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A Great Preacher Has Gone Home
Prentice Meador Jr., a giant among preachers for half a century, a
missionary at heart and a friend of missionaries, has gone home. He helped
get WEI off the ground in 1990, and he soundly defeated Satan, speaking with
convincing power at a WEI seminar in Tirana, Albania in 1995. Albanian
Christians still consider that victory the high-water mark in the history of
the church in Tirana.
Praise God for the faithful, fruitful life of Prentice Meador. May God bless
his memory and comfort his bereaved family.
49 New Christians in India
During the past year, G. Prabhu Kumar has ignited a holy fire in and around
Chennai, India.
In 2007, Prabhu enrolled in WEI and studied under Mike Hale. He was a
preacher and a teacher at World Bible College, and he wanted to improve his
English.
As Prabhu studied the lessons, he became
excited about using WEI as an evangelistic tool, and he started teaching
twenty-five WEI students in his home five days a week. Forty percent of the
non-Christians in his class were baptized.
At their graduation ceremony, the students prayed for God’s direction in
their lives. Ten of the best students started WEI classes of their own—with
twenty-five students in each class. Now, Prabhu moves from group to group,
working with the teachers, encouraging the students, and baptizing them into
Christ. Thus far, forty-nine students have obeyed the gospel.
Prabhu’s e-mails are exciting. On November 29 he wrote, “There is no water
facility in that area for baptisms. So we took an auto at 5 pm and started
to Tripurantahakam where a small river is flowing. We reached there at 8 pm
because of heavy rain. For approximately 3 kms, there is no road—only a
small way in the black soil which was catching in the wheels of auto and not
allowing it to move freely. In that darkness I feared whether this auto will
return or not. "After reaching there, we used auto lights to search for a
suitable place for baptisms, and I baptized three persons after their
confessions.”
Prabhu Baptizes Ch. Enosh in Darkness
On December 5, Prabhu wrote, “After
finishing the class [at Wyra], we all went to the Reservoir, a distance of 2
kilometers, by two autos and two Two-Wheelers. God helped us convince 5
people to accept Christ as their own Savior.”
WEI Student Baptized in a Reservoir near Wyra
On December 14, Prabhu wrote, “We are so
happy to inform you that four more WEI students were added to the Lord’s
church [in Vyasapadi] by our WEI lessons. God helped us choose WEI lessons
to go to the youth in this time.”
“Yesterday, I asked the opinion of two of my co-teachers. Bro. Enosh Thapa
said, ‘Though we are working as Bible teachers since 13 years, we never
experienced like these lessons, and I feel that I am so lucky to go through
this 6 months course from WEI. These lessons are so helpful to us to equip
ourselves to present God’s word in a different way to reach teenagers in the
days to come.’”
Prabhu continues, “Today, I have come to Vyasarpadi upon the request of our
WEI teacher, Bro. Dinakaran, and have taught a special class for the four
students who were prepared for baptism. Then, I baptized them in the tub
that was constructed for the local church.”
WEI Goes to Paraguay
Bonny Moore writes, “I traveled to Asunción [Paraguay] with two other
Freed-Hardeman students. While there, we worked with a team of missionaries,
most of whom have been there since 2003.
“Our primary purpose was to teach English using the Bible through World
English Institute course materials. We, along with a few other English
teachers from the U.S., offered one-on-one classes to the general public.
Each of us had between 6 and 10 students who studied with us in fifty-minute
sessions three times per week.
“I was encouraged by my students’ interest in the Bible, and I hope the seed
that has been planted will grow. Some of my students who did not complete
the entire WEI course plan to continue with me through e-mail.”
From Ukraine to Iowa
Olga Foster, a former WEI student in the Ukraine is now a WEI teacher in
Iowa.
Olga writes, “I was looking through one of the Christian Chronicle issues
the other day, and in one of the articles I read about WEI. Then I recalled
that after I got baptized, I didn’t know much about the Bible, but your
program helped me learn and grow. I was a WEI correspondence student at one
time, and it happened in Ukraine.
Olga Foster, Her Husband, and Their Son
“I am a Church of Christ member since
2000, married, and have a son who is 10 years old. Recently, he got
baptized, and it brought back so much happiness to me!
“Right now, my family and I live in Muscatine, Iowa. We also attend church
here. I have an Iowa license in teaching English as Second Language. My
native language is Russian. I can also communicate in Ukranian, and I have a
basic knowledge of Spanish. I work as a teacher’s aid at an elementary
school here in town.
“I have been dreaming about some sort of Bible class where non-native
speakers could learn English through the Bible. It is hard to find time to
do that, having a family and a full time job, but [WEI] Internet teaching
has that flexibility and lets you reach out to many people.” Olga is now a
WEI Internet teacher.
A Touching Story from Peru
On November 11, Julio Valverde, a WEI teacher in Lima, Peru, wrote, “This
past week, we baptized an old lady at her home in her bath tub. She is very
old and sick, but she understood and wanted to obey this biblical teaching.
She speaks Quechua, the language of the Inca descendents. I preached [in
Spanish,] and Maximo translated.
“We made arrangements for this new born to see all her children and
grandchildren.”
