This past week I taught for two days at the CLCI seminary. I gave an overview of the life of Paul and four of his letters: 1 & 2 Thessalonians and 1 & 2 Corinthians.
In addition to the 48 students, 32 pastors came on Tuesday and 42 on Wednesday. The news of our teaching had spread and these pastors came of their own accord. 5 of them were independent (i.e., not affiliated with the CLCI).
I am told that these independent were very impressed with our teaching and were even interested in joining the CLCI seminary for additional training. They had not received such in-depth teaching before. Pray that the Lord will provide the funds needed to allow these pastors to join as new students.
Last month we had a similar seminar in Ongole while the mission helpers were here. 13 of the 23 pastors were not affiliated with the CLCI. These too were impressed with the depth of our teaching, and the head of the CLCI has received several queries about becoming affiliated with the CLCI for additional training in God’s word. Pray that the Lord will provide the funds to allow the CLCI to conduct additional seminars like this one.
The Lord says through the prophet Amos:
“Behold, the days are coming,” declares the Lord GOD,
“when I will send a famine on the land—
not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water,
but of hearing the words of the LORD.” – Amos 8:11 (ESV)
There truly is a famine in this land of hearing the words of the Lord. These pastors show how much solid, Biblical teaching is needed here.
That isn’t the end of the Lord’s message through Amos, however. He continues:
“They shall wander from sea to sea,
and from north to east;
they shall run to and fro, to seek the word of the LORD,
but they shall not find it.” – Amos 8:12 (ESV)
We praise the Lord that this verse is not yet true; we still have the word of the Lord to share with people. It can still be found in our seminaries, schools and churches. Pray that the Lord will enable us by His grace to continue to faithfully teach and preach His word, especially the message that Jesus has taken away the sins of everyone in the world by His death and resurrection. To Him alone be the glory, amen.