Ocean Bridge: A Solution for Postal Correspondence

Tim Yaeger
Birmingham, Alabama
Chief Information Officer

The Prattville church of Christ in Alabama began sending WBS Introduction courses to five countries in April 2022. One year after sending 5,000 Intros through international mail, they have yet to receive back one completed Introduction course. 

As you may expect, this discouraged the Elders, Study Helpers, and the WBS Coordinators, Kent Dobbs and Mike Manley. We have heard this story from others. Perhaps you have been experiencing long delays. Maybe you have been feeling the pinch of increasing shipping costs. In some countries, postal systems are struggling to recover in a post-COVID world. These problems are outside the control of WBS.

However, with enormous challenges, God provides bigger opportunities. WBS has been blessed to print our courses in Ghana, Zimbabwe, and Nigeria, with more coming. Having local inventory, WBS can now digitally scan and send Student answer sheets to a congregation. The congregation can print, grade, and scan the graded sheets back to WBS. Then, the next course will be delivered to the Student by WBS with the graded sheet, thus eliminating postal mail. 

The Prattville church of Christ started this new method in January 2023. After setting up their scanning equipment, they have graded 5,800 introductions and 2,000 subsequent courses. Wow, from zero to 7,800 graded courses and 30 baptism requests! Kent now calls excited about how much grading the Study Helpers are doing and he wants to see more congregations involved. 

Do you want to share in this exciting new method? Your congregation will instantly benefit from a 100% enrollment rate receiving completed Intros immediately. You will experience up to 80% retention in some areas because WBS recruiters work with schools, prisons, and local congregations. Over the course of your WBS program, a postal Student would cost at least $21 to complete the Master Series, but in this new method, it will only cost $10. 

So, what is Ocean Bridge? Ocean Bridge is the culmination of new processes and technology to increase the volume, speed and retention of international Printed Lesson Students. Together we will bridge oceans, reduce the need for postal systems and improve the evangelism experience for you and your Students.

If you want to energize your Study Helpers and Coordinators by starting your own Printed Lessons program with Ocean Bridge, you can reach out to Tim Yaeger or Sherri Hays. Email us at help@worldbibleschool.net or call (800) 311-2006. We are here to help you ever step of the way. 

Click here to learn more about Ocean Bridge