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Sunday, May 27, 2012

IVBI - Victory Bible Institute - a resource



 

International Victory Bible Institutes
A ministry of Victory Christian Center – Tulsa, Oklahoma U.S.A

Established in 1979, Victory Christian Center has grown to over 15,000 members.  We are continuing Pastor Billy Joe Daugherty’s vision to help establish International Victory Bible Institutes in every nation of the world. We desire for believers to be equipped with the full understanding of the Word of God and of their relationship with Christ.  Over the past number of years we have helped others like you to establish or strengthen over 1,000 Bible Schools in over 100 countries.
VISION
Providing a foundation in the Word of God and preparing students for ministry so they find the life they were born to live. “Commit thou to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also.” (2 Timothy 2:2)
FULFILLED THROUGH
1)       Comprehensive Bible Training under proficient and anointed teachers
2)      Practical application, both personally and with ministry to others
3)      Development of sound discipline and integrity in the student’s personal life.

BY PROVIDING
1)       A manual How to Start a Bible School
2)      A CD-Rom with more than 700 hours of teaching in the form of curriculum outlines for both teacher and student.
3)      30 DVD  video courses (over 400 hours)
4)      Dr. John Maxwell Equip Leadership Curriculum (36 hours)
5)      Our continued support and guidance to answer your questions and to assist you in any way we can.
6)      Short-term missionary teacher assistance

The director of Grace & Faith Family Ministries Bible Training Institute, an IVBI in East Africa, shares the following testimony from a student who is a young pastor, “I have been equipped, edified, and have been comforted from the Word of God through His chosen vessels…the materials that they have been using have been also simplified in a way that everybody can understand it…For about the three weeks that I have been in the class, it has actually created more impact in my life…up to now I have been empowered to act seriously as God’s servant to bring true knowledge about God’s Word…”
Our ministry has grown out of a work we did in Russia and Romania until 1996 when we moved back to the US to offer what we did there to missionaries and national pastors all over the world.  We have developed a curriculum of basic discipleship through church leadership training that now is used in over 100 countries in almost 1, 200 Bible schools and other higher education institutions.  The curriculum provided through our sponsors contains over 700 hours of practical, Word based training in the form of written outlines for the instructor and the student.  We also have 400 hours of video instruction available at no cost, as well as materials (practical manual, forms, and other resources) to help start schools and existing schools.  Consultation through our Regional and National Coordinators is also available.  We also have approximately 250 qualified short term missionary teachers who travel to these schools to assist in the teaching at their own expense.  More detailed information is found on our web site and the link is provided below.
 If this is something that could be of help to you, I would ask that you contact me or complete the Survey/Application form found on our web site.  Be assured that we highly respect all those we work with and have no agenda to do anything but add our support and assistance to what God has already assigned you to do.  We would be happy to provide you with references from national pastors as well as missionaries that we work with around the globe. 

Ron Stafford, Director
International Victory Bible Institutes
7700 S. Lewis
Tulsa, OK  74136  U.S.A.

Office: 918.491.7630
Skype:  RonStafford929

Sunday, May 20, 2012

The Healer and the Centurion

Please enjoy the letter from Kenya missionary friends.

Prayer letter for May, 2012
     
Greeting to all brothers and sisters in the Body of Christ. Geri and I are both doing well. We are thankful for God’s keeping power. We know some of you struggle with sickness and afflictions that are difficult at times. I would like to give a word of encouragement you in need of healing.  
Several years ago, my wife and I finished a one-month pastoral training in Nigeria. We then went to Kenya for ten days. The day we arrived in Kenya I became ill with Malaria. The doctor told me I was highly infected with the “killer malaria.” I lay for several days with a high fever and chills. After ten days I had recovered enough to travel home. However, about three weeks after we arrived home I became ill again with the symptoms of Malaria. I was alone in the hospital room, I began to ask God to touch and heal me. I told the Lord I was His servant and not a servant to sickness. My mind went to the centurion in the Bible, who had a sick servant. The servant could not respond to his master because his sickness had command over his body and he was a servant to it. When you are sick the sickness becomes your master.
The centurion sent the elders of the Jews to Jesus, to ask Him to come and heal his servant. Luke 7:2-3And a certain centurion's servant, who was dear unto him, was sick, and ready to die. 3 And when he heard of Jesus, he sent unto him the elders of the Jews, beseeching him that he would come and heal his servant.” Jesus responded to the elders of the Jews, by saying he would go with them. Luke 7:6Then Jesus went with them. And when he was now not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to him, saying unto him, Lord, trouble not thyself: for I am not worthy that thou shouldest enter under my roof:” The centurion heard Jesus was coming to his house along with the elders. He realized he had used his authority to bring Jesus under his roof, thus under his authority. The centurion knows authority; I can say to one come and he comes, I say to another go and he goes. He sent friends to Jesus, saying, “Trouble not thyself, to enter under my roof” Both Jew and Gentile were obeying the commands of the centurion. He understood the power of authority behind His word, which was the authority of Rome. The words or authority of the centurion did not have power to heal his servant, but he knew the Word of authority and power of heaven was with the words of Jesus. The centurion said, to Jesus “Speak a word only and my servant will be healed.” The humbleness of the centurion Luke 7 verse 7 “Wherefore neither thought I myself worthy to come unto thee: but say in a word, and my servant shall be healed.” Luke 7 verse 9 Jesus responded with, “I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.” Jesus saw the centurion had humbled himself to become a servant for a servant.
We are servants of God and as a servant and friend; we will go to Jesus for you. It only takes obedience to move the heart of Jesus to come and heal. By your request; you send us forth to ask, for Jesus to visit your home. Believe; the answer is on the way.