A Descendent of the Incas is Baptized in Peru
On December 5, Julio wrote, “I reported
to you that Maximo, the preacher in Los Pinos, and I went to the mother of
Antonio Lopez. Finally, she was baptized in her own bath tub, and we prayed
for her in her delicate old age and sick. Now, we learn that she passed away
this past week.
“We are waiting to go to this family to express our sorrow but also our hope
in Jesus.”
From Taiwan with Love
After teaching English at a university in China, Ryan Campbell went to
Taiwan and partnered with Enoch and Jeannine Thweatt as an intern. For two
months, Ryan taught WEI students at the Tien Mou church building north of
Taipei.
Jimmy, a college student, was one of Ryan’s students. Ryan writes, “Jimmy’s
mother accepted Christ years ago. As is often the case among the Chinese,
his father came to Christ later, influenced by his wife’s life of faith and
love.
Ryan Baptizes Jimmy into Christ
“Jimmy decided to be buried with Christ
in baptism after eight weeks of studying The Conflict Between Good and Evil,
The King Is Coming, The King Has Come, and The New Birth.
“Let us join in prayer as we lift up our new brother, praying for his faith,
influence, and strength.”
Lisa Metzer joined Ryan in this ministry toward the end of his internship in
Taiwan. Ryan said, “A kindred spirit, she provided a breath of fresh air for
the church. Her soft heart, inviting aura, and amiable nature created an
instant bond with many of the students.”
These words of adoration came from Ryan’s heart. Ryan “popped” the question
at the Metzer family home on December 23. Ryan and Lisa are engaged to be
married June 20th. In the coming years, they would like to serve overseas,
sharing the love of God with the Chinese.
The Church Grows in Nigeria
Aniefiok Akpan, WEI worker in Nigeria, writes, “Following the WEI Conference
on November 1, the [new] Uruk Otong congregation is witnessing rapid growth.
Yesterday, November 24, the number of worshipers increased to 70.
“An amazing event occurred yesterday. We told you about the baptism of our
WEI converts Unyanga Sunday Archibong and Ekemini Sunday Archibong, and the
restoration of their mother Aniema. Yesterday, their father, Mr. Sunday
Archibong Offiong accepted Christ and was immersed in the jungle stream at
Uruk Otong.
Aniefiok Akpan Baptizes Sunday Archibong Offiong
“Another young girl and a member of
Offiong’s family, Nyakno Sunday Archibong, accepted Christ and was baptized
at Uruk Otong Church of Christ on December 07. She is a sister of our WEI
converts Unyanga and Ekemini who brought their parents to the Lord a few
weeks after they came to Christ.
“World English Institute is indeed a great and effective tool for both local
and global evangelism.”
Four New Christians in Albania
Çimi Kafexhiu, minister of the church in Durrës, Albania, reports that on
September 4th, God added Faosta Haka to the body of Jesus. She started to
practice English, and she came to realize that she needed Jesus more than
English.”
“On September 12th, Dorina Plaku was buried into Christ and raised as a new
creation.”
In December, Çimi wrote, “A new soul joined the body of Christ in Durrës. On
December 5th, Enxhi Bejzo confessed Jesus as her Lord and Savior of her
life. Enxhi has been studying the Word of God one of the AIMers (Dan), for
many months. She is now our sister in the Lord, and we praise the Lord for
his active love by sending Jesus to the planet Earth.”
Steve Byrne, missionary in Fier, Albania, writes, “Last month, Ruth and I
requested your prayers for Edlira, a mother of two and a school teacher. We
are thankful to report that Edlira was born of water and the Spirit on the
1st of November.”
Internet Outreach
Bob & Jan Towell
Serendipity is the discovery of something
good when expecting something else. This happened when Jonathan Towell and
Colby Blaisdell installed Version 2 of the WEI teaching website. The
improvement we expected with Version 2 did not include the 10-fold increase
in the registration rate that resulted, nor did it include the percentage of
registrants who returned the Introductory Test increasing from 15% to 30%.
WEI’s Internet Program had set a goal for 2008 of 500 people per month
answering the Introductory Test. With Version 2, that goal has been reached
and exceeded to 900 new students per month. A brotherhood-wide appeal was
made for additional Internet teachers. Many responded. Some of these have
already started teaching, and some are still preparing to teach.
Because of the huge increase in students without a comparable increase in
the number of active teachers, the Google advertisements of the website were
suspended for 2 weeks in November and 4 weeks in December. These ads will be
resumed after Jonathan and Colby finish writing the code that will automate
much of what we have been doing manually to get new students assigned to
teachers.
Our Lord Himself commanded us to “go into all the world and teach the Good
News to everyone.” For the first time in the history of the world, the
Internet has given us the ability to teach everywhere without physically
leaving our homes. WEI’s Internet Program can attract as many students as
there are Christians to teach them.
Remember, in the Lord’s story of the talents, the servant with the least
ability is the one who didn’t work. Maybe you can’t go to another country on
a short or long term mission, but please don’t use what you can’t do as an
excuse for doing nothing.
What will you tell the Lord when He asks you about how you used your time
and money to teach the Good News?
