New English classes at the School of the Bible
Carlos has no church. In fact he is turned off by churches from previous bad experiences. If you offered Carlos a Bible study, he would reject it without thinking twice. How are we to reach out to people like Carlos? Continue reading and you will see something we are trying.
This year the School of the Bible celebrates its 30th year teaching the word of God in the city of Recife. It was founded in 1982 by missionaries from the US with the purpose of offering free Bible courses to the community, teaching many how to read and understand the Word of God in Portuguese.
In a culture that is becoming increasingly literate, many Brazilians have sought for their own understanding of the Bible. This has been the most successful evangelistic tool used by local churches to reach out to those who are honestly seeking God.
As time went on we have faced new challenges and opportunities. In the downtown congregation, we have a good number of brothers who are fluent in English. And with the next World Cup and Olympics being hosted in Brazil, we have seen a growing demand from the public for English classes. Fluency in English is now a pre-requisite for most important jobs around the country. So in prayer, we have decided to meet this need through the School of the Bible by offering English classes with native speakers that have a Bible focus. And it was a big hit! We have a growing number of students attending our English classes.
The amazing thing about these new English classes is that we have students who would otherwise never walk into a church or School of the Bible. But because the classes are accessible and the professors are native, they are willing to hear the story of Jesus. And people like Carlos are coming to our classes, learning good English, and being changed by the Word of God.
Please keep this ministry in your prayers. Pray for the professors, most of whom are volunteers. And for the students who are coming in contact with the Word of God.