The Second Generation.

To read about each person featured in this cover story, scroll to the bottom of this post.

“His mercy extends to those who fear Him, from generation to generation.” (Luke 1:50)

The Bible is filled with generations.

Hidden within the many genealogies and stories of parents and children is a two-fold purpose. People are called not only to follow God’s direction for their lives but also to pass on the Truth they learn to those who come behind them.

Abraham was given a promise, and Isaac and Jacob carried it until the nation of Israel formed. David was told by God that he was just generations away from seeing a Savior come from his line. The Israelites, for years and years, watched their children.

In the Bible, one generation is measured as 40 years. That same time frame — 40 years — also marked momentous eras in Jewish history, most notably the wandering in the desert, when an entire generation died away after dismissing God’s hope for entering a new land.

The lesson to be learned is that one generation can fail to continue what has come before — or one generation can turn away from unbelief and forge ahead by God’s leading.

But the best stories of generations in the Bible are those of blessing, where parents train their children according to sound teaching. One generation rises up to follow God, and their children rise up as well.

Last year marked the 40th anniversary of the Word of Life Bible Institute’s founding, meaning the school is officially in its second generation. For years, parents have been sending their children to Schroon Lake, Hudson, Owen Sound, or now Jeju Island. But in recent years, many of those parents aren’t just sending their kids to a school they heard was great. They are pointing their children to the campuses that once changed their own lives.

We’ve rounded up a few students attending the Bible Institute this year who have parents who are alumni — as well as some of the alumni who encouraged their children to go to Word of Life — and asked them to describe why they made the choice to come to the Bible Institute and what it has meant to them. Not surprisingly, many of the alumni whose children are now studying in the same system that began 40 years ago have fond memories of when they first came, and they can affirm why they wanted their children to follow.

These are just a few of their stories. We would love to tell more, and to hear from any alumni about their experiences at the Bible Institute and beyond.

But, most of all, we want to celebrate a new generation following Christ, as the generation before, which pursued truth and God’s guidance. May we all see another fruitful 40 years.

• John and Kimberly (Neve) Lingelbach; Taylor Lingelbach
• Debbie (Baker) Hobbs; John Hobbs, Julie Anne Hobbs
• Ruth (Nazarian) Zaharek; Michelle Zaharek
• Valerie J. (Schrack) Donley-Mure; Joanna Donley, Jay van den Akker
• Anne (Halbert) Wieder; Brad Wieder
• Kimberly Easton; Lake Alexandria Whitehead
• Kimberly Grocott
• Ryan Williamson; Kirsten Williamson
• Ben Knaus
• Wesley Monzon

If you want to share the story of where your life has gone since the Bible Institute, email alumni@wol.org, mikebush@wol.org, waynel@wol.org, or jenslothower@wol.org. You can also visit wolvictoryjournal.blogspot.com.

The Second Generation: Wesley John Monzon

I decided to study at the Bible Institute because of the way my dad lived his life after his year at the Bible Institute in Brazil. God showed him what He wanted him to do with his life, and I really want God to show me what to do.

Since I have been at the Bible Institute, God has taught me a lot about humility and really trusting Him with everything, especially my future.

My dad always told me, “Go to the Bible Institute. It’s the best decision you can make. God will show you through this year what He wants you to do with your life, and He will use you in many ways.”

I really hope God will use me in the area of being an example and being able to stand up for my faith. I hope He will point me in the right direction always.

For more second generation stories, click here.

The Second Generation: Ben Knaus

I love the Word of Life program. My church in Lynchburg, Virginia, had always used Word of Life’s books for youth, and that is how I first heard of the school. But two other factors also influenced me to go to the Bible Institute.

The first was my father. I have had the unusual pleasure of growing up with a dad who knew his theology and always had a ready answer for all the questions I had. He learned a lot of what he knew from personal study, but he always gave credit to Word of Life for helping set that fire in him.

The second reason is because of my friends. In Lynchburg, the home of Liberty University, I got to observe thousands of college-age Christians. The students from Word of Life campuses always showed more integrity and passion for ministry. I wanted to have a testimony like theirs.

I want to give credit to my mom and dad for helping me get here. Without their encouragement, advice, time, and prayer I do not know if I could have done it … or could do it.

For more second generation stories, click here.

