cameroon: As hard as it is to believe, the third class of students are one week into their two-year journey to preach the gospel.

An Evangelistic Of Hope For FPTC In Tanzania: A young Christian who participated in Future Preacher’s Training Camp provides hope for the purpose of evangelizing.

ACSOP, FPTC, Campaigns, Exegesis Class: An Influence For The Gospel: The last few months were busy in Tanzania as the school, youth, and women participated in activities.

Final Thoughts 
The jump-start on the new year has not missed a beat in the rhythm of the work from 2014. Everyone is moving ahead in full force. Thank you for making all of this possible. We know you are a critical component to the development of this program and, thanks to you, we are growing in ways that will change the world. Thank you!

God bless
Bob

ACSOP, FPTC, Campaigns, Exegesis Class: An Influence For The Gospel...

Greetings dear friends and supporters! We’re glad to share some good news from an exciting end to 2014 and a great beginning to 2015. Read on to see what the Lord has been doing in Tanzania.

Andrew Connally School of Preaching Faculty Holiday Get Together
A few days before Christmas the Stafford’s, Granny, Anita and I gathered at our house for a nice meal to encourage and thank the ACSOP faculty and their wives for their hard work. Unbeknownst to them, they were about to be the beneficiaries of a some great gifts given by a number of very generous supporters. 

We first enjoyed some kitimoto (that’s ham y’all) with all the trimmings. Thank you Anita and Stephanie for the super food and the extra work we now have to do to take off the weight we gained. Afterwards Stephanie and Anita presented the wives with their gifts and they were thrilled to get them. When the ladies were done Cy and I presented the faculty with their gifts: 13 inch Macbook Pro’s, 1tb portable Hard Drives, 16gb flash drives, 2 books, and their own business cards. Many of you were so generous that we actually had enough given to install Logos 6 Bible software on each computer! They were overwhelmed with joy and gratitude. Thank you for this gift that will aid these men in their work for many years at ACSOP.

Future Preachers Training Camp
It was awesome to see young men gather at the Andrew Connally School of Preaching for the annual Future Preachers Training Camp. This year’s camp had 42 in attendance and was directed by our own Losotwa Michael the Academic Dean at ACSOP. This was Michael’s first year directing a camp and he did an outstanding job. The future of ACSOP is in excellent hands with men like Michael at the helm. 

FPTC lasted for one week and was filled daily with training these young men how to study the Bible, how to preach it, and share it with others. Of course no preacher training camp would be worth its salt if it didn’t put the book learning into practice, so the young men prepared sermons and delivered them in front of their peers and instructors. Afterwards a gentle critique was offered in order to help further polish their work.

All of the ACSOP staff delivered lessons during the course of the week. I had the good fortune of being able to address the topic “What can I do to help the church the most?” It was a fun class and the students seem to really enjoy engaging the discussion.

FPTC was launched as an effort to encourage and train young men throughout Tanzania to teach and preach the gospel. It was thrilling to the mission team to see Patrick Kambarage sitting with the counselors this year as he has been a diligent camper since the camp’s inception six years ago. Patrick is precisely the reason the camp was developed and we are delighted that he is now considering attending ACSOP in the future. 

By the way, did you know that there are several future preacher training camps taking place in the US? What a great blessing that we can offer such a concentrated supplement to the teaching received at home and our local congregations. If the kingdom is to thrive in the US, and throughout the world, it is essential that we uplift those who are currently preaching and greatly encourage our young men to accept the challenge of proclaiming Christ as preachers of the gospel.

Tanzania Christian Camp
The ACSOP faculty, and many other brethren from Arusha, departed for Dar es Salaam during the last week of December to meet up with John Rice to conduct their annual youth camp. There were 182 campers present and we rejoice with the 11 who obeyed the gospel.

After the camp in Dar wrapped up, John Rice and all the brethren from Arusha made the long journey home, had a couple days off, and then jumped right into the annual Tanzania Christian Camp held on the ACSOP campus. This year’s camp saw 143 young people bring the campus to life with their smiling faces and enthusiasm. Keep the 14 souls that obeyed the gospel during TCC in your prayers as they begin their life as a child of God.

We want to offer a special thank you to John Rice for his continued dedication to youth all around the globe. The number of young people in America, Tanzania, Cambodia, etc. that belong to Christ because of his love for their souls is inestimable.

Mosquito River Campaign
Our friends from Northport Alabama arrived at the end of December to hold a campaign in Mosquito River. These eleven brethren worked tirelessly holding Bible studies, ladies seminars, and teaching children’s classes. Additionally, many of the men constructed benches and built a roof for the new building for the congregation that the brethren in Mosquito River planted in the recent past.

We rejoice that 18 souls obeyed the gospel during this effort. One of those who obeyed was a Masai man who claimed to be 111 years old and had fought in World War I. After he had studied with our Alabama friends he brought his grandson the next day and both he and his grandson were baptized into Christ. Initially, we were told that the old Masai warrior had died the next day but it turns out that it was in fact his younger brother, who incidentally was 95 years old, that had passed away. Unfortunately the younger brother had not put on Christ like his older sibling.

Ladies Exegetical Class
The first Saturday of each month the preachers wives get together for an in depth study of scripture. Tiffany Gaines, Stephanie Stafford, and Anita all take part in building up this group of zealous servants. Anita has been teaching them exegetical principles and is using the book of 1 Peter as the training text. During the last study many of the ladies showed significant progress in their understanding of exegesis and proper application of the scriptures.

Of the many things that Anita has come to appreciate from these studies is how blessed the English speaking world is when it comes to Bible study. One such blessing that we, no doubt, take for granted is our reliable translation of God's word. Trying to teach the ladies the simple concept of choosing repetitive words and phrases throughout 1 Peter has proven to be a challenge simply because of the translation and limited vocabulary of the Kiswahili language. While they can certainly know the truth and understand 1 Peter, it is nevertheless an obstacle for both student and teacher to overcome. Keep these good ladies in your prayers as they strive for a deeper understanding of the Bible.

As we close we want to offer our heartfelt thanks for your prayerful and financial support of this great work. May the Lord continue to bless you throughout 2015.

