It’s hard to believe that 2010 is almost over. It has been an incredibly exciting and very full year of ministry. The Lord has allowed me to minister to many wonderful people, as well as carry the ministry of The Alliance for Biblical Integrity forward in significant ways. I had the opportunity to teach more hours and in more venues than in any of my previous 23 years of full-time ministry.
We sincerely appreciate the many who have prayed for us, those who have sent notes of encouragement via email and Facebook, and those who have given sacrificially to make all of this possible.
I hope you will take a moment to look back over the year with me and rejoice in all that the Lord has allowed us to be a part of as partners in the ABI ministry.
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THE ALLIANCE FOR BIBLICAL INTEGRITY ON THE WEB
In addition to taking ABI to new levels through the teaching aspect of the ministry, the content and influence of the ABI website has grown steadily throughout the year. Even though we launched the website less than 18 months ago, we have had over 125,000 visits and over 250,000 page-views since January, averaging over 20,000 page-views per month.
September was our busiest month with the ABI blog concerning Glenn Beck and the Black-Robed Regiment drawing over 20,000 page-views on the site in just two weeks. Interestingly, we were even getting visitors who were coming directly from the Glenn Beck website.
We have also had steady growth in the ABI Facebook Group with an average of about 40 new members each month for the year. The Facebook group now stands at over 800 members.
The website is now undergoing its second major makeover with a rework of the entire foundation. This will provide the kind of framework we need to develop the site for years to come. Building on this new foundation, we will be developing additional features and functionality that will greatly enhance the depth of our resources, as well as the overall user experience.
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WABASH VALLEY CORRECTIONAL FACILITY / GRACE COLLEGE
January thru July (135 class-hours)
In January, I joined the faculty of Grace College as an adjunct professor of Bible in their external degree program at the Wabash Valley Correctional Facility – a maximum security state prison. During the spring semester, I taught two 3-credit courses (Old Testament Survey and Systematic Theology) with approximately 20 men in each course. I also taught another 3-credit course (“Global Perspectives”) during the summer session. Beginning in January I will be teaching a course on “Spiritual Formation.”
Although I had never envisioned the ministry of ABI extending into prisons it has been a good fit and inline with the purposes and goals of ABI. These have been unique opportunities to teach the Word of God and equip these men to minister in one of the most difficult environments imaginable. Some of these men hope to be in the ministry in the future, but many will never be released.
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COMMUNITY BIBLE CHURCH, PARIS, ILLINOIS
February to the present (approximately 60 hours)
We are thankful that the Lord led us to this wonderful church shortly after moving to the Terre Haute area.
In the spring, I taught the adult Sunday school class for 8 weeks on the living in the will of God, followed by the teen class for 12 weeks during the summer on the same topic, and then the adults again each week I’ve been in town this Fall on signs, wonders and the Charismatic movement.
In February, I began teaching theology in the church’s Bible institute for 3 hours per week for about 8 weeks. Two weeks ago, I started teaching a 16-week course on Old Testament Survey, again for 3 hours each week.
I have also been teaching the Wednesday evening Bible study each week that I’ve been in town since September. (And I’m presently scheduled to do this for the next two years.)
In addition to these ministries, I occasionally preach on Sunday morning when I’m in town and the pastor is not.
And finally, in October, I was elected to the deacon board (the functional equivalent of an elder board in many churches).
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WORD OF LIFE UKRAINE
April (16 class-hours)
The Ukraine Bible Institute is the Word of Life school for the Slavic countries, with the courses being taught in Russian. I taught “Critique of the Charismatic Movement” to the approximately 80 students over four days. I am scheduled to teach there at the same time in 2011.
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WORD OF LIFE HUNGARY
May (32 class-hours)
As most of our ABI partners know, we were in Hungary with Word of Life for 16 years where we were involved in establishing the Bible institute. After my week in Ukraine, Karen joined me for two weeks in Hungary where I taught the course on the Charismatic Movement as well as “Understanding Roman Catholicism.” I am scheduled to teach in Hungary for two weeks again in 2011.
Our son was also married while we were there and I had the privilege of performing the wedding ceremony. And we are thrilled about the prospect of being grandparents as they are expecting their first child in March.
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IFCA CONFERENCE, SPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS
June
At the invitation of our pastor, I had the opportunity to represent ABI at the four-day annual IFCA conference. Although this wasn’t a teaching ministry, many people visited our display and signed up for the ABI Update. I made a good number of contacts as I got to know some of the 800 pastors in the IFCA. (A couple of weeks ago, I was accepted as a member of IFCA.)
