WOLBI News!

Why not take a minute or two and read up on the Discipleship that takes place here on campus. The Bible Institute's website has posted an article written by Jonathan Ward, the Associate Dean of Students and Professor of Bible Survey. The article discusses not only what discipleship looks like here at the BI, but also the lasting impact it has on the lives of the students. It includes some testimonies of just a few of the students whose lives have been changed by this incredible ministry.

Check out the article here!


Also remember to like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter!

Jon & Melissa Ward also have a Facebook Ministry Page for more up-to-date news.

WOLBI News!: Entertainment Central

These past few weeks at the Word of Life Bible Institute have been packed with awesome activities. Here's a quick update on what has been happening here on campus!

First, we had Word of Life's GOT TALENT on November 25. The evening had some intense competition but in the end it was all in good fun. Everyone had a great time, both those who performed and those who came for the show. The talents displayed were as varied as snowflakes, with performances of song, drama, magic and comedy. The judges had a tough time deciding who was going to win in each category: Drama, Instrumental, Vocal (solo), Vocal (group). In the end these were the winners:

        - Drama -  Declare (WOLBI Drama Team)

(left to right) Aaron, John, Tyler, Sophia and Allison

        - Instrumental - Esther, Quebec


        - Vocal (Solo) - Monica, Stratford


        - Vocal (Group) - KMC2

(left to right) Monica, Kayleigh and Christina Anastasiou

The Deans got in on the fun in a very interesting way. Here's a look at their performance.

(left to right) Kevin O'Boyle, Assistant Dean of Men; Jonathan Ward, Dean of Students

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In more recent news, the student council hosted the Christmas Banquet for all the students and staff. Though it was raining outside, a winter wonderland invited the attendees inside. Candles lit the path to the entrance of the dining hall and twinkling lights greeted the staff, students and guests as they entered a completely transformed dining hall. The evening consisted of good food, good fun, and, most importantly, good company. The student council did an excellent job planning out the evening's activities. The students had the pleasure of enjoying a slideshow, giving them a look back at the year so far, the memories made and the friendships built. Student Council President, Marcel Van Der Linde, gave a challenge to both the students and staff, to not forget what they had learned these past few months in and out of classes.



The students now look forward to Christmas break and then a return to classes in January. Also, in January, the students will be going to Missions Conference at the BI in Schroon Lake, NY and, starting in late January, Recharge Snow Camp Ministry will begin.


Don't forget to stay in touch with what's going on with Facebook and Twitter.

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Word Studies: Leviticus

Class: Pastoral Epistles

Week #12: November 28 - December 2
Professor: Dr. Tom Davis

Assignments: Students are to read the book of the Leviticus two times. Dr. Tom Davis will be teaching you the Book of Leviticus this week. Dr. Davis received his BS in Bible from Lancaster Bible College, an MDiv from Grace Theological Seminary, took Advanced Studies at Jerusalem University College and obtained his PhD from Nova Southeastern University. He is our Academic Dean of the Bible Institute and a Professor at the Schroon Lake, New York, campus. Leviticus is a tough read. Yet, it is important and needs to be studied. The students have the opportunity to learn about the laws, feasts and the purpose of Leviticus. Dr. Davis does a fantastic job of helping the students discover the purpose of each feast and the laws that God had instituted for Israel. There are so many laws that God put in place for the Jews to follow. One wonders why God is so specific and almost arbitrary in His laws, but God had a point in all this for Israel. The main focus for Leviticus is the core phrase, "Be ye holy (set-apart), as I am holy" (Leviticus 11:45). Almighty God says this to the children of Israel in order to encourage them to be like Him. As New Testament believers in the church, this command is repeated for us in 1 Peter 1:15-16. This is the message of Leviticus and the command from God: to be holy or set apart for the glory of God. BW

Word Studies: Pastoral Epistles

Class: Pastoral Epistles

Week #10-11: November 14-25
Professor: Mr. Dave James

Assignments:
Read 1 and 2 Timothy and Titus twice throughout both weeks of the course.
Read Chapters 1, 4, 5 and 6 of The Pastoral Epistles (Homer Kent) throughout both weeks of the course.

Dave James is a co-founder and the ministry coordinator for The Alliance for Biblical Integrity. Dave served with Word of Life for 22 years, with 16 of those as the founding director of the Word of Life Hungary Bible school. He has attended Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, Word of Life Bible Institute and Dallas Theological Seminary.

These two weeks are filled with solid, Biblical teaching from Paul's letters to Timothy and Titus. These epistles expose the truth of what biblical church leadership needs to be. Mr. James enjoys sharing what Paul teaches in these New Testament books in a way which endeavors to involve the whole class. He takes time for group discussions which allows the students to understand that the Bible is straightforward in what it says. In their groups, they are able to come to a conclusion as to what the Bible teaches on various topics found in the Pastoral Epistles. Because of this method, the students begin to realize it is not what the teacher says which makes it true, but it is what the Bible says which makes it true. In and out of class, Mr. James is always willing to share the wealth of wisdom God has given him through years of Bible study and experience and the students are privileged to sit underneath his teaching.

