October 2013 - Spiritual Word College

                  October 2013 - Spiritual Word College

Our hearts sense a deep expectation this Bible College semester. Difficult to explain but there’s an excitement about what the Word & Spirit of God is doing!

 

We have four classes: yes, even five!
The fifth one first: “Mama Isabelle’s Health tips” every second Wednesday before prayer. Isabelle shares from 20 years of learning and experience on the benefits and use of some God-given natural preventions and remedies for various common ailments here in Africa.

And the four:        THU PM            “Theology of Grace”             (Video – P. Serradji: MC’d by Ps Luigi)
                                FRI PM              “The Christian’s Identity”                    (Ps Luigi)
                                SAT AM #1         “Acts”                                       (Video – Ps Scibelli: MC’d by Paul)
                                SAT AM #2         “Major Christian Doctrines 1”           (Ps Luigi)

With very little publicity before the semester – we have the largest number of students ever coming out since we began in 2010: the classes are packed and there’s a spiritual “buzz” in the air!

In Acts 2 – where the Holy Spirit was filling the apostles and they spoke the Word: people were drawn to hear it. In reading through the passage I was struck by 3 effects in particular that this anointed word had on people:

     1. TOUCHED HEARTS v37 – Now when they heard this they were pricked in their heart…

The word didn’t just touch the soul of the listeners. It was more than simply emotional or intellectual stimulation or a coercing of the will: but the word penetrated all the way into the depths / the heart of those hearing it.

 
     2. FAITHFUL SOULS v42 – And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine & fellowship, & in breaking of bread & in prayers

Were 120 disciples capable of following up on 3000 new converts? We believe in follow up and in visiting people, and we do that: but the effects of anointed words go beyond any follow up program that we could ever devise or implement! These 3000 souls “continued steadfastly”, not because of a human, manipulatory scheme or method to keep them coming out but because of the filling of the Holy Spirit and because of the overflowing out-pour of that filling. 

     3. SUPERNATURAL DECISIONS v45 – And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men,…

These saved Jews began to make some pretty unusual decisions! Selling possessions and even lands to give to the needs of others: that’s kind of unusual! Why? It was a special context at that time in Jerusalem and there were many needs, but still, this kind of decision is not normal! Yet, because of the Holy Spirit and the anointing of God and Divine love: they went way beyond the “normal” or natural!

The anointing of God and the Word and Spirit of God has touched our hearts in ways beyond what any man could ever do: our “inner-man” has been strengthened.  And when hearts are touched in this way – God’s Spirit draws us into faithfulness. We keep coming and people keep coming – because something is going on! One evening we were with Jean-Claude and Odile: students in Bible College and in the church. Jean-Claude mentioned concerning a recent evening class: He said, “When we went home after that class – we knew that we had been at something!”  When you know that you’ve been at something, you want to be again!

And supernatural decisions follow:
Unwed couples living together (as is culturally common here) decide to separate for a time, pay a price in honoring God and make the rare commitment of marriage: we celebrated 2 such marriages in September; Some people move home to be closer to what’s going on; Others travel relatively long and costly distances to come to classes: one pastor from another ministry comes 3 times a week on his motorbike from a village that’s about 20km away. One day when it was raining he was the first to arrive!  Others are taking steps of faith and getting a taste for evangelism for the first time! God only knows all of the supernatural decisions that are being made secretly in hearts: to sacrifice, to love, to pray, to forgive, to trust God… but we’re sure that these things are happening, and it’s because of the Word of God and the Holy Spirit.











Thank you for your prayers  with us as the semester continues: that the presence of God and the visitation of the Holy Spirit and the Word of His grace would continue to uphold and renew each one: as we are already experiencing it, and also desiring it more and more.

Pray for new students – as “NOUROU-DINE” whom we met on evangelism at the university 3 Wednesdays ago. He’s a university freshman: converted from Islam to Christ only back in March. We met him, he was reading his Bible, and Laety and I noticed right away: a real desire and hunger for the Word of God. What an opportunity for this new born babe in Christ to get a foundation in his soul from the Word that will never leave him in these beginning years of his Christian life! We felt led to strongly encourage him about Bible College and he’s been coming out – from far – to every class since 3 weeks!
 

God bless you, we love you!

Paul & Laety