It was indeed a rare privilege to be involved in mission work this year in Kenya. In a team of five evangelists, only Adegoroye Abiodun and I made it to Kenya.
Within these 12 days, we actively worked for 10 days. We joined Dr. Ebenezer Udofia of Healing Hands International (HHI) to share relief with drought-affected communities. We cashed in on that opportunity to preach to the community and church members about the love of God and the need to seek spiritual food.
We also had three seminars with the church meeting at Eastleigh, Kamorock, and Oyugis. Lessons were centered on the family and its relationship to church growth.
We spent a whole day at the Nairobi Great Commission School; a leading Bible college in Nairobi, where we shared our thoughts with the students and faculty on key Biblical topics around the impact of the Pulpit on church growth.
We spent 3 days in Western Kenya, where we joined Healing Hands International to teach the people the gospel while HHI taught the community the Drip Irrigation farming technique. We were blessed to have people listen to us and resolve to make amendments in their relationship with the Creator.
From a human point of view, I think the impact of this trip was huge. We discovered that by skipping talking about the family and focusing on evangelism and church growth, we had missed the main issues all these years. Our lessons and the questions that followed clearly showed us that the church in Kenya had not been dealing with family. Our lessons filled that gap.
For me, it was a rare privilege to share my new book, THE PREACHER AND THE PULPIT, with a large number of preachers in Kenya; with the goal of shaping their output from the pulpit.
The main challenge we faced was rising ticket costs. It was tough to buy tickets for $1,400 a trip that usually costs a little above $750.
We thank God for placing Dr. Ebenezer Udofia in Kenya ahead of our arrival. He has been hosting, feeding, and carrying us around all the places we go. In fact, he is the one who tells us where to go and sets up meetings with his huge network.
Going forward, I want to appeal to you to help find a congregation that will set aside a yearly mission support fund of $2,000 for this project.
It was indeed a great privilege to go in search of souls to win to Christ and strengthen the already saved ones to remain safe.
Attached to this report is a PowerPoint presentation that captures the highlights of the mission trip.
NIGERIA 4 FIELDS DISCIPLESHIP MULTIPLICATION TRAINING REPORT
Presented is the report on our work at the Abakaliki Youth Conference 2023.
In the quest to train disciples who will make disciples that multiply, Reuben Uche Egwu, Ugochukwu Osuigba Bright and I (Obeten Okoi Oka), with the assistance of Frank Chiedozie Francis were with the Youths at Abakaliki Youth Conference 2023. It was held at the Church of Christ Auditorium (35 Onwe Road Abakaliki, Ebonyi State).
We did the 4 Fields Discipleship Multiplication Training from the 17th to the 19th of August 2023.
The Exposition of Matthew 28:18-20 exposed the Participants/Attendees to the relatively new concept of true discipleship and a better understanding of the passage. The Brutal Facts humbled them and opened their eyes to realize the number of “lostness” in the Abakaliki Capital Territory of the State.
In all, it was a fruitful exercise as we were able to train 274 young persons of different congregations and enclaves and other persons who participated actively. Also, five (5) souls were harvested after the deployment of the Relational Map, the 15 Seconds Testimony, Jesus’ Story in 3 Circles, and Baptism Hammer. They included Sis. Inya Stella, Sis. Ogo Blessing, Bro. Ogboji Emmanuel, Bro. Ogboji Joshua, and Bro. Ele Chikwado.
The youth and other participants gave their “I will” statement with the promise to go forth, continue the good work, use the training to change their lives, and lead souls to Christ – to the glory of God!
The fire 🔥 is on. The team is ever motivated to deliver more with your prayers. Amen.
Greetings and appreciation from the staff and students of the Bear Valley Bible Institute Nigeria (BVBIN) and Southwest School Of Evangelism-Ibadan (SWSE-IBADAN) for your partnership and support that resulted in the success of today’s graduation of 20 servants of God.
We are very excited for your concern and love.