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Missionary Profile: The Burns Family

Today in Dean's Chapel, the students had the opportunity to hear from Wes Burns. The Burns family will soon be calling the province of Quebec their home. Wes Burns and his wife have both been burdened with sharing Christ Jesus with the people of Quebec, specifically southern Quebec. Working with Baptist International Missions Inc. and being sent by the church in which they met, Jacksontown Baptist Church, New Brunswick. The Burns family is excited to be used by God in this amazing work He has planned for them. They have several different goals:

        - Evangelism - Reaching out to the people with the gospel of Jesus Christ

        - Church Planting - Working with the believers to form Bible-preaching churches in Quebec

        - Discipleship - Teaching believers how to base their lives on Biblical principles

        - Children's Ministry - Reaching and teaching children with the Bible


In Dean's chapel, Wes Burns s:hared that both he and his wife have a passion for the people of Quebec. After his presentation, Mr. Burns took time to teach from Matthew 28:16-20,  encouraging the students to be missionaries wherever God leads them in life.

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MIA: (Ministry in Action) Superbowl Edition

Word of Life Superbowl is an amazing outreach ministry, reaching unsaved youth across not only Ontario, but also Saskatchewan, Quebec, the Maritimes, and the United States. The event consists of games, prizes, food and, most importantly, the gospel message. Superbowl in Ontario takes place in Mississauga at the Hershey Centre and Playdium.
One of the ways the various departments of Word of Life help each other is by giving Bible Institute students a chance to help out at this great event. This year 17 students plus staff headed  down Friday afternoon. They made a big difference in the night, as they were available to counsel youth who responded to the gospel message, to lead the various on-ice games and the "Amazing Race" and to help out wherever they were needed.

Friday night, 511 people arrive at 6:30pm, starting the night with an OHL hockey game between the Mississauga Majors and the Peterborough Petes. Right after the game, the Associate Director of Word of Life Canada, Scott Foreman, gave the gospel message. To the glory of God, 6 teens called on Jesus Christ as their personal Saviour.

Scott Foreman gives the gospel.

After a quick break, things quickly became exciting as the on-ice rally started. Many well-known minute-to-win-it games were played on the ice and each winner was given a prize. Also, some of the Word of Life staff were in the stands doing games and handing out prizes.

On-ice Rally

Up next, pizza and pop were served in the Hershey Centre. So far, the evening had been a great success, but this was only the beginning. At midnight, the sports section of the Hershey Centre opened up for the teens enjoyment. These were some of the activities available:

- Plenty of gymnasium activities like volleyball, dodge ball and basketball!
- Ice skating!

- Fieldhouse activities (on the turf)... indoor soccer, football and ultimate frisbee!

Indoor Soccer

One of the most popular events was the Amazing Race Scavenger Hunt. Both members of the winning two-person team were awarded an iPod Touch! The race was intense all the way to the end. When 3:00 AM came around, since they were not needed anymore, the WOLBI students and staff made their way home. However, the teens though starting to feel the effects of no sleep were not about to slow down because Playdium was next on the schedule. For three hours teens were able to participate in free-play arcade and video games, batting cages and more. Six o'clock Saturday morning, the youth groups finally made their way home.

Superbowl is one of many ministry opportunities the students participate in throughout the year.
The sheer number of ministry opportunities at WOLBI is one of the best things about being a student. It's all about taking what you learn in the classroom and putting it to practice in real life. That's why the Word of Life Bible Institute is the perfect first choice for secondary education. It prepares you for a lifetime of ministry wherever God leads you.

 

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Click here for more info on the ministries at WOLBI.

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Word Studies: Acts

Class: 2 Peter/Jude

Week #7-#8: October 17-November 4
Professor: Mr. Frank Roe

Assignments: The entire book of Acts must be read within the week before and/or during the two weeks of the class.
A Bible Handbook to the Acts of the Apostles (edited by Mal Couch) must be read within the week before and/or during the two weeks of the class.
List of over 100 terms, people, etc.; each one defined in no more than four sentences.
Four maps charting Paul's missionary journeys and his trip to Rome.
Summarize the book of Acts in no more than fifty words.

Mr. Frank Roe has a history with Word of Life Bible Institute in Owen Sound, having worked with the school for over 17 years. In 1995, he joined Across Borders for World Evangelism (ABWE) in which he now holds the postion of Ministry Director of Canada. He and his family reside in London, ON.

