2010 August | bethany international

Archive for August, 2010

Fall 2010 Freshmen

Tuesday, August 31st, 2010

This has been a “fun” week. Freshmen students on campus again remind us what a great responsibility and opportunity God has placed before us. Grayling T. gave a powerful word for students Tuesday evening regarding two mountains of God—the mountain of His Presence and the mountain of His passion. Many responded to surrender all to Jesus; one student commented that he thought he had surrendered all to Jesus, but realized that he really hadn’t.

There are tender spirits and open hearts to the Lord in the student body. I walked in during the last half of worship last Thursday as one sophomore was sharing a testimony that clearly touched the hearts of all present. Dozens of students came and knelt before the Lord to receive more of His Spirit.

- Dan Brokke, Bethany International President

BCOM

Forty-seven freshmen are now on campus for the fall semester. In addition to this, 35 sophomores have returned giving us an on-campus student body of 82. Thanks to those who prayed and trusted the Lord for a great group of young people, passionate for His glory.

BIM

We have seen God answer prayer for our missionaries. During the past month, two missionaries experienced serious health issues. In both situations their health began to improve as soon as people were mobilized to pray. We appreciate your prayers for our missionaries around the world!

Brazil: This year marks the 40^th anniversary of Bethany Evangelical Bible School in Brazil. More than 1100 young men and women have been trained; 600 have graduated and gone into ministry.

STEM

Praise God with us for the 11 STEM teams in Haiti this spring and summer. There are many areas of the world full of need and we’ve had fruitful ministry in some of those places this year as well, but God has given us a special burden and grace for Haiti so we’ve been happy to serve there the past six months. We have been incredibly blessed to have Katia (BCOM 2004) and Miguel U. staying in Haiti all summer and leading each of the teams. They have not looked on any group as “just another team.” Rather, each one has been special and God has worked through the teams to bring about healing and restoration to the people of Haiti.

We will most likely have one or two more Haiti teams go out yet this year so we continue to seek your prayer support. Also if you know anyone who wants to serve in Haiti, please check with us as soon as possible. It’s not too late to join a team!

As mentioned previously, this is STEM’s 25^th year of serving the Lord and the Body of Christ by enabling short-term mission teams. We plan to have a special celebration held here on campus on Friday, Sept 24. In the spirit of celebration and rejoicing in all God has done through these years, we are not making a specific charge or even setting it up as a fund-raiser. We will, however, receive a free-will offering to cover food costs and other expense. Invitations are going out to STEM alumni and friends. If you are interested in attending, contact Ryan at 952-996-1385.

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Honduras

Monday, August 23rd, 2010

From Go100 associate, Jamie S. (BCOM ‘96), pictured above (middle): “I had a great time co-leading a STEM team to San Pedro Sula, Honduras July 23 - August 4. It has been 11 years since I last visited the land of my birth.

This trip was fun because whenever a Honduran found out that I was born in Honduras they immediately called me “Catracho,” which is the equivalent of calling someone from the States a “Yank.” So I knew I was accepted as one of them.

There are a lot of great things that I could say about the youth team that we led from Valley Community Baptist Church in Avon, CT. These young people really loved the Lord and jumped right in to the ministry that they had prepared well for. One of the most telling things about them was that I did not hear one of them complain about anything the entire time! That certainly must be a work of God.
Our Field Facilitators from Honduras were Denis and Leslie Z. They have been trained for cross-cultural missions-Denis studied at a missionary training school right in Honduras. Yet the Honduran Church, as a whole, has not caught the vision and the burden for sending Hondurans cross-culturally as missionaries. The number of evangelical believers in the country is at about 1.4 million out of a country population of about seven and a quarter million. So, the Church is strong, but needs to be mobilized to take the good news of the Kingdom to the nations.

Denis and Leslie are faithful to establish churches in Honduras even though the Church has not been sufficiently mobilized to support and send them overseas. I challenged Leslie to be the answer to that need and bring together those who have a heart for missions and begin to mobilize the Church. She’s a gifted networker and has the skills to bring people together around a common vision. It was great to be able to share with her some of the mobilization stories from our GO100 partners in Kenya and Ethiopia and what the Lord has done through those churches to send missionaries from among their own people.

May the Lord mobilize the Honduran Church to disciple the nations!”

