Emmaus update

First I promised a few people and a couple of churches (where the video wouldn't work) that I would post it on here but haven't got round to doing it yet, apologies for the delay!  This is a great video which shows exactly why Emmaus is here and in the words of Bill,

 'If a photo is worth a thousands words then a video is worth a million.'

EBS kicked of this new academic year with 4 weeks of intensive classes and this week saw the beginning of residential classes.  Bill is teaching three courses this semester, introduction to the New Testament to the new class of 20 first years, general epistles and old testament wisdom literature to the 3rd years.

Every year Stacey meets our new students and collects their testimonies. Its always a great insight to hear where our students are coming from and how God brought them to Emmaus. Here is the testimony from one of our new first years.

Years before Jopnel was old enough to even be thinking about seminary, God had already brought him to Saccanville, the small mud-hut village Emmaus calls home.

He recalls his first trip while explaining the most dangerous evangelism experience he’s ever had.  His youth group was spending the summer sharing the Gospel in villages stretching from Cap-Haitian to Limbe. As Jopnel unpacked God’s plan of salvation in a small Saccanville yard, a man lunged at him with a machete, holding the chiseled blade to Jopnel’s neck for several minutes before plunging it into the ground by his feet.

Despite this experience, and others like it, Jopnel beams as he calls evangelism his great God-given passion.  “Since I was about 12, I knew I wanted to follow the Lord always, and when I was 14 I was baptized in the same church where I still serve today. I have always loved sharing the Gospel story with others, and I realized long ago that if I didn’t take the Word out from the church, there would be many, many people who would never hear it.“

“I got into the practice of sharing the Good News in tap-taps (small public transportation trucks) years ago. When I climb in, I immediately start asking about where everyone’s been, where they are going, how they are doing, and looking for a path. I pray God will show me a way in, and when He does, I take that road, using one of those conversations to lead into a simple Gospel message. I talk about how we all come up short, about God’s great love for us and desire to be in relationship with us, and about how that motivated Him to send His Son for the gap that our sin leaves. Every day I share the Gospel like that, in every tap-tap I’m in. It’s a great place to do it because I have a captive audience!”

After continually noticing the way another young man in his prayer group “just stood out as a man of character I wanted to be like in my walk with Jesus,” Jopnel learned that Rujerry was a student at Emmaus Biblical Seminary (now graduated, May 2018, and on staff).  “Both he and the associate pastor at my church encouraged me to study at Emmaus after high school, and I’m now at the beginning of my final year!”

“I give glory to God because He’s truly shown Himself to me through so many people at Emmaus.” Jopnel says.  “I’ve been thoroughly trained–spiritually and academically–and whatever continued ministry I end up in after graduation, it will be with my whole heart and with the relationships and tools I need to do it well, for His glory!”

Here at Emmaus we aim to keep tuition affordable for students, in order to do that EBS has a scholarship fund where you can help students like Jopnel to continue their studies at EBS.  For more information click here to find out how you can be part of what God is doing at Emmaus.