The book of Acts in the New Testament is a lengthy chronological record of the movements of the newly born church. Luke, though usually only recognized for his gospel, also wrote the book of Acts as a sequel to the Gospel of Luke. Both books are written as letters to a man in high authority, Theophilus, who was probably a high ranking Roman official. The author, from what is known, is most likely a Greek doctor who Paul led to Christ during one of his missionary journeys. Acts is Luke's testimony of the Christian faith to Theophilus as he seeks to lead Theolphilus to Christ. God's purpose for Acts was to show how the Holy Spirit was the major influence in the movements of the church and the apostles. Acts shows how the gospel first went out to Jerusalem, second, to Samaria, and lastly, to the ends of the world and how the Holy Spirit worked through those movements. In the book, Peter's, Philip's and Paul's evangelistic efforts and missionary journeys are described in detail. Paul's personal testimony is told, following his life from being a persecutor of the gospel to being a preacher of the same. Several sermons which the apostles preach throughout their ministry are also recorded in Acts. The work of the Holy Spirit is evident in the book and it is amazing to realize that the Holy Spirit is still at work in the ministry today. For it is only by the work of the Spirit the gospel has any effect.

One of the assignments the students had to complete was a fifty word summary of Acts, and two of the students shared their work:

"A book written by Luke. It describes how Acts bridges the gospels to the Epistles or law to grace, as well as the spread of the gospel to the world within 30 years. It also shows the beginning of the church and Israel's rejection of it."
- Allison, Owen Sound

"Acts, recounting the ministry of the apostles, primarily Peter, Phillip and Paul, from the ascension of Christ until Paul’s imprisonment, tells of the filling of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, the expansion of the church, the missionary journeys of Paul, and shows the transition from law to grace and Gospels to Epistles."

- Jonathan, Huntsville

Mr. Roe has a marvelous way of expounding the book of Acts using a variety of teaching methods. He also loves spending time with students. Since he will be joining them on their missionary trip to Jamaica in March he also took some time to encourage the students to participate in the trip. These are some comments he made about the class and some parting words for the students.

"What a great blessing to teach the book of Acts once again at WOLBI. Each class is unique and offers many opportunities to see the Lord work in hearts to better understand, apply, and practice the lessons. What a great time we had together and I look forward to seeing how God uses this great class. Keep in touch and keep those sails full."

- Mr. Frank Roe

This class is foundational to understanding the General Epistles which the students will be studying throughout the year. It is vital for understanding the context in which Paul is writing to churches such as Corinth, Ephesus, Colosse and others. Acts also contains important doctrine on the Holy Spirit and Its work in the lives of believers and their ministry. Never is it appropriate to think it isn't necessary to study a book of the Bible. 2 Timothy explains how all scripture is profitable and therefore even stories from Acts and other historical records in the Bible are all equally important as the rest of the Bible which is why WOLBI places such a heavy emphasis on studying the entire Word of God.

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Autumn Fun!

This last friday, WOLBI students and staff had some fun together after a hard week of classes, quizzes and exams. It was an evening of costumes, pumpkin carving, food, and so much more. Everyone  had a really great time at the Somewhat Annual WOLBI Harvest Bash!

Contrary to popular belief, the Deans at WOLBI do not necessarily completely retain all of their mental facilities 100% of the time. Therefore, any event the Deans are involved is bound to be ridiculously fun as the students soon found out at the Harvest Bash. The only requirement for the event was for rooms to dress up in a cartoon theme. Many well-known and some unknown characters showed up at the gym ready for the fun to start.

All the crazy characters!

The Justice League: Superman, Batman and the Green Lantern (Mr. Ward and his sons)

The Fairies from Pixie Hollow (left to right) Allison, Brittany, Sarah and Cassie

(left to right) Megamind (John), Metroman (Jonathan) and Bernard (Robert)

Some of the other folks who made it out included Dumbo, the Grinch, Arthur, Eeyore, Goofy and a host of other cartoon favourites.

The schedule looked something like this:
                                    Corn-Chucking at the Reiders (not the actual Reiders but some caricatures)
                                    Pumpkin-Carving Contest
                                    FOOD!
                                    Pumpkin Puzzle Contest
                                    Pumpkin Guts Grab for Prizes
                                    Pinata Fun!

Corn-Chucking at the Reiders involved throwing a corn-on-the-cob into the mouth of one of the caricatures of the Reiders. The guys and girls lined up and each group tried to get as many points as possible in a short amount of time. Up next was the classic Autumn activity, Pumpkin Carving. The students quickly got creative and even ambitious with their designs. After that, since this was a WOLBI event, everyone took some time to enjoy some snacks and drinks and just hang out with friends. But things quickly became competitive with the Pumpkin Puzzle contest. Each team cut up a pumpkin into 25 pieces. Then the teams switched places and each team had to put the pumpkins back together again using only tooth picks. With all this pumpkin cutting and carving there was plenty of pumpkin pulp to go around, so the Deans planned a special game. They filled a large bucket with the pumpkin pulp or "guts" and the students had the pleasure of searching through the pumpkin "guts" for various prizes, including free van runs, get-out-of-study-hours free cards and even some TimCards. The night ended with some pinata craziness as the students discovered their skills or lack thereof, with a baseball bat.

Overall, everyone had a fantastic time, enjoying not only the great activities, but also spending time together.

    At  Word of Life Bible Institute, every day has potential for adventure.

 Every day can be exciting. Every day has the potential of life.