God will add to your faith
Pastor Ray and Geri Tucker

Monday, May 14, 2012

William


I lost my friend today.  He wasn’t the kind of friend that knew every bit of my life or spent every waking minute with me. Others knew him much better and will miss him in a more intimate way.   

But I will miss William.  Driving through Nairobi will never be quite the same. (though I have to add here that we love Jackson as well) The first time we visited HEART we searched him out at the airport. There he stood with a big smile and a sign.   William drove us to and fro many times sharing wonderful stories of his life, his family, his walk with God.  He loved his personal family as well as his HEART family with all he had.  He was loyal.  He was faithful.  His smile was as big as God’s arms and his eyes were shining lights of love.   

I lost one of my friends today, but I’ll never forget him.

Esther


This is why we started The Esther Project..helping women stay in their homes until they can enter the WEEP Program & receive the same testimony as below. For more information, you can visit our website at www.edenssong.org.

Esther through God’s Looking Glass

Gentle hands guide a pain-wracked body through the glass where legs, strengthened by nutrition, medication and God’s mercy bear a healthy body, a joyful heart and a smiling face.  Reconciled and redeemed by Christ, she is now a new creature; the old left behind & the new ahead of her.  Healed of past God concepts & renewed by God’s love, she has been crucified in Christ & able to embrace the abiding of the Lord.  She believes there is a call on her life and carries the sense of confident expectation that solid certainty brings. Hope for her child and the coming generation bring a peace to her countenance.  I sat in awe of the freedom filling the room emanating from the promise of life.

Each testimony told of the hardships, the fear and ensuing denial that come from the sentence of an HIV positive diagnosis.  Short and Sweet.  It was no longer their reality.  They were saved by the blood of the Lamb and the earthly angels God had put in their path.  Each woman realized the potential life carried for them.   Excitedly they showed us how to make candles; took us to their shop where they sold their crafts-purses, school uniforms, mosquito nets, aprons, dresses, blouses and men’s shirts they tailored; the beaded, be-jeweled and polished stoned jewelry; handcrafted blankets and many other wonderful gifts made by hands that once shook with illness. 

Now steady.
Now being held out to others in need. 

With uncommon compassion, the kind that can only come from one who has taken the journey before you, they visit other women languishing on the brink of death and offer them the same hope of glory.  We were blessed with the visual representation of “raham” or the “tender love of a mother for her child; to love from the womb”.  With no regard to time or space they pray, feed and help hold a bottle of oral rehydration to dry lips. 

Quietly, one woman who understands the need for human contact will sit and hold a hand with full knowledge that soon this woman too will be free of the enemy’s plan. 

Through the help of Mom Gladys’s, Mary, Evelyn and others, each woman is given a chance to make a life for themselves.  We greeted graduates of the program walking the streets & purchasing food for the evening meal they will prepare for their family, by themselves, in their own home.   These women now give back to the program.  Self-sufficient, proud, shining with the light of He who has become their rock and strong tower.

Independent of handouts.
Dependent on God. 

Sunday, May 6, 2012

Medi-Share: a great source for health insurance


A GREAT SOURCE FOR HEALTH INSURANCE:

Medi-Share  "Christian care medical sharing".   As a health share ministry, Medi-Share has provided Christians with an alternative to the high cost of insurance since 1993.  Healthcare Sharing Ministries like Medi-Share are the only organized healthcare concept to receive an exemption from the regulations and costs of the recently passed law.

Medi-Share is:
Proven: For over 18 years, Medi-Share members have been helping one another through medical bill sharing—over $625 million has been shared and discounted! It’s God’s way of helping His people care for one another while providing healthcare that works.

Sensible: With options to fit every budget, and even an incentive available for our healthier members, Medi-Share is a great option for Christians who don’t want to be left alone to pay their medical bills.

Good Stewardship:
Medi-Share is for Christians who want their healthcare dollars to help fellow believers who are living the same lifestyles they are, based on biblical principles and service to others.

Ministry:
Christian Care Ministry is a not-for-profit ministry where the members make the rules---and their dollars don’t support unbiblical choices such as abortion, or drug or alcohol abuse.   In Hebrews 13:16, Christians are instructed, “..to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.”  That’s exactly what Med-Share members do – we hold each other up in prayer and we share each other’s medical expenses. 

Medi-Share is NOT INSURANCE:  Health insurance comes with a contractual guarantee to pay your medical bills.  Medi-Share is a not-for-profit organization, a community of Christians who share their resources to help people in need.  For over 18 years our members have been faithfully sharing medical bills on a non-guaranteed basis, trusting the Lord to provide in their time of need through the voluntary gifts of other like-minded Christians. Medi-Share lets you choose your own doctors and hospitals.  If you change jobs, you take Med-Share with you.  It’s that simple. 

On March 22, 2010 President Obama signed into law legislation that requires most Americans to purchase government regulated health insurance by the year 2014.  We are grateful that the law gives Christians who participate in Health Care Sharing Ministries a special exemption from the mandate to purchase insurance. More importantly, we thank God for His protection and favor on our Ministry and the continued opportunity to serve one another.

Health Care Sharing Ministries are the only “organized healthcare concept” to receive a special exemption from the taxes, penalties and regulations that are a part of this law, as these apply to insurance companies.

As a Medi-Share member you are exempt from the “individual mandate” that will require all other Americans to purchase insurance by 2014 or face financial penalties.  Our economy is bad enough and according to recent studies, private health insurance premiums will rise by 40% over the next three years. Christians everywhere are already looking at their finances and wondering, "How am I going to be able to afford decent healthcare?"

Best of all, Medi-Share offers a true community of shared commitment to biblical values!
For more information visit our website at www.edenssong.org or visit http://mychristiancare.org

Tuesday, May 1, 2012


I was sitting in my garden one day, pulling weeds. In the distance I heard thunder rolling in. I could tell from the sound that it wasn't too close, but it was coming.

        A few minutes later I heard it again, this time it was closer. As I sat there I thought 'Oh, good, this will bring some much needed rain on my garden, thank you God for this storm rolling in, please let it rain for a while so my garden is well watered.'

        I sat there and thought of what just came out of my mouth. Any other time I would have been in my house and heard thunder and had a different reaction. I would have thought, 'oh, I need to shut down computers and get ready, a storm is coming.' My thoughts would have been more negative than positive.


        Philippians 4:8 says; Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy--meditate on these things.

        Today when I read this scripture it had a different meaning to me, it is as if the writer is saying...'if you can think of ANYTHING good, think of that, if you can see ANY good in the situation, think on the good parts and praise God for the good part.'

        It is all in our perception I think. Today, I could see the good, the praiseworthy thing in a storm. I could see that storms aren't all bad; they have good and praiseworthy aspects as well.

        I know that there are times when it is a challenge to find something good in a situation but I also believe it is possible to find something good and praiseworthy. Even when we lost Jesse, the good and praiseworthy thing was that He was with God. As hard as it was for me and my family we can praise God for this wonderful hope that we have that we will see him again and he is with our God.

        Storms destroy some people, other people seem to rise above them and soar over them, finding the good and praiseworthy aspect and holding on to that. The difference is their perception. Those who are destroyed choose to view it from a strictly negative way - while others seek God's face and ask Him to show it to them from His perspective.

        I found myself doing just that the other day, as the storm rolled in and I saw it from a different perspective, I began to pray and ask God to show me His perspective of the storms I had been through - I ask Him to show me the good and praiseworthy things. I believe if I SEE it differently, I will react differently and feel differently about it. From now on I choose to stop and find something good and praiseworthy in every single thing that comes my way. I am not saying it will be easy, but as long as I have breath in my body I have something to praise God for. It is the enemy who wants us to see everything from a negative point of view - don't allow him in your thoughts.

        If you find yourself in a storm today, ask God to show you the good and praiseworthy things within the storm; He will. Allow the storms of life to cause you to rise to new levels in God. Allow those storms to water your seed and cause a harvest to spring up. Allow those storms to give you a new view. Storms make us stronger, they prepare us and they cause us to draw closer to God - allow the storms in your life to do just that. It is amazing what God can do if we will only change our perspective...He is so good and so faithful...all the time.

 Kim Potter