The Second Generation: Ryan Williamson

I came to the Bible Institute in my mid-20s as a married student when my daughter, Kirsten, who is now a Bible Institute student in Florida, was only three months old. I already had a college degree, but I wanted to spend a year immersed in the Word of God so I could grow more and prepare to serve the Lord.

Following my time at the Bible Institute, I served with Word of Life Local Church ministries in Indiana.  My training at Word of Life equipped me to be a lifelong student of the Word and to be active in ministry. Our children have known from an early age that their college career will begin at a Bible Institute, no matter what career path they choose. The year or more they spend immersed in the life-changing Word of God is a foundation for lifetime growth and service that is hard to duplicate anywhere else.

Click here to read about Ryan’s daughter, Kirsten, Class of 2013

For more second generation stories, click here.

The Second Generation: Kirsten Williamson

As a daughter of a Word of Life staff member and Bible Institute graduate, I grew up knowing I would go to the Bible Institute. People used to joke with me that there’s an unwritten rule about staff kids having to go to the Bible Institute, and I hated that. I used to be set against coming to the Bible Institute — and I didn’t have a reason other than wanting to do the exact opposite of what everyone expected me to. I remember having many different conversations with my mom about coming to the Bible Institute, and she explained the importance of being grounded in the Word before I went out into the “real world.”

When I was 14, I went to Missions Conference, and I’ll never forget the last night. After seeing the students’ passion for what they were learning and how the Lord had worked in their lives that weekend, I knew the Bible Institute was a special place, and I couldn’t wait to graduate to go!

I wanted to take a couple of years to really focus on growing deeper in my relationship with the Lord and to study the Word intensively. I’m convinced there’s no better place to do that than at Word of Life! I am so excited to be in a place that limits distractions and really encourages growth.

I am so thankful that God has been faithfully stretching and strengthening me this year. Right now, He’s teaching me the importance of trusting Him in every situation and waiting patiently on His perfect timing. I cannot wait to look back at all He has done in and through our class on graduation day.

Click here to read about Kirsten’s dad, Ryan, Class of 1995

For more second generation stories, click here.

The Second Generation: Kimberly Grocott

Both of my parents went to the Bible Institute, and they played a big part in my decision to come. They were constantly telling me how the Bible Institute helped them develop a deeper relationship with God. My dad said that setting aside one year to focus on building a better relationship with God would be well worth it and would change my life. Today, I am so thankful for the love they have for Christ, and that they strongly encouraged me to come to Word of Life. I have learned so much about God’s unconditional love, His forgiveness, the need to trust fully in Him, and the importance of being in His Word every day.

For more second generation stories, click here.

The Second Generation: Lake Alexandria Whitehead

I decided to come to the Bible Institute after I went to camp in New York. I found the love of God for the first time and decided to give Him my all. I wanted to learn more about God’s Word and build a stronger relationship with Him, and I’ve already learned so much! I’ve grown much closer to God than I ever imagined I could. God has given me an eternal perspective for everything. All I need to do is follow Him and His will in obedience.

Part of the reason I’m here is because of my parents’ influence. I was so blessed to have parents who love the Lord. My mom went to the Bible Institute, and she’s just been a living testimony of God’s faithfulness. I saw the love of God and skills she learned at the Bible Institute, and I wanted to be that strong, organized, and disciplined woman in Christ.

FUN FACT: Both mom and daughter were in Collegians and ensembles and sang as soloists. “It is almost like a repeat ... a twin 30 years later,” Kimberly says.

Click here to read about Lake's mom, Kimberly, Class of 1984.

For more second generation stories, click here.

The Second Generation: Kimberly Easton

It was not until I took my daughter to the Bible Institute in Florida this fall that I realized Word of Life’s impact on my entire life.

Like my daughter, I was active in Teens Involved. My desire was only to sing, but God had a much different plan for my life. I really wanted to win the national competition for singing, but I ended up winning in Bible storytelling. It was then that God tapped me to be a storyteller, and I have been telling stories ever since.

I went to the Bible Institute in New York then transferred to Liberty University, where I studied telecommunications and journalism. I have since worked as a news reporter and anchor in Lynchburg, Michigan, and Pennsylvania. 