Imagine one year that could change your life.

It's more than a motto.

It's a principle.

 "I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it

                                       more

     abundantly."

- Jesus

John 10:10

Word Studies: II Peter/Jude

Class: 2 Peter/Jude

Week #6: October 17-21
Professor: Mr. Matthew Little
Assignments: The epistles of II Peter and Jude need to be read once before the classes start on Tuesday morning.
The sections of Be Alert (Warren Wiersbe) dealing with II Peter and Jude are to be read.

Mr. Little is a graduate of New Brunswick Bible Institute (NBBI). Completing four years of training in 1998, he served in pastoral ministries across Ontario and New Brunswick, along with his wife and three children. He is involved in hospital chaplaincy ministry and serves on the Canadian Board of Biblical Ministries Worldwide. In 2008, Mr. Little joined the NBBI faculty as a full-time staff member.


II Peter and Jude are two epistles which cannot be compared to any other books of the Bible. The intent of each book is to expose and condemn false teachers. When one reads these two books, they may seem extremely harsh and unforgiving. However, Peter and Jude are discussing teachers who deserve the condemnations found in these letters. They have no respect for the Word of God or even the Author Himself and teach doctrine directly adverse to what the Bible says. Because of this egregious assault on truth, Peter and Jude seek to warn believers about these false teachers and teach believers discernment and understanding in fighting for the standard of truth found in God's Word.

As Peter and Jude did in these small yet powerful epistles, Mr. Little also seeks to warn the students of false teachers and give them an understanding of truth versus falsehood.

The teacher and some students shared some thoughts on the subject.

"We have to be on guard against apostasy and be firmly grounded in the truth. We have to be proactive in teaching others."
- Mr. Little, New Brunswick

"I've always known the dangers of not being firmly established in the Word, but so far, all through II Peter it stresses how dangerous are the ways of the world and how we need to be aware of false teachers. The book is a giant call to be holy and to know God's truth. It just seems neat to me to be learning about reasons to study God's Word while at the BI."
- Cameron, Mt. Forest

"This week in the II Peter and Jude class, I am learning that we should know our faith well, so we will not be deceived by false teachers. Also, Jesus is coming and we should be prepared."
- Sophia, Waterloo

The year at the Bible Institute is an intense training session from opening weekend to Open Air Evangelism all the way through Word of Life Youth Camp for summer ministry. However, without studying the Word of God the students would be without the firm foundation they need to withstand "the wiles of the devil" (Eph. 6:11). II Peter and Jude teach this principle of the study of truth. Without a knowledge of truth, how can one defend the truth? In today's world, believers need to know, trust and defend the truth of God's Word.

"But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:"

- 1 Peter 3:15

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Election Day: The People have Spoken

The excitement has passed. The people have spoken. The votes are in.

Election Day.


The Student Council Members for 2011-2012 at the Word of Life Bible Institute are as follows:


The Right Honourable, his Majesty, President Marcel Van Der Linde

His Lordship, Vice-President Andrew Fehr

The Secretary (of Defence if necessary): Kyle McDonald

The Honourable, Treasurer Brandon Swartzentruber


These individuals formed a political powerhouse and swept away the competition.  It was a landslide victory for Mr. Van Der Linde. Minutes before the voting took place several of the candidates dropped out of the race creating a tense atmosphere. The ballots were counted and the winners were announced. The Members of the Student Council are already settling into their respective positions. The class now looks to these four gentlemen to be the leaders the Student Body needs for the coming weeks and months.

"I'm speechless. This is such an amazing opportunity to lead the Student Body as Secretary (of Defense if necessary) and guide them through many events throughout the year to make this the best year of their lives."
- The Secretary (of Defense if necessary)

"As the president of the Student Council I'm looking forward to a good year filled with awesome events and helping make the students' year as fun as it can be."
- The Right Honourable, his Majesty, the President

Student Council 2011-2012 (left to right) Kyle, Marcel, Brandon, Andrew

With this being the first all-male student council of WOLBI, this year will definitely be very interesting.

Election Day: Going to the Polls

Excitement is rapidly building here on campus at Word of Life. Student Council positions are up for election and the competition is heating up.

The Student Council is made up of several positions: the Right Honorable, His Majesty the President; His Lordship, the Vice-President; the Secretary (of Defence if necessary); and the Treasurer. The core purpose of the Council is to represent the Student Body. Chosen by the people, the Student Council deliberates and debates in order to make the best decisions for the people. Some of the responsibilities include, but are not limited to, planning banquets, organizing events and scheming up other special activities.

