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Ending Bible Poverty with Ships
Author: cliffandamaris
BIG CHANGES AHEAD!
The Jonah Grace Edition: Fall 2014, L.A.
New Life! Spring 2014
November in England
Having lived mostly in warm climates, being in England for the Autumn has been brilliant! We love seeing the colors of the leaves turn and the weather grow cooler making gloves, hats and scarfs a necessity rather than a fashion statement.
My parents just left from a wonderful visit and the trainees of the Chronological Bible Core Course (CBCC) have finished reading through the Old Testament, are wrapping up their assignment on Ezra, and preparing for our second Outreach Week before “meeting Jesus” in the New Testament.
Now faithful reader, fasten your seatbelt, grab your spectacles and prepare yourself for a pictorial journey through the past month of CBCC Ywam England…
First Outreach Week
Our First Outreach week was October 9-12 and we rented a van and took the whole crew to Hull for the weekend. (Yes, Cliff drove us for the first time on the Left side of the road! He did great.) Hull was recently voted the Worst place to live in England 😦 But instead of letting that stand, the churches of Hull got together to have a week of “Believe in Hull”, and we joined in with evangelism, Bible teaching and just hanging out in the community Center.
Our time in Hull was both encouraging to the Community and ourselves. It was great to see and work with ministries that “get their hands dirty” and reach out in practical ways. A Youth With A Mission Discipleship Training School was also on outreach in Hull and our group has an opportunity to teach them an Inductive Bible Study seminar. Personally exciting for me was Friday evening when a talk on Science and Christianity was hosted at the Community Center. Earlier in the day we went out to the local University in invite people. I invited an Iraqi guy and he came! Its always nice to see small outcomes like this. He was introduced to the center and hopefully he will return and come to know the love of God. Our group was greatly encouraged by our time in Hull.
Back in Class: Kings- Ezra
We came back from Hull and jumped back into the Bible studying Kings, Hosea, Daniel and Ezra. Here are some highlights from the past four weeks…
Evangelism Bracelet
The evangelism bracelets have six colors that help to share the gospel. Everyone does them a little differently, but the end goal remains the same- to share the truth about Jesus to people and invite them into relationship with Him.
Simply put, we begin with a GREEN bead that represents the garden. God created mankind to have relationship with Him. This is what God wants. Then the BLACK bead, but man sinned and that sin broke relationship between God and man. This is a good point to introduce what sin is. Then the RED bead, but God sent His son Jesus to die for our sin, to the pay the price the we should pay. The WHITE bead shows that Jesus blood washes us ‘white as snow’ and cleanses us from sin so that we can again come back into relationship with God as He always wanted with the green bead. Then the BLUE bead, is representative of being washed, the baptism of the Holy Spirit, the forgiveness of sins and freedom. Ending with the YELLOW or GOLD bead, showing now we can live in relationship with God, full of hope and the promise of eternal life.
We’ve found people are usually interested and like the idea of a free bracelet. The time it takes to tie it on allows them to them is enough to share the story and often leads to conversation. We’ve been surprised at people’s openness, although there are many who are not interested. Many say, I have never heard the story told like that and make so much sense.
Church in Madingley
Prayer Points
- 2nd Outreach week: We have opportunities for our trainees to teach Bible Overviews and Inductive Study to local believers. Pray for their encouragement, equipping, and success.
- Our last month! Our trainees will finally be able to fully dig into Jesus’ life, nature, and character, and then the same for Jesus’ body, the Church. Pray for HUGE REVELATION!!!
- A 3-week break. ‘Nuff said.
- 2 new opportunities in 2014!!!!!:
- CaCHE (www.cacheglobal.net) finally has a real-life opportunity to create a local university, staffed by local believers! Academic mentors from several East-central African nations will come together to be trained to facilitate an online college curriculum, and they asked us to direct the training “Bootcamp” in January. We need tons of prayer, plus support partners.
- China and the Philippines: in February and March, we have been invited to teach in multiple brand-new Bible programs in China, and a new BCC pioneered by one of Amaris’ Philippines staff members. Again, please pray for the Lord’s guidance and provision!
The ministry of great Bible teaching and equipping is growing leaps and bounds throughout the world. We are finding ourselves at the front of the Chronological program movement- it’s growing like CRAZY, as more and more people are exposed to the fullness of the Bible narrative in the right order. Thank you for your prayers for Amaris and I!!!!
Is this Real Life??? Drip, drip, driP…
I took some of our trainee girls for tea to get to know them a bit and enjoy a rare bit of sunshine on a Sunday afternoon. We ended us asking each other questions and one stood out to me; What job would you have if you could have any? As I sat and thought about it I realized I am doing it! My answer: I would marry a tall, funny guy and travel the world teaching people the Bible. Heehee… I’m so thankful.
As I think through what changes a nation, it comes down to knowing WHO God is through His Word. God’s word renews one’s view of the world, it causes individuals to change their actions. As many people change, one by one, a nation is changed (See Loren Cunningham’s book The Book the Transforms Nations). You only need a few; about 20% to change a society. God does work with the minority (See Judges 6&7).