Until next time, take care and God bless.

Yours in Christ,
Sean and Anita Hochdorf

To see the Hochdorf report, with pictures, please click here.

An Evangelistic Example Of Hope For FPTC In Tanzania...

“So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith” (Gal. 6:10). This is a familiar verse to many Christians. Sometimes we shy away from the phrase “do good to all people” and we do so for various reasons: fear of those in the world, selfishness, prejudice toward others, etc.… It is easy for us as Christians to place our emphasis on the phrase “especially to those who are of the household of the faith” because it is easier and many times less costly to help our brethren. It keeps us in our comfort zone. However brethren, when we make up our mind to “do good to all people” we will be opening up a host of opportunities for many souls to come and know Christ.

Ramadhan Enzi is a young man who serves as a great example of this. Ramadhan was born into a very poor family and was and raised as a Muslim in the Islamic religion. Five years ago, Elly Martin, one of our dear brothers and a fellow worker here at Andrew Connally School of Preaching, took Ramadhan in and treated him as one of his own children. In 2012 Ramadhan came to the annual Tanzanian Christian Camp, which, in turn, increased his desire to learn about the Bible. In 2013 Ramadhan released the shackles of Islam and put on Christ in baptism. He continued growing in the faith and serving the Lord at his local congregation. Last month, Ramadhan attended the annual Future Preacher Training Camp and was awarded as one of the best students of the year! Ramadhan has proven himself to be a leader, a preacher, and a well-disciplined young man. Remember however that Ramadhan’s amazing transformation began when one family decided to “do good to all people.”

As I close, I would like to take this opportunity to thank the brethren who always make things possible for us to have all that we need. The Andrew Connally School of Preaching has been ministering to countless young and old men who are now in the field harvesting the crops that are ready. As we all know, the laborers are few so please continue to support us so that we may produce as many servants as we can through God’s help.

Thank you for all that you do in His vineyard.

Your servant in Christ,

Charles Mwanga
Assistant Director
Andrew Connally School of Preaching
A Bear Valley Bible Institute International extension school
Arusha, Tanzania

The Gamma Class Of Students Begin Studies In Cameroon...

Dearest in Christ,

Greetings in Jesus name from your brothers and sisters here. We do hope you are doing great in all that you are doing.

The first week is off for the Gamma batch of students in CBIW. This week was a week for us to see the level of the students, as we already started transplanting knowledge into them. We know from this first week we have a lot to do for them as we prepare them for ministry, but we can see a bright future as they open their hearts and minds to study the undiluted message from the Bible and to preach and teach it to this corrupt world. Denominationalism is on an increase.

This weekend, the graduates of CBIW congregated in the village of Mofako Bekondo. This is a village where the church was dead for over 10 years. They closed their door and were not worshiping again, but praise God we have revived the congregation. We succeeded in winning back the 7 souls who were out and the Lord added 8 new precious souls into His body.

We are blessed that one of our graduates, evangelist Innocent Kogge, who is serving closer to that village, will be helping while we shall start sending students there by March 2015.

Keep praying for the students and all the instructors as we teach and show the students the way to serve God and to help many others on their way to serve God.

Plans
We shall start evangelism in some villages lined up in our programs as we see fit for the students.

We have a mission work in Lebialem, which is a region characterized by Catholism. We shall have a mass evangelistic trip there by March. Keep praying for us.

Appreciations
Many thanks to you for your priceless efforts toward the work here in Cameroon. God bless you and He will reward you in due season. Do your best to share this report with others.

On this sad note: Keep my son Ray in your prayers. Many are sick now because we are in Hamatan, a season which makes the climate cool and windy. So many have a cough and catarrh now here in Cameroon. Those things can easily provoke malaria.

Evangelist Lah Joseph, one old preacher who loves CBIW and always visits at times and stays with some visiting instructors in the same room, died on Tuesday, January 6, at the age of 75 years. Keep his family in your prayers. His funeral will be this Tuesday.

God bless you and watch over you.

Elangwe and family
By His grace director CBIW

Eternity Matters, And Here Is Why...

Eternity Matters! When we understand the message of God’s word and the temporary nature of this life, we know the reason why we train preachers and teachers. Souls are at stake and the vapor of life is fleeting more quickly than we can express in words. Eternity Matters! We are preparing the hearts and minds of men around the world to share the one message that makes the difference in the lives of those who hear and respond to it.

Reading through the reports this week reveals exactly the power of what we are referring to above. Report after report reveals how the message proclaimed is leading souls to Christ. When we learn of those who obey God’s word, we share in the joy of heaven as these souls are prepared for an eternity that awaits us all. How wonderful it is to know, that while we may never meet this side of heaven, one day we will all rejoice together around the throne of God.

We are now into the first week of the new year and the news from around the world continues to be encouraging. Knowing the facts we are building on from 2014 is an inspiration for what we anticipate in the year ahead. We are eager to see what 2015 has in store, but we are even more eager when we consider the plans we plan to achieve in the months ahead.

Now on to more great news in this week’s reports...

Coordinator Updates
Reports from the coordinators are now located on the website, under Staff Reports. The address is http://www.wetrainpreachers.com/extension-schools/

Extension Reports 

Welcoming The Gamma Students At CBIW, Cameroon: All 22 students arrived at the campus of CBIW last week and they are ready to begin their two-year journey preparing to preach.

A Soul Added And The First Graduation Approaches In Paraguay: News is exciting as another soul obeys the gospel in Paraguay and the first class prepares to graduate at ABA.

Evangelistic Campaign Results In Souls Added To The Kingdom In Nigeria: We love sharing the news of souls who obey the gospel, and the report in Nigeria is encouraging.

A Year Of Testing, Difficulties, Turmoil, And Hope In Ukraine: Amidst the challenges of the last year in Ukraine, BVBIU continues to grow in its efforts to train workers in the kingdom.

Biblical Discipline Yields The Fruit Of Righteousness And God’s Blessing: The church at Kisongo, Tanzania practices discipline and the results produced what God promised.

The New Year Starts With Excitement And Joy In Tanzania: We think you will agree with the great news of more souls added to the kingdom near Arusha, Tanzania.

