Asia Update and 2020 plans
December 19, 2019
Dear friends and family,
Some of you have asked how I feel about the ministry of TLI now that I’ve been doing this for a year and a half. The answer is… I love it! I can’t think of a better way to use my training and experience in the world today. More than ever I feel His pleasure and cannot remember a time in my life when I have felt happier (grandkids help with this too).
Remember 85% of pastors in the world have no training at all. They are preaching, teaching, and leading churches that are many times wandering doctrinally and missionally. I have had an abundance of good training at BIOLA, Talbot Seminary, and Westminster Seminary. I think God has been preparing me for 36 years in the American church to help those who have nothing. I love being in the center of what I feel God’s will is for us.
If you would like to include us in your year-end giving we would greatly appreciate it. Our ministry fund is in good shape; however, our monthly income is still in need. Please consider regularly supporting our ministry at Training Leaders International.
https://trainingleadersinternational.org/give
Use the pull down menu and select “Staff Member”
Enter my name “Robert Burris”
The rest should be self-explanatory.
I’ve been home a few days, but I am gearing up for a very busy 2020. Please be praying for the trips and the men I will be teaching.
I will post pictures and information on my web site – BobinTheBush.com and on Facebook – Bob Burris with Training Leaders International.
Here is our latest update:
December 3-14, 2019 – Asia – I was in Minneapolis a few days before leaving for Asia. I have been in this country in the past but never in the city we taught in. The country we visited is becoming more and more closed so I am reframing from mentioning it just to be extra cautious. There have been some recent difficulties with Americans coming into the country on these kinds of trips. We taught principles of teaching and preaching the gospels from the Gospel of Mark. There were 16 students, about 65 total in the four classes, and the discussions were animated and the men eager to learn. I think is was one of the best trips I’ve taken.
January 6-18, 2020 – Ambo, Ethiopia – Teaching Genesis and Exodus and the skills necessary to teach narrative and law.
March 2-21, 2020 – Monrovia, Liberia – Two full weeks of teaching. The first week is focused on 2 Timothy. The second week, I will be teaching a new cohort of students beginning our nine-course curriculum. Our first course is “Knowing God, Scriptures and Ourselves (the ‘ourselves’ part is about the ministry of the pastor).
May 11-23, 2020 – Ambo, Ethiopia and possibly a short side trip to Tanzania. I will be leading this trip teaching principles of interpreting the gospels from Mark.
August and December, 2020 – Tanzania. Teaching courses 1 and 2 and leading the trips.
I will be the site director for this new training site in Tanzania. This is NOT an on-site responsibility; however, it entails me taking at least two or three trips there every year for three years.
September or October, 2020 – TBD
We are also exploring the possibility of opening a new training site in southern Poland. They need good biblical and pastoral instruction. We will praying about an exploratory trip in 2021.
Thank you for your prayers and giving,
Bob and Vickie
Bibbidi Bobbidi Boo – Why Jesus did miracles
Great article. Read it and then pick up your Bible!
Bob’s Trips: December 2019 – December 2020
Asia
December 2-14, 2019 – Minneapolis office time, (TLI’s headquarters is in beautiful downtown Minneapolis) and then to Asia teaching Course 4 in our 9 course curriculum: “Gospel of Mark“. Course 4 equips the trainees to understand Gospel literature accurately and to communicate it clearly and relevantly. Mark has been chosen as a representative of this genre. Sample passages from Mark will be the focus (e.g., 1:1–15; 2:1–12; 8:27–9:13; 10:32–45; 15–16:8).
Here’s a link to a TLI Asian story of God at work.
https://trainingleadersinternational.org/stories/874/the-prodigal-pastor
I have not been to Asia for several years. I have great memories! Below are a few pics from those trips.
Ethiopia
January 6-18, 2020 – I will go to Minneapolis for a few days and then to Ambo, Ethiopia teaching Course 3: “Understanding and communicating Narrative and Law (Genesis and Exodus).”
Liberia
March 2-27, 2020 – Minneapolis office time, before and after the trip. 2 weeks teaching in Liberia: one week teaching Course 9: “2 Timothy”, and the next week teaching Course 1: “Knowing God, Scripture, and Ourselves.” Course 1 provides the foundation and orientation for the entire 9 course curriculum. It introduces (1) God’s character, focusing on his sovereignty, wisdom, and goodness, and God’s nature as one and three (triune). It introduces (2) Scripture as our diverse and unified authority, with a fundamental hermeneutical question tied to its diversity, its unity, and its authority respectively. And it introduces (3) our own purpose and role as leaders within God’s church.
Here is the link to TLI’s Liberia site information
https://trainingleadersinternational.org/short-term/381/liberia-march-2020
Here’s another link to the story of the Liberia site’s history!
https://trainingleadersinternational.org/stories/857/higher-power
Ethiopia
May 11-23, 2020. I will be teaching Course 4 in our 9 course curriculum: “Gospel of Mark“. Course 4 equips the trainees to understand Gospel literature accurately and to communicate it clearly and relevantly. Mark has been chosen as a representative of this genre. Sample passages from Mark will be the focus (e.g., 1:1–15; 2:1–12; 8:27–9:13; 10:32–45; 15–16:8).
Tanzania in August 2020, exact dates to be determined.
I am slated to be the site director at this new TLI site. The first trip will be in August. As the director I will travel to Tanzania 3 times every year and work directly with the in-country partner on scheduling, curriculum, accommodations, budgets and anything else that is necessary to make our training effective.
Somewhere in October
Tanzania in December.
57 Reasons to Proclaim the Gospel
57 reasons to continually bear witness to the truth of Christ work on the cross. There are more reasons. One is enough.
- Because eternal conscious punishment, hell, is God’s righteous judgment on all, Revelation 19:11-21; 20:14-15; Matthew 8:12; 13:42; 13:50; 22:13; 24:51; 25:30.
- There is no other way to be saved except by trusting in Christ, Acts 4:12; John 14:6.
- The Lord strengthens and stands by those who share the gospel, 2 Timothy 4:17.
- When unbelievers come to faith, they come to their senses, 2 Timothy 2:25-26.
- When unbelievers come to faith, they are saved from hell, and they know Christ, 1 Peter 3:18.
- The lost escape from the snare of Satan when they come to faith in Christ, 2 Timothy 2:6.
- Witnessing is a holy calling, 2 Timothy 1:8-9.
- When we are obedient to the call to preach the gospel, the power of God is at work in us, 2 Timothy 1:8.
- The words of the Gospel cannot be bound, they will do their work, 2 Timothy 2:9.
- When the Gospel is preached to the elect they will be saved, 2 Timothy 2:10.
- If we never proclaim the gospel, we will be denied by Christ at the judgment, 2 Timothy 2:12; Luke 12:8-9.
- Paul rejoiced when Christ was proclaimed, Philippians 1:18.
- The good news of God’s deliverance is glad news, Psalm 40:9.
- In all four gospels, Jesus’ call to follow him is synonymous with his call to be fishermen for men, Mark 1:17; Matthew 4:19; Luke 5:10; John 20:21.
- There are blessings and rewards when Christians are persecuted for proclaiming the gospel, Matthew 5:1-12.
- People glorify God when they hear the words of the gospel, Matthew 5:16.
- Jesus sends his followers to live and preach in the same way the Father sent him to live and preach, John 20:21.
- The Abrahamic Covenant is fulfilled when the gospel is proclaimed to all the nations, Genesis 12:1-3.
- We are commanded to make disciples, which entails going and telling the good news, Matthew 28:16-20.
- Telling the greatness of the glory of God, as seen most fully in the work of Christ on the Cross, is the means by which the glory of God fills the whole earth, Psalm 67:2; 72:19
- When the Gospel of the kingdom is proclaimed in every nation, then the end will come, Matthew 24:14.
- When believers proclaim the testimony of Christ, and die in the process, it fulfills the number of saints who need to die before the end will come, Revelation 6:11; 12:11.
- Christ weeps for the lost, Luke 19:41.
- Paul wept for the lost, Romans 10:1.
- Non-believers need to be warned about judgment, Colossians 1:28.
- The Bible says that the task is so vitally important that every effort, except sin, should be made so that people would believe, 1 Corinthians 9:22.
- There is rejoicing in heaven when sinners, repent, Luke 15.
- Jesus’ name means savior, Matthew 1:21.
- In Jesus’ estimation, preaching the gospel was more important than healing sick people, Mark 1:35.
- Jesus will crush everyone who rejects him, Acts 2:37.
- There is no other way to be saved from our sin and God’s wrath, Acts 4:12.
- Jesus saves all who come to him in repentance and faith, Acts 2:21.
- The gift of the Holy Spirit is intimately tied to the mandate to witness, Acts 1:8.
- When Christians evangelize, they are working with God, 2 Corinthians 6:1.
- We are ambassadors of reconciliation to God, for Christ, 2 Corinthians 5:18-20.
- We fear God; therefore, we share the gospel, 2 Corinthians 5:11; Luke 12:4-5.
- When these bodies are destroyed in the caldron of mission work, we get new ones, 2 Corinthians 5:1-10.
- When people are saved, it increases thanksgiving to God, 2 Corinthians 4:15.
- When we speak of Christ, we are following the example of those who have gone before us, 2 Corinthians 4:13.
- When we suffer for Christ, there will be an eternal weight of glory awaiting us far beyond comparison to the suffering we endure here, 2 Corinthians 4:16-18.
- Evangelism pleases God, 2 Corinthians 5:9.
- Witnessing is evidence that God’s love has been poured out in our hearts and controls us, Romans 5:5; 2 Corinthians 5:14-15.
- Christians are God’s new creatures, made new to proclaim his greatness in the Cross, 2 Corinthians 5:16-18.
- We know that just as Christ is majestic beyond description, even though we cannot see him, the unsaved are also eternally majestic souls who must be saved, 2 Corinthians 5:16.
- Jesus came to seek and save the lost and we are called to follow his example, Luke 19:10; John 20:21.
- The early church went everywhere preaching the word, Acts 8:4.
- God commands everyone to repent. Most are unaware of this command, Acts 17:30.
- We have proof that Jesus can forgive sins because he came back to life, Acts 17:30.
- Those who preach the good news have beautiful feet, Isaiah 52:7.
- God is watching over his proclaimed word to accomplish his purposes, Jeremiah:12.
- We cannot not speak of that which has enflamed our hearts, Jeremiah 20:9.
- It is the privilege of old age to tell of God’s greatness, Psalm 71:15.
- We share the good news so that all might worship God, Psalm 117:1; Romans 15:9-11.
- When we share our faith, God promises to be with us, Matthew 28:20.
- Sharing the gospel gives Christians great joy, Philippians 1:18.
- When we evangelize, and endure hardship, persecution, and stresses it gives us great joy, Acts 16:
- God is a missionary God, John 20:21; Genesis 12:1-3; Genesis 3:15; Matthew 1.
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