Our First Graduation and June Modules

Our first graduation

It's been almost five years since The Expositor's Academy began classes at Greenhills Christian Fellowship and this June 1 they will be our first graduating class.  About 25 students will be receiving a diploma in local Church Ministry with an emphasis on Biblical Exposition.  The classes that we have taught are Hermeneutics, Old and New Testament Survey, Preaching, Theology, Spiritual life, Church administration and Christian Education and Missions, Evangelism and Discipleship.  

Several students have asked, "After we finish this course, the what?"  They ask that question because they don't want to stop.  Our time together has been more than just studying the Word, it has also been a time for fellowship to develop life long friendships.  Meeting together most monday nights for the last five years has become such a part of our lives that the idea of it coming to an end seems strange and I get the feeling that most of our students would continue to meet as long as we are able to teach.  I expect that a few will continue with us as we expand our training to offer higher levels and others will take elective courses that we plan to offer in the future.  However, for some it will be a time to say good bye to each other and this season of training.  TEA Team member Vincent Greene, (who is raising support to move here with his family to become a full-time TEA staff member) will be flying in to be the speaker at our commencement ceremony and to help teach some of our June modules.  

TEA Students at Greenhills Christian Fellowship

Upcoming modules

Our upcoming modules for the month of June are shaping up well and I am very encouraged by the response that I'm getting from the city of Cagayan De Oro on the Island of Mindanao. Even though it will be our first time to teach in this city, many men from there have been contacting me to express their desire to be trained.  Through word of mouth they have been seeking me out through facebook, email and text.  A few churches have offered to let us use there facilities and several men whom I have not even met yet  are checking out possible venues.  In addition to that a few donations from within the Philippines have come in to help cover some of the cost for the books, housing and feeding of the students.  

Pastor Weymann Lee (pictured below on the top row, far right) from Phoenix Arizona will be joining us for the third year in a row to teach New Testament Survey 1 to our men in Boracay.  These men will be taking their fifth module and are almost half way through our program.  

Boracay Preaching Module

Vincent Greene will be joining me in returning to Davao City to follow-up with our Hermeneutics module to teach Expository Preaching 1.  This module is being hosted by Heritage Baptist Church.

Davao Hermeneutics Module 

Pastor Mike Berry will be returning for his second trip to the Philippines and this time he is bringing a small team from his Church, Cornerstone Fellowship Bible Church in Riverside California.  They will be joining Vincent to teach a Hermeneutics module in the city of Batangas and to serve along side of Christ Stewards Fellowship Church in their community.

Batangas Preaching Module

Mentoring
For several years now I have been mentoring a small group of men at my home every week.  For the last year and a half we had been working our way a verse at a time through 1 Timothy, breaking it down into it's logical parts and discussing the meanings, theology and implications of them.  We also discussed the main idea and outlines of each part and next week we will start taking turns preaching each section to the group and evaluating each other as we seek to be better expositors of the Word.

Mentoring Men in Expository Preaching

After an extended break we have resumed classes in Alabang/Paranaque (Pa rawn ya kay).  We have been teaching this group of dear brothers and sisters from many years and they are currently studying a survey of doctrine.  

Class from Christ's Commission Fellowship Alabang/Paranaque

Please pray that our upcoming graduates will be able to complete their remaining assignments on time.  Also pray for our upcoming modules as final plans and arrangements are being made.  Pray for the students availability, travels and that the teaching and fellowship would be a great blessing to them.