From Pastor Benjamin N. Tomah, International School of the Bible, International Bible Church, Liberia, Ivory Coast Africa.

 

Growth becomes inevitable in the human body when proper diet and care for that body is given. Growth is unimpeded when the body is free from parasites that hinder it. This is true for the growth of the body of Christ. Individual Christian and the Church collectively grow by appropriating God's word.

International School of the Bible has developed a very simple yet powerful curriculum for training new believers, lay leaders of Churches and any individual truly seeking to grow in the knowledge and walk with the Lord Jesus Christ. This school has redirected the scope of my ministry. It has changed, improved, and helped me in many ways not only to grow but it has reshaped my entire ministry. I really believe with all my heart that this is the heart-beat of the Lord and that is why I am going for it with my life; that His word is published by many who will grasp the effectiveness of it through discipleship. Many students and participants who have gone through the walls of this discipleship training in Cote d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast) and Liberia West Africa have not returned the same way they entered. They have always been challenged and changed to want to live and walk with their Lord:

Academic excellence and theological conclusions have been the hallmarks of many Bible schools around the world. A lot of people have entered such "Bible Schools" committed to the Lord and have walked out rather having a worse relationship with Him. I have discovered the training of International School of the Bible to be the best antidote for such situation mentioned above. Our goal is maturity in Christ which is developed by spending time with Him through His word. Like in Acts 4:13 those who were theologically trained according to the standard of the day saw the boldness in Peter and John and came to the conclusion that they have been with Jesus. We train our people to be with Jesus, to be transformed into His image and the practical result we are reaping is fruit bearing.

Fruit bearing permeates the serious disciple in the areas of ministry, family, finance, and personal life. All those who go through this process of growth received positive impact on their lives. The gospel is preached, souls are being saved, marriage and malady have been healed, there has been financial breakthrough, suicide attempters have been rescued, drug addicts are delivered, traditional strongholds are broken down and Churches have been planted.

Bearing Fruit, The Flowing River, Prisoners in the Promised Land, Who God is, Sit, Walk, and Stand, etc. are all practical lessons when applied become a balance spiritual diet that provoke growth. The Spirit of the Living God has literally transformed many lives through this training. We are using this training not only in our own Church circle but interdenominationally thereby building the Body of Christ in our reach. Our Father has promised provisions, protection, and direction through His Word. And we get all these blessings when we follow the path He has shown.

This is very true in our case. We lived as refugees in Ivory Coast (Cote d'Ivoire) West Africa for many years. United Nations cut off all food rations we were initially receiving as refugees. The Ivorian Government closed down the English School System where some of us were teaching for our survivor. Even when all the doors were closed from 1997 and we got in contact with Brother Larry Chkoreff and agreed to run with this vision God has proven to be faithful in many ways. We planted 5 village churches in Cote d'Ivoire in 1998 to 2002 and one in Liberia. Even when war broke out in Cote d'Ivoire and we returned to Liberia we have never relented but we continue to run with the vision. We are now located in Monrovia, Liberia where the Lord has again begun to do His work through this ministry.

Our candid advice to you who handle this prepared diet of the Word of God is that you go ahead and digest it and see what the Lord is going to do with it! We believe that this new way of making this Bible teaching available through the Multimedia CDs and DVDs is very powerful. It brings personal teaching through video presentations into the realm of possibility for those who would normally not have access to this type of Bible School.

 

 

By Pastor Benjamin N. Tomah

International Bible Church

Director ISOB West Africa