The following are names of those in the running for the respective positions:

        For the position of Treasurer:
        Nick Martin
        Brittany Allcock
        John Lambert
        Brandon Swartzentruber
        Timothy Fritz

        For the position of Secretary (of Defence if necessary):
        Brittany Allcock
        Kyle McDonald
        Kassey Pearson
        Lucas Jamieson

        For the position of the Right Honorable, His Majesty, the President:
        (Runner-up will take the position of His Lordship, the Vice-President)
       Alex Seib
       Cameron McLean
       Andrew Fehr
       Nathan Clock
       Marcel Van Der Linde
       Jonathan Wouda
       Whitney Gordan

The competition is fierce. Social media has become a major tool of campaigning for the candidates, as well as, posters and word of mouth. Some of the individuals have the backing of several celebrities, hoping perhaps this will sway the voter's decision. However, the decision usually comes down to how the people want to be represented and the candidates must meet the voter's expectations in order to win the day.

"It`s definitely a good time. It gives you a chance to be creative to present yourself to others. It is also interesting to see it in a Christian atmosphere; like, it would be easy to bash each other but we don't."
- Andrew, Woodstock (running for the Right Honorable, His Majesty, the President)

"It's a good thing. It's going to be good for the students. The candidates are funny and yet they are able to take care of stuff, to be responsible."
- Jean-Christophe, Quebec (a voter)

"It gives the student body a chance to express their ideas and opinions."
- Sophia, Waterloo (a voter)

"I'm going to vote for who I think will do the best job."
- Robert, Beamsville (a voter)

Find out on Friday who will represent the Student Body on the Student Council for the class of 2011-2012.

Word Studies: Genesis

Class: Genesis

Week #5: October 10-14
Professor: Dr. Gary Gromacki


Assignments: Read through Genesis 1-11 and type out 10 questions that you would like to discuss. Bring your typed list of 10 questions to the first class on October 11, 2011.
Read the textbook The New Answers Book (Ken Ham) by the time of the final exam.
      (For guests to this post you can order the book here or check out a sample chapter)
Read through the teacher's notes on Genesis 1-11 by the time of the final exam.

Dr. Gromacki is a professor at Bible Baptist Seminary, teaching Bible exposition and homiletics. He also edits the Journal of Ministry & Theology. Before teaching at BBS, Dr. Gromacki served as a pastor for 13 years and taught as adjunct teacher at Cedarville University for 10 years. He enjoys going out on missions trips to teach the Word of God and train national pastors and students. This is his second year teaching at WOLBI. 

One can also interact with Dr. Gromacki through his Facebook groups:

Biblical Creationism

Biblical Preachers and Teachers

Biblical Archeology 

The technical title for this class is Biblical Creationism. Teaching the beginnings of what we call the universe, the world and life as we know it, at the end of the week, the students are able to understand the full implications of a literal understanding of the Genesis account. Dr. Gromacki teaches through the historical account given in Genesis 1-11. He then coincides this teaching with evidence in science which the Biblical model of a creation-fall-global flood easily interprets.

Students shared what they had learned:

"I learned that God is a just God, and He loves His children, but when we sin there are consequences."
- Monica, Stratford

"When I saw the pictures of the grand canyon, I was overwhelmed with a sense of how awesome our God is. The evidence for a global flood was an eye-opener; it is difficult to imagine anyone could believe otherwise."
- Jonathan, Huntsville

Everyone involved learns something in the classes at Word of Life, even the teachers:

"I really enjoyed teaching this class. I was reminded each person is made in the image of God. Each person is important and we need to love him, because Christ loved everyone by dying on the cross."
- Dr. Gromacki

Many think of the account in Genesis 1-11 as a bunch of stories that are really great for Sunday School. Yet, if the account is taken completely literally and applied to our lives, then our lives would be radically changed. We would see the need of the fallen world and our need and fulfilled purpose in a  relationship with God Almighty. Maybe taking another look into the first book of the Bible could go on your recent to-do list.

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MIA: (Ministry in Action) Open Air Edition

Open Air Evangelism (OAE) is the crucible of the year at the Word of Life Bible Institute. Definition of a crucible is this intense trial by fire which can only be survived by the grace of God.  Four weeks into the school year, staff and students alike, pack up and move to Toronto for four days, living in a church's sanctuary and Sunday School rooms and preaching the gospel on the streets of Toronto and Hamilton.

This is the crucible.

This is Open Air Evangelism.


When Jesus gave the Great Commission in Matthew 28, He did not just command the twelve disciples with this amazing directive, it was for all of Christ's followers then and now. At the Bible Institute, the students are provided many opportunities to obey this command and OAE is just one of these.

The students began this crucible with Personal Evangelism Training with Sam Frey, a missionnary with Word of Life for Open Air Evangelism. Sam Frey comes to the BI to train the students in street evangelism and then accompanies them to Toronto, leading a team each of the four days. Robert Strong and Hannah Heynen, interns with Mr. Frey, also participated with the training and the ministry. The students were trained on the "how to" of street evangelism and specifically on the method they would be using during OAE. The method employed during the week was the use of paintboards in Hamilton and buskers in Toronto. In the use of paintboards, one of the male students would make a presentation on the street using the board both to illustrate the gospel but also to attract attention.

Sam Frey teaches on how to use the painterboard.

