Ocean Bridge Update

Tim Yaeger
Birmingham, Alabama
Chief Information Officer

God has been blessing WBS Students and Study Helpers through the efforts of Ocean Bridge. We continue to see stunning turnaround of graded lessons and the next courses delivered. Some recruiting areas are warming up and have not reached their full potential, but they are heading in the right direction.

In correlation, we also see a greater number of requests for baptisms. Because of this increase in Follow-up need, we have dispatched WBS representatives in various Ocean Bridge countries to address questions, create additional networking connections and implement plans of action.

Ron Pottberg, our most experienced international staff member and Godwin Isaac, our coordinator for Nigeria, traveled to Accra, Ghana. They worked together with our Ghana Ocean Bridge Service Center to collaborate on recruitment strategies, logistics and processes.

Brian and Sondra Davis traveled to Lagos, Nigeria, to meet with the Essien School of Preaching—a school affiliated with Sunset International Bible Institute—to coordinate Student recruitment and Follow-up with them. During this visit an entirely new office in Uyo was officially opened. Brian also spoke at the Great Workshop conference of over 600 church leaders who wanted to know how to help Follow-up with Ocean Bridge Students and plug new converts into their congregations. Brian and Sondra, along with 25 WBS Study Helpers, have been pursuing the same goals in Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Phil and Elaine Palmer, long-time missionaries to East Africa, were sent to Kenya to meet with leaders, school administrations and Students requesting baptism. Certain schools do not allow us to baptize at their facilities, but Phil found good cooperation with school administrators, allowing him to contact Students and their families to organize Follow-up meetings. Phil and company patiently taught and introduced the Students to local evangelists of the churches of Christ and assisted in baptism when appropriate.

As Ocean Bridge is a new system, we spent most of our initial efforts making the recruiting and teaching system work, with more improvements coming later this year. Now, we are urgently working on getting Follow-up systems to work well and developing a mutual communication process by which churches and Study Helpers can get timely feedback on how the Follow-ups are going.

Are you experiencing international postal delays? Contact us today to discuss the requirements by visiting worldbibleschol.net/oceanbridge or giving us a call at (512) 345-8190.

Are you ready to start your journey on Ocean Bridge and participate in fruitful international Bible correspondence? Let’s kick off the next 50 years together in a powerful way knowing God will faithfully do more than we can imagine. Start Ocean Bridge today by visiting worldbibleschol.net/oceanbridge or giving us a call at (512) 345-8190.

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