May the Lord continue to bless all our work together in Christ Jesus name,
Amen.
Sincerely yours in His grace as a servant,
Makinde Ebens (The Chief Servant of BVBIN & SWSE-IBADAN)
Grace and peace be multiplied unto you all from God our Father and from Christ Jesus our Lord and Redeemer.
Here is the report of some of our activities for the month of July 2023.
IGARRA, OMU-ARAN, AND IDOFIN-AYEKALE TRIP: “And when they had preached the gospel to that city, and had taught many, they returned again to Lystra, and to Iconium, and Antioch, Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God” – Acts 14:21-22. With this in mind, we (Bro. Makinde Ebens & Bro. Eniafe Kayode) embarked on a week-long visit to Igarra in Edo State to pay a visit to the wife of one of us who received his last Degree (RIP) on August 2022. We also visited one of our graduates ministering in that part of the country on July 5th. We later moved to Omu-Aran in Kwara State and Idofin-Ayekale, where we worked with one of our students, Bro. Adeyemo Olusegun (in the company of Bro. Amos Olusegun and Bro. Adeyiwolu Isaac) before returning on July 12, 2023.
REPORT FROM STUDENTS IN PRACTICUM (TP): The report from some of our students in practicum (teaching practice) shows that 18 souls were added to the Lord’s church as a result of our students’ efforts with the brethren in the congregations where they are serving, along with 25 restorations as of the time of filling this report.
BVBIN & SWSE-IBADAN ENTRANCE EXAMINATION AND INTERVIEW: The Bear Valley Bible Institute Nigeria and Southwest School of Evangelism Ibadan conducted the entrance examination and interview for new incoming students on July 15 and 22, 2023, in which five (5) students succeeded in the test. This will increase the number of year-1 students to 15 and year-2 to 6. Supplementary examination and interview will come up on August 17 at 6:00 pm, Lord willing.
OUR ACCOMPLISHMENT: Great is thy faithfulness, Morning by morning new mercies I found, All I have needed thy hands have provided , Great is thy faithfulness, Lord unto me…… With the sale of our former SWSE-IBADAN building at Otunolode in Lagelu Local Government Area, Oyo State, for the sum of 5 million naira in late June, we were able to put up a roof on the proposed Chad Wagner Open Hall with a sum of 3.6 million naira. Additionally, we used the remaining money to offset some of the expenses for this capital project. The final stage involves plastering the building, installing sliding windows, iron doors, and completing other finishing works.
ABOUT A STUDENT: Bro. Ayobami Daniel Salvation is one of our year-2 students. He was born on August 25, 1996, in Ogbe, Akoko-Edo Local Government Area, Edo State. He grew up with the church of Christ in Ileteju Quarters, Ogbe, and got baptized on January 10, 2010. His major reason for coming to BVBIN & SWSE-IBADAN is to improve his knowledge of the Bible and become one of the effective ministers of God within and outside Nigeria.
UPCOMING EVENTS: I – The Second Batch of BVBIN Degree Students will complete their two years of studies on August 17, 2023, if all things work as scheduled. Lord willing, the Greek class is coming up between August 7-11, and Advanced Homiletics-2 is between August 12-17, 2023. Greek class will be handled by Bro. Isaac Ikperi while Advanced Homiletics-2 will be handled by Bro. Makinde Ebens. II – The BVBIN & SWSE-IBADAN 21st Annual Bible Lectureship and Graduation is coming up on August 17-19, 2023, Lord willing. This year’s Bible Lectureship will center on “Walking in the Spirit of God” (Galatians 5:22-26). Seasoned ministers in Nigeria will be ministering during this year’s Bible Lectureship.
