Graduation - December 16th!

Our two years at Bible school is almost up and I wish I could do justice in explaining all that God has done in us over the last two years. Yes, it was hard to leave home and move to Wisconsin, but ask either one of us and we would tell you that we would not trade these two years for anything. I (Jeremy) have been given the awesome privilege of representing our senior class by speaking at graduation on December 16th. In my speech I will be examining the purpose statement of New Tribes Bible Institute and explaining how that focus has affected the hearts and lives of each senior graduating.

NTBI Purpose Statement: The purpose of NTBI is to establish believers in the foundational truths of the Bible with an emphasis on church planting among unreached people groups.

Establishing believers in the foundational truths of the Bible...
If I had to narrow it down to what these were, and what has been foundational it would come down to these two:
1. God's faithful character
2. God's complete, finished, and sufficient work in salvation for sinners through Jesus Christ.
These are pretty much the bedrocks of the Bible and it is God's character that has that has moved Him to provide salvation for us in His Son. I wish I could do justice in this blog update and in my speech to what Jesus' sacrifice on our behalf has accomplished not just for us to enter into a relationship with God, but for us to continue to walk with Him and have victory in this life.

With an emphasis on church planting among unreached people groups...
NTBI is unapologetic in why they exist. They are the beginning phase of training missionaries to take the gospel to those who have yet to hear it. So this emphasis on church planting among unreached people groups causes them to constantly keep the needs of the world before us and challenge us to be a part. But is this what they should do? I would like to argue that because of those foundational truths that I already mentioned (God's faithful character and His complete work in Christ), it is the only thing logical to do. This faithful God has promised to reach all tongues, tribes, and nations and has made provision for each of them through His Son. The clearest thing to do, and the clearest thing for this school to do, is to emphasize this and seek to obey Jesus' commands to preach the gospel to all creation!

Would you pray for me as I continue to prepare to speak at Graduation? I want to speak in a way that honors God and encourages those who are there. We would also appreciate your prayers as we are finishing up school and packing everything to move to Missouri for the second phase of training for New Tribes Mission at the Missionary Training Center in Camdenton, Missouri.