april 2017 world bible institute · 2017-05-08 · degree only available online; the degree...
TRANSCRIPT
World Bible Institute
Inside this issue
David Hamrick Report ....... 2
Visit To Hong Kong And The Philippines .......................... 3
WBI Staff ........................... 3
Visit WBI Bookstore .......... 4
Extension School Update from Dr. Pat McIntosh ................ 4
Pictures from VBC ............. 5
Dr. Justin Imel, Sr. Report .. 5
Help Us Cut Costs!............. 5
New Master in Biblical Studies Degree from WBI McDonough, GA: World Bible Institute (WBI) recently announced the offering of a Master in
Biblical Studies. Students may choose an emphasis in either Bible or Ministry. The MBS is a 36 hour
degree only available online; the degree consists of 10 3-hour courses and a 6-hour practicum. The 6-
hour practicum, Dr. Pat McIntosh, Vice President of Academic Affairs, said, will “benefit the local
congregation in the form of classes or seminars conducted or sermons delivered.”
The MBS from WBI offers students an opportunity to learn from highly-experienced faculty who not
only have high academic credentials but who remain active in ministry. The Chancellor of World
Bible Institute, Dr. J.J. Turner, noted: “The church at this time in the 21st century, not only needs the
rightly divided word of God, but cutting edge methodologies not from textbooks written by theorist
who have never been in the day-to-day challenges of local work, but teachers presently on the firing
line.”
Because WBI wishes to train kingdom workers for the modern world, the MBS focuses on practical
ministry. Dr. David Hamrick, President of World Bible Institute, noted, “One of the best qualities of
our degree program that sets it apart from others is that the student learns from hands on projects
relative to the field of study as opposed to just writing papers.”
A MBS from World Bible Institute “serves to aid those who are in full-time ministry and cannot
attend a university,” McIntosh said. All a student needs to earn the Master in Biblical Studies is
access to the Internet and a desire to better his ministry.
Hamrick said, “The degree from WBI is attainable at a fraction of the cost of most Universities.” The
entire degree costs only $1,550. For more information, visit http://www.worldbibleinstitute.com or
call (770) 898-7817.
April 2017
Vision, a publication of
World Bible Institute is
published 6 times a year and
is available free of charge to
individuals and congregations
of the churches of Christ.
To subscribe to receive a
print copy or subscribe to our
email list, please contact Dr.
Justin Imel, Sr., Director of
Technology at
World Bible Institute is under
the direction of the eldership
of the McDonough church of
Christ in McDonough,
Georgia.
In addition to a new Administrator (Steve Dorwu) the VBC now has an official Board of Directors.
Pictured on the next page is that board including Ben Fulks and Leon Bates from the United States.
Seated is Ben wearing the striped shirt and Leon is in wearing maroon. Administrator Dorwu is wearing
the coat and tie. The rest of the Board is made up of teaching staff and highly respected gospel
preachers from the Volta Region.
New water lines have been installed to
provide water to the school from the water
well behind the facility and the security wall
around the campus is close to complete.
However, the most encouraging news is that
the farm land is being cleared on a regular
basis (notice the picture of working on the
farm to the left). We have 52 acres to farm
and yet there are still trees and ant mounds
that need to be removed before our tractor
can be best utilized. $2,000 will cover the
cost for a backhoe to clear the rest of the
property so farming can commence on the
entire farm. We anticipate great results from
farming that much land. Can you help us
with the funds for clearing the rest of the
land? It will be a great step closer to our goal of making the school self supportive.
See page 5 for more pictures from Volta Bible College.
“WBI’s purpose in establishing extension schools is to create self-supporting, self-leading, and self-propagating schools.”
President David Hamrick’s Report
Our Lord has been so good to bless
WBI and for that we are thankful.
We have been blest with some great
people with which to work along
with some great opportunities to
spread the gospel throughout the
world. One of our most productive
schools is the Volta Bible College in
West Africa. I am scheduled to visit
the school to establish a Graduate
Program. I will be teaching an
Introduction to Graduate Studies
course and setting up the library
making use of the Dewey Decimal
system. While there I will also have
the privilege to teach on the subject
of Leadership for a preacher’s
seminar on Friday and then
participate in our third graduation for
VBC on Saturday.
Ben Fulks just returned from visiting
there and brought back an
encouraging report. The parking lot
for VBC is now finished. It consists
of gravel with a border of rocks. The
driveway from the road is also
gravel. Now visitors can park their
cars without fear of getting stuck
during the rainy season.
2
WBI Staff
Dr. J.J. Turner, Chancellor
& McDonough church
elder/Board member
Russ Havard, McDonough
church elder/Board member
Roosevelt Harris,
McDonough church elder/
Board member
Dr. David Hamrick,
President
Aubrey Johnson, Instructor
Roland Cumbee, Jr.,
Extension Studies
Coordinator
Dr. Pat McIntosh, Academic
Dean/Head of Graduate
Studies
Howell Ferguson, Vice
President/Director of
Extension Studies
Dr. Justin Imel, Sr., Director
of Technology
Edwin Bacani, Director of
the Philippines
Phillip Satterfield, Instructor
Janet Wilson, WBI
Secretary
Lisa Blagg, Secretary for
Online Studies
3
VBC Board of Directors
Visit To Hong Kong And The Philippines
The largest trip of the 2017 year is undoubtedly the one scheduled for April 28 – May 8 to Hong
Kong and the Philippines. The main reasons for these visits are to meet with several preachers in
Hong Kong to discuss the possibility of opening an extension program there; conduct a blitz class
for the Restoration Bible College (RBC) students including an open forum on eschatology; assist
in a medical mission in Manaoag, Pangasinan; and participate in the graduation of RBC. For this
last event, I will be carrying with me the diplomas and gift Bibles for 14 graduates.