GREAT WORKSHOP 2023: Despite the challenging time in our country, Nigeria, due to the removal of fuel subsidies, 451 brethren actively participated in this year’s Great Workshop. Through the open-air Bible Lectureship and mass Evangelism on July 26 and 27 respectively, nine souls were added to the body of the Lord within and outside the Rumukrusi area of Port Harcourt. All glory be to God. The next year’s Great Workshop is scheduled to be held in Ogoja, Cross River State, Lord’s willing. This year’s Great Workshop was held between July 26-29, 2023, at the Church of Christ, Rumukrusi, Port-Harcourt, Rivers State. The theme of the workshop was “The Mandate of The Master.” Our guest speaker, Bro. Chad Wagner, used the occasion to meet with some evangelists and WBSFUW to discuss how to be effective ministers of Christ and His church. Congratulations to our able, capable, competent, dedicated and glorious man, Brother Chad Wagner, for the success of this year Great Workshop.
FUEL PRICE INCREASE AGAIN IN NIGERIA: President Bola Tinubu announced the removal of fuel subsidies in his inaugural speech on May 29, 2023. Following the announcement, fuel then sold nationwide for between N500 and N570 per litre, an over 200 percent increase from the initial price below N200. Now, within two months of the new government, the cost of petrol increased again to N617 per litre at NNPC outlets, and over N617 in most of the filling stations. The hike immediately triggered an increase in transportation fares and prices of goods and services by various percentages. Presently, we, the masses, are being suffocated by all means by the capitalists who are in power. From day one of this new government in our country, Nigeria, the poor have become poorer, and there’s not one thing done to favor the living conditions of the suffering Nigerians. In fact, the number of less privileged is increasing daily. May God intervene speedily.
SWKA PUPILS – END OF THE SESSION EXAMINATION: The prestigious institution,”South West Kiddies Academy” of Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria, resumed her third terminal academic session of 2022/2023 on 02/05/2023 precisely. It was an atmosphere of eulogy as the students turned up in uniform. Class studies began on the same day with an effort to prepare the students for their academic success. During a period of about twelve weeks, intensive class studies took place and there were positive trends in regards to the intellectual performance of the students. A report received after the third term examination, which spanned from July 10-21, shows a colorful performance of the pupils/students ranging from kindergarten, nursery, primary, junior/senior college with exception of primary five(5) which underwent a common entrance examination which is a test before their entry to junior high School. Their performance too, on this respect, was amazingly colorful as the report entails. God’s willing, the school shall vacate on the 4th of August 2023 till September 4 for the next academic session. The entire management of the school hereby use this medium to appreciate all our supports most especially Bro. Zachary Van Tassel and the Gahanna – Jefferson congregation, Sister Cherry Lloyd and family, Bro. Chad Wagner and associates, and all our well-wishers who partner with us in training the less privileged children to plant their foot on academic ground. May the good Lord continue to bless you all in Christ Jesus’ name. Amen.
As we are charged to preach the Gospel in season and out of season, the command must be carried out even in the face of the current economic predicament and hardship in Nigeria.
The month of July 2023 ended very successfully as many souls were added to the Lord’s kingdom.
There were 4 baptisms at Ekemkpong in Odukpani Local Government Area, Cross River State during the evangelism campaign in the area.
At Ikot Ekpeyak in Ikono, Uyo Local Government Area (LGA), 4 souls obeyed the gospel and were subjected to the watery grave of baptism during the month.
Regarding the evangelism efforts at Afaha Efiat in Etinan LGA, 1 soul was baptized.
There was 1 baptism and 1 restoration at the Central Church of Christ, Ukpom Abak.
At the Ikot Effiong Otop Odukpani LGA in Cross River State, there were 4 baptisms.
The 2023 Great workshop for all follow-up workers in Nigeria, which took place at Port Harcourt, Rivers State, ended with 9 souls being added to the Lord’s church.
Many people were enrolled to study the Bible with us during the period. Pictures and baptism photos are attached. Continue praying for the work.
Greetings from Monday Akpakpan and family. We had a very big rainfall in July 2023. The heavy rain fall does not stop our Evangelism Work.
Here are the things that took place in July 2023:
We had 4 baptisms at Ekemkpong in Odukpani Local Government Area (L. G. A.) Cross River State.