Final Thoughts 
As we concluded 2014, so we begin 2015, with a heart filled with gratitude for each of you and all you do to make it possible to train preachers in the U.S. and internationally. We are thankful to be fellow-laborers with you and the brethren in each country where we are privileged to share in this kingdom work.

God bless
Bob

A Soul Added And The First Graduation Approaches In Paraguay...

Andrea and I pray that each of you might have a very happy and prosperous 2015. A new year always brings the excitement of new horizons full of possibilities. We believe 2015 will be a great year for the Lord’s church in Paraguay and we invite you to partner with us in prayer for the work. Please pray that more souls will be added to the Lord’s kingdom, that God will lift up more leaders from among the men, and that the body of Christ (His church) will grow in spiritual maturity. Thank you and God bless! Troy and Andrea

BAPTISM!
Walter Chavez obeyed that form of doctrine which saves and put on Christ in baptism December 22. He is a close friend of Alex Vargas (remember the young man who received the flyer in his mailbox) and attended a local denomination with him for several years. Alex recently introduced him to some of his new Christian friends and one of them, William Arzamendia, engaged him in a Bible Study. At 12:30 in the morning, after going through the steps of the plan of salvation, Walter made the decision to put his life on the right path toward heaven! Praise the Lord!

DEVELOPMENTS AT AVE. SACRAMENTO CHURCH OF CHRIST
“Circles of Encouragement” - We are the family of God and we are commanded to love and encourage one another. With this in mind, the church has developed a plan to help keep every member of the congregation more informed and connected, but above all, encouraged. Seven men volunteered to be leaders of what we have named “Circles of Encouragement” who will call, message, or go to visit each of the members on their list. We pray this will help develop stronger, more personal relationships among the brethren.

End of Year Dinner - We enjoyed a lovely evening together of great fellowship and food in order to reflect on all that the Lord has done in 2014. We had all three congregations represented at the dinner. Naty Mendoza prepared a wonderful photo presentation that was very emotional to watch. There were certainly a lot of things that happened this year!

DEVELOPMENTS AT ÑEMBY CHURCH OF CHRIST
There have been many studies taking place among the brethren, visitors, and friends in Ñemby. Eliezer Perez has been busy with many of these studies. We also enjoyed seeing some of the former members who returned for the holidays to see their families.

ASUNCION BIBLE ACADEMY 
GRADUATION is drawing NEAR! Here we are in the last quarter of the two-year program and three bright eyed students are almost ready to go out into the world ready to serve. William Arzamendia, Karen Gimenez, and Ramón Paredes invite you to join them for a special graduation ceremony on Saturday, February 7. The church will be hosting a special dinner for the students that night and then they will “walk the stage” to receive their Diploma of Biblical Studies from Bear Valley Bible Institute of Denver and the Academia Bíblica - Asunción. We are excited and looking forward to seeing our first graduating class honored at this special event. It is going to be an emotional night!

Quarterly Report
Be sure and look for the last Quarterly Report that was recently published! You can access it at: www.paraguaymission.com/asuncion-bible-academy/

Contacts / Bible Studies / Activities:
We were excited to have Cody Westbrook, one of my former colleagues from Southwest School of Bible Studies, teach a class for us via our new video conference system. He did a great job and the students responded really well!

Bible Studies - We’ve had some great studies this month.Valeria Suarez has returned to the church and is studying with me, and Alex Vargas and I have been studying “Alleged Discrepancies of the Bible” together. Adriana Rodriguez is continuing her study with Andrea, which is going well. After the holidays, several new studies will be starting up along with many others which will resume.

New English students – Andrea has been advertising a new English class and is thrilled with the connections she has made with three new students…Alison, Sonya, and Nelly! 

Member visit – One of our newer members, Mikaela Jara, has been struggling with some conflict lately and missing services, so we went with our sisters, Delci and Nati, to visit and encourage her. We pray that she, as well as her non-Christian family members, were able to see the love that her Christian family has for them.

Coming Up:
Interns Pablo Yuri and Italo Rocha will arrive January 8th from AME Brazil to work with us for one year. 

A Men’s Planning Retreat to discuss the desired direction of the church in Paraguay for the next five years has been scheduled for January 10th. We are calling it “Vision 2020.”

Karen Bennett will be returning to Paraguay for the Annual Ladies Retreat, January 31.

Graduation for the Asuncion Bible Academy will be held on Saturday, February 7th, 2015!

A new class of students will begin their studies at the Asuncion Bible Academy on March 2, 2015.

PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT AND ACTIVITIES 
Annual Christmas Tea - One of Andrea’s favorite events of the year is opening our home to all the ladies of the congregation for the Annual Christmas Tea! She makes all the food herself and just asks that the ladies bring drinks and a small gift to exchange. For the devotional portion, Andrea issued the ladies the “1000 Gifts Thankfulness Challenge,” along with little notebooks and monthly bookmarks to use for the challenge in 2015.

Las Amigas Cookie Exchange – Andrea attended the annual Las Amigas Christmas Party and it should be of no surprise that she baked DOZENS of cookies for the Cookie Exchange!

Date night – We don’t get out much to the movies, but we just couldn’t pass up the latest Hunger Games!

Birthday –We celebrated my birthday together with a night out at a new restaurant that has now become one of my local favorites!

Nutrition and Cooking Class - After more than 4 years of requests for cooking classes, and 2 years of requests for some lessons on nutrition, Andrea finally decided to combine the two and is now offering some private small-group events in our home. They are learning about having a balanced diet with a visual presentation to compare carbohydrates in various foods, how to plan ahead for success, and how to cook a meal featuring one of Andrea’s own original recipes using a local Paraguayan product... Chicken with Cocido Salsa. Then they eat a yummy, healthy, balanced lunch!!!

Christmas – We enjoyed another wonderful evening with the Vera Family in their home for Christmas Eve Dinner. However, being away from family and friends back home is especially difficult during the holidays, and this year we’ve been feeling more homesick than ever. So, we decided to spend Christmas day and night on the river at the Paraguay Yacht & Golf Club here in Asuncion. It was just the little get-away that we needed!