 In Toronto, in order to be allowed to draw a crowd, one needs a busker license, therefore, several of the students attained licenses a few weeks prior to OAE. These buskers were trained to do a rope trick that presented the gospel as well as a tool known as the evangecube. Both the paintboards and the buskers were used to attract crowds and then the students would pull aside individuals in order to  talk with them one on one.  After a full day of training on Saturday, the students got ready to go on Sunday and after supper Sunday night they were on their way.

The students and staff stayed at Long Branch Baptist Church during the week. Their appreciation for the church staff and members could not be fully expressed for the use of their facilities.

Monday morning the students were assigned to the vans and headed to the various locations in Toronto and Hamilton. Commissioned by the Son of God, they were focused on the task at hand and yet were not without their fears. The Monday of OAE is always an eye-opener to what street evangelism is like and also more importantly how lost people really are. Forever etched in the minds of these students will be the images and stories that became the topic of the day, including the woman who claimed to be Jesus, the man who drank hand sanitizer, and the continuous onslaught of persons walking past the answer to all their questions and the relief to all their pain.


                                                                                                                                                                      

Some of the students share the gospel in Hamilton.

On the one hand, many of the students were wondering if they would last the week, and on the other, some were thinking that the day was too short. The experiences of the students were different from person to person. Even though some were having a difficult time, the over-all feeling on Monday night was enthusiasm for sharing the gospel especially when the news came out that one person accepted Jesus Christ as their personal Saviour.

On Tuesday most of the students moved to a different location and some had the chance to go to the Norfolk County Fair with Child Evangelism Fellowship (CEF) and work with them to share the gospel to children through drama and face-painting. The following is what one of the students said about this unique opportunity to tell kids about the love of Jesus Christ:

"Having the oppurtunity to go to the Simcoe Fair was such a great experience. I believe the Lord used me and those around me to clearly present the gospel message to the kids that came through. It is an experience I won't forget."

- Sarah, Alberta

On Wednesday, the students assisted Long Branch Baptist Church with getting some information about the church and a Gospel of John into the homes in the area by going door-to-door in and around the neighbourhood. They also took time on Tuesday to participate in a prayer meeting at the church and one of their ministries as well, Conversational English with Chinese Exchange students.

Two of the students perform the rope trick for some pedestrians.

Thursday came quickly and for the last time for OAE the students hit the streets of Toronto and Hamilton and another group went to the fair as well. The day ended with the students leaving to go home for Thanksgiving weekend.

The experience was as varied as those participating. Some students absolutely love it. Others learn that they could not do it on a day by day basis. The following comments express the students thoughts on OAE:

"OAE was an amazing experience! It has taught that we need to have a passion to share God's Word with the people we pass by everyday on the street."
- Tyler, Waterloo

"OAE challenged me to get real with this world, to step out of my comfort zone, to overcome my fears and share the gospel. I ended up learning about God and where others without Christ are coming from as I shared."
- Ryan, Wyoming


Open Air Evangelism has an enormous effect on the student body as whole. Afterwards, the students are more unified, because of a joint purpose  and the sharing of the emotional rollercoaster. The students share this memory for the rest of  the year and they have now learned to work together. Most importantly, as a group, they have learned to rely upon God for strength and wisdom.

Looking back, the students survived the first month of the BI. Now, they have been tried by fire and have survived the crucible, Open Air Evangelism. Looking forward at a year of ministry, the class of 2012 is ready for serving the Lord in every way He calls them to.

- OAE by the Numbers -

1100 - Children heard the gospel

1000 - Gospel Tracts handed out to people on the streets

900 - Times the gospel was preached publicly

30 - People that walked away with a New Testament in their hands

14 - New brothers and sisters in the Lord

Numbers don't mean anything... but changed lives do!

 BW

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Upcoming Word of Life Events

Word of Life Fellowship is putting on some fantastic events in the very near future. Be on the lookout for an event on site near you. For information on all Word of Life events in Canada, click here.

Some of the events to look forward to include:

       - WOL Superbowl - This is an all-nighter packed with games, food, prizes and the Gospel.  It's a great night to bring your whole youth group. In Ontario, WOL Superbowl takes place in Mississauga on November 4. Register now!





- Word of Life Bible Institute Campus Days - Come to the Bible Institute campus to check out the school including classes and student life. Stay overnight in the dorms and participate in cool activities. Most importantly, learn more about the year that could change your life.


- WOL Youth Camp Recharge - Register your youth group for an amazing weekend that will not only be outrageously fun but also spiritually uplifting. Recharge Snow Camp is one of the highlights of youth ministry among many of the churches in Central Ontario. Taking place right on the campus of the Bible Institute, Recharge provides an oppurtunity for youth to be changed by the Word of God.

With each and every one of these events, students from the Bible Institute will be taking a major part serving in all areas of the ministry. Word of Life Events are always exciting to be a part of. For more information regarding Word of Life events click here and if you would like to be a part of the ministry by giving financially, click here.