There was 1 baptism and 1 restoration at Ukpom Central Church of Christ, Ukpom, Abak.
There were 4 baptisms at Effiong Otop, Odukpani L. G. A., Cross River State.
We had two baptisms at Two Towns Church of Christ, Manta/Midim, Abak.
M. B. Archibong reported 16 baptisms and 3 restorations in July 2023.
Monday Ezekiel reported 1 baptism from Mbaize, Imo State.
Womens’ Gospel Meeting took place at Church of Christ Utu Abak with very good attendance.
The Youth Bible Seminar that took place at Two Towns Church of Christ on July 30, 2023 was Very, very impressive. Youth from five denominational Churches attended the Seminar.
The monthly Bible Youth Seminars at usual places (Abak City Church of Christ, Ikot Oku Ubara Church of Christ, Manta No 2 Church of Christ, and Ebom Avenue Church of Christ) took place as usual.
The World Bible School (WBS) Follow Up Great Workshop that took place at Port Harcourt added 9 souls to Christ. The attendance was very good. The majority of the people at the Workshop were from Akwa Ibom State.
There was 1 baptism at Church of Christ Afaha Efiat, Etinan.
The Nigerian Christian Bible College (NCBC) Lectureship began yesterday and will end on Friday, August 4th, 2023.
Thank you very much for your prayers. Keep on praying for us.
Report of Gospel Activities in Ondo City for June to July, 2023.
Dear brethren!
Glory, Honour, and Majesty be to God of all flesh for His blessings and care upon all His children! May the name of the Lord God Almighty be exalted forever in Jesus’ name, Amen.
I am grateful for your love and concern! When l remembered your love and support for me and the work of God in my hands, l would continue to offer my prayers to God on behalf of my brethren and the Church at Katy! God will continue to bless the church, Amen. Gospel activities in the course of the months (June to July) is a bit interesting! Our God has been blessings my ministry with souls who are willing to obey the command of Jesus about their salvation. The church at Oka baptized two souls in the course of the months!
Radio Program: The program on Radio will be three years old in this coming December, Lord willing! The program is now going very well with the help of God. The brethren here in Ondo City are doing very well too. The preaching program on Radio has been a beacon for the church in the Ondo area and neighboring lands! We are blessed by God with this program!
World Bible School (WBS): As l reported in the last report, brethren, if you are interested in WBS, l am readily available! I have some courses on ground that need teachers as study helpers. I was there at the great workshop in Port Harcourt that was held from July 26-29, 2023! It was a gathering of preachers who are follow-up workers with WBS! I am back in Ondo City! Brother Chad Wagner was present at the workshop too.
Bear Valley Bible Institute: The Bible training program is going on as planned! Thank God that we are in the third year of study this August, 2023! We are practically doing our best to encourage the students to continue till the end of the program! Also, we want to organize our 2nd annual Bible seminar on the 26th of August this year! We need your prayers for a successful outing to the glory of God, Amen.
Television program: The gospel preaching program is going on as well. We are now on 23 episodes as l write this report! We hope to continue with the program to the glory of God! So far, we have heard reports of brethren making advertisements for the television program! We are making progress.
Challenge: First, the Church at Oka needs your prayers! We are looking for a sound gospel preacher who will continue the work, so l can move to another earmarked area for planting of the church! Second, I would love to continue with the work on ground such as the Television and Radio program. This program needs support in order to continue to be on the air! I will appreciate any help in that area, my beloved brethren!
Beloved brethren, l have always appreciated your love and support for me for the propagation of the gospel in my area for the Lord Jesus and His Church!
May the Lord God Almighty continue to bless the church and allow His blessings to abound unto the church at Katy in Jesus’ name, Amen.
BEAR VALLEY BIBLE INSTITUTE NIGERIA AGEGE STUDY CENTRE
REPORT FOR SECOND QUARTER 2023.