I often teach that “Small things make a BIG difference.” Think of a dripping faucet, its only one small drop at a time, but in time it has the potential to fill a huge swimming pool. Now imagine many little drips together, like rain for example… God does in an instant, with many seemingly small people, doing small things to bring change. Just as the rain can water more in a moment than I can in weeks.
Cliff and I have dedicated our lives to teach people to understand the Biblical story. One by one, hearts and minds are transformed and as they ‘drip’ together, change happens.
Here is a weekend Photo Journal
(I am finding these more fun to create and probably to look at then reading loads of text 🙂
Riding like a bike club on Saturday morning to pray in the newly rented YWAM Cambridge’s Discipleship Training School house!!!! We have a DTS starting September 23. Cool times! As the five of us road together, we are like a mini van (which they do not have here in England… trying to find a pick-up truck in England is not going to happen. Most cars are small little hatch backs). Amaris taking a photo while Cliff, Thomas and Heather follow closely behind.
View from the back seat of our “Mini Van” ride.
Making Evangelism Bracelets. Using small beads in six colors, we can tell the Gospel to people by offering them a bracelet and explaining the different color. Its a great tool for evangelism. (Look for a coming post with the detail of these bracelets!) From right to left: Connie Taylor (YWAM Cambridge Base leader, Cliff, Grace & Colette)
Right to Left: Dalton, Thomas, Elyse, Heather and Chelsea making Evangelism bracelets.
Near our home, The Oak Villa, is a place called Madingley Hall. Its a part of Cambridge University that offers continuing education. I think it was the former home of the Earl of Madingley, amazing to look at and beautiful grounds, Take a closer look at this photo for a fun surprise. To me it really is Pride and Prejudice come to life. Make me want to jump for joy!
Taking the girls for tea at Grantchester Meadows.
Part of discipleship is getting to know people. How better than to have tea in an orchard. Quite lovely if I may say so myself.
Already I can see growth in our ladies. What a joy and privilege to be a part of God’s work in their lives.
An Apple a day keeps the doctor away… Yes I did pick this apple off the tree behind that bench during my quiet time. God does provide. I then took it and let Cliff have a bite. Typical.
Thank you for your prayers for our program here in England. Cliff and I feel truly blessed. As we begin studying Deuteronomy this week and YWAM Cambridge’s DTS begins, we are expectant for God to do good things through us in the city! We continue to pray and share the good news when opportunity is there!
Cheers.
A Glimpse @ CBCC Cambridge
We are well into the second week of our Chronological Bible Core Course here in Cambridge England and all I can say is that we are blessed. Our six trainees are picking up the study method quickly and are a really great bunch. We have made our way through Philemon and this week we are studying Ephesians.
Last night we had a time around the wood burning stove with hot coco sharing testimonies. How encouraging it was! One trainee from the UK, who was raised an Atheist, shared how he simply had a thought, “If God is real, I would know” and within a few weeks began hearing God’s voice and gave his life to Christ. What an amazing God we serve! It is testimonies like this that remind Cliff and I why we do what we do as well as encourage us that God is able to do anything!!!!
This weekend Youth With A Mission (YWAM) Cambridge will begin its first ever Discipleship Training School (DTS). God has been faithful to provide a house for them to stay and 6 trainees to attend their nine-month program. We are looking forward to partnering with this program for outreach into the city on the weekends.
I have recently been reminded about time. So often I can become anxious and worried about life and things- ‘How will this work??’- wondering whether our vision is even possible. But in the end, I see God come through and blow my mind. Ultimately, in time, things will work out when God is fighting for you. We are so blessed and thankful for all God has done to bring us to England to Start this program!
Thank you for your prayers an support.
What a mighty God we serve!
Enjoy a photo journal of our time so far…
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Our six Trainees with Moustashes (uk spelling)!
top from left: Thomas (Holland), Tom (UK), Chelsea (Washington State)
bottom from right: Dalton (Tennessee), Annalie (UK), Elyse (West Virginia)
Testimony time in the Snug with the wood burning stove.
Heather Wilson, our staff girl, shares her testimony as Annalie and Dalton listen.
Cliff giving a lecture in our classroom.
Prayer and Worship time with Cambridge’s House of Prayer.
Every Friday we meet with other believers from Cambridge to join together in prayer for the city.
Connie Taylor (the red head) is our YWAM Cambridge base leader. Praise God for her faithful dedication to get YWAM Cambridge off its feet!
Dalton and Thomas on a tour of Cambridge with Christian Heritage. Notice the colored pencils in Dalton’s backpack, the sign of a good bible student ready to observe his Bible!
Sunday we joined this tour to give the trainees a better understanding of the Christian significance of the city.
Each Saturday and Sunday the trainees will volunteer with Christian Heritage, a ministry focused on preserving and telling the Christian history of the city!
The beautiful chapel of St. John’s College
This post would not be complete without a picture of Cliff with a cow. Cows roam freely in many of the meadows around Cambridge. They are like natural lawn mowers, but watch out for what they leave behind!