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BIBLE CHURCH OF COLUMBUS, INDIANA
August (2 weekends)
In August, I spent two weekends ministering in our sending church in both the morning and evening services. In the evening services, I taught a two-part series on the Emerging Church.
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PROPHECY TODAY CONFERENCE, GATLINBURG, TN
September (10 class-hours)
In September, I had the privilege of teaching alongside internationally-known prophecy teacher (and ABI co-founder) Jimmy DeYoung in a week-long prophecy conference with approximately 35 in attendance. Jimmy taught “Jerusalem in Prophecy,” while I taught “Eschatological Options.” Several of the attendees were there as part of their coursework in the School of Prophets (explained below).
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SCHOOL OF PROPHETS
August to the present
A couple of years ago, growing out of a desire to formally train a new generation of preachers and teachers who specialize in biblical prophecy, Jimmy DeYoung established the School of Prophets in conjunction with Louisiana Baptist University. The school offers both master’s and doctoral-level degrees in Advanced Prophetic Studies which are granted by LBU. A certificate in prophetic studies is also available to those who complete a 6-course program.
In August, I began working part-time for the school to help Dr. DeYoung continue to develop the overall program, as well as individual courses. This includes designing and implementing a new website, overseeing the admissions process and getting it fully online, promoting the school and developing specific course assignments.
Working together with Dr. DeYoung in this way was part of our original vision for the ministry of ABI – so this is an exciting development.
(At this point, I also plan on studying for my doctorate under Dr. DeYoung and will begin on the coursework in the near future.)
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WORD OF LIFE KOREA
October (20 class-hours)
This is the first year of the Bible institute on Jeju island (off the southern coast of Korea). During the two weeks in Korea I taught the Gospel of Matthew, preached in Jeju City and on the mainland south of Seoul, spoke in three student chapels and to the men during one of their evening dorm.
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WORD OF LIFE PHILIPPINES
November (16 class-hours)
I taught “Current Theological Issues” to 28 second and third year Bible institute students. We discussed such topics as Neo-Reformed / Neo-Covenant Theology, the Emerging Church, the Charismatic Movement and Evangelicals and Catholics Together.
ABI co-founder Paul Barreca and I also taught three sessions each in a one-day hermeneutics conference for pastors, as well as the WOL staff and students.
I may be returning in January 2011 to teach in the BI and speak in either a prophecy conference or another conference on hermeneutics.
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WORD OF LIFE CANADA
November (20 class-hours)
Just a week after returning home from Asia, I left for for the Word of Life Bible Institute in Owen Sound, Ontario. During my two weeks there, I taught the Pastoral Epistles in 20 hours, and spoke in the morning service of a local church on Sunday. Last week I received an invitation to teach these books again in November 2011.
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PRAISES FOR 2010 AND PRAYER REQUESTS FOR 2011
* Praise the Lord for the opportunity to teach the next generation of leaders from a total of over 20 different countries.
* Praise the Lord for the growing reputation and influence of The Alliance for Biblical Integrity on the web.
* Praise the Lord for safety over thousands of miles of travel.
* Praise the Lord for our new daughter-in-law, Lili (as of May).
* Praise the Lord for meeting our financial needs throughout the year and for our home church in Illinois which began supporting us a few months ago.
* Chris, Lili (our daughter-in-law) and Becky are here for 3 weeks during the Christmas holidays.
* Pray for our son and daughter-in-law as they are expecting their first child and our first grandchild in March.
* Pray for Becky as she continues her studies at the Word of Life Hungary Bible Institute.
* Pray that Karen will be able to move from part-time to full-time in her job, which is particularly important because until then I am not covered by health insurance (as my COBRA extension of our Word of Life insurance end on November 30.) (I am currently part of a healthcare sharing program which is not insurance and does not cover my pre-existing condition.)
* Pray for the Lord to raise up additional ABI ministry partners as we are still several thousand dollars per month short of meeting our present personal and ministry needs.
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We wish each of you the most wonderful Christmas season as we celebrate the gift of God’s Son as the Savior of the world. I trust that the new year will be filled with the Lord’s grace in your life as we eagerly await His return.
Thank you, again, for being an important part of our lives!
In His Care,
Dave James
Executive Director
The Alliance for Biblical Integrity