While attending Liberty University, I met Andre, my future husband and Lake’s father. I remember how excited he was to meet someone who attended the Bible Institute and how he had heard we knew everything there was to know about the Bible. Word of Life has such an impressive reputation.

I fondly remember our dating days and how Andre would call me “Lake,” referring to me being from the Bible Institute in Schroon Lake. Andre would call me “Lake” so much that people would compliment me and say my name was unique. I would respond, “Kimberly is a common name.” They would say, “No — I mean ‘Lake.’ Isn’t that your name?”

After Andre and I got married and found out we were having a girl, we named her “Lake.”

Now, I must admit it did not take long for Andre to realize I did not know everything there was to know about the Bible. What ended up impacting me the most were the life skills I acquired while attending Word of Life.

The discipline of reading my Bible and praying every day, scheduling my day and ministering to others were skills that helped propel me to success in life.

Unfortunately, my marriage dissolved, but God’s presence remains in all of our lives. My journey with Christ has come with unexpected challenges, but I have always been assured of one thing: Christ is my all in all.

Now, to see God send my daughter Lake to Word of Life is amazing. God really does design our paths. I am so excited to see the plans He has in store for her and others who have the privilege, as I did, to attend the Bible Institute.

FUN FACT: Both mom and daughter were in Collegians and ensembles and sang as soloists. “It is almost like a repeat ... a twin 30 years later,” Kimberly says.

Click here to read about Kimberly's daughter, Lake, Class of 2013.

For more second generation stories, click here.

The Second Generation: Brad Wieder

I became aware of the Word of Life Bible Institute from my family. My mom and aunt went there and said they liked it, so I decided to check it out. My parents thought the Bible Institute would be a good foundation and would give me direction for my future.

I have made friends with people who really love the Lord and who have been an encouragement to me. One thing I really like is how close you get to your roommates and dorm-mates as well as many other students. They are like your second family. You can talk to them about anything, and they are always there for you. I have really learned a lot about God’s Word and how to apply it to my life.

Click here to read about Brad's mom, Anne, Class of 1987 and 2012.

For more second generation stories, click here.

The Second Generation: Anne (Halbert) Wieder

I was a fairly new believer and a recent high school graduate when a godly Christian family told me about the Word of Life Bible Institute. I had very little knowledge about the Bible and was convicted that I needed to know more and learn how to apply God’s Word to daily living.

Life at the Bible Institute was so different than anything I had ever experienced. As I look back over the past 25 years, I am so thankful that God led me there. I learned so much through the daily studies and disciplines as well as the invaluable experience of traveling with the Collegians. To this day, I still remember many of the lessons the professors taught us, and I am thankful for the godly staff.

I have been married to my best friend for the past 20 years and have three amazing children. As our oldest son heard my husband and I talking about our experiences at Word of Life (my husband was a camper on the Island), he began asking questions. God soon made it very clear that the Bible Institute was the place for him.

Interestingly enough, our diplomas will have the same graduation date of 2012. Due to illness, I was unable to complete the program. Twenty-five years later, it has become official, and we shared the year 2012 as our finishing date. To God be the glory!

Word of Life Bible Institute has prepared me for real life and real ministry. It is not just book learning but practical, hands-on experience that equips believers to live in today’s world, enabling us to make godly choices.

I teach piano lessons each day and have the privilege to serve God in my local church in worship ministry, women’s ministry, and ladies small group Bible studies. The education I received at Word of Life has helped shape who I am and has a direct impact on the way I teach my students and relate to others.

Click here to read about Anne's son, Brad, Class of 2013.

For more second generation stories, click here.

The Second Generation: Joseph (Jay) van den Akker

The first reason I decided to go to the Bible Institute was that my mom had decided before I was born that I was going. She loved it, and it was great for her to get a firm foundation in the Bible before going out into the world.

I also thought it was a good idea to go to Word of Life because I’ve had a sheltered missionary kid life. (Jay has been in India for the past 12 and a half years.) I wanted to get a foundation and get closer to God before going to scary America, which is just really different than what I’m used to.

Right before I left for the Bible Institute in Jeju, my mom asked me if I was going because she wanted me to or because God wanted me to, and I definitely felt that God wanted me to go.

I chose Jeju because I love Asia and I love Korea. I have so many amazing Korean friends, and I saw it as an opportunity to travel more with the trip to Israel that the school takes. I’m really looking forward to that.