May all glory and honor be ascribed unto God Almighty for His grace and mercy towards all of us at Agege Centre during the second quarter of the year 2023. We glorify the name of the Lord for giving us the required enablement to carry out all our activities and programs as scheduled and in line with the Bear Valley Bible Institute established rules and standards.
CLASS ACTIVITIES
All class were carried out and completed as scheduled and as required by the Bear Valley Bible Institute in the quarter under review. Three courses were successfully completed during the quarter in the following order:
The book of I Corinthians was taught by Brother Gbenga Ilori in the month of April.
In the month of May, Brother Suleiman Yusuf taught the course – “How We Got Our Bible.”
The quarter rounded off with Hermeneutics, which was taught by Brother Etim Mfon. To God be all the glory that the courses were completed in line with the required procedure, with tests, assignments, and examinations completed at the end of each month.
CAMPAIGN (EVANGELISM)
The centre continued to evangelize Aboru, a town in Alimosho Local Government Area of Lagos State, in an attempt to support and strengthen the newly planted church (congregation) in the area. We, however, need prayers for all of us so that the gospel will penetrate the area as the area is highly populated by Muslims. This made it more difficult to preach there. We believe that with prayers and hard work, we will very soon start having positive results to the glory of God!
APPRECIATION
One thing very obvious is that without the efforts and supports of our sponsors and directors, the programme would witness set-backs and may not operate successfully. We therefore appreciate the efforts of our sponsors and directors, especially Brother Keith Kkasarjian who has made it a point of responsibility to visit on regular basis to ascertain the progress and challenges we face and give suggestions on how to improve on our activities. He made such visit this quarter; precisely in the month of May. May God continue to bless all of you. We also appreciate the support of Chad Wagner on his relentless efforts to keep the programme going, as well as every other supporters and sponsors of the programme; may God Almighty continue to bless you in your endeavours to expand His kingdom on earth.
STUDENTS’ POPULATION
We owe God all the gratitude for adding more students to our centre. We started the quarter with ten (10) students, but by the grace of God, we ended the quarter with fifteen (15) students. Our prayer is that God should continue to increase the number of students more so; those who truly desire to learn and preach the word of God (the gospel of Christ’s death and resurrection) in order to expand the kingdom of Christ on earth and prepare the world populace for eternal life in heaven.
CONCLUSION
We once again appreciate the blessings of God Almighty and the support of our directors and sponsors which has enabled our centre to thrive in our programmes and activities. Our prayer is, May God almighty continue to empower and enable all of us to relentlessly continue to contribute our parts in training dedicated men and women who desire to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Emmanuel Chukwuka Odo Bear Valley Bible Institute Agege Study centre Lagos State, Nigeria. emmaodochukwuka@gmail.com
Grace to you and peace from God our father and Lord Jesus Christ.
Below is the mission work report for the second quarter of the year 2023.
Beloved in God, I thank my God always for you and to God for his grace on you that has enabled you to enable us here to do the work of God in this part of the world.
Below is the work report:
Evangelism and church visitation
Two weeks in the month of April, 2023 were used for visitation of our churches in Ette town, Ogugu area of Kogi State. This is to encourage these rural dwellers who are now suffering hardship as a result of their government’s neglect that made them lack all things that help life flourish such as good roads, hospitals, schools with a good teacher, and lack of money as a result of road conditions to carry out their farm products. We visited those who are backsliding among them. We helped them financially and encouraged them to remain in the faith and in the grace of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Three new souls were baptized during these visits to Effeche town and Oluepe town.
In the first week of May, 2023, two students were sent with brother Robert Okolo to join the church of Christ at Bebi Obakilu in Cross River State to work with them for a week in house-to- house preaching and open air preaching. This included a free medical clinic and counseling. They returned with news of 17 newly, baptized people from the work! My visit to my grandson’s church at Akwuke town to worship with them resulted in the baptism of one woman who also visited to worship with the church that day.
