26 pastors and a rented bus
No, it’s not the tagline for a joke; it’s an example of the power of the gospel. Last week, a number of the Shiloh students went to Archbishop Addae to proclaim they had trusted in Christ as their Savior. They were serving in a church and studying in a Bible school, but realized they were not believers! The gospel of God’s grace powerfully called them to faith in Christ (Rom. 1:16) through the teaching they received at Shiloh – including last week’s study in Romans. So, Archbishop rented a bus and took 26 students to a nearby river for baptism.

Synoptic Gospels - an unexpected blessing
I had never taught Synoptic Gospels before, and the students in Sunyani had no idea what to expect. So, it was with some uncertainty that we all began the study last Monday (9/19). They confessed later that they had expected a class on the gospels to be a repetition of what they already knew. However, the curriculum approached the Synoptics (Matthew, Mark and Luke) from the standpoint of literary analysis. We considered the intended audience of each writer, the theme of each book, the unique elements included and, most importantly, the view of Christ’s ministry each gospel presents.

As we considered what made these three gospels different from each other, we all gained new insights into the work and ministry of our Savior. The students were often challenged and occasionally astounded by what they learned. The literary analysis approach also helped them understand some of the apparent “contradictions” between the three gospels and prepared them to more effectively preach and teach from these vital accounts of our Lord’s life and ministry.

Matthew’s perspective of Christ as King of Israel, the descendant of Abraham and son of David, provoked the most questions from the students. Christ’s description in the Sermon on the Mount of his blessed people and the new perspectives of his Kingdom were especially challenging to them. Few of us are used to thinking in the “upside down” perspective that Christ’s Kingdom mandates: weakness is strength, God’s praise is more important than the praise of men, one cannot serve God and money, and heart attitude trumps outward activity. As we worked through these ideas, they struggled to apply them in a Ghanaian context where outward performance and seeking the praise of men are so common.

We also spent considerable time walking through Matthew 24 and Christ's prophecy about the fall of Jerusalem, judgment, and His second coming.The conversations generated by their questions were stretching and, as a result, we all received an unexpected blessing from the Lord through our study.

The week went by quickly and far too soon it was time to wrap it up and begin the trip home. Although this trip was a bit shorter than most, I was encouraged by the significant results that came through the ELI instruction. We are already planning the first trip for 2017, and look forward to God’s continued blessing on His Word in West Africa.

I flew into Atlanta Sunday afternoon. Susan met me at the airport and we visited our son and his wife, Daniel and Victoria, and our supercharged grandson, Titus. After a lovely dinner and some quality grandparent time, we drove home late Sunday night.

I will be making one more short teaching trip this year. In early November I’m scheduled to teach Old Testament for a week in Cochabamba, Bolivia. It’s a new country and a new experience for me, but I appreciate the opportunity. I’ll send more information to you as it becomes available.

Thanks for your prayers and financial support. We are blessed to be able to serve the Lord in this way!

For Christ’s Kingdom,
Dan

Equipping Leaders International