The main thing God is teaching me now is about relationships with other people, having an authentic relationship with Him, and how these two areas affect each other. Here, we are always together. We are in classes together; we are living together. We see how we really, truly are. People can say to me, "You probably need to work on this." I can see how people handle situations and watch and learn from that.

The Bible Institute is awesome. I’m so glad I came. I was scared of D points when I came, but once you’re here, it’s just fun. I’m so glad my mom told me about the Bible Institute and influenced my decision.

(Jay’s older sister, Maria, also graduated from the Bible Institute in Jeju in August.) Maria couldn’t stop talking about what she was learning, the community, the teachers. That had a huge part in my coming here. I was psyched to learn more about God.

Click here to read about Jay's cousin, Joanna, Class of 2013.

For more second generation stories, click here.

The Second Generation: Joanna Donley

When I was born, I was destined to come to the Bible Institute because I was a staff kid.

I remember being in fifth grade and having to diagram sentences, and I didn’t like it. So, when Bible Institute students would come to my house and they were diagramming verses, I thought, “I do not want to go to the Bible Institute and diagram verses!” But I got over that. I wanted a biblical education before going to a secular school so I would have a solid foundation. And I really wanted to come because my dad really wanted me to.

I always wanted to go to the Bible Institute in Brazil or Hungary, where they teach in English, but I heard about Jeju in a newsletter, and it sounded different. It was in Korea, and on an island, and the community (of students and staff) was smaller.

One major thing I’m learning is about running the race set before you. God has called us to run a race, and we need to be trained and equipped to do that. People who run marathons train for years and years, and people who are in the Olympics train their whole lives. God told us to run our race, and I just need to stay focused and remember that this year is training for the rest of my life. What I learn here will affect the course of my life, and I need to run and not give up.

I love it here. It has exceeded all of my expectations. I was really nervous because I thought everyone would be Korean and I was American, but it has worked out well.

Click here to read about Joanna's mom, Valerie, Class of 1983, and her cousin, Jay van den Akker, Class of 2013.

For more second generation stories, click here.

The Second Generation: Valerie J. (Schrack) Donley-Mure

In spring 1982, my parents attended their regional Child Evangelism Fellowship directors conference, which was at the Word of Life Inn. During the announcements one evening, the director of the Inn, Don Lough, Sr., talked about the ministry of Word of Life and said that just nine miles down the road was a Bible Institute where young people could learn the Bible in one year.

This was less than two months before my high school graduation. I was scheduled to leave the day after for two months of ministry with Child Evangelism Fellowship in western Germany, and I was planning to get home just in time to pack and leave for Liberty Baptist College, which I had dreamed of attending since I was 10 years old.

When my parents returned home, my dad said, “I know you have your heart set on going to Liberty, but while we were in New York, we heard about a one-year Bible Institute. You don’t have to go, but I would really like you to consider going there for one year first.”

I dismissed the thought, graduated, and went to Germany. But throughout the summer, I couldn’t get the Bible Institute out of my mind and prayed about what I should do. I decided to honor my father and go there for one year.

I had been involved in music, choir, band, and ministry my whole life, but I did not try out at the Bible Institute because I had no clue what “the Collegians” was. Then, the Collegians performed “Revelation” for the incoming student body. I said, “If that’s what the Collegians are, I want to be a Collegian! Too bad the tryouts are over.”

But my roommate said the choir director was “really nice,” and she said she would ask him if I could try out. Well, as they say, the rest is history. I was part of the Christmas musical and stayed to do tours the next year.

I would call home each week and tell my parents all about the visiting professors and what they were teaching. By the time I returned after the Christmas break, my younger sister, Merrilea, wanted to come for the next year.

After graduation, I went on tour with Word of Life, and that “really nice” music teacher and my friend, Brian Donley, asked me go to the banquet with him. We were married less than two years later and raised our six daughters across the street from the Word of Life Ranch.

Brian had a great love for the Bible Institute and the ministry of his beloved Collegians. We involved the girls any way we could. We wanted them to love the ministry of Word of Life as much as we did.

They knew they had to eat three meals a day, breathe air to live, and attend the Bible Institute when they graduated from high school. Although Brian passed away one month before our oldest daughter’s graduation and did not have his own daughters as Collegians, they all kept our desire for them to attend.

