Training Pastors in the Bush

JEM PASTOR TRAINING
MAY 1, 2010

As we kicked off Friday, April 30, 2010, at about 7:00PM, our vehicle started well but in the middle of our journey, it started to give some problems. It was not pulling well. However, with God’s help, we made it to Buchanan safely at 11:00PM.

The next day which was the first of May, we took off to the town where we usually have our training. We started our trip at 8:30AM and reached at 10:00AM. We were met upon arrival eleven of our students. This is the first day of training for the second phase after the first phase ended on April 10, 2010.

We started our classes at about 10:15AM and ended at 2:45PM. When we started, we took some time to review the lessons on PREACHING BIBLICAL MESSAGES which were taught during the first phase of the training. We also took time to look at the assignments which were given to the students to work on during the break.

After the review and looking at the assignments, we then went ahead to the lesson of the day. We dealt with FINDING THE MAIN IDEA OF A TEXT. We taught what the Main Idea of the text is and how to find it. In finding the MAIN IDEA of a text, one must consider two things:

1. FINDING THE SUBJECT
2. FINDING THE COMPLETER

The students were given some passages to find the Main Idea of those texts. The high light of the day was the graduation of the Pora-society which took place the very day we were having our training. The Pora-society is the Bush School for the men. This society is very strong in this region. Lots of our student could not come for the training because no one was allowed to leave the town in which the graduation was taken place. Hence, those of our students from that town could not come. Some of our students, however, could not come because they were going to be part of the ceremony. There are still some pastors and church leaders who are members of the Poro-Society and part of the church. Their eyes are still blind. That is why this training is so important for them. We pray that God will use this training to open their eyes.

Kindly pray for this training that God will move hearts to be part of this program by supporting it. As of now, this program is self supported. One trip cost $40.00US for fuel. We make about five trips for each phase of the training. Vehicle maintenance for a month is around $200.00US. Our program will end in October this year. We have completed the first phase and have three more phases to complete. This means we have about 20 trips to make. This will cost around $800.00US for fuel consumption and the maintenance for the balance four months will cost around $600.00US. All these have been shouldered by Mr. Munford from his personal funds since the program started in February.

Many thanks for your prayers.

"I Now Understand How to Plan a Sermon!"

JEM PASTORS TRAINING
APRIL 10, 2010

The alarm went off at 4:30AM on Saturday, April 10, 2010. It was set to that time to get me ready to travel from Monrovia to Jauh Town for the pastors training. I usually leave the City of Monrovia every Friday, after work hour, to go to Buchanan. Then on Saturday, early in the morning, I leave Buchanan for Juah Town where the training takes place, about 36KM from Buchanan.

But this week, it was not so. I could not go on Friday. The vehicle was in the garage on Friday, April 9, 2010 and did not come out until late in the evening, around 9:00PM. Since it was late, I decided to travel on Saturday, April 10, 2010 by 5:00AM.

At 5:00AM on April 10, 2010, I took off from Monrovia and reached safely at about 9:00AM. The Lord graciously took me safely through. I rode with no spare tire as the night before, one of the tires had problem and we changed it. Being that it was late, I was not able to repair the tire. About 30 minutes drive to Juah Town, where we have the training; I left the tire at a tire repair shop for repair.

Our training started at 9:30AM and ended at 2:30PM with 20 pastors and church leaders present.
April 10, 2010 marks the end of the first phase of the pastors training which started in February. During this day, we taught on the course, PREACHING BIBLICAL MESSAGES and dealt with the third step to preaching biblical messages. Step three deals with finding the CENTRAL PROPOSITION OF THE TEXT (CPT). This has to do with discovering the main idea of the text. In doing so, one has to find the THEME (What is the author talking about?) and THRUST (What is the author saying about what he is talking about?).

Praise God for the level of understanding which some of the students are getting from the training.

Thanks for your prayers for these students. At the end of the class, students were asked to write down how the training has helped them. Below are some of their comments:

1. “From the training, I able to plan a short sermon”
2. “From this training, I now understand how to plan sermon”
3. “From this study, we have understood how to study the text and structure the text”

Our second phase will start May 1, 2010. Kindly pray for our training program:

1. That God will continue to provide us traveling grace
2. That God will open the eyes of the students to see the truths of God’s word
3. That God will empower them to apply what they will learn
4. That God will open the minds of the student to understand the lessons taught
5. That our vehicle will be in good running condition during our time of travel
6. That God will open doors for partnership which will enhance our work

Pastoral Training Continues

JEM PASTORS TRAINING
April 3, 2010

Saturday, April 3, 2010 marks the fourth week of our pastors training in the District #2 area. Praise God that these students are trying to understand the lessons taught. Remember that these are pastors and church leaders who have little or no theological training.

