Rex and Shirley Schaffner @ NTBI Training future missionaries at New Tribes Bible Institute 66 Graduates Face the Real Test
What do you get if you combine sunshine, 612 people, some special speakers, special music and 66 really special students who have completed two yeaars of studying God’s Word? A really great graduation day at New Tribes Bible Institute in Jackson MI. Over 275 family members attended the senior class brunch, after which guests moved to Grace Church where the Commencement Service took place. Class speakers Elise and Brian shared how they have been impacted by God’s Word these past two years and encouraged the class to continue on in their faith. The real test begins now…living life outside of NTBI.
Many of the graduates will continue in the training program with New Tribes Mission. Eventually some will no doubt present the Gospel to groups of people with not the first Word of God in their heart language today.
What a privilege to serve here at NTBI and have a part in grounding these dear ones in the Word of God, pointing them to the One who is all sufficient no matter where they go in the world. Thank You Lord.
“For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth; to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose hearts are perfect toward Him.” 2Chron 16.9 …Lord let that be us.
Into the Amazon
"Yanomami" woman with students
Strange sights, smells, people, surroundings…and especially sounds…languages only spoken by a few hundred people in two different remote villages along the biggest river in South America are the order of the day this week; we are “visiting” the Yanomami and the Hoti tribes. It is my privilege to accompany the NTBI senior class of Spring 2011, 67 graduates to NTM’s mobilization center in central Pennsylvania and go through WAYUMI (www.wayumi.com). WAYUMI is a program designed to take people through a realistic missionary experience, hosted by experienced NTM missionaries who have planted churches in the Yanomami and Hoti people groups. Participants get to meet “tribal” people and interact with them, attempting to solicit words and phrases. They are taught how to do this in advance and as a result get to see that it is achievable…it is do-able…even by ordinary people. God has used WAYUMI to convince a number of people to begin the NTM training and attend New Tribes Bible Institute. We are so excited to be a part of taking people to WAYUMI and encouraging others to go. Church groups, youth groups and individuals can go for a weekend or for 5 days. It is life-changing!!! If you know of anyone considering whether they should serve the Lord full time in missions, please let them know about WAYUMI. Contact us for more information if you want to. And please…PRAY…for God to continue to use WAYUMI to continue to raise up more laborers. Thank you so much!
Tags: New tribes Bible Institute, ntbi
Visiting the Kaulong in PNG
VanderDeckers sharing about PNG
Last Friday night we were blessed to host about 35 people who came to visit with the Peter VanderDecker family from Papua New Guinea. They have been working with the Kaulong people for several years and finally taught them the Gospel in 2005. What a joy to hear their story and see so many of our students interested in what God has done in that people group. Kaulong believers are now shepherding the church while Peter and Pam are home reporting on the work. One of the VanderDecker’s biggest prayer requests is that God will use them and their 5 children to raise up more missionaries as they travel throughout the US. They are in Jackson for their oldest son Josiah’s graduation from NTBI. It will be sad to see him go, yet his brother Jotham is beginning in August. What an encouragement to see God moving in the hearts of their children to continue in His work of making God known. Please join us in praying for the entire VanderDecker family. And if you would, please pray for a good enrollment for NTBI in August. Applications are coming in…we have room for many more. Thanks!
Another language group hears the Gospel!
Some excerpts from the first report from Adam and Julie since the Gospel presentation yesterday…
You asked, God Answered:
Today, light again penetrated centuries-old darkness, and the Akolet people were brought to a saving knowledge of Christ!
[Julie reports that] many of the people who were named in yesterday’s email have given clear testimony of faith in Christ. They will be talking with many more in the coming days and are confident that more Akolet have been born again. The church in Akolet lives! Praise the Lord!
Kotme believes! She was not her normally bubbly self today, but sat in seemingly stunned silence. She just kept saying, “I never understood! I never understood! But the way to be made right with God is just Jesus! There’s no other way!” Then I asked her, “So do we need to do good ways now above and beyond what Jesus did so that he will save us?” She said, “Well no, he didn’t ‘half’ His work! He finished it and said ‘Done now’ when He died! There’s nothing we can do to add to that!”
Amen Kotme! What marvelous and simple understanding! Praise God! Please be praying for these, our new brothers and sisters in PNG. May they grow strong in their new faith in Christ!
We are so privileged to serve at NTBI and be able to bring you this kind of news! Thank you for your time and for praying for us and with us as God continues to bring laborers like the Martins and Warners our way. They started their training for this at New Tribes Bible Institute Jackson just a few years ago. :>)
No More Pool? No More Water Closets?