Personal study:
I have been reading (or, still reading): “Cover to Cover” by Johnny Ramsey, “ El Desafio del Amor” by Alex and Stephen Kendrick, “Spiritual Disciplines” by Adele Calhoun

I have also been studying and preparing lessons for an upcoming Sunday Bible study series on spiritual development and maturity. 

Preaching/teaching opportunities:
I preached one Sunday this month at Avenida Sacramento.

I finished up classes on “Revelation,” and “Catholicism,” in the Asuncion Bible Academy. I also taught one Sunday morning class over “False Ideas About The Holy Spirit.”

Discovering Paraguay: Christmas Fireworks
What are some of the biggest differences between Christmas in Paraguay and in the USA? One, lack of snow…the other, fireworks! Lots and lots of fireworks! Paraguayans have a deep love for fireworks in general as they will shoot them off at the end of a soccer game, when a political candidate wins, for the current patron saint’s day, a birthday, a quinceñera, or really, any occasion. Yet, there is no occasion quite like Christmas Eve. Right about midnight, all of a sudden, it sounds like a war broke out! It seems like thousands upon thousand of fireworks are exploded all across town from as close as your front door to as far away as you can possibly hear in every direction. It is absolutely incredible! For more information on all things Paraguay, visit this informative website: http://discoveringparaguay.com

Troy and Andrea Spradlin

To see the Spradlin’s report with pictures and an invitation to their graduation, click here.

The New Year Starts With Excitement And Joy In Tanzania...

Greetings Serving Saints,

We wish each of you, our friends, brothers, sisters in Christ and fellow laborers in the Kingdom of God a very Happy New Year. It is our hope and prayer that our God has blessed you with a very joyful holiday season with family and friends. 

The new year is bringing much excitement and joy to God’s mission work here in Tanzania. We count it a privilege to be a small part of God’s desire, that being the salvation of all mankind, here in this part of the world. We know and we believe God’s Word does not return void and that it is God alone who gives the increase. God has chosen the preaching and teaching of the gospel to save mankind and that salvation is found only in the Church of our Lord Jesus Christ and through Him. 

Elly Martin, Ahimidiwe Kimaro, Charles Heberth, Godfrey Mngoma and their wives have helped John Rice and the good brothers and sisters in Dar es Salaam conduct the Dar Youth Camp. With close to 200 souls engaging in fellowship and learning of God and His ways. Eleven souls were added to the Kingdom and for this we give God the glory and we thank all who made it possible. 

God’s work through the Tanzania Mission effort has been blessed and continues to be blessed by countless souls. The Northport group of eleven, lead by Alan Middleton and Greg Dickson (one of the elders) are currently holding door to door campaigns at three different congregations in the Mto wa Mbu area. They are also putting a roof on a “Pole-Building” at a newly planted congregation. As of this writing, twelve souls have obeyed the preaching of the gospel and have been added to the Church by our God. Amen! 

Early last year a new congregation was planted at Njiro chini, here in Arusha. Maurice Gasper (a graduate of the Andrew Connally School of Preaching) reports: “We at Njiro chini are fine, though some challenges here and there, but we can do all things in Him Who strengthen me! We had four baptisms this month, door to door evangelism is going on well.”

Tomorrow begins the “Tanzania Christian Camp” hosted here at the ACSOP and by the area wide christians. Again, we thank our good brother John Rice and our brother Godfrey for leading this camp, along with all the helpers and campers. Please keep them in your prayers as they all strive to know God and HIs will better, that we might live faithfully in Him. 

Please remember Stephanie and Granny as they will be traveling back to the States this week (Thursday night). Over the next several weeks, Stephanie’s mother will be seeing several doctors to help us determine what needs to be done. We thank you for your prayers of late. Granny has had a good week after several weeks of challenges. Our God is an awesome God, Who answers the prayers of the faithful. 

Stephanie and I would like to ask for your prayers on our behalf as we face some challenging decisions in the coming weeks. We also solicit your help with our upcoming travels. I will be coming to the States the first week in February. Our ticket cost, for the two of us, is $5,095. Thank you in advance for any consideration and help with this need. 

We love you all for all you do. We beg your forgivingness for any shortcomings in our lives and we beg of you, for your prayers, as we all strive to faithfully serve the Living God of Heaven and Earth. 

In Him,
Cy, Stephanie and Granny

Biblical Discipline Yields The Fruit Of Righteousness And God's Blessings...

Dear brethren,

I greet you in the name of our Lord Jesus. It is my hope that you know that God is doing marvelous works through your prayers and your support of Tanzania Missions. We are thankful for the spiritual blessings which are only found in Christ Jesus, faithful brethren like you, our amazing missionary team, the ACSOP faculty and staff, and the many preachers of the gospel throughout East Africa. 

November and December were very busy months. The Kisongo congregation had the sad and unfortunate obligation to discipline some members due to sustained unfaithfulness. With valuable souls in the balance and the purity of the bride of Christ to maintain we had no choice but to act. We thank God that after so doing word spread in our community and many of the unfaithful repented and came back seeking forgiveness. We have learned a great lesson: when you do what God has required, then His blessings will follow.

At the end of November the Kisongo Bible school, which is undertaken by the Kisongo congregation, graduated five people who are now equipped to help the church. Some of these students started the school straight off the street. Later on, because of what they learned in the Bible school, they became Christians. Kisongo Bible school has also helped a number of members to grow spiritually as well. Enrollment is currently underway for the next intake. 

We are glad to report that the Kisongo congregation sent four young men to this year’s Future Preachers Training Camp held at ACSOP. This camp has been a great blessing to the church in East Africa as the young men who attend are a great encouragement to the local congregations from whence they came. We were so pleased that one of the young men from Kisongo, fourteen-year-old Baraka, was chosen as the best speaker. Baraka was chosen by the faculty from among the 43 students in attendance. Baraka taught Bible class at the Kisongo congregation the Sunday following graduation and did a marvelous job.

We continue to solicit your prayers for the church and the ACSOP. Thank you for taking the time to read this short report and may God continue to bless you in 2015.