BW

MIA: (Ministry in Action) Door-to-Door Edition

It was just two weeks ago last Saturday that the students descended upon Owen Sound to tell the world that Jesus saves. Going door-to-door is an annual activity that gets the students involved in witnessing early on in the year and prepares them, if only a little bit, for Open Air Evangelism in Toronto and Hamilton.


The students received Personal Evangelism Training on Friday and Saturday morning. They learned how to approach people and how to start a conversation. They also learned how to steer the the conversation towards the gospel and away from rabbit trails. One of the most practical things they learned which could be applied in numerous ways was the importance and method of sharing a personal testimony. By lunchtime on Saturday, the students were at least slightly prepared for door-to-door. The students were nervous and yet excited about the opportunity to share their faith.

Saturday afternoon, several van loads of students hit the streets of Owen Sound ready to share the good news of Jesus Christ. They spent over two hours going door-to-door in several different neighbourhoods and receiving many different responses.


The students took some questionnaires with them in order to have a conversation starter. These are some of the questions with some varied responses.

In answer to Who is God?:
        "When I hear about God, I think about religion and church."
        "God is a divine presence and we cannot know what He is like."
        "The universe is God."

In answer to What happens to man when he dies?
        "When man dies, since all do, they just cease to exist."
        "We each make our own ideas about the future."
        "When you die, you join the spiritual soul of God."

In answer to What is right and wrong?
       "No one knows what is right and what is wrong so we have to compromise."
       "You should follow the golden rule, but right and wrong is opinion."
       "You do what you are brought up to believe. Each to their own."

The responses that are written above are saddening and yet they are just a few of many similar beliefs. Because the world has fallen into the trap of believing a lie, Christians need to speak the truth. St. Francis of Assisi once said," Preach the gospel at all times and when necessary use words." However, scripture tells us there is more than just actions involved with preaching the gospel.

"How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things! "

Romans 10:14-15

This is what the students did in the streets of Owen Sound. They brought the glad tidings and preached the gospel of Jesus Christ. After all was said and done, about sixty tracts were given out and most importantly one person accepted Jesus Christ as their personal Saviour. It is so awesome to see God work in and through the lives of the students this year.

BW

Word Studies: Judges

Class: Judges

Week #3: September 26-30
Professor: Pastor Jeff Eastwood

Assignments:
Read Judges 3x -Once in a single reading before class, and twice during the week of Judges classes. At least one of these readings must be done in a translation other than the one you normally use.
Read Judges - Such a Great Salvation by Dale Ralph Davis prior to, or during, the week of classes.
Memorize Judges 21:25



Pastor Eastwood is currently the interim lead pastor at Northside Baptist Church in Waterloo, Ontario. He is a graduate of Northland International University with Bachelor of Arts in Theology and is now working on a Master of Divinity Degree from Calvary Baptist Theological Seminary. This will be his first year teaching at WOLBI in Owen Sound. What's interesting is many of the students this year are coming from Waterloo and Kitchener and call Northside their home church. They were thrilled to have their pastor come up for a week as was he.

Judges is an interesting book and many times it is hidden away as if it is some deep, dark secret of the Bible. Filled with murder, deceit and heinous crimes, this seventh book of the Bible is the attic of the Bible. Yet, here it is, containing this record of Israel's rebellion against God and subsequent disregard for God's commands. Blatant disobedience would be at the core and the theme of Judges is clearly stated in the memory verse for the class.

"In those days, there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes."

-Judges 21:25

When one of the students stated what he learned from the class, unknowingly, he explained how this verse is relevant to the book as a whole.

"I have been learning that Israel is just like our day now. I'm seeing the history... they keep falling into sin and they don't pass the faith onto the [next] generation. They weren't following God's Word. It was a very sinful time"
- Derek, Waterloo

It was a very sinful time. The statement alone sums it up. What can be learned from a book that has this reputation? Since Timothy says in the New Testament, "All scripture is profitable...", Judges has been placed in the Bible for a purpose.

This purpose is hinted at in the following from one of the students:

 "I learned how loving God is, in that, no matter how much sin I am in, God is always there when I repent and turn back to Him."
-Brandon, Waterloo

Judges shows us the grace of God. Every time Israel rebelled, God called them back to Himself. The Lord would raise up a judge, hence the name of the book, and that judge would bring the people back to the Lord by leading them in repentance. Then when the judge died, the people would fall into sin again. This cycle of sin, judging and repentance occurred seven times in Judges. Even the judges themselves were not the best example of godliness and fell into sin soon after Israel repented. But God's grace continually prevails and still brings people to repentance today. When asked what he was learning from Judges, Pastor Eastwood replied with the following:

"I am learning that sin is deceitful and subtle and we need the grace of God."

God's grace is a beacon of light in the darkness of Judges. This world desperately needs God's grace just as Israel did over three thousand years ago. This grace comes in the form of God's Son dying on the cross, taking the punishment of sin for every person. The message of Judges and the gospel is one and the same: repentance. The message of repentance has always been the same: turn from your sin and turn to God's grace for redemption from the punishment of sin. Let us not forget this incredible gift of salvation.

