BY BRIAN REX DAVIS
ACTION! EDITOR & WBS PRESIDENT
Five congregations sent Study Helpers this year for a World Bible School Follow-up campaign in the Central African country of Zambia. The King of the Mumena Chieftaincy greeted them upon their arrival. After reading the study curriculum of our WBS Advanced course “Test the Spirits,” he thanked our campaigners, both young and old, for coming all the way to his people to share the good news of Jesus Christ.
By the end of the week, 35 had obeyed the Gospel and 600 came to the meetings representing 24 area congregations. I was inspired to see our older Study Helpers mentoring our younger Study Helpers in sharing their faith! From the Central church of Christ in Paducah, Kentucky, Karen (below right), an experienced teacher, is mentoring Lauren, who is teaching for the first time.
Having great teaching mentors can be a life-changing experience for our next generation. The Hillcrest church of Christ in Abilene, Texas, sent several teaching pairs and made such an impact. As people responded to the gospel, we would walk the two miles to the “baptistry,” where we rejoiced with those being baptized into Christ for the remission of their sins.
Many reports have come in from around the world over the summer of similar stories of lives being changed. Brother Joshua is sending me a report of over 200 being baptized in Nigeria. I am now traveling to South Sudan, the newest country on earth, over 2,500 baptisms are being reported. We hope to help mature the young leaders of the many new village churches that are being planted, alongside several of our sister ministries. I hope to highlight many of these in upcoming issues of ACTION! Magazine.
As Sondra and I returned from Zambia, we began our journey through several states in the U.S. to visit churches and Study Helpers. It is always an inspiration and a joy to interact with so many who share Jesus through WBS tools.
We visited one WBS program in Knoxville, TN (Hardin Valley church of Christ) that specialized in prison ministry using our paper courses through the U.S. postal system. They showed us records of over 7,000 Students that they have been studying with for several years and around 2,500 who had requested baptism. We thank God for the faithful work of these brethren and the diligent Follow-up that they provide to these young Christians.
Sondra and I were also able to meet with our WBS staff in a retreat center in Tennessee. John and Beth Reese, our WBS President Emeritus and his wife, challenged us with historical context and future vision as we planned for increased outreach.
Along with a few of our Board members, we spent time in concentrated study and prayer as we strive to be focused on our mission of providing every person on earth with the opportunity to know the name of Jesus and hear His Gospel.
As WBS is blessed with so many “next generation” talents, we heard reports of our latest tools that will help us reach out to those who have grown up in the church, but for whatever reason, have wandered away from their first love, Jesus Christ. The WBS tool, Mathetis, was created for just this sort of need. Our next quarter of video-based curriculum is nearing completion. Using the power of cinematic storytelling, our course “Questioning Jesus” will provide a powerful tool for parents, grandparents, and friends of loved ones who are struggling in their faith.
We are truly blessed to live in a time with such powerful evangelism tools! Thank you for your 
participation in WBS and in your sacrificial help in making these tools possible… for giving the opportunity for the world to know our Savior!
Please keep us ever in your prayers,
Brian Rex Davis
ACTION! is World Bible School's flagship publication. Read inspiring success stories, tips on how to share the Gospel with others and updates on WBS and its tools!
In this episode of One More Chapter, Brian Rex Davis, Noah Davis, and Bryson Davis continue their study of biblical “principle”, explaining how general teachings give inclusive guidance that can be applied in various ways, while specific commands are authoritative and must shape belief and practice.
This episode of One More Chapter continues the series on Bible study by introducing the idea of “principle” as a way to bridge what a passage originally meant and what it means today, after first stressing purpose and context. The team takes a long–but useful–detour into Bible translations and versions—covering textual preservation, the spectrum from word-for-word to paraphrase, group vs. single-translator work, Dead Sea Scrolls, and which editions they personally use (NASB 1995, ESV, NIV 1984, etc.). The discussion on ‘principle’ will continue in the next episode!
This episode explores how understanding the purpose behind a Bible passage helps bridge the gap between what it originally meant and how it should shape life today. Brian, Noah, and Bryson discuss how purpose protects against shallow, checklist-style interpretation and helps distinguish enduring principles and examples from incidental details.
Brian Rex Davis sits down with Sahadevudu Vanga of India, a fellow missionary since gospel meetings in 1995. They talk about World Bible School’s renewed work in India and the effort to put Telugu translations and advanced courses—especially The Kingdom of God—into digital form. The conversation also covers family ministry, cultural care in a changing India, and tools that serve the next generation of the church.