Word of Life Bible Institute is one of the best places for a person to set aside one year of his or her life to dig deep into God’s Word under the ministry of many top-notch Bible teachers. The impact lasts for eternity.

Click here to read about Valerie's daughter, Joanna, Class of 2013.

For more second generation stories, click here.

The Second Generation: Michelle Zaharek

The Bible Institute was always there for me as an option, but being as rebellious as I was, there was no way I ever wanted to end up going. Lucky for me, I decided to do Summer Training Corps on the Island, and during my junior summer, my life completely changed. I rededicated my life to Christ, and during that time, I realized how much God wanted me to go to the Bible Institute. My life needed a major change, so I knew that was where I was meant to go.

I knew I was in for an adventure. God taught me that there are real people in this world who won’t treat you like trash — people who will show you love. I’ve been given such a support group that half the time I’m not sure how to respond to it.

My parents didn’t really influence my decision to come, but they did open the window of opportunity. I’ve always been somewhat of a hopeless romantic, and the fact that my mom met my dad here was the little push I needed to remain patient for a love that could actually last.

FUN FACTS:

• The Zahareks have been involved with Word of Life for three generations. Ruth’s dad would fly Jack Wyrtzen to rallies
• Ruth (mom) and Michelle (daughter) both roomed in South America dorm
• All three Zaharek girls were involved on the Island, and all three were part of the Collegians, though Ruth’s Collegians went on tour.

Click here to read about Michelle's mom, Ruth, Class of 1984.

For more second generation stories, click here.

The Second Generation: Ruth (Nazarian) Zaharek

Word of Life has had a huge impact on my life. When I was a teenager, a couple of counselors on the Island convinced me I needed a year at the Bible Institute, and they were so right! I had no clear direction and needed discipline. During my year there I met my husband, and we’ve been married 27 years.

Once my husband and I had children, I wanted them to experience Word of Life camps. Even though we lived 11 hours away, God made it possible. Each year my children went was a life-changing experience. My oldest daughter, Kristyna, decided that the Bible Institute was where she needed to go, and we were thrilled. Now my second daughter, Michelle, is there, and it’s been an amazing year so far. My son is hoping to work at Word of Life this summer, too. So each of us has been impacted by this fantastic place! I just can’t imagine where I’d be without the influence of Word of Life.

FUN FACTS:

• The Zahareks have been involved with Word of Life for three generations. Ruth’s dad would fly Jack Wyrtzen to rallies
• Ruth (mom) and Michelle (daughter) both roomed in South America dorm
• All three Zaharek girls were involved on the Island, and all three were part of the Collegians, though Ruth’s Collegians went on tour.

Click here to read about Ruth's daughter, Michelle, Class of 2013.

For more second generation stories, click here.

The Second Generation: John and Julie Ann Hobbs

John Hobbs

As a child, I went to many of Word of Life’s camps and loved them. I always learned so much while I was there and drew closer to the Lord every year. Because of that, I always planned to go to the Bible Institute.

Now that I’m here, God has taught me so much, and I love it.

Both of my parents went to the Bible Institute in New York, and by the way they talked about it, it sounds like it was the time of their lives. They are both very strong in the Lord, and they were my role models growing up. I wanted to do the same thing they did — to be able to learn and grow in the Lord like they did.

Julie Ann Hobbs

My parents gleaned so much knowledge from the Word and gained such an intimate relationship with the Lord at the Bible Institute that they made attending a mandatory suggestion for us three kids. I loved the idea of gaining a strong Biblical foundation before going to college to live among people who were searching for answers, so I gladly accepted my parents’ wishes to come.

After this year, I plan to attend Liberty University to study nursing. I hope God will use this year and my ministry experiences to help the sick and injured I will be working with in hospitals. That way, I can share my love, hope, and joy for Christ when people are at their lowest points.

Click here to read about John and Julie Ann's parents, Mike and Debbie, Class of 1985.

For more second generation stories, click here.

The Second Generation: Debbie (Baker) Hobbs

I attended the Word of Life Bible Institute in 1985 on a recommendation from my father to know the Word of God in depth. As many graduates say, it was the best year of my life. I gained friendships, was trained for ministry, studied the Bible, acquired godly mentors, and learned where God was leading my life. I was also blessed to meet my husband at Word of Life, which I was not expecting. I can see from life experience how the Lord used that year to help me have a bolder witness in reaching out to others.

