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Four Days

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As I travel through the interior of the state visiting different congregations, I am usually the one that speaks and teaches.  The reasons being, one, the local evangelist is usually needing a break and to receive some spiritual food, two, the congregation wants to hear someone different.  That is all fine and dandy, but I very rarely get to hear the evangelist speak, and it makes it hard for me to know how he teaches and where he needs help.
            This last course I taught in Patos was Discipleship with Evangelism.  It's one person training two others how to study the Bible with others, then if converted, maturing the convert and teaching him to start the process again.  There were four Christians (two supported as evangelists) taking this course.  I got to hear them give Bible studies and hopefully help them improve on how to teach others.  This is what I really like doing.
            We spent Thursday through Sunday teaching, reviewing and helping each other give a better Bible study through simulations.  I also shared with them in this course the importance of teaching responsibility and learning to listen and love the people with whom you study.
            An interesting fact is that the air in this region is very dry.  My nose always bleeds at least once if I stay for three days or more.  I thought that I had made it through this time without bleeding but while singing on Sunday, my nose began to bleed, not long before speaking.  Luckily it did stop and I went to preach without having a piece of toilet paper hanging out of my nose.
            It was a great four days!

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