Monday, October 24, 2011

From Kona to the Nations...

News From the Island:
I hope this update finds you well! The past two months have flown by here in Kona, and I am still catching my breath from a few weeks of travel. Last month, several hundred students were sent out on international outreaches from Kona, and over 500 new students joined the university, coming to Kona to be trained for missions in all vocations; from counseling, to film making, to worship leading etc. The School of Biblical Studies is nearing its end, only two months of lectures to go! some of our staff and students will be going on international outreach, and I am helping to prepare programs for them in Costa Rica and Haiti. In addition to my SBS duties, I have been teaching in the Discipleship Training Schools on the Bible, going through the methods of Inductive Bible study and also teaching I John. This week I will be helping to train the outreach teams headed to the Middle East, I'll be sharing some cultural content as well as history of the area, but the main thing that God has been putting on my heart is discussing how we as Christians go as peacemakers (Matthew 5:9) and without representing any other authority or agenda, become ambassadors of the Kingdom of God. I'd appreciate your prayers for wisdom as I sort through these things and how to prepare young people to enter these tough areas for the Gospel.



Workshops, conferences & visits:
I feel incredibly blessed as i look back on the past month and realize what I have been witnessing is truly kingdom history in the making. September ended with YWAM's "University of the Nations Workshop," which gathered together missions leaders and YWAM trainers from across the world for a time of fellowship, planning and testimony. We had a chance to hear from international leaders about the impact the Gospel is making in transforming communities and nations. Shortly after the workshop, I flew to Colorado Springs, Colorado to be part of the "Vineyard Missions leaders conference" Which was an equally incredible time of hearing testimonies from all over the world. How God is blessing and empowering a world-wide church planting movement, which is creating Christ-centered, hope giving, self sustaining and "multiplyable" communities of transformation across the globe (I don't think there is a shorter way to say it :-). This past week I was also able to be home in PA, and briefly visit with friends and family, as well as share at VCF @ the Barn, my home church. Quite a whirlwind time, but I could definitely feel God's grace on every aspect of my travel, preparing divine appointments, and even delays that worked out for the best :-) you can't plan that stuff!

Colorado Springs, Colorado: For the Vineyard Missions Leaders' conference




Taking Bible Study to the Nations:
As I have been working with Bible teaching and training for some time, one of the burdens that God has put on my heart is to package our Bible study cirriculum in ways that can be adapted to meet the needs of believers in other cultures and settings. A Bible training program in rural China would need to look different than the 9 month SBS we run here in Kona. In the same way, Bible study among new Haitian believers can be adapted to utilize the strengths of their culture, and maximize their engagement with the scriptures. In the past few months, I've been part of a team developing some new training that the U of N will begin to offer in other nations. Two forms of training that will shortly become available are the online SBS (where students who work full time can enroll part time in an inductive Bible study course with online resources, class discussion times and staff grading submitted homework) and a new Bible Survey Course, where students engage with the entire Bible, and utilizing small groups, and class discussion to explore the major themes and topics in the word. I am trusting the Lord that these courses will provide the opportunity for many people to study God's word who would not have otherwise been able to.

My sister, Soriya Greenplate made the trip down to Kona
along with my parents, Paul and Cindy. Soriya and I led
worship for the Kona Coast Chaplaincy, my home church here.