Our three children all agreed to attend the Bible Institute before beginning their careers. This was a blessing to our hearts, as we well knew the impact it would have in their lives.

In 2006, my husband was diagnosed with cancer, and we endured the anguish of this disease for four and a half years. He went home to be with his Savior on June 12, 2011. Our “Word of Life” foundation kept us always trusting, remaining strong, and staying steady in this path of suffering God chose for us. Mike’s testimony was a bold witness to everyone he met, but most of all, God’s Word comforted our hearts throughout the journey. Our children were strengthened to see the faith of their father and how his love for his Lord never wavered.

To God be the glory for His working in our lives, and we are grateful to Word of Life for its ministry to many. It is far-reaching, and we will know in eternal celebrations the impact we have had on others.

Click here to read about Debbie's children, John and Julie Ann, Class of 2013.

For more second generation stories, click here.

The Second Generation: Taylor Lingelbach

I learned about the Bible Institute at a very young age, considering my parents met each other there. They wanted me to come for at least one year to have a firm foundation in the Word of God before diving into a secular university.
Since I’ve been at the Bible Institute, I’ve realized that every little thing we do is part of God’s plan. He knows what is best for us, and we should trust Him more than anything or anyone.

By the time I graduate next year, I hope God will set out the direction He wants me to go. I will be attending the University of South Florida, and with the Biblical foundation that I will be gaining here, I plan on living for God in all things, especially in a non-Christian environment.

Click here to read about Taylor's parents, John and Kimberly, Class of 1988.

For more second generation stories, click here.

The Second Generation: John and Kimberly (Neve) Lingelbach

Little did we know that a short conversation on a dreary October afternoon in Pottersville, New York, would forever change our lives.

We had both come to the Word of Life Bible Institute from similar backgrounds and for the same purpose. We had both grown up in Christian homes, but as we came to the end of our time in high school, we were weary of nominal Christianity. Our relationships with God were fractured by compromise and disobedience. Tired of “churchianity,” we were starving for God’s truth and came to the Bible Institute to find it — not in the teachings of men, but in the pages of Scripture. Just “good enough” was no longer good enough — we wanted to live for more.

During that introductory conversation after lunch, we became instant friends, and within two months, we were dating. After graduating from the Bible Institute, we knew we wanted to be together for the rest of our lives. We married in 1989, determined to put God at the center of our relationship and implement the principles we had learned at the Bible Institute.

Fast forward through 23 years of marriage, three children, and a career as an officer in the U.S. Air Force. We have seen God’s faithfulness all along despite our shortcomings. Time and time again we hearken back to what we learned 25 years ago at the Bible Institute, and those principles remain applicable today, perhaps more than ever before.

Because we saw what God had done for us, and because we believe so strongly in what God is doing at and through Word of Life, we insisted that all of our children attend the Bible Institute before starting their own families and careers. Consequently, each of our children has attended the Bible Institute, and currently our youngest daughter, Taylor, attends the Florida campus.

No, little did we know that a short conversation on a dreary autumn afternoon would forever change our lives. But at the time, we also lacked an understanding of how God is at work through the ministry of the Word of Life Bible Institute. When we first left after graduation, we were inexperienced at life, but we believed that if we would follow God’s Word, He would do amazing things through us. He has. And after all these years we are even more excited about what He has yet to do. We still believe.

Click here to read about the Lingelbachs' daughter, Taylor, Class of 2013.

For more second generation stories, click here.

Refresh: Remembering the truth behind what we know about joy.

By Steve Nicholes

When I transferred from the Bible Institute to college, I was put in a dorm where students who decided to enroll at the last minute were housed. It was a bad scene and, to be honest, I hated my situation.

I had just come from the Bible Institute, where I was a big fish in a small pond. At the new school, hardly anybody knew me. I remember one of my Bible Institute friends coming up to me one day and saying, “Steve, I used to think you were really important....”

Every time I went into my dorm, I got depressed. That was a first for me. I was a pretty positive guy. I started asking God “Why?” The more I thought about it, the more depressed I became. It was like I was in this hole, and I was going down, and I didn’t know how to get out.

