IBI Newsletter Summer 09

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Encouragement means..

Courses have finished, Summer Institute is over, marking is done, the university External Examiner has visited, students have gone their separate ways, summer has come, the new academic year already beckons  … but before we get there, how was this year at IBI?

A one word answer: ‘Encouraging’! Encouragement means something like ‘being urged on and supported’, ‘aiding the development of something’ or ‘words and actions that give hope‘. Let me try to explain why this year has been especially full of these things via a quick visit to the New Testament where encouragement pops up all over the place.

The biggest focus there is on encouragement of each other. In Acts the early church is encouraged by Barnabas (the ‘son of encouragement’, Acts 11:23); by Judas and Silas (Acts 15:32); by Paul and Silas (Acts 16:40); and by Paul alone (Acts 20:1-2). Leaders are also encouraged, for example Paul (Acts 28:15) and Apollos (Acts 18:27). Paul longs to see the Roman Christians so that ‘you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith’ (Rom 11:12).  Some have a special gift of encouragement (Rom 12:8). Warm relationships are a source of great encouragement (1 Cor 7:4, 13-14; Philemon 1:7). See how Tychicus is sent twice to encourage believers, once to Ephesus and once to Colosse, with news and friendship (Eph 6:22; Col 4:8) - as is Timothy to the Thessalonian church (1 Thes 3:2). Believers are constantly to encourage one another (1 Thes 4:18; 5:11; 5:14; Heb 3:13, 10:25) as well as being encouraged by their teachers (2 Tim 4:2; Titus 1:9; 2:6, 15).

Another source of encouragement is the Scriptures (Rom 15:4). Prophecy in the church is valuable because everyone can be instructed and encouraged by it (1 Cor 14:31). Believers are encouraged as they understand better the riches of the gospel (Col 2:2; Heb 6:18).

Faithful Christian discipleship is a source of great encouragement to Paul (1 Thes 3:7) and his faith in the face of persecution encourages others to stand up for their faith (Phil 1:14).

Ultimately the greatest source of encouragement is God himself (Rom 15:5; 2 Thes 2:16-17). Being united to Christ is a source of encouragement (Phil 2:1). Even the Lord’s discipline is a source of encouragement (Heb 12:5). In Acts, the first Christians are encouraged by the Holy Spirit (Acts 9:31).

That is a lot of encouraging going on! This year has been deeply encouraging at IBI because all of these sorts of encouragements have been experienced here in the past twelve months.

There has been much encouragement of each other:

  • in the support, friendship, and partnership of our volunteer teachers and staff who make IBI possible
  • in the encouraging comments and feedback from students about their experience at IBI
  • in the depth and warmth of many friendships formed and deepened this year
  • by the letters, prayers and giving of so many from around Ireland and beyond who partner with us
  • in seeing how students care for and ‘spur one another on’
  • within the IBI staff team and Board there is a great sense of teamwork, unity and a commitment to work well together.

There has been encouragement in the Scriptures:

  • Speaking personally I found myself greatly encouraged by teaching (for me) a new course to an evening class of over 30 people on the life and teaching of Jesus. It was a joy to work our way through Mark’s gospel together in class as well as trying to understand and apply Jesus’ radical message of the kingdom of God. I’m sure every teacher (and I hope student) can say the same thing about spending quality time in God’s word.

There has been encouragement in seeing Christian discipleship in action:

  • I won’t name names here, but it has been encouraging to see and hear how students are putting what is being studied, discussed and written about into practice in everyday life in a whole variety of situations at home and abroad. Just some of these stories are in previous and this current newsletter.
There has been great encouragement from God himself:

  • We did not imagine or plan this year to see a strengthened and more diversified IBI as a result of the transfer of students and two staff from Carrig Eden Theological College run by the Assemblies of God Ireland (AGI).
  • Next year will see a record number of students at Diploma and Degree level as a result of a very high proportion of our students continuing on and a group of CETC students transferring in to the IBI programme.
  • We did not imagine half way through the year that we would come out at the end of the financial year with the books balanced in the midst of a huge financial meltdown.

I could go on but space is limited! Of course there have been discouragements along the way, it would be unreal and foolish to pretend otherwise. But as I reflect on the year just ended, the encouragements far outweigh the discouragements, and for that may God be glorified.

Patrick Mitchel, Director of Studies

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