Chengleput and Martin Luther Bible School
I want to tell how the teaching lesson works using pictures and information from last week. I had prepared this entry and tried to upload pictures. The picture files don’t upload to the site. This was written originally on Wednesday, 17 August 2011.
Of course there is driving which is from 1/2 hour to 2 1/2 hours depending on distance and traffic conditions. We try to arrive before 10 am.
At Chengleput the nearly 70 pastors are very spread out, some travel 250 kilometers by bus with transfers. So we began later. At about 10:45 we began with hymns, and a quick slide show of my home and family. The introduction was more elaborate today as the picture shows. Pator Deepak translated here. Pastor D Paul did not come along.
I taught from 11 to 12 and we had a coffee break. A second teaching session from 12:15 to 1:00. Lunch was served and items of district business were handled from 1 to 2. I finished up the lesson from 2 to 3. I try to end on time; these men have to make the trip back home. I am fortunate to have a car and a driver.
I use the examples of Jesus and explain the teaching methods he uses. I try to show how the methods work. I ask questions more as we talk about the skills and knowledge that are needed to use these methods. Depending on the time, we talk about how the individual pastor and how the district may use the teaching methods. I also try to show the men that they can try to do new things and do more than they expect. I do give an assignment for them.
Yesterday we discussed the part of the lesson about parables and how we see them in advertising media. This is considered a poor area of India. I felt that this might not be relevant. The men explained the the government in the area is going to give every house a TV and means of reception. The use of billboards and posters here in India is massive. As I teach about Jesus and learn about India, it is evident that Jesus’ message and teaching methods have a lot of application here.
Today in MLBS a few of the 16 students were absent. We were joined by Pastor Rajamani. These students are more used to the learning process. They gave very thoughtful answers even though they are not far in their studies. They have class Monday through Thursday. On weekends they work with one of the pastors for practical learning.
We started promptly at 10:00 with pictures, hymn, prayers and introductions. 3/4 of these young men speak Tamil, the rest speak Telegu. Pastor D Paul translated twice and often encouraged them to write in English. Coffee break as at 11:30 for 15 minutes. A hymn called us to re-start.
Today we spent more time on the explanation of methods and on the skills and knowledge needed to use them. To compensate I leave out some of the application which they will receive from the individual pastors on weekends. The pastors, with whom they work on the weekends, heard this lesson at the district meetings.
There was no lunch time here and are scheduled to be done at 1:00. We finished with some thoughts about Jesus’ use of discipleship which they are experiencing as students at this school. As scheduled we finished with the assignment and prayers; we closed with the benediction in 3 languages.
Pastor D Paul and Rajamani brought lunch for me and we talked about what I might do. Pastor Deepak and I had agreed there is not enough time to go to the Andaman Islands while he is on his quarterly visit there. I told them I would be willing to visit churches, but would leave those decisions and planning to them. I brought a large part of chicken biriyani home for dinner.