Autumn Term Review

That went quickly! When I look at my stack of notes it is hard to believe how much work we have covered since September 4th. I now have an overfilled lever arch file of handouts and notes. Much of the work has been, for Catharine and I, a review of teaching we received back in the 1970's in Bible studies under the ministry of David Petts at Basingstoke Pentecostal Church. At college, as you might expect, we go into rather more depth, but not much more at least not in the first year. Some of the students have never had any significant Bible teaching so it has been interesting to see their reactions to truth. Sometimes they suddenly realise that God really does love them and really has forgiven them although that is exactly what has been taught from day one. It is strange how the most basic truth can take weeks to blossom into realisation. But perhaps it isn't, after all the word is the seed, and the heart is the ground, and growing into fruit takes time!

For the first time in our lives we are 'children free'. It is a bit like bereavement at first but we are getting used to it and finding other things to fill our time when not at college. Christopher jr leaving home gave me the excuse I needed to buy a nice new laptop. My old Sony Vaio was approaching 9 years old so it has done amazingly well but was getting to be rather too slow for all the video content of the internet these days and it's DVD drive was on it's last legs. Anyhow Christopher has inherited it until he can afford to buy his own and I have a new 17.5 inch Compaq Presario!! BBC I-Player works brilliantly now, who needs a TV license!

Getting back to college, most of the first year students, and a good few of the others don't seem to have much idea of 'being a Berean' (Acts 17:10-11) thinking that if it's taught in college it must be right. They will learn eventually. Even some of the lecturers say 'don't just believe me check it out for yourselves', good advice. There seems to be quite a move towards the concept of 'Open Church' amongst some of the students. This view of church organisation or mode of operation is advocated by people such as James Rutz http://www.jimrutz.com/ . The grace message, as advocated by Charis Bible College and Andrew Wommack does not get a welcome in many 'ordinary' churches so there is something of a tendency to start afresh rather than to try to work within an existing local church.

Enough for now, perhaps I will get back to Open Church in a subsequent blog.

Bible College - Our Next Move

This September Catharine and I will be going to Charis Bible College which is part of Andrew Wommack Ministries.

Did you notice the 'Catharine' rather than 'Cathy'. Catharine now wants to use her full name rather than the shortened version. Actually she has wanted this for some time now but I have found it hard to remember but as we are making a major change in out lives it will, hopefully, be easier.

It was about two years ago when this process started. I was feeling really fed-up with working for other people, not really earning enough and not concentrating on my real area of interest i.e. Jesus. One morning I woke up with an idea floating around in my head; half an hour with a spreadsheet and I was almost convinced, sell the house and live on the capital until retirement age, do what God wants me to do and start enjoying life!

Catharine and I discussed this for some time, it is quite a radical idea and when we discussed it with an Independent Financial Adviser he didn't quite 'get it' at first. After discussions with his boss he soon came to realize that we were not so dumb as we looked (actually it was God's idea) and set about finding a suitable investment bond. First we had to sell the house which took about six months and we managed just before the housing market collapsed!

We have been living in a large 3 bed semi with 3 reception rooms and a large kitchen. It is bigger than we need and costs a lot to rent and heat. Christopher is expecting to go into the Army soon, the Household Cavalry (light tanks, brass breastplates and helmets etc.) so we will be better suited to a smaller place.

Why the Bible College? well, someone in our house church loaned us a teaching CD by Andrew Wommack. We thought that it was particularly good and listened to many of his free downloads especially when we were on holiday. I suppose it was there, on the Sinai Peninsula, that we started to sense that we should go to Bible College. We didn't see a burning bush, just a lovely cool pool! The children are finally off our hands, we have the money, we are not too old, we want to serve God more effectively, so why not do it now!

We are currently in the process of securing a rental house about 1.5 miles from the college. It is 2 double bed with a small kitchen diner and a large garden. We will need to dispose of some stuff and buy some stuff to fit the new place but if we can move in the next few weeks we will have plenty of time to settle in by September.

To be continued!