Key Verse: Genesis 35:3

¡°Then come, let us go up to Bethel, where I will build an altar to God, who answered me in the day of my distress and who has been with me wherever I have gone.¡±

By God¡¯s grace, we held our annual fall bible school on the book of Genesis this past weekend, from November 14-16th, at the Lamoine Christian Service Camp near Macomb, Illinois. In addition to the chapters of the Missouri Valley Region, Macomb, St. Louis, Kansas City and Omaha, we also had guests from Springfield, UIUC, Chicago and West Loop. We had more than 80 attendants, including guests who did not stay for the whole school. God blessed the Bible school abundantly through the messages and testimonies, as well as the group bible study, duo dramas and music. We concluded the Bible school with a baptism ceremony for one disciple from St. Louis, and then held communion.

The Bible School was organized around the study of the God of Jacob. The messages were prepared and delivered by disciples and disciple candidates from WIU, Springfield and Kansas City UBF. The messages were: Edward Marson (WIU), ¡°God¡¯s promise to Jacob¡±, 28:10-22, Carl Solorio (WIU), ¡°Jacob¡¯s confession of faith,¡± 29-31, Eric Jackson (WIU), ¡°Jacob remembers God¡¯s promise¡± 32:1-21, Carlo Daniels (WIU), ¡°Jacob wrestles with God¡± 32:22-33:11, Jonathan Doolin (WIU), ¡°Jacob makes a wrong turn¡± 33:12-20, Ison Hong (Springfield), ¡°The price of compromise,¡± 34, and Matthew Chiesi (UMKC), ¡°The God of Bethel,¡± 35:1-15. All of the WIU messengers prepared and delivered messages for a Bible conference for the first time. It was our prayer that these young messengers might experience God¡¯s healing and receive God¡¯s grace and vision through deep meditation on God¡¯s word. And by God¡¯s grace, each messenger was moved by the word of God, and then shared the message they had received through God¡¯s word with all the attendants.

I was especially moved by the three student messengers, Carl Solorio, Eric Jackson and Carlo Daniels. They really struggled with God¡¯s word personally until they could apply it very meaningfully to their lives. Carl struggled as Jacob did to overcome fear through believing that the God of his fathers was with him. Carl is a rather shy boy, but by the end of his message he expressed Jacob¡¯s deep satisfaction that God had restrained Laban from harming him, and confessed his faith that God would protect him in the same way when he looked to God with faith. Eric struggled to overcome his desires for a girlfriend by remembering God¡¯s promise to him. He could relate to Jacob¡¯s struggle to hold on to God¡¯s promise in the face of Esau¡¯s approach and his own fear. And Carlo spoke of his own struggle to overcome his hatred of his wrestling opponents that had more things or better circumstances. Like Jacob, he struggled with God until he could focus his efforts on improving himself academically for the glory of God instead of on crushing or defeating his opponents. Then he could practice God¡¯s love as a Bible teacher and shepherd. I thank God for the struggle of these young men to keep their way pure by living according to God¡¯s word (Ps. 119:9).

A number of students also shared testimonies, participated in the duo dramas and engaged in the challenging activities, including rock climbing. At the end of the conference, sh. Degi from St. Louis received baptism into Christ. She was raised as a Buddhist in her native Mongolia, but she always felt dissatisfied. When she heard the good news of Jesus Christ, she was changed and became joyful and deeply satisfied, like the Samaritan woman.

I was thankful for the coworking spirit with all of the participating chapters. Dr. John Lee came to the conference, driving several hours after staying up all night on his medical rotation. Three graduate students came from UIUC to see the work of God going on in the Missouri Valley. A number of coworkers from UIC and West Loop also came to pray for us and participate, driving 4 or 5 hours, getting lost in the dark countryside.

I am especially thankful for WIU coworkers who took real responsibility in so many ways to bless this conference, and make it a blessing for the young students who participated. God has given us a vision to double our ministry by 2010, to raise up students as disciples and even disciple-makers, and to establish 20 one to one Bible teachers at WIU. Through the conference program, we learned that for this to happen, we must learn to struggle with God and overcome fear by holding on to God¡¯s promise and living in obedience to his commands.