In His service,

Ahimidiwe Kimaro
Assistant Director, Andrew Connally School of Preaching
A Bear Valley Bible Institute International extension school
Arusha, Tanzania

A Year Of Testing, Difficulties, Turmoil, And Hope In Ukraine...

Dear brethren, 

Here comes the end to the year, 2014. It was a year of testing, difficulties, turmoil, and hope for us. This year started quite positively: Ukraine got rid of its former president, Yanukovich. The whole country felt relieved, thinking we’ll have a new life from now on. However, new problems in Ukraine started in March. In the first weeks of the new and temporary government, Russia invaded Crimea and annexed it as a result. Then full-sized war in the Eastern Ukraine got started. The very same Russian troops and displeased Ukrainians who considered themselves to be Russians took arms and started proclaiming new republics. The church in Ukraine was persecuted. When you look at the map of Ukraine, you can see that 65% of the church of Christ congregations are located in the Donetsk area. It seems to be a coincidence, but I think that Satan knows whom he should be fighting against. We found ourselves in Ternopil and, with God’s help, we were able to plant a church of Christ here and continue the work of the Bible Institute. Your prayers concerning our future were heard. 

Institute Church of Christ
In December, we placed a banner above the entrance to the church building. Earlier, I was afraid that our activity in this rented place could cause aggressive actions on the side of Orthodox or Catholics. However, gradually we saw that people accepted us, and they don’t care much who will be in their area. Actually, we’ve got more visitors due to the banner. One young man, Maksim, noticed our new banner, and Bogdan, out youth minister, invited him to the Bible class. Now, Maksim attends our services often. 

Also, we were able to start another Bible class group. On Mondays, the Sergey Chubenko family hosts all those who want to study God’s word. They intend to invite their neighbors, acquaintances, and their landlords. This way we try to use every opportunity to proclaim the Good News of the gospel, and it’s the second home group formed to study the Bible. 

Mostly, the students and staff at the Bible Institute attend our services. We’ve had no baptisms yet. We try to work actively via Bible school for kids. Last time, we organized a movie event and presentation of the school. Usually kids would come with their parents, and they are interested in which church we represent. 

At the end of December, we had festive events together, exchanged presents and congratulations and summed up the passing year. Most of the students went home for the Winter Break. We are expecting their arrival in January. 

Bear Valley Bible Institute
In December, the first-year students took such courses: How We Got the Bible and Matthew-Mark (Albert Bagdasaryan teaches those); the second-year students had 1-2 Corinthians (taught by Dennis Sopelnik) and Denominational Teachings (taught by Andrew Zhuravlyov). 

We have already made the schedule for the second semester, even though we have to correct it from time to time. I’m grateful to many American brethren who are willing to come and teach. It seems that we went back to the 90s when most of the teachers were American. Seeing that many people are willing to help with teaching, I want to find a place and time for everyone to come to Ternopil. 

Another young man from the Kiev region contacted me recently. He attends the Shevchekivska church of Christ in Kiev, and right now he is thinking about moving to Ternopil and attending BVBIU. It’s really a very difficult decision for him since he has a family and a small baby. We’ll pray that his decision would be according to God’s will. 

Also, I’m urging you to pray for Ukraine, especially for the military actions to stop. I’m grateful for those brethren who help refugees and those who stayed on the occupied territories at this difficult time. 

We send you our greetings. Thank you for spiritual and financial support of the Institute and the church in Ternopil. We would not be able to train ministers and reach the lost with the gospel without your help. 

Your brother and coworker,
Dennis Sopelnik

To see Dennis' report, with pictures, please click here.

Evangelistic Campaign Results In Souls Added To The Kingdom In Nigeria...

Beloved in Christ Jesus,

Greetings from your fellow laborers in the vineyard of our Master, Jesus.

Reports just reached me from brother Augustine Odoh, one of our year 2 students, along with other year two students that are accompanying him in a two week campaign for Christ. Evangelism in his home town since December 19, 2014 through January 4, 2015 shows that the Lord's church was just planted in their village, Watuolo Utonkon, Ado Local Government of Benue state, and the two week’s evangelism was also blessed with eight converts. To God be the glory!

I taught from one of my old tracts on January 4, 2015 as I spoke on “Behold He Cometh” (Revelation 1:7; Acts 1:9-11), while brother Gabriel Ishom, one of the BVBI certificate students, admonished the church at Onikokoro / Gbongudu, Ibadan on “Remember Lot’s Wife” (Gen.19:15-26). We were 52 in today's attendance with a total collection of N4,200.

At our Cross-Over Night Program on December 31 through January 1, 2015 (from 9:30 pm on Wednesday through 12:40 am on January 1, 2015) I served as the moderator. Brother Makinde Emmanuel, my first son and one of the present BVBI certificate students, admonished the gathering on “What the Lord Requires of Thee in the New Year” from Deuteronomy 19:12-22; Brother Lawrence Olawale Dada, one of the graduates of the SWSE 2009 set, also admonished the gathering on “God’s Promses for You in the New Year” from 1 Samuel 30:1-20; while brother Adedoyin Sola Rotimi, a BVBI certificate student, spoke on “Walking with God with Faith in the New Year” from Matthew 14:22-32. We were seventy-five in attendance.

On January 1st, we gathered together to rejoice with brother Olawale Dada and his wife, Omowumi, for the naming of their second son, according to Yoruba culture.

Brethren, classes commence tomorrow (Monday) at SWSE, Ibadan’s main campus. I will pilot some students who are with me for the two week’s end-of-the-year program to the campus at Butubutu by 3:00 pm, Lord's willing.

We thank you all for your moral and financial support. May the Lord of blessing continue to bless all our joint efforts in Christ name, Amen.

Yours in Him....
Makinde Ebenezer Olufemi

Welcoming The Gamma Students At CBIW, Cameroon...

Dearest in Christ,

Greetings from Wotutu here in Cameroon. We say happy new year to you, your family, and the entire congregation. We are thanking God He allowed us to see the dawn of a new year. We are aware that every beginning comes along with its challenges.

We are starting a new year with faith. Our theme for the year is “2015 My Year of Growth.” We are doing all on our part to help as many of our Christians to experience growth in their lives this year, that is why our lessons will be toward areas which will provoke growth.

