One of the highlights of the end-of-the-year activities was the graduation ceremony for the twenty-three men in the downtown congregation’s training program. Their ages range from 18-73. These men are all faithful members of a local congregation and participate in various church ministries. All teach in the Sunday school classes, and most are in our rotation of preachers in the Sunday assembly. Half of these men already teach courses in the School of the Bible.

The Biblical topics we studied in 2022 included the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5—7) and the Book of Acts. The practical subjects were Evangelism, How to Prepare and Deliver a Sermon (posture, voice, focusing on one theme), and How to Read and Understand the Bible. On the latter, I brought a lesson on four simple study rules I would like to share with you.

1. Always PRAY,

2. Do not read a verse in isolation, but consider its CONTEXT,

3. Develop an overall knowledge of the Bible’s message from the DAILY reading

4. Jesus is the “LENS” through which we can correctly interpret the Scriptures.

In 2023, we will study the subject of Prayer, the First epistle to the Corinthians, the Book of Proverbs, the Gospel of John, Maturity in Christ, and Practical Ministry.

Our goal is that all grow in their knowledge of God’s Word and use this to teach others. In this, we offer a transformative experience that gives them the tools and ability to grow in their faith and become effective leaders for Christ in their homes, congregations, and communities.