IMPORTANCE OF CHRISTIAN EDUCATION USING BIBLE EXAMPLE. ACTS 19:8-11
We are making a great effort to make churches in Enugu State who do not believe in Christian education understand the importance of Christian Education in the development of the church starting in the second week of May, 2023. The mission is sending five students into these churches in Enugu to let them know the importance of raising laborers through Christian Education in the church of Christ in Enugu and beyond. The students have visited ten congregations in Enugu to worship with them and teach them. They will visit more of the churches. The visit every Sunday. The attached to this letter is some of the lessons they are teaching to the churches. The students work inmission home evangelism in Amoli town and in Agbogugu Town.
MISSION BUILDING PROJECT
The mission building project is ongoing. The Amoli town church building is on-going now (see the attachment). It is a block-building now and not zinc batcher like I said before but I will need your help to do the roofing, doors and windows at the cost of 1,500 dollars to do roof, put in iron windows and doors, and plastering with cement. The preacher’s house at IHE town, which was two rooms before, is now four rooms with a toilet, kitchen, and palour. The roof will be completed before the middle of next month. The church will do other works in the building by themselves. See the attached picture of the house. Regarding the Effeche town church building, the church has over grown their church building with a lot of women and children. The mission is helping them to mold cement blocks (six hundred blocks has been molded for the project, but they need 1800 blocks).
MISSION BENEVOLENCE WORK
Different benevolence activities were done in the quarter as food, clothing, and money were given out to the fatherless and motherless and to some of our old women in four of our churches to assist them during their hard times. All were happy, praising, and thanking God. They are praying for you who have enable us to help them. I wish any of you could come to see us and these works you have empowered us to do. The churches of Christ and my family greet you all. May love and God’s grace continue to protect you and us here.
Sincerely thanking you for your fellowship in the Gospel of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
My name is brother Chidi Ogbonna, I am your benefactor and writing as the preacher of the newly formed congregation at Church of Christ Umuokiri Nvosi in Isiala Ngwa Local Government Area (LGA) of Abia State (South Eastern part of Nigeria, West Africa). I am, by this email, sending you my report of work for this second quarter that will be ending in a few days from today.
My work in my new place of work is really yielding fruit because we have been having visitors who are interested in worshipping with us. Some of them were baptized and are constantly worshipping with us. The pictures we are sending alongside this report will show some of the baptisms we had this second quarter. Because this place is a virgin land, we are intensifying our house-to-house gospel preaching.
In this quarter, we hosted two different gospel meetings where we invited some nearby brethren from other local congregations of the churches of Christ to come help us evangelize our area of operation. Again, we plan to invite brethren from more than twenty-two churches of Christ to help us preach the gospel in celebrating our one year anniversary of our congregation. We hope to celebrate our one year anniversary as a congregation on first Friday in the month of November, 2023!
We organized the burial of one of our pioneer members who died in his prime. I preached the gospel of Christ to all who attended the funeral service. I am also enclosing, in this report, the group picture of myself and my first son who is also a gospel preacher preaching in one of the congregation in one of the remotest area of Abia State. He graduated from the Nigerian Institute Of Arts and Theological Studies (NIATS), which is our Bible College at Ntisha Onicha Ngwa under the supervision of brother Chad Wagner and his name is Wisdom Ogbonna C.
I have added market preaching into my preaching ministration and we are going round all the four markets around here in four good days per week! The people are very receptive of our mini services. All the church weekly activities are keenly observed and God is blessing our efforts in His glory.
Brethren, our God has been so gracious to me, my family, and the church of God over here that I cannot really report that I have been able to do and achieve in this quarter that is ending tomorrow. This is why I am summarizing them all in the below pictures because I believe that pictures tell thousands of stories.
Finally, I can’t thank you enough for supporting me and my family in this my God given mandate to preach the word. I say may He continue to bless you and your entire members. I am also thankful to Bro Chad Wagner for recommending my work to your congregation and for all his supervisory role. God bless and reward Sir Chad Wagner.
