Snippets of life in a Bible School
Recently Shiloh Bible College China (SBCC) organized extra-curricular visits for students in conjunction with worship study. They were taken to a nearby Catholic Church to participate in a Mass. After that, the students also went to a Christian church for a worship meeting. The objective of the visits was to enable students to understand worship from different perspectives. To help them reflect, the students were required to write a paper on worship by comparing different viewpoints.
Life in a Bible School is sweetness mixed with bitterness. A fourth year student noted that worship study provides a temporary relief from daily pressures of which writing academic exercises is one. He is presently learning to play the guitar with four other classmates. This young brother has previously served in the back-up ministries of his church. Subsequently his church involvement expanded to serving in the youth ministry. With encouragement of his church pastor, he came to know SBCC which accepted him for a Bachelor of Theology course. Today this young man, who comes from Shenyang of Liaoning province, is about to complete his fourth and final year study. At the start of their August semester recently, he and some classmates came to admire a sister who excels in playing both the piano and the guitar. To their pleasant surprise, this sister offered to coach them in playing the guitar.
Since the second week of the new semester, the five students met on every Friday evening to practice the guitar. Other days, they would individually practice in their little rooms and approach the sister for guidance in times of need. The sister coached them systematically from rudiments: starting with holding the chords correctly to playing a full song with emphasis on rhythm and feeling. By her meticulous guidance, the students acquired some basic foundation. Learning to play the guitar for starters was not so simple. Their fingertips bled and suffered pain before they developed calluses. However, the students persisted and encouraged one another, knowing that they were doing it for God. After each lesson, the teacher assigned them to practice some simple songs, some of which were her own compositions. It was an interesting and unforgettable learning experience. The students wish to be able to do a simple presentation at the end of three and a half months of learning under their teacher. They wish to continue to use what they have learned in their future ministry church in the area of praise and worship.
The SBCC was raided by the authorities last year and could not operate in the same premises. During the transition period, we had to make adjustment to a number of things. We thank God for guiding us to the new place and enabling us to adapt to the new environment. In the autumn semester, we have an intake of 22 students (eight being brothers and 14 sisters). Please continue to pray for SBCC especially in areas of academic development, finances (Student Study Aid Program etc.), resources (students, teachers and other manpower) and publicity. May God bless you all!
