School Day with Students, Professors, and Alumni

Today at the Southern Africa Bible College we had the opportunity to study with the students for a couple of hours. I went into the Church History class and heard great reports by Martin. They are in the early church period and spoke about the episcopacy. It was a very good class. Next, I went to the Synoptic Gospels class and felt like I was back at preaching school learning about the Q document and the pros and cons of this theory. I appreciated the response of the students and the professor as they looked at the early evidence of what documents were widely published and accepted first. This comes back to Matthew.

We were then able to meet with the faculty and ask questions about the school, content, students, alumni, and all the work done here in South Africa. They explained that in 1960 there were 71 churches in SA, and now they can confirm 399 churches. They spoke of the last two campaigns the students led that led 136 souls to Christ. Of the economic pressures the country is currently in and the strain that has put on there contributing congregations. Because of this there was a decision this year to limit the number of students, this seems to be rectified but one of there major contributors here in SA will no longer be able to offer support. They will need additional support to keep the numbers up. $700 per month supports a student fully with room and board, and all the teaching at the school. It is a wonderful program and I have been very impressed with both the teachers and the students. The alumni were reported on by the faculty and they have a strong number who are continuing to preach the word and minister in the church. Due to the economic situation of the country most have a secular job as well. The Hilltop congregation in Johannesburg is working to solve this problem by partially supporting works until the church is able to pay for full time ministers. All students who graduate this accredited program get a BA in Theology.

We then had a wonderful lunch with the students, faculty and alumni. After lunch we got a report from the alumni as to where they are now and what they are doing. It was wonderful to hear that some had come to the Lord through World Bible School and went on the SABC. Some are working with New Life Behavior in the prisons to bring the word of the Lord to the inmates. Some are in secular jobs and help at their local congregations with teaching and preaching. The majority were working full time as preachers in the surrounding areas and shared their work and how they were spreading the gospel. It was wonderful to hear by multiple preachers that they get to have a Bible study with school students and say a prayer with them a few times a week. This is very exciting as we do not even have opportunity to pray with our school kids, not even at the beginning of sports events anymore in the US. 

After dinner we had a nice devotional with the students and they sang a great rendition of Higher Ground, I have it here if you would like to listen to it.

Overall it was a wonderful day of encouragement and if you are looking to help spread the word of God, this is an excellent ministry to do just that. Tomorrow we will work on the campus and help renovate. Then we are going to a squatter camp where some of the alumni are serving the Lord with help of food for lunch, doing Bible studies and helping them join the local congregation. One last note, please pray for the school presidents wife as she is having a partial lumpectomy on Wednesday. May you all be blessed by God!