I will be leaving Nashville on the 28th and arrive in Hong Kong a little past 6 p.m. Saturday
(29th). Sunday (30th), Edwin will be speaking at the Wanchai church of Christ, and I will be
speaking at the Yuen Long church of Christ. Monday (1st), there will be a one-day lectureship
entitled, “Empowered Heart Series 3.” Tuesday (2nd), Edwin and I will fly to Manila where
Edwin will spend some time with his parents from the 2 – 4 of May. I will leave Manila that
Tuesday and travel by bus or car to Baguio City a few hours away. While Edwin is away, I will
hold my classes and conduct an open forum with the students at RBC. On the 5th Edwin and I
will join back together and participate in a one-day medical mission in Manaoag, Pangasinan – a
place about 30 miles from Baguio City. Edwin is a professional pharmacist and his wife, Diane is
a medical doctor so their presence will be a great benefit to the people there. I will just assist in
whatever way they need me.
Saturday, May 6th will be the date for the RBC graduation. I anticipate that it will be mostly an
all-day event. Sunday (7th), Edwin and I will worship at the Nlex church of Christ between
Baguio City and Manila. That afternoon we will take a bus or car back to Manila and spend the
night before our next day’s flight. My journey back home begins at 9:30 Monday morning (8th)
take-off time on All Nippon Airways connecting to Tokyo; then on Skywest Airlines to Chicago;
and landing in Nashville around 7:15 that same evening. — Howell Ferguson
From WBI’s website you can access
our Amazon bookstore and purchase
books by WBI faculty. Books include
Guilt Free Discipleship: How to lead
others to Christ without having to
leave your comfort zone by Dr. David
Hamrick, Shepherding Wandering
Sheep: Elders Talk by Dr. Justin Imel,
Sr., and Don't Stop Praying; The
Answer Is Coming: God Is Still
Answering Prayer by Dr. J.J. Turner.
Every purchase through our bookstore
helps to support the preaching of the
Gospel throughout the world.
You can visit our bookstore from the
WBI website at: http://
worldbibleinstitute.com/index.php/
bookstore.
Place your order TODAY!
Ivano-Frankivsk, Ukraine
This is our newest extension. Ivano-Frankivsk is in Western Ukraine. You
might be aware that there has been a great deal of unrest in Eastern Ukraine.
Russian (as believed by most) forces have been militarily involved in this area
for a few years now. David Hamrick and I worked in that area when we were
working together with the Bear Valley Bible Institute of Denver, Extensions
program. As a matter of fact, our building in Gorlovka was taken by the
attacking forces one Sunday morning. The Christians meeting were given two
hours to get their belongings out. As far as I know, they are still using that
building. We flew into the Donetsk airport. It has been completely destroyed.
As of a few weeks ago, there was still shelling just outside of Donetsk and
Christians were struggling with the situation there.
However, Eastern Ukraine is not facing that situation at all. We had an
uneventful trip as far as fighting was involved. David Hamrick and I went
there to teach two classes. David taught a class on Fundamentals and I taught a
graduate class on Daniel. Our brother, Ivan, is doing a great job directing the
school.
When I saw Ivan, I knew I recognized him. He was one of our students in
Eastern Ukraine. It was a joy to be reunited with this fine man. He is doing a
great job with the school as well as with the local work there.
We have a lot of work to do in Eastern Ukraine. To the best of my knowledge,
there are only five congregations of the Lord’s church in Eastern Ukraine.
Clearly, there is need of preachers to work in this area of the country. The
congregation meeting in Ivano-Frankivsk already has an evangelistic plan.
One or two of the families are going to a village relatively near-by to “plant”
another congregation. I am so thankful for these mission-minded brethren and
their love for souls in Ukraine.
Cheryl and I will be going there to work the latter part of June (the exact date
will be set soon). I will be teaching a graduate class again. Hopefully, Cheryl
will have an opportunity to teach some classes to the ladies and may be a few
children. We are eagerly anticipating this trip together as it has been some time
since we have made a trip like this together.
Costa Rica
While at the Freed-Hardeman Lectures we met with a brother planning on
establishing a school in Costa Rica. I will have more to say about this when
and if the plans develop.
Uganda
The work in Uganda continues to go well. Saturday door-knocking campaigns
is a part of the curriculum for the students at the Rwensori School of Teaching.
I got a report just a few days ago that a new congregation has been planted in a
nearby village. There 17 baptisms in that location this past Saturday. I am
thankful to see the work habits of these brethren and am encouraged to be
reminded of the power of God’s Word in saving the lost.
4
Extension School Update from Dr. Pat McIntosh
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16)
March was an amazing month for my work at
WBI, and I am more excited than ever to be a
part of this great effort! I started an Instagram
account for the school,. The purpose of the
account is twofold: to encourage Christians
with biblical truth and to remind our
followers about WBI’s important work. We
also have also started a YouTube channel. We
intend to post appropriate videos to encourage
and teach God’s Word and once again we’ll
utilize this tool to remind our subscribers and
others of our kingdom work. Additionally, we
have begun a blog available on our website.
For the time being I’m posting articles on leadership by our chancellor, Dr. J. J. Turner; Dr.
Turner writes often and well and his insights are extremely applicable to Christian living. I’m
prayerful that we can extend our reach through social media in the very near future to reach
more individuals and congregations about the good WBI does both at home and abroad.
To subscribe to our social media channels, please visit our website: http://
www.worldbibleinstitute.com.
5
Pictures from Volta Bible College
Justin Imel Report
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