BW

MIA: Ministry in Action

Look for these posts to learn more about the awesome ministries that the students will be taking part in this year at the BI.

This time of the year involves the start up of all the ministries here at WOLBI.

Already in motion are plans to form the various ministry teams that the students will be a part of this year at the BI. These are the various teams and their purpose:

        Testify: This is a group of students that travel to various churches and perform special music and also lead worship services.

 Testify performs at Word of Life Missions Conference in Schroon Lake, NY.

        Edify: This is the children's ministry team. Several students take time to plan and prepare for a special kids night and then host it in various churches. This year they plan to travel to Olympian groups in Ontario.

Edify 2010-2011 (left to right) Lindsay, Evan, Kevin, Jonathan, Benjamin

       CEO: This team plans out and organizes events for the student body to participate in that would involve oppurtunities to witness.

        Declare: Drama becomes ministry for the students on this team. They prepare skits for events on campus, such as chapels and snow camps.

        Praise Team: This team leads worship in Director's Chapels and Sunday morning services and is involved with Snow Camp praise team as well.
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Praise Team 2010-2011
(left to right) Jaramie, Carmen, Magalie, Bethany, Jamie, Lynae

 

     













        Local Church Ministries: Many of the students will have a weekly ministry in one of the surrounding churches in Owen Sound and Meaford.

       Missions: The Missions team promotes missions to the students, maintaining communication with missionaries and hosts prayer meetings for missions globally as well as locally.

        Missions Trips: Members of our student body will have the opportunity to participate in two mission trips during March Break. One trip takes them to the island country of Jamaica where they minister to the people their in various ways. The other missions trip will actually take place locally. The students will take part in a Vacation Bible School at the Saugeen Native Reserve. For both of these trips the students are required to raise support in order to fund for the expense of either opportunity. Prayerfully consider becoming part of this ministry and donating towards either trip.

Contact Info:
Phone: 519.376.3516     Owen Sound Bible Institute
             800.461.3503     Toll-free number

Fax: 519.376.9893 Owen Sound Bible Institute

Please be in prayer for these teams as they have the chance to not only encourage other believers but also be a witness for Christ. If you would like to be a part of these ministries by having one of the travel teams come to your church please call 519.376.9516 ext. 214.

BW

                                                                           

Word Studies: TERM Seminar

Class: Worldview Evangelism (also The Emmaus Road Message or TERM Seminar)

Week #2: September 19-23

Professor: Mr. John R. Cross


Assignments: Worldview Assignment to be completed before the start of class
Details: Talk to five people of different age and background about their views on God, man and life after death.


This past week the students at WOLBI have sat underneath the teaching of Mr. John R. Cross who taught the TERM Seminar.

Mr. John R. Cross is a teacher and author for GOODSEED International. He has also worked with New Tribes Missions for over 23 years. His passion is to see the gospel preached and lives changed.

The TERM Seminar is a walk-through and training of the book By This Name. The book takes the reader through the gospel message starting in Creation and ending in Christ's death and Resurrection. The seminar trains the students to be able to use the book and other resources in a small group situation. This class is also great preparation for Open Air Evangelism as it answers many of the questions that the students will be asked during the ministry in Toronto and Hamilton next week.

The following are comments from some of the students:

"It was a great overview of the Bible and I learned alot about areas that I've never really taken time to study before."
- Monica, Stratford

"There was a lot to learn."
- Kassey, Goulais River

It was nice to get refreshed with the big picture."
- Nathan, Goulais River

"I noticed that the gospel is about all the Old Testament and is way easier to use the Old Testament in the gospel than just using John, easier to make connections and for people to understand."
- Jean-Christophe, Quebec

The TERM Seminar is extremely relevant and practical for what the students need in the ministries that they will be involved in throughout the year. What makes it even better, is when the students will be able to look back and realize how they used what they learned in class.  If these students allow God to do so, He will use them greatly with what He has provided for in their lives.

BW

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Don't Miss Word of Life Superbowl 2011

What better way to spend a night than with sports, games, food  and, most importantly, God's Word. You can get all this and more for your youth group at Word of Life Superbowl Mississauga, Ontario. This event is for students in grades 7-12. Hundreds of youth come from across Canada to this awesome all-nighter.

Included in the night:

        - OHL Hockey Game

        - Prizes, prizes and more prizes

        - Sports and Arcade Games

        - Gospel Presentation

        - And so much more!

Mark your calendar for this November and get ready to have an awesome night for your youth group.

Time: Friday, 04 November 2011- Saturday, 05 November 2011

Location:          Hershey Centre
                          5500 Rose Cherry Pl., Mississauga
                 Then...
                           Playdium Mississauga
                           99 Rathburn Rd. W., Mississauga

Cost:  Get your registration in before October 3rd and save big!

	Early Price	Regular Price	Late Price
	on or before 10/03	on or before 10/24	after 10/24
Teens	$40	$45	$49
Leaders	$37	$37	$37

 




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For information for Superbowls in other locations in Canada, click here.


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