Studying the Biography of Jesus Christ – The Gospel of Luke part 2

A new training session for elders at the Center for Bible Study in Surduc, Romania, took place between October 1-12, 2018. Students came from 10 countries (Romania, Moldova, France, Albania, Serbia, Ukraine, Russia, Cuba, Estonia, Mauritius) to study the Gospel of Luke, part 2. 

The participants were divided into 2 groups. One group studied the Gospel of Luke Part 2, about the life of the Lord Jesus Christ, a course they began in July of this year. Led by Professors Mia and Costel Oglice, Vice Presidents of Precept Ministries International, the students say they studied God’s Word with delight, which “changed their hearts and their attitude toward God’s work.” 

Leo Martinez, Cuba.

“I’m very excited to be here. This is the second time I have come to this place at the Surduc Institute. It is an extraordinary experience to study the Gospel of Luke part 2. In July I had the opportunity to come here and study Luke part 1 and it is incredibly beautiful how I discovered many truths and life lessons by studying inductively. 

When I return home I go with many work strategies, methods that I can apply in my country. One day we went out to the surrounding villages to evangelize the people. We went to Lugoj to preach the gospel. People were very open. We had a good result.

I am very pleased with everything that is being done in Europe. Many ideas that I have seen here from the testimonies and from what I have studied I will take with me to Cuba. We will use them to expand the Kingdom of God.”

Alexei Tentiuc, Missionary pastor in Greece

“The sessions at Surduc formed a missionary mindset for me. I don’t know where I would have been if God had not brought me here after I accepted Christ in my heart. I returned to God by studying the inductive method. This is how I knew God, this is how I decided to follow the Lord Jesus wholeheartedly. Immediately after I surrendered my life into the hands of Christ, brother Vasile Filat motivated me to come to the Institute here at Surduc, and coming here to the Institute, meeting sister Mia and brother Costel, at every session God transformed my life. God helped me to learn the Holy Scriptures in a much deeper way. Being here from morning to evening in God’s Word is a process of transformation, a process of building up, when God builds us in His Word. God has given me a vision for the mission. Namely, at these sessions, being in Bible study here I received a living desire to do mission work. Looking at the examples of those who taught me, I saw a clear connection between learning and living. The Gospel of Luke is an extraordinary gospel through which the Son of Man reveals himself to us personally. For me as a missionary, the example of the Lord Jesus Christ is extraordinary. An example of a Missionary, an example of a servant who knew how to serve all categories of people. He knew how to talk to the Sadducees, He knew how to talk to the Scribes, he knew how to talk to the disciples, he knew how to talk to anyone, exactly according to the needs of each man. ”

Gigi Olariu, Coordinator of the Precept Ministries Romania Mission

„Being with these students at this session is a great pleasure for me. God has blessed us to have students from Cuba and 9 other countries at this session. Thank God we have the opportunity to continue studying the Gospel of Luke. We rejoice to enter into the riches of grace that God has revealed to us through His Son Jesus Christ. I am glad that students have the opportunity to go deeper, to know the Word of God, to know the truth. May they be mastered by the truth of God, may it change their hearts, and give them a beautiful direction in life. Thanks to brother Costel, sister Mia. May God reward them and may God bless all participants at this session.

I am happy for those who are learning English and want to teach Bible study in English. Thank God for this wonderful strategy that makes all young people who want to learn English know the Word of the Scriptures. It is wonderful to see what God is doing in these times.”

 

 

The practical part is a very important part in the process of teaching and training leaders. That is why on Sunday all the students went through the surrounding villages and preached the gospel to the people they met. They did a short Bible study with those who wanted to hear God’s Word. Students who do not speak Romanian were translated by other students who know Romanian and the language of the country from which the leaders came. 

Pierre Lods, France.

“I am very blessed to be here in Romania, in Surduc. I learned a lot, going very deep in the study of God’s Word. I was delighted to have the practical side, to see old and young people, to talk to them about God. I asked them several things, who is God, I talked about the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collecter. I was touched to hear their answers. I was glad to have the opportunity to pray with people. We prayed for a man who was ill. We prayed for an old woman. We prayed for a young woman who began to cry at the end. I am very pleased and blessed to see what God has done in the lives of these people, but also in my life during these days here.”

The second group studied English for a new life according to the English for a New Life for Kids textbook with teachers Vasile Filat, Slavic Crîlov and Rebecca Mărgescu.

 

Rebecca Mărgescu, EFNL teacher, USA

“I was born in the USA but I have been living in Romania, in Lugoj, for 6 years and I teach English. In this session we went through the last 2 parts of the children’s textbook. Each teacher had the opportunity to teach a lesson, to be encouraged, to hear comments on how they taught the lesson, what was good and what they can do better. I worked a lot on phonetics, how to pronounce words correctly to help them know how to explain these things well to children.

As a native English speaker I can say that I understand everyone. Some have a higher level, but I can say that I see great progress in everyone from the first session until now. Students are able to teach this subject well to others, with good quality, and I really recommend anyone to study with them because I consider them to be the best teachers. 

I also advise others who want to learn English and want to teach it to others to come to our courses because here they have the opportunity to learn English with native speakers, with teachers from the USA. I don’t know if there is such a thing anywhere else in Romania. At the same time, we learn not only English, but also about the Lord Jesus Christ. We can do missions at the same time. I think here is the only opportunity to do this.”

Slavic Crîlov, EFNL teacher, Moldova

„After 2 years of intensive work with the group of EFNL teachers from Moldova and under the coordination of brother Vasile Filat in February 2018, the EFNL for Kids Manual was published. This workbook is based on the 10 Commandments and Bible stories. The textbook also contains phonetics, grammar, exercises and interesting activities for children. English teachers from several countries such as Moldova, Romania, Ukraine, Bulgaria, Albania, Russia, France are trained at the EFNL for kids faculty. The 3rd preparation session for the EFNL for Kids manual is now underway.

This time 19 teachers participated. With them we learn different methods of teaching children so that it is interesting for children to learn this language. This is a special time because each teacher can learn and gain teaching experience but we can also learn from each other different activities and games that we can implement in our lessons. At the moment, these teachers teach in 113 groups to 400 people, they have organized 6 camps with 910 participants, and they have trained 46 new English teachers. ”

 

Vasile Filat, director of Precept Ministries Eurasia, with the English for a New Life team

Mia and Costel Oglice, Vice Presidents of Precept Ministries Global

“Studying the Gospel of Luke at the Institute of Inductive Bible Study is part of the annual training of leaders from different countries who come to the Center for Bible Study in Romania to be built up in the Word of God and learn how to make disciples intentionally in the new generation. Leaders presented every morning the value of God’s Word and the power of God’s Word through the Holy Spirit, how God changes people’s lives in different countries, regardless of age, nationality, social position, or other criteria. Every man who receives Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior in his life, hearing the Word of God, is changed to the glory of the Lord.”

Adrian Blajinschi

Translated by Liza Bîrlădeanu