Mid-way through the Bible School

Wow! How the weeks have flown. The major "event" since our last post has been the Bible Core Course (BCC). For those of you who dont know much about it yet the BCC is a 12 week intensive Bible course built around inductive Bible study. In addition to reading the entire Bible, each week we study one book in depth, looking at its structure, its historical context, key words and idea, etc, etc, etc. We spend a lot of time  wrestling with what it all meant for the original readers and also how it impacts our own lives. We finish out each week figuring out how to communicate the truth that we have learned to other people.

Needless to say it is an intense experience. The school started the 2nd week of January and we just completed week 7 of 12. The students are in class almost every morning (Mon - Fri) and their afternoon, evening and sometimes far into the night are spent doing their homework. The idea is that at the end of the school the students will be able to read, understand, personally apply and communicate the truth of God with confidence and skill. No small goals here!

Our class this semester is small, 5 students, one from Honduras, one from El Salvador, one from Guatemala, one from England and one more from Switzerland. A truly international group. One of my students from the last BCC, Patricia Arias, is helping me to staff the school which has been a great help and blessing.

I was able to teach the first three weeks of the school which was blessing and a true challenge. As well we were very blessed to be able to have my own Dad come to teach the book of Hebrews.

I have learned so much from my Dad over the years and it was a true joy to be able have him here sharing from his wealth of wisdom and years of Bible study. He had the entire book memorized in addition to all his other preparations.

This last week we studied the book of Romans with the help of a good friend of mine Jose Acosta. He and i have taught together for the last couple years in the missions department at Unela, the university were i was teaching before. It was a great week but very challenging. Romans is WAY to thick a book to go through in just one week.

This week we have had the blessing of receiving back from the students. As part of the training of the school the students learn how to prepare a teaching, a preaching and how to lead a small group and then of course they get to practice on us the staff. So tonight we get to listen to 5 sermons developed from either Galatians, Ephesian, Philippians or Colossians. Below is a picture from the teaching that they did two nights ago. it is so exciting to see how much the students have learned and grown during the last 6 weeks.

For Karen this has been an intense time as well. Since i have been so busy with the school the majority of the weigth of running the family has fallen to her. The boys started school again earlier this month which has helped but it has been a logistial challenge to be sure. Our YWAM base here in San Jose has been growing as well. New staff seem to arrive every other week and her office seems to be continually full of peoples luggage. In the midst of it Karen finds plenty of time to sit with people and talk about what is going on in their lives and how to grow and move forward in ministry. It has been such a joy as a husband to see my wife take off in ministry!

Well that it for now. We just arrived home from a Bible Reading Weekend were we read Genesis through Deuteronomy and had a great time. This week we start into the Old Testament.

 Blessings to all for your prayers and support.

Douglas, Karen, Gabriel and Zachariah