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This being the first year that we’ve began our Bible College at Windermere I felt that it would be most helpful to have as much 1st hand exposure to our curriculum and the processes behind founding our students in degree program and in the Word.
Every year the Antioch School hosts an International Summit, and after going through the week with them I have to say that it has been amazing and completely worth the effort to make it here.
I have been researching the program ever since my seminary days with one of my dearest friends Matt Lynskey. He and I are now together in initiating the program in our ministries this past fall, and so we decided to travel together to the conference, along with our good friend Ben Murray.
The three of us quickly joined up with other likeminded instructors and were quickly blessed by the “international” in International Summit. We are clearly the minority at this conference and its astounding to be part of a movement that has Christian leaders assembled from all across the world.
Matt and I had a class that covered educating the instructors on the 3rd installment of the program. In our class we had men from Albania, Kosovo, Russia, Serbia, India, Peru, Myanmar, Australia, Bulgaria, South Africa, Haiti, the Dominican Republic and many other countries. It was humbling to be surrounded by so many Godly servants and to watch their testimony of God’s work in their lives and through these classes.
The conference had a worship session at the beginning of each day and as I stood there surrounded my Christians from all over the globe I couldn’t help but imagine that this is a small glimpse of what heaven’s singing will one day look like as men and women from every nation lift up their souls in praise of our God.
It was indeed a very demanding conference with 8 hours of study each day. The instructors were good facilitators of conversation and engaging everyone in the class. However, the best part (and more unforeseen) was all the new relationships I gained from my exposure to this global program. I had 3 meals with the Albanians, and heard their stories of being jailed and disavowed from their families for their faith in Christ. These men were 1st generation Christians, and the faith has only been introduced to their country for 21 years. These men were the first believers among their people and now they are teaching the same program I am teaching on Eleuthera, discipling and growing their churches in the way of Christ and the Apostles.
Initially, I had only planned on attending this conference once every few years, but after my experience, I am convicted that I need to make this an annual trip. Somehow, someway the benefit of this conference needs to become a regular source to provide the fuel and encouragement for our new Bible College. The time spent with Matt and Ben (and two new brothers, Rodney and Justice) was incredibly edifying. You remember how much you miss certain relationships once you’re reminded of them again. Please keep our school in your prayers and ask God to grow us deep together, that we would honor His Son through our study of His word and service to His church.