Haiti

Since the end of May we’ve sought prayer for teams to Haiti so thought we’d give you a small snapshot of what STEM teams have been and are doing there this summer. Here is an excerpt from a recent letter:

“…we worked at a tent city outside the city. We loaded into the “tap-tap” (bus-like van) and enjoyed the breeze of our bumpy ride to a tent city where we would assist in building a church and school. God has done amazing things in that community also. Just a few months ago the leaders of the camp were completely opposed to the idea of a church and to our work there, but after many days of visiting, praying and meeting with the people, having activities and games for the children, they agreed to it. Now it’s amazing to see how they come by each day to check on us, and even ask if we had lunch, willing to offer some of their rice. God has been working constantly and many people have accepted Christ, they are ready for the church to be finished! Every day we arrive, many children crowd the van to greet us. The days that we spend with the people are filled with smiles and laughter. Our days consisted of piggy-back rides, arts and crafts, games, songs, construction, and fellowship. All around there are so many relationships being formed and that this is exactly what God intended. A few members got to hear stories of lost loved ones from the earthquake and after. Stories like that break our hearts but we know that God sent us here so that we may help start the healing process in their lives. God’s love shined through us and them as we joined together in fellowship. Parents beamed with joy as they watched their children play and scream with laughter. God is doing great things in that tent city outside Cabaret, and we are all truly blessed to witness it.”

Please continue to pray for fruitful ministry for our last two summer teams that end Aug 30.

Praise God we have scheduled one more team to Haiti for October, but we’d like to have even more.

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Preparations

Monday, August 9th, 2010

The College

Once again preparations are being made for 50 freshmen to arrive on campus (Aug 23) and for sophomores to return (Aug 17).

The seniors are currently on their grad retreat. They graduate on August 14. Everyone is cordially invited to their graduation being held at Bethany Church at 2:00 PM.

January freshmen are in the middle of a three-week course with Nita Steiner on Kingdom Lifestyle.

Bethany Center for Global Studies

The new term began today with the following classes being taught: Spiritual Formation for Leaders, Issues and Trends in Global Leadership, and Collaborative Leadership.

For more information about the certificate and masters programs, visit the BCGS website or contact Rick Boswell, Director of Recruitment at 952-996-1450.

STEM

Honduras Team - Praise God for a safe return home from Honduras despite many airline glitches and delays.
Urban Team - please pray for divine appointments and effective ministry
Haiti Team -17 team members arrived in Haiti last week from three different states. Pray for health and safety for the team and opportunities to bring hope and healing to so many who have been through the devastating earthquake.
STEM summer teams are winding down. Please pray for those who have heard a clear gospel message; that even after the team departs, the seed will germinate and take root.
Pray also for team members who have been impacted by God.

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Picnic

Monday, August 2nd, 2010

Thanks to all who volunteered to make our Bethany Picnic (July 24) a success. What a beautiful day and great opportunity to catch up with alumni, staff, missionaries and friends of Bethany from throughout the years.

Awaken Team

A group of young people who have all served in YWAM have joined us this week. The Awaken team has a special place in my heart - my son Derek has been with them from the beginning. Their heart is to pursue and demonstrate the Kingdom everyday. Each new day should bring a new testimony of the Kingdom of God through their lives.

This is the third or fourth larger group that has come on campus to hold a retreat or special meeting. I am excited to see the Bethany campus used in this way - to be a gathering place where other groups in ministry can come for refreshment, ministry, prayer, and strategizing.

College

The January freshmen are finishing their course on Biblical Worldview. The senior students are taking a Leadership class led by Paul Hartford and Dan Brokke. They will be graduating August 14.

Get Your Master’s Degree

Bethany Center for Global Studies begins a new term on August 9. The following courses will be taught:

Spiritual Formation for Leaders, Issues and Trends in Global Leadership andCollaborative Leadership.

For more information visit www.bethanycgs.org

Short-term Missions

Thanks for your prayers for STEM Teams. Many times we take for granted that everything will go ok, because God has given us such favor for 25 years. Still we cry out to Him for every member of every team, asking for good health, for His protection, and anointing as they share the good news in word and deed. One team recently had an encounter with people who could have harmed them; however, God protected them.

We currently have teams in Honduras, Minneapolis, and Haiti.

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