We shall start reporting fully our work again weekly, by the grace of God, because the new students of the Gamma batch are safe in Wotutu, 22 in number, sounding well, ready and excited to study the word of God. Keep them in your prayers to keep growing daily, preparing themselves for ministry. They will be here two precious and meaningful years for the Lord’s glory.

Information getting to me shows that almost all the Beta graduates made it safe to their respective congregations to start full time ministry. A few of them who have long distances to cover from their village of origin to the village of service are still around because of lack of transport funds.

This 22 man group will start classes tomorrow without any waste of time. For this first quarter we shall transplant these courses to them: Christian Evidences, Old Testament 1, How We Got The Bible, Personal Evangelism 1, English, French, Church Music, and some vocational training in agriculture (animal rearing). Some of these courses will share the number of credit hours with some smaller courses, so that all is going on smoothly.

We ended the year 2014 in the Wotutu congregation coming together to pray and fast, seeking God’s face and thanking Him for all that He is doing in Cameroon.

We ended the prayer session by holding our hands to pray, which is a strong sign of our unity, keeping us closer to one another and to our God so that nothing will come between us to distract and to tear away the bond of our love.

Our Christians brought bananas, fruit soft drinks, biscuits and other fast food for us to enjoy fellowship with one another.

Today, the Wotutu congregation officially prayed for evangelist Vincent who will be the one to be coordinating the work in Buea central prison, as the Wotutu congregation is part of the work. We also prayed for evangelist Ngoue Thierry who graduated during the last graduation, but will be working with some villages around Wotutu where we have been reaching through our early morning program. He plans to investigate how we can start new congregations there. Keep both of them in your prayers as we expand the gospel of Christ to others through them. Brother Vincent will report now about the work in prison.

A cross section of the 22 students was introduced and prayed for today in the Wotutu congregation to welcome them to the CBIW family and the Wotutu congregation. It was great and was characterized with shouts for joy and laughter as members of our congregation could identify new students who come from the same village as them. Please keep them in your prayers as we shall be sharing their progress on a weekly basis with you, while Jesus tarries. This batch is dominated by married people. To God be the glory.

Plans 
We welcome the students into CBIW and we point them straight to our motto, which is Evangelism is our Mission and our Mission is Evangelism. This weekend we shall join with the Alpha, Beta, and Gamma batch in the village of Mofako Bekondo to revive a dead congregation there. This will be the first mission work with this new students as they will start learning from the older graduates. We have a meeting with all our graduates also. Please keep our travels in your prayers and for success.

Appreciation
We shall not stop saying, “Thank you, and thank you for all that the Lord is using you to accomplish in His kingdom here in Cameroon.” God bless and keep you strong. He alone can reward your sacrifice and efforts toward this work. God bless you as you share this report with others. We shall love to read from you.

Elangwe and family
By His grace director CBIW

2014 Best Year In Training Preachers... 2015 An Exciting Year Ahead...

The new year of training preachers internationally is set to begin and a preliminary look at the future is exciting. As we enter into the new year, we are moving forward with a new look and a new name. We are now known as the Bear Valley Bible Institute International. While this is only a slight change, it is one we believe speaks to the global nature of the work we are involved with in training preachers, both in Denver and around the world. Please visit our website at wetrainpreachers.com to see the new look. We are a global work for a global mission.

A few of the exciting plans for the new year include: 1) a new class of students preparing for their two journey at the Denver campus of the Bear Valley Bible Institute, beginning with orientation January 9th, 2) we launch the largest expansion plan in Bear Valley’s history, 3) a new school is set to open in French-speaking Cameroon the first week of April, and 4) an additional five areas are potential locations for new schools in 2015.

These are only a few of the exciting areas planned for the new year. We eagerly anticipate the ways God will bless our efforts, as He has abundantly done so in the past. We also look forward to working together with you and the greatest people on earth who love the truth of God’s word, His church, and the lost of the world. The passion for fulfilling God’s mission is the driving force behind all that we do together.

Now on to more great news in this week’s reports...

Coordinator Updates
Reports from the coordinators are now located on the website, under Staff Reports. The address is http://www.wetrainpreachers.com/extension-schools/

Extension Reports 

CBIW Prepares For The Gamma Batch Set To Begin In 2015: Leadership in Cameroon prepares for the next class of students to arrive and begin their two-year journey.

A Year-End Report Of Souls Saved In Nigeria: Several reports from staff and students of the Southwest School of Evangelism indicate souls added and restored to the kingdom.

Chimala Celebrates Graduation And Prepares For The Next Class: After and exciting graduation ceremony, the work in Chimala focuses on 15 new students for the next class.

Results From Reporting Graduates In Arusha, Tanzania Is Powerful: With only 30 of the 140 graduates reporting, the growth God provided over the last year is exciting and encouraging.

Final Thoughts 
Since Wednesday is the last day of the year, we want to take a moment to wish you all the very best of the New Year. The lives influenced eternally in 2014 are directly related to each one of you and all you bring to the work of training preachers. Thank you for making 2014 the best year thus far in Extension Training. We know that with God working through each of us, together we will leave an eternal footprint on 2015. Thank you.

God bless
Bob

CBIW Prepares For the Gamma Batch Set To Begin In 2015...

Dearest  in Christ,

Greetings from this end. We do hope this report meets you in good health and sound faith. I am writing to say thank you Lord for His greatness and providence to us throughout 2014. This e-mail report of the work in CBIW is the last e-mail in 2014.

The students are all off from Wotutu, except for few who are staying out of the dormitories with their wives. They are still pending with final preparations to move to their new locations for full-time ministries.

God is blessing CBIW in many ways. One of the ways is that our weekend evangelism, end of quarter campaigns, mass campaigns, Bible lectureships, and other programs in congregations help expose our students to potential congregations who will always love to employ them to start their ministry with them, even though without any support. As of now, all 23 students who graduated have congregations and they will start work in January 2015. Two of our students will be working in two congregations in Abuja, Nigeria. They are Nigerians, so they did one campaign in Abuja and now two congregations call them up because their services are needed.

