Guest Editorial by Kent Dobbs
Prattville, Alabama
“Where there is no vision, the people perish” Proverbs 29:18 (KJV)
What is our vision for ourselves, our families, our churches? As we go through life, we ask ourselves challenging questions. Where do I want to go? What do I want to do? How am I going to get there? In the business world, we ask similar questions. What are our goals? What is our “plan of action” to achieve our goals? What is the time frame to accomplish our goals? Are we going to “inspect what we expect”, meaning will we hold ourselves accountable to get the job done?
In the church, we should ask ourselves even deeper questions. Are we in a healthy relationship with our Creator? Are we growing daily into maturity in Christ? Are we praying “without ceasing”? Are we relentlessly pursuing the mission of Jesus our Lord?
In our Christian walk, are we sharing Jesus with others? We do not want to go to Heaven alone! We need to take others with us. Let’s not forget the last words of Jesus to His disciples, and to all of us today.
“All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:18-20 (NKJV)
We call this Jesus’ “Great Commission”. Let me suggest one great way to pursue this goal: World Bible School. Since 1973, WBS has been providing excellent tools for the brotherhood to share the Good News of Jesus with the world. WBS has developed tools from Postal studies to cutting edge digital tools which together can reach most any place on earth.
WBS evangelism tools are easy to use and develop an enjoyable relationship between the Study Helper and the Student. Guiding Students does not take much of your time, perhaps a couple of hours a week for church groups with many Students. The individual Study Helper can grade a Student’s course work and provide basic guidance within minutes. Furthermore, WBS networks with Christians all over the world to help you with Follow-up for your Student when ready. Follow-up is the term WBS uses for finding a congregation of the Lord’s church nearest to your Student. If no congregation is near them, WBS has a course to help your Student begin a congregation in their home or some other convenient place.
WBS is able to share the Good News of Jesus on a massive scale because thousands of everyday Christians take up these tools and contribute their part to this Great Commission. Between 2022 and 2023, WBS offered a free Bible study to 14,800,000 people from around the world.
In our WBS program at the Prattville church of Christ, we were able to send out 17,800 Bible study courses in 2023. That was our part of what would become the fruit of our brotherhood working together with WBS tools. Between 2022 and 2023, 1.61 million people registered for Postal correspondence. 299,000 Students registered Online and through the WBS apps. 733,000 souls were taught by watching videos from the WBS online group Bible study tool, Mathetis. Many of those on Mathetis were from the United States and Canada. And 105,000 WBS Study Edition Bibles were distributed.
During one month of our congregation’s WBS work, we had 185 Students from Ghana request to be baptized for the forgiveness of their sins! WBS is now networking with brotherhood partners – like Sunset International Bible Institute – to help us provide Follow-up for these requests. SIBI knows thousands of preachers in that area and are happy to help.
Isn’t it great when we have the opportunity to work in unity for the cause of Christ? Working together makes us all stronger.
Now WBS needs your help.
Pray for WBS. Stop right now and pray for this good work that many may come to know Jesus and His saving Gospel.
Get involved. Organize a WBS Study Helper group at your home, your congregation or even among your friends. If you need help getting started, give WBS a call!
Give financially. $5, $50, $500 – any gift will help. Thousands of Bible lessons are being printed in countries around the world and taken by local church leaders to villages, prisons, schools and neighborhoods. Will you help WBS sustain these efforts? Every person’s participation makes this possible on this scale.
As I take a walk each day, I look up at the beautiful sky and ask myself, “How high is high?” I am reminded of Psalm 108:4-5
“For your steadfast love is great above the heavens; your faithfulness reaches to the clouds. Be exalted, O God, above the heavens! Let your glory be over all the earth!” (ESV)
For any help getting started with WBS evangelism tools, please call Brian Rex Davis, President of WBS, at 512-345-8190 or call me, Kent Dobbs, your brother and friend in Christ, at 479-283-1880.
