Beloved in Christ,
Greetings from Nigeria. We deeply appreciate all the Lord has been doing to us here at Southwest School of Evangelism, Ibadan, Nigeria.
One Month Student’s Teaching Practice:
The one month teaching practice of all the students of SWSE from July 10 through August 11, 2015 resulted in the conversion of twenty-five souls and the restoration of forty brethren.
Ghana Trip:
I was privileged from August 9 through 20 to meet with a thousand of faithful and zealous brethren in Ghana. Brother Seth Larbi, delegated brother Nicholas to pick us (myself and brother Isaac Olaniyan) at Tudu motor park by 1:30 am on August 9. We left Nigeria in the early morning of August 8 (Saturday), but due to the current security challenges the whole world is experiencing, the journey of twelve hours from Nigeria took us over sixteen hours. All six checking points were mounted by heavy armed security men from Nigeria to Ghana and from Ghana back to Nigeria.
Brethren, nothing relieves a traveler better than being received by dedicated brethren at the point of his / her arrival in a strange land. We thank God for the leadership skills of brother Seth Larbi, which resulted in our safety at Tudu Park, even though we arrived late on August 9, 2015.
From August 10 through 20, our guest speaker, brother Jerry Bates, was busy rightly dividing the Word to the students of Bear Valley Bible Institute Ghana Graduates School, Accra. The instructors of the master’s program organized by BVBI for West Africa evangelists are so powerful because their teaching is very clear, informative, inspiring, and instructive. We are now looking forward for next class in early 2016.
Southwest School of Evangelism Updated:
In answer to our long time prayer, the SWSE is now upgraded to Bear Valley Bible Institute Nigeria-Ibadan as of August 27, 2015 to enable us to operate as an international school of preaching hence forth. We thank brother Doug Wheeler, brother David Ballard, brother Steven Ashcraft, brother Keith Kasarjian, and brother Bob Turner for all their efforts, which finally make these upgrades.
Annual Lectureship and Graduation:
We just concluded our 13th Annual Bible Lectureship & 12th Graduation ceremony, which was attended by about three hundred brethren and families of graduates. The theme of this year Bible Lectureship centered on “The Mission of the New Testament Church.” I introduced the subjects followed by brother Steven Ashcraft, brother David Ballard, brother Isaac Olaniyan, brother Augustine Odoh, brother Abiodun Owolabi (President of WNCC), and lastly brother Ayobami Akanji (an elder of the Isheri-Oshun congregation, Lagos and SWSE Board members). Three thousand VOTI vol. 84 were freely distributed to all the participants from the six geographical states of Nigeria. A carton of preaching books from Mission Printing was distributed as working tools to all our BVBI certificate graduates, while the ten students here for the Diploma in Theology also went home with a package of books by deceased brother John Waddey and books from World Evangelism.
Gratitude:
We commend brother Joel Coppinger and associates, brother Doug Wheeler and associates, the BVBI family and you all for your unflinching support and contribution toward the development of this school over the years and we promise you our best to the glory of God. May the Lord of blessing continue to bless our work together in Jesus Christ’s name, Amen.
Yours fellow soldier of Christ,
Brother Makinde Ebens Olufemi (Director of Studies)
Bear Valley Bible Institute Nigeria-Ibadan