Finally, one day, in the middle of my depression, I remembered a song from when I was a little kid.

Jesus and others and you — what a wonderful way to spell ‘joy.’
Jesus and others and you in the heart of each girl and each boy.
J is for Jesus, for He has first place,
O is for others we meet face to face.
Y is for you in whatever you do,
So put yourself last and spell joy.

I knew many Scripture verses talk about this idea. “Seek first the kingdom of God” (Matthew 6:33). “He must increase; I must decrease” (John 3:30). “Let each esteem others better than himself” (Philippians 2:3). And the greatest commands in Scripture are to (1) love God with all your heart and (2) love your neighbor as yourself (Matthew 22:37-39).

I believed these things were true, but I didn’t know how they would bring joy. I was desperate in my black hole, though. I prayed, “God, help me,” and He gave me the idea to get together with some other Bible Institute alumni who were at the school. One of them lived off-campus, so I asked if we could buy the stuff to make chocolate chip and peanut butter cookies and make them at his home.

After that, we took the cookies to a nursing home and began to go room to room. I took my cookies into the first room. The lady sitting there was so surprised to have a visitor. She began telling me her story. She told me that her kids never came to visit her. Over and over, she kept saying, “Thank you for taking time to come and be with me.” The next room was a similar story — and the next and the next.

By the time I stepped back onto campus, my whole mindset had changed. I had finally stopped looking at myself and had begun looking at those around me who were hurting.

The path out of my hole really was Jesus first, others second, and myself last.

If we really love Jesus and put Him first, then we can enjoy time with Him even if we are on a desert road without anyone else. Then, putting others second makes us stop focusing on ourselves. I can say that I have never again been depressed like that in my life. The new focus changed my life and my perspective.

I don’t know where this article finds you, but as I watch world news from Jeju Island in South Korea, there are so many things that can drag us down. I hope that this simple but timeless principle will help you as it did me. Lift your eyes up to the Lord first, and then look around to others who are worse off than you and lend a helping hand. I firmly believe it won’t be long before you will gain victory over whatever is trying to drag you down.

“Jesus and others and you — what a wonderful way to spell ‘joy.’”

Steve Nicholes, Class of 1981, is the director of Word of Life Northeast Asia. He now leads the campus in Jeju, South Korea, with his wife Rhonda, Class of 1985, by his side.

Confidence in the Gospel: A message from the Chancellor.

By Don Lough, Jr.

We live in a world where it is unpopular to take a stand for what is right and true. The message of the cross is considered nonsense to many. As followers of Jesus Christ, we are often labeled as exclusive, intolerant, and backward. Faced with this kind of pressure, it might appear attractive at times to simply take the path of least resistance and to assume a stealth mode.

The Apostle Paul’s declaration in Romans 1:16 jolts us back to the reality of where we really need to be as Christians: “For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.” If there was ever a place for Paul to be timid and ashamed of the Gospel, it was in Rome. Rome was an arrogant city, a home to every conceivable idol as well as the center of intellectualism and philosophy. Here was Paul, a tentmaker by trade, proclaiming a message about a Jewish carpenter named Jesus who died a criminal’s death on a cross. Regardless, Paul affirms, “I am not ashamed of the Gospel....”

Where does this kind of confidence come from? Here are a few truths to consider. First, Paul believed that the Gospel is superior — not some fairy tale or story fabricated in the mind of man. The Gospel is from God and is about His Son, Jesus Christ. It is superior to any religious idea or philosophy. Nothing compares to the Gospel. Second, Paul believed the Gospel was sufficient. Don’t ever forget that the Gospel does not contain the power of God. Instead, the Gospel “is the power of God unto salvation.” Finally, the apostle also knew that the Gospel is simple. “It is the power of God unto salvation for everyone who believes.” Many cling to the idea that salvation requires good works or special requirements. No — the Gospel calls for simple faith and trust in God’s Son, Jesus Christ, as the One who can save from sin.

Today, God has strategically placed you on this planet not simply to exist, but to make Him known. Do not ever be ashamed to share the Good News about Jesus Christ.

Testimony Corner: Dave Duma, Class of 1979

For many years, I could not stand to be around Christians. I hated to see those smiling faces. I just knew they couldn’t be happy all the time.