We have been dealing with the course PREACHING BIBLICAL MESSAGES. There are seven steps to preaching biblical messages. Last week we completed the first step (STUDY THE TEXT). After our review, we started with the second step which is STRUCTURE THE TEXT.

In studying the text, the students were taught to observe the followings: 1. WORDS (Long words, Repeated words, and Unusual words) 2. RELATIONSHIPS (Grammatical relationship, Logical relationship, Psychological relationship, and contextual relationship) 3. LITERARY FORM (Is the passage a narrative, discourse, poetry, parable, miracle, or prophetic?)

The class was asked to study the text Matthew 28:1-10, taking into consideration all they have learned so far.

After a short break, we went into the second step to preparing biblical messages. In knowing how to structure the text, they were taught the two kinds of structure indicators: GRAMMATICAL KEY INDICATORS and CONTENT/SUBJECT INDICATORS.

After the lecture, the class was divided into five groups and given the text PS.1:1-2 to structure the passage. After 20 minutes, the groups made their presentations. The groups did well in structuring the passage of Ps. 1:1-2).

The class ended at 2:30PM with 23 persons from about ten local churches. Among them were 9 pastors, 4 evangelists and 10 other church leaders.

Kindly pray for the following:
1. Pray that God will give these students understanding
2. Pray that our vehicle will be in good running condition
3. Pray for traveling mercy
4. Pray for support to buy fuel for our vehicle

New Bibles Aid Pastoral Training

JEM PASTORAL TRAINING
March 29, 2010

Saturday, March 27, 2010, marks the third day of the First Phase of our Rural Bible School for Pastors and Church Leaders. This is an eight month Bible School which started in March 13, 2010, at Juah Town, District #2, Grand Bassa County, Liberia. This Bible School will continue up to October 2010.

The highlight of the day was the distribution of Study Bibles called “THE REFORMATION STUDY BIBLE, ENGLISH STANDARD VERSION”. These Bibles were bought and sent for Pastors in Liberia through the help of the Rev. Travis D. Hutchinson of the Presbyterian Church of America. Twelve Study Bibles were distributed.

One of the pastors was very happy and thankful for the Study Bibles. He testified that he used to walk about two hours to a pastor friend to help prepare his sermons. Now with the help of this study Bible, he need not walk such distance again to prepare his message.

After the distribution, we started our class for the day. We started at about 10:15AM and ended at 2:50PM with 18 persons in attendance. The course taught for the day was PREACHING BIBLICAL MESSAGES. We were able to complete the first of the seven steps to preaching biblical messages.

Puppet Evangelism in Monrovia

JEM AGAPE PUPPETs
NOVEMBER 25, 2009

Praise God for the opportunity we have to transport some of the puppet equipment to Monrovia. On Tuesday, November 24, we brought the puppet equipment to Monrovia with some of our puppeteers. Some of our team members were already in Monrovia.

On Wednesday, November 25, 2009, we have our first show on a football field. Kids as well as adults came rushing to see what was going on as we set up the stage. It was the first show of its kind in the city of Monrovia.

After three songs, Rev. Munford gave the message. At the end of the message, an altar call was made and we praise God that some adults and kids raised their hands to make a decision for Christ. They prayed, confessing their sins and asked Jesus into their hearts. Thereafter, our team members gave their testimonies.

On Friday, November 27, 2009, we were invited to do a puppet show at an elementary school. This was our second show in the city of Monrovia. There were about 125 kids at the school. They were very excited about the puppets. They have never seen such things before.

Pastor Munford gave the message on the Prodigal Son. At the end of the message, lots of kids said the sinner’s prayer, asking Jesus into their lives.

On Friday afternoon,we were blessed to do another show. It was held near a football field. There was a football match going on but we had our stage posted not very far from where the match was going on.

By the time we got through putting up our stage, the place was already crowded. People were coming to see what was going on. It became more crowded when the puppets started to sing. There were about 150 persons.

Pastor Munford gave the message under the title, “YOUR LIFE BEFORE DEATH DETERMINES YOUR LIFE AFTER DEATH” from the Book of Luke 16:19-31. Praise God that after the message, lots of people prayed to ask Jesus to be their Lord and Savior.

Praise God that the puppet show drew people who came to watch football game to watch puppet show and to give their lives to Christ.

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2009

On Saturday, November 28, 2009, we were invited to do a puppet show at an AWANA Camp. This camp is for kids who meet every Saturday for some activities and Bible Study from 3:00PM to 5:00PM.

There were about 35 kids at the camp. The kids were very excited and really admired the show. After few songs, Pastor Munford shared God’s word with them. Pray for these kids to grow up knowing more of God and loving Him.

Please keep us in prayer as we want to do some puppet shows during the Christmas and New Year seasons. Pray that God will bring people to Himself and that people will grow in the Lord.