Keep these young evangelists in your prayers as they face the challenges that are common with ministry, but two years in CBIW fortified and empowered them as the apostle Paul told Timothy, “Endure hardship as a true soldier of Christ. Do the work of an evangelist.” It is not easy, but God is faithful and God is the best employer. God does not owe anyone.

Some preachers in Cameroon decided to come together to see how they can better their lives as they preach. Preachers in Cameroon don’t have any social insurance benefits, so a preacher works with his local congregation with whatever that congregation will give him as a stipend for his work. If a preacher is sick no one can help if his family cannot help, and eventually when the preacher dies, his family is left like that and later thrown out of the house because they cannot longer pay rent. Preachers live a deplorable lifestyle throughout ministry.

The Wotutu congregation came together today to worship. God is blessing us as we face the persecution that is befalling us, mostly after the death of our student Assah Menge Peter.

Plans
This weekend, the GAMMA batch will make their way to Wotutu, as they will be introduced to the Wotutu congregation before they start their studies on the 5th of January 2015. Keep them in your prayers as they travel down to Wotutu. A brother is already in my house since the graduation with his wife and two children. He comes from far away in Akwaya, an enclave community that contains 99 villages. The church is not there, so we praise God for His coming because that will be our frequent mission field, to get the Lord’s church scattered everywhere there, that these souls will be rescued by the grace of God from darkness of their traditions and come to the light of the gospel that will shine in their dark world.

Request
We need to improve our public address system, which is a great evangelistic stool. This PA system has aided us a lot in our evangelistic efforts for the past 4 years daily. We need to improve the amplifier and speakers, so that the waves of our early morning program will go further and many lives will be touched by the gospel and peradventure transform to converts.

Appreciations
We shall not cease to thank you for all that you do for the work in Cameroon. We keep you in our prayers and pray that God will continue to bless you, so that you will be source of blessings to others. Thanks for all your love, sacrifice, prayers, and support. God alone will replenish it for you.

Make a great day, as we all wait to see the dawn of 2015.  Happy New Year in advance. We pray God will make your 2015 fruitful and full with the blessings He has kept for His people, of which you are one. Keep the following in your prayers and thoughts

Wotutu Congregation
Cameroon Bible Institute
Bright land Christian Academy
Buea Central Prison Ministry
Our mission trips

Do your best to share this news with other. God bless and watch over you, your family, and the entire congregation.   

Elangwe and family
By His grace director CBIW

Results From Reporting Graduates In Arusha, Tanzania Is Powerful...

Greetings Fellow Servants,

What a year the Lord has blessed us with. You made a huge difference in the lives of countless souls here in East Africa through your faithful prayers, support, and overall involvement. I share with you some facts, numbers, and, yes, results of what God will and can do when we “...entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.” (2 Tim. 2:2). 

We are in the process of surveying 25% of our Andrew Connally School of Preaching graduates. Having now graduated 140 faithful men, we wanted to survey at least 35 men. As of this writing we have last years results from 30 (about 21%) of the brothers and congregations they serve. We asked five questions:

1.  How many souls were added to the church this year?
2.  How many new congregations did you plant this year?
3.  How many congregations where restored?
4.  How many Christians were restored?
5.  What is the average worship attendance each week?

God’s results through His faithful:

1.  458 new souls added to the Kingdom of God this year.
2.  25 new congregations established this year. 
3.  13 congregations restored to the Truth.
4.  93 children of God restored to their first love.
5.  1,384 souls worshiping God each Lord’s Day. 

Thank you for making the Andrew Connally School of Preaching all she has come to be. We pray that you will see, through these numbers, the good God is doing and that you will see in your hearts the need to continue supporting not only the ACSOP, but other such works around the world. 

The Bear Valley Bible Institute International now has 17 preacher training schools around the world, with plans for five new schools in the coming year. With your prayers, support, and Gods blessings, the BEST IS YET TO COME.

We had a remarkable year thanks to our God and thanks to you. We hope and pray you will join us in the coming year, “Helping Us, Help Them, Help Themselves.” To God be the glory, great things He is doing! Amen!

We wish you all a very Happy New Year! Come see us if you truly want to experience “First Century Christianity Alive and Well in the Twenty-First Century.”

In Him, 
Cy, Stephanie & Granny

Chimala Celebrates Graduation And Prepares For The Next Class...

Since 1958, when the first missionaries entered the country known as Tanganyika, men such as Guy Caskey, Eldred Echols, Al Horn, and Tom Dockery knew the importance of training men to preach the gospel. Later, Andrew Conley and a host of other faithful gospel preachers labored in the Southern Highlands of Tanzania to follow the motto of “training others” to preach and teach the gospel. Since that time, young men have gone out into towns and villages baptizing thousands of souls into Christ. 2014 has been no different. The faculty of the Chimala Bible Institute oversaw graduation. Representing the faculty was Boaz Kasiba who gave the address to the graduates. Joseph and Remmy, directors of both the Swahili and English programs, handed out the diplomas to the Swahili and English graduates. Our guest professor from the Bear Valley Bible Institute, Denton Landon, challenged the audience, graduates, and faculty with scriptural lessons encouraging continued faithfulness to the truth of God’s word. A host of family friends and members of the local mission church were on hand to congratulate the latest group of workers into the kingdom. There were 14 who graduated from the Bear Valley Bible Institute International in this year’s graduation.

A part of the training program we are involved in is the use of our students on weekends and on campaigns for evangelism training. While going out with our experienced teachers, the students learn hands-on “how to do Bible studies” and have opportunities to teach and preach and lead worship in various congregations. We had over 214 baptisms this year on the mission and surrounding areas. Peter Kamatula works in Mbeya and while students were mentored at his side they baptized 14 this past year. Remmy, the director of our English program, works with the students in teaching “Bible Knowledge,” a part of the curriculum in all Tanzania schools. There work has yielded 25 new souls to the kingdom of Christ. 

We have 15 new students who requested enrollment this next year. Tanzania has more than a half a million refugees, more than any other country on the continent of Africa. We were given the opportunity to train some men from both the Congo and Burundi this past year. Next year, there are five fine men who are faithful members of the church from one of these refugee camps who want to join our school to be trained to return to their war-torn countries and present the gospel message. Please continue to pray for our hard working faculty and staff as we all join together to continue the work that for over 50 years has been the hallmark of the Chimala Mission. 