My childhood was unhappy. My mom and dad divorced when I was 6 years old. I remember them always fighting, and my mom crying at night after the police escorted my dad out of the house. My mom and we three children were left in a farmhouse with no heat and a bank repossession letter on the door, telling us to move.

The Christians I knew were counterfeit. They smiled but never helped, even after my dad left. Instead, my grandpa and grandma took us in. Mom got a decent job as a secretary in a factory, and my brother and I got jobs as kids to pay our own way. I delivered newspapers. When I was 12, I started washing dishes in a restaurant and cleaned a slaughterhouse.

Getting into the working world introduced me to different people, and I made new friends who were not good for me. The Bible says bad company corrupts good manners, and it’s true. I was a good boy who went bad — and fast. I finally had plenty of money, but that didn’t keep me from being miserable.

Still, I knew some people who didn’t have much materially but always had smiling faces and seemed genuinely happy. They seemed to like me and never judged me, and I was comfortable around them for some reason.

All these people wanted to do was to help me, and I began to think that they ay be right when they told me I just needed Christ. Before, there was no way I thought Jesus could be the answer because everything associated with God and Christianity had been so bad in my life. But these people planted the seed that got me thinking that Christ could be what I needed as my life sank further into the sin issues I was dealing with.

While battling sin and thinking about where my life was headed, one night it all finally came together. I knew I needed to come to Christ.

After a series of events, on June 14, 1977, at 11:30 p.m., I knelt on a sidewalk in Akron, Ohio, and asked Jesus to forgive me and take control of my life. I was 21 years old. On that night, 2 Corinthians 5:17 became real: “If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature. Old things are passed away: Behold, all things are become new.”

Starting that night, God changed all my desires. I became one of those smiling face people.

I loved to go to church, something I never did before. I loved fellowship with believers and studying God’s Word. A year later, my pastor told me about the Word of Life Bible Institute, and I decided I wanted a deeper walk with the Lord. I wanted to get grounded, and God led me to join the Class of 1979.

I never preregistered for the Bible Institute. My pastor told me that if God was leading me, Word of Life wouldn’t send me home. My Bible study small group at home had a going-away party for me and handed me an envelope with enough cash to pay my way. I knew God’s hand was on me.
I drove 533 miles in a junk car with no heat to get to the Bible Institute, and I was so happy. I showed up the day before class — campfire night.

That year, I became grounded in God’s Word, and 34 years later, I still have my verses down. They stay with you, and you’ll always use them.

I met the love of my life when working in the dish pit at the Bible Institute: Beverly Garber, now Beverly Duma. We’ve been married 32 years and have five sons, three daughters, and seven grandchildren. Three of our kids — David, Bryan, and Sarah — are Bible Institute graduates, and two grandsons — Daniel and Michael — are attending right now.

As for Beverly and me, we are stewards of a family business in Ohio. That is our ministry. We are called to support the Lord’s work and meet the needs of our employees. I also serve as a Sunday school teacher and elder at Maranatha Bible Church.

You cannot know the will of God unless you know the Word of God. God’s will is in His Word.

It was God’s Word that has shaped my life to where it is now, and it is God’s Word that can change your life, too.

Campus Update: OAE in Owen Sound.

Lucas Prosper (Wyoming, Ontario)
• First year, Owen Sound campus
• Open Air Evangelism ministry

What were your apprehensions going into Open Air Evangelism?
I was scared of going and sharing my faith because I feared that I would look stupid or crazy or something to that effect.

What opportunities did you have to share Christ?
I had many opportunities to share Christ and what He has done for my life with a few different people from what seemed like all walks of life. I had the chance to do a sketch board, which is basically street-preaching of the Gospel, and to have personal contact with complete strangers on the streets of one of Canada’s neediest cities: Hamilton, Ontario. I just hope God used those conversations to speak to those people’s lives and help them examine themselves and see that they need Christ.

How did God work in your own heart during OAE week?
God not only worked on my fear but also on how I should be viewing the people that I am sharing the Gospel with. I am trying to show them a God Who loves them and wishes that none should perish. We have broken His law and His commandments, but we can’t fix that by ourselves — we need Christ to pay for our sins.

How has this changed your life?
A member of the staff had us listen to a sermon about the way to minister on our second day, and this made a huge impact in my life! I realized my responsibility to share truth with people. I would