Word of Life Spring Gala!

All the awards to give away. 

 All the lights to make a perfect show.

 All the cameras to get that perfect angle.

All those famous people that everybody knows.

The Word of Life Spring Gala was a special night ! It was a fun night. It was a tasty night! It was a celebration! A celebration of this past year.

The Spring Gala was a night to remember this past year. But it was also a night  where memories were made.

This past year we have experienced a whole lot of meeting new people, Open Air, classes, Missions Conferences and Recharge.

With all of these sweet experiences we’ve also had a jam-packed schedule with electives, ministry, and service assignments, and why not throw in a handbook of seemingly ridiculous rules....

and… at times, you might have felt like giving up but you didn’t! You are still here with only seven more sleeps.

The Word of Life Spring Gala was a celebration as the students remembered that famous quote from their very first teacher:

"I will not quit, by God's grace I can do it." - Dr. Wendall Calder

 The evening started out with an opportunity to mingle and converse over delicious appetizers, kabobs and chocolate fondue. Following this, the program began with a game having the students guess the celebrity look-alikes for some of the staff and students. After that, Amplify the praise team, led the group in some well-known praise songs. Then the RA's performed a skit poking fun at some of the Deans and staff of the BI. Then there was a slide show of the past year. You can view the slide show here.

Amplify leading in worship

After the slide show, the evening was a mix of awards, two songs from Testify and testimonies from the past year. Students received awards form being the most dramatic student  to being the most romantic student to being the most studious student.

all the boys

all the girls

This Gala was a fun way to remember the year, to make mention of some students and to look forward to an exciting future. The students have just over a week left of classes, ministry and discipleship. It is definitely a bittersweet time for many of them. 

However, in a month's time, most of the students will be returning to campus, or in fact, camp to train and prepare for seven weeks of intense camp ministry. Please keep them in your prayers.

Word Studies: Biblical Counselling

Class:

Week #16: January 16-20
Professor: Mr. Joe Schenke


Assignments: Read and give a book report on the book, Psychobabble by Dr. Richard Ganz and the What To Do When… counselling pamphlets by Jay E. Adams.

Mr. Joe Schenke was born in Chicago from a Polish Catholic background. He trusted Christ as a teenager. Mr. Schenke attended Word of Life Bible Institute and later received a BS from Trinity College and an MA in Biblical Counselling from The Masters College. Mr. Schenke served as Campus Pastor and Dean of Students at Word of Life Bible Institute in Schroon Lake, NY, for over 20 years and as a pastor of counselling and family ministry at Fellowship Bible Church in Sewell, New Jersey, and is once again the Dean of Students at the NY campus.

"Going into the week of Biblical Counselling, I went into it not thinking that I would really get anything out of it. Mr. Schenke was very encouraging and he challenged me that I can counsel people wherever I am, even if it's just being a good friend and being willing to listen to someone who just needs to talk."
- Monica, Sebringville

Biblical Counselling gives the students here at WOLBI an integrated study of how the Bible should be the foundation of life change. Instead of turning to music, seclusion, friends or medication, which is the world's answer, one needs to turn to God's Word when faced with any situation. Mr. Schenke takes principles from the Bible and makes them applicable for each student.  Biblical counselling is not just for the pastor or counsellor, but every believer needs to be prepared to share the truth found in God's Word with others. This class was able to prepare the students for Recharge Snow Camp, where counselling needs come up very often, and also summer camp when counselling is a major part of the weekly ministry.

"Now we exhort you, brethren,

warn them that are unruly,

comfort the feebleminded,

support the weak,

be patient toward all men."

- 1 Thessalonians 5:14

BW