Garry L. Hill
Director/Instructor
Chimala Bible Institute  
Bear Valley Bible Institute International

A Year-End Report Of Souls Saved In Nigeria...

Beloved in Christ,

Compliments of the season from staff and students of the Southwest School of Evangelism (SWSE), Ibadan and the satellite campus in Lagos state, Nigeria, along with my fellow WBSFUW in the Southwest state of Nigeria.

Our three day open-air Bible lectureship concluded on December 26, 2015 at the Lakuru Village, Akinyele Local Government Area of Oyo state, with many prospects.

I worshipped this morning at the Egbeda congregation where I taught on “Restoring the Doctrine of Christ in this Crooked Generation,” while brother Kayode Solomon Eniafe admonished the church on “Looking unto Jesus,” from Hebrews 12:1-2. We are 25 in attendance with total collection of N1,640=.

Reports from my fellow instructors and co-workers at WBSFUW shows that brother Samuel, of Idiroko, recorded two baptisms and two restorations during their end of the year program. Brother Ezekiel Okoh reported the conversion of three souls and the planting of a congregation in a neighboring village during his preaching trip to Ebonyi state. Brother Abiola Joseph Olusoji reported the restoration of a soul at the Agege congregation, while brother Isaac Olaniyan reported the conversion of a soul at the Ijoko congregation, Ogun state.

Brother Matthew Roland, one of my fellow-workers at WBSFUW in Osun state, recorded the conversion of three WBS students during the just concluded WBS seminar in Ilesha town. He (brother Matthew) is presently working with eight secondary schools in the Ilesha township, Osun state.

Brother Lawrence Peter Abiodun, one of the August 2014 graduates and the evangelist of the Owode-Yewa congregation, Ogun state, reported the conversion of two souls and brother Matthew Adeyemi, a fellow-worker at WBSFUW and the evangelist of Igbesa and Lusado villages in Ogun state, reported the restoration of three souls at Igbesa and conversion of four souls at Lusado, the second congregation where he is serving as an evangelist.

Brother Okoro Chinyere, one the graduates of the SWSE Lagos campus and presently one of the instructors at SWSE Ikorodu center, reported the restoration of two souls in the Ikorodu congregation, Lagos state and brother Matthew Idowu reported a great crowd during their house-to-house evangelism at Oke-Afa Isholo, Lagos state, while brother Dele Shotola reported the conversion of a soul at the Felele congregation, Ibadan during their end of the year program.

Brethren, we thank you all for your brotherly love and kindness which you have all expressed by your continuous support for African evangelism, Nigeria in particular which has help us to achieve our aims in life!

Thanks once more for your care and concern. May God in His abundant blessings bless you all and all yours is our fervent prayer in Jesus Christ name, Amen.

Yours in His service,

Makinde Ebenezer Olufemi (Founder & Director of Studies)
Southwest School of Evangelism (SWSE), Ibadan & Lagos campus, Nigeria - West Africa

One Amazing Year-End Report...

We are excited to share with you the anticipated year-end report. Below is the report from Keith Kasarjian on the results achieved by the students in the extension schools around the world. We believe you will be as excited and encouraged by the accomplishment of this work as we were when we read the news. 

It is hard to believe, but the end of 2014 is almost here and at Bear Valley, we have had an outstanding year! This year has truly been wonderful in the history of the Bear Valley Extension Program and we want to share some of the excitement with you - our friends, partners, and supporters. 

There are now 17 extensions, in 15 different countries around the world, with 301 full-time, preacher training students! This year has also witnessed 132 men graduate with their degree or certificate from Bear Valley. Just think of all the potential in those men and their families in the years to come, especially since the vast majority of them are serving in the most fertile parts of the world. This is truly exciting! 

But at Bear Valley, we know that we aren’t doing this alone. We depend on partners and supporters to help us train preachers around the world. In addition to our all-important supporters, 68 different local teachers taught in Bear Valley extensions this year and another 63 men made the journey to an extension to teach a “short course” to our students. This truly is a team effort at every level. 

In addition to teaching these men how to preach and live, we want to instill in them a passion for soul-winning. This is borne out in the many studies, campaigns, and gospel meetings that they are involved in throughout the year. As a result of these efforts, we know of at least: 

1,996 baptisms
91 new congregations
20 congregations restored
221 individual restorations
110 campaigns and gospel meetings 39 lectureships
10 youth conferences and camps
8 denominational preachers converted 

To God be the glory! 

This has truly been a remarkable year, but we are not resting on our laurels as we look to an exciting future. There are already many new students set to enter the program next year and several new extensions are in the works. 2015 promises to be the most exciting year yet! 

At Bear Valley, we thank all those who support us and partner with us to carry out the mandate of 2 Timothy 2:2. What you are doing is making a difference and we literally could not do it without you. Thank you for the confidence you have placed in us and we look forward to continuing to serve together as long as the Lord allows. 

Keith

Now on to more great news in this week’s reports...

Coordinator Updates
Reports from the coordinators are now located on the website, under Staff Reports. The address is http://www.wetrainpreachers.com/extension-schools/

Extension Reports 

Greetings, Gratitude, And An Appeal From Cameroon: After a successful two years at CBIW, a new class of students will begin in January. Director, Elangwe, expresses his gratitude.

Special Greetings From The Southwest School Of Evangelism: The work in Nigeria continues to be a blessing to the kingdom in Nigeria and special greetings are sent to all.

Blessing Tanzania Missions And ACSOP: Sean Hochdorf, director of the Andrew Connally School of Preaching, shares God’s blessing to the work in Tanzania.

Markers Of God’s Hand Working In Tanzania: Along with year-end results, Cy Stafford shares the amazing ways God is working in and through Christians throughout Tanzania.

Final Thoughts 
As the week ahead is filled with time for family and friends, we want to wish you all the best of the holiday season. We love and appreciate you all and pray God will continue to bless you for all your efforts in training preachers. You continue to be a blessing to us and many around the world. 

God bless
Bob