The End of an Era
The feature that set New Tribes Bible Institute in Jackson apart for so many years made way for a new era just a few weeks ago. The Fitness Center has finally open! A brand new rubber floor…bright lights…two new Flat Screen TV’s were hung where there may have been a “No Life Guard on Duty” sign. The old weight room is empty. We will soon add more weights, treadmills and ellipticals. P90x and other exercise routines are a common sight. How thankful we are to the Lord and to some of you for providing what was needed in order to finish this project!
No More Waterless Apartments???!
Talk about a surprise…several months ago, we discovered that in order to meet the current health codes, NTBI Jackson would need to install water in every married apartment. We know that our married alumni are saying… NOOOO! Let them experience no water! Sorry that is not an option. So…this May-July we will be installing new kitchens in 11 apartments. We need some skilled help with electric, plumbing, flooring and cabinet installation. If you want to assist or know of someone who would, please write greg_hobbs@ntm.org or call him at 517-782-9309. Thanks, we appreciate your prayers for God’s provision, the safety of all working on this and a timely completion.
How Encouraged Can One Get?!!! Must Be the Joy of the Lord!
After 15 days in the books of 1,2,3 John with the 65 seniors, looking at these faces each day, I was flying high. Talking about fellowship, seeing John’s heartbeat for the believers he was writing to…wanting to protect them from any and all lies which would take them away from the truth they knew. WOW. Just like the heartbeats of our teachers and staff here for the students. For two years they have studied and been introduced into much truth. Walking in this truth will lead to a very fruitful life for the Lord. We pray there will be nothing that distracts them from the truth they now have; nothing that hinders their Christian life.
Soon they will graduate and be on their way; some into missions, some into other forms of ministry. Whatever the Lord has for them, we pray that they will continue to win and disciple others for the Lord. Nothing would bring greater joy to our hearts than to hear our students walking in truth! NOTHING! Thank You Lord for the time we have had with them. Thank You Lord for those praying for us and supporting us…making this even possible. You Lord…are Amazing!
And They’re Off!
Start well...finish well!
After giving out a few prizes, the grand prize being a whole semester’s worth of textbooks, Rex Gutwein welcomed the entire student body back tonight at the semester kickoff. He challenged them to take be taking their time at NTBI seriously. It is a common comment by upper classmen and women, that the time really flies by and they should have been more focused on the important while here at NTBI.
Dan Falls followed Rex with an admonition to start well and finish well, quoting no other than the Apostle Paul several times. Tomorrow is the first day of class…the freshmen will be adjusting for the next few days. The returning students will get back in the swing of things rather easily and are quite excited to be able to study the Word full time again. Your prayers for both groups and for us the staff are very much appreciated! Thank you for praying.
Grand Trip to the GC!
Megan, Aaron, Shirley, Mike, Rachel, Megan, Rico and me
How many places can you walk up to and sense the presence and power of God? What an amazing stimulus to our senses! I often think about kind of thing when in the air, flying at 35,000 feet, marveling at the earth, the sky and the heavens. Back on earth one of the most magnificent places I get goose-bumpy about is the GRAND CANYON! OMG…His handiwork!!! We had the privilege of visiting earlier this month with our entire family. What a blessing! We had always wanted to go but never were able…that is until now. We met our kids in Sedona for a week, PTL, and made the trip to the Grand Canyon. Thank You Lord! We all walked up to it and were absolutely speechless, albeit our hearts leaping with incredible awe and wonder at God! My oh my, what an incredible God we have! And what a privilege we have to be able to speak of Him often to those who do not know. May you find many opportunitites in 2011 to share who YOU know and what you know about Him!
PTL!
“The heavens declare the glory of God and the earth shows His handiwork!”
Chillin with the fam at the Grand!
A Graduate’s Perspective…Priceless!
It is always good to hear the testimony of one of our students. Matt and his class graduated December 18, after two years of studying the Scriptures full time. His heart has been captured by God and His character…by what He did when He sent His only Son to planet earth. Matt’s desire now is to take God’s message of salvation to those who do not know. Check out his story here.
The 10 of 2010
Here’s a short clip of one of the highlights from yesterday’s Graduation at NTBI Jackson. It was another uplifting ceremony focused on what the Lord has done in the lives of those who study His Word for two years.
Merry Christmas to all and Congratulations Seniors!