--- Bob and Jan
Short-term Missions
Tom, Angela, Bianca, & Brianna Langley
The Great Commission was not a suggestion
by Jesus to his disciples. He ordered them to go into the entire world and
make disciples of all nations.
Through WEI, and particularly the explosive growth of our Internet ministry,
God’s word is now being taught in 195 countries of the world. I know I speak
for all of our teachers in stating that it is truly a blessing to be a part
of this worldwide effort.
Angela and I are excited about the children's curriculum we are currently
developing. While serving as missionaries in Romania we observed that
parents would bring their children to Bible class especially if we offered
to help improve their English skills. Our hope is that this curriculum will
become an outreach tool as an English language Bible supplement offered to
children at mission sites. We also would like to adapt it to be offered and
taught through the Internet.
We have big short-term mission plans for 2009. We are hoping to recruit
enough teachers to go to many international sites that have requested teams.
A few of these sites include the countries of Romania, Albania, Indonesia,
Thailand, Nicaragua, Guatemala, Brazil, and Paraguay.
We need more teachers. Most of our short-term mission efforts occur in the
summer months, and many of our teachers use their vacation time. You can
commit for two weeks, four weeks, or six weeks. Most of our students have
never read or studied the Bible. This is a wonderful opportunity and
life-changing experience. If you are interested, please contact our office
by phone or email for details.
It became apparent during our annual board meeting last month that we have
many financial challenges to meet in 2009. Thank you for your continued
support and prayers. If you are not currently partnering with us, we ask
that you give prayerful consideration to joining our efforts to fulfill the
Great Commission and take the gospel to the entire world.
---Tom and Angela-
To God Be the Glory
Dick & Maudine Ady
WEI has a bold mission that is getting
meaningful results—not because of what we have done, but because of what God
is doing. WEI is one of God’s most effective instruments for taking the
gospel to every nation.
Who would have thought that, by the end of 2008, God would be using WEI to
(1) introduce Christ to people in 195 countries that represent 99.97% of the
world’s population, (2) to teach people about Christ in EVERY Muslim nation,
including Iraq, Iran, and Afghanistan, (3) to teach people in EVERY
Communist nation, including China, Vietnam, and North Korea, and (4) to
teach people in jails, prisons, and Hispanic outreach ministries throughout
the United States?
Who could have dreamed that God would send us 100 to 350 new Internet
students per day?
The Lord is using WEI to help Christians grow spiritually as they get
involved in sharing the Good News with others, and as they give
sacrificially to a cause greater than themselves.
2008 was an incredible year for WEI. It presented challenges and
opportunities beyond our wildest dreams. Hundreds, perhaps thousands, of WEI
students were baptized into Christ and are now serving God in communities
around the world.
God is also using WEI to lift people out of poverty—by giving them tools
that can be used to generate income and provide for their families. WEI is a
non-profit mission ministry. We are totally dependent upon churches and
Christian individuals for funding. Funds are needed for developing the
ministry, printing materials, mailing them abroad, and providing other
services.
In spite of our national economic downturn, we must move forward, trusting
in God. If you would like to partner with us in this ministry, please fill
out the coupon on page seven that is provided for your convenience.
Thank you for your partnership in the cause of Christ. You will not lose
your reward.
God loves you, and so do we.
---Dick and Maudine
Lebanon Church Reaches Out
The Grant Street Church of Christ in Lebanon, Oregon, a small mission-minded
church, is teaching hundreds of WEI students.
Jim Vice, the local minister, writes, “We
have another student who has requested baptism. Aye Aye Mar, from Yangon,
Myanmar, has just finished The New Birth Bible lessons and has indicated
that he is ready to be baptized for the remission of his sins.
“What’s interesting is that, before he did this lesson booklet, he said that
“sprinkling is just as good as immersion” for baptism. God does work in
wondrous ways on the hearts of people. Please let me know, and I will send
information to a contact person in Myanmar to assist Aye Aye.
“Thanks a bunch. This makes 22 students that have requested baptism! Praise
God!”
“We have had people from age 10 to 85 working on WEI courses at different
times, and all of them agree that the experience is faith-building. It has
increased their awareness of the broadness of the kingdom, and has
encouraged their own Bible study habits.
“Mildred Buettner states, ‘I feel like I am contributing something
meaningful to the church.’
“Boyd Roberts comments, ‘It’s really got me thinking and studying, not only
the Bible, but geography also.’
“Rhonda Vice says, ‘Working with WEI students gives me opportunity to pray
for specific individual students.’
“For me personally,” says Jim, “it is exciting to see the growth of both
teachers and students, to hear of those individuals who submit to the Lord
in baptism, and to communicate with students and WEI workers from around the
world.
“I always tell our workers that even though the numbers of the Lord’s church
may be declining in our country, the Lord’s church is healthy and growing by
leaps and bounds in other countries. Thanks for the opportunity to work with
WEI.”
What the Lebanon church is doing, your congregation can do also. The sky
is the limit if we all work together.
Future historians could look back on this generation and say, as Luke said
in New Testament times, “So the word of the Lord grew mightily and
prevailed” (Acts 19:20).
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