Ephesians in Queenstown, South Africa

I’m home from an exciting and very profitable 9 day trip to South Africa. The students received a grasp of how to interpret the epistles (Romans – Revelation) and as a bonus, the overall message of Ephesians. Everyone was very pleased, and we are anticipating the next session in June – Prophetic Literature: Isaiah and in Kimberly, Mark. Here are a few pictures of our time together

Discussions. Glancing questions.

Candle holders on the piano for evening singing.

Sunday morning church. The pads and bell are a particular tribal musical custom.
So much for venti, grande, and tall.

We listen to the Scripture and use this small but mighty speaker.

The ladies are very capable. Tea not coffee.

12 foot spectacles on the waterfront in Cape Town, “…having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints,” Ephesians 1:18 (ESV)

Notes, notes, discussions and more notes

We print Ephesians in a workbook so the students can mark the text up freely and take notes.

Not our good works

Filled to the measure of the fullness of Christ

Getting arranged, while singing, for a group picture.

Preaching from 2 Samuel in a church near Cape Town. African culture is story oriented.

Our family retirement party for Vickie. She’s a full-time grandma now!

Playing with grandma

I’m headed to Minneapolis on Monday for a week of meetings and then to Sierra Leone for two weeks. Please pray for the students that they would grasp the principles and the enduring truths of the gospel of Mark and Ephesians.

Thank you for reading, praying, and giving.

Bob and Vickie

Ephesians in South Africa

Hello friends. Here’a a quick update:

Monday morning I leave for Queenstown, South Africa where I will be training a group of church leaders in skills for understanding epistles.

I will be using Ephesians to model and teach these skills. I will also lead the students to discover for themselves the glories of God as unfolded by Paul in Ephesians.

My shoulder is much better, I’m ready to travel, and the time spent recuperating was used studying: Ephesians, oral learning cultures, and developing a more focused orality teaching approach to help my students grasp the Scriptures. Some of my reading is pictured below.

I will return to California from South Africa, be home for 5 days, go to Minneapolis for staff meetings, and then depart for 2 weeks in Sierra Leone.

This will be a busy year: 11 training trips in Africa, and 3 week-long staff meetings in Minneapolis. Pray that each training will be fruitful.

And please pray for the students in South Africa, that they would grasp the concepts, and be amazed by the cosmic view of eternity from Ephesians about the work of God in the church, in the world, and in the coming ages, Ephesians 1:9-12, 3:10, 11. If you can, please read/pray/paraphrase/plead the prayers in Ephesians 1:15-23; 3:14-21, for my students.

Thank you for praying and giving and reading,

Bob

Here are some pics from the last few months.

Beach fun.

I foiled the chair/table/future mountain climbers by bungee-cording the chairs together!! No worries, plenty of other opportunities for mischief were available.

Cousins. Instant fun.

And some of my reading for the last couple of months. The biography of Elisabeth Elliot is excellent.

One of the books I read while recuperating. Excellent!!!

Some Cool Videos and Great Links!!

Thank you for praying! My recovery from shoulder surgery is going well. I should be traveling to South Africa the first part of February, and then back to the U.S. for TLI staff meeting in Minneapolis, then two weeks in Sierra Leone.

And thank you for praying: I’ve been busy studying and working on the book of Ephesians to make our training more accessible to those who are oral learners.

First – Thanksgiving pic.

A longer, 6 minute, TLI report from a pastor in Norwalk, CA. He gives an explanation of what we do all over the world.

Our pastor, Ric Rodeheaver, is preaching through the book of 2 Samuel. It’s excellent. Check it out at CCCLH.org. I was privileged to preach 2 sermons on chapter 7.

Bob’s sermon at his church. 2 Samuel 7:17-29

And lastly, a couple of insightful, short articles on evangelism.

Change is Good

My planned four weeks in Africa has been changed due to an injury at the gym trying to stay healthy and fit. I had shoulder surgery, Thursday, and will recoup for the next several months before I can travel again.

The good news is that I will be working on our TLI courses to better reach students who learn through storytelling, symbols, and a variety of teaching techniques more in line with African culture and orality. Most of the world’s population are oral learners. This includes Africa and the U.S.

The following video is from my last trip to Sierra Leone. Great students, great weeks of teaching.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P9r17AfE45k

Please pray for the team going to Freetown and Makeni without me.

In the meantime, I’ve added a few pictures and a couple of links to articles that I have found helpful.

The last link is a famous sermon by John Piper that influenced a gereration of students.

Thanks for praying and giving.

https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/trevin-wax/idealism-identity-politics-guilt/?amp

https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/missions-could-make-you-sick/

https://www.desiringgod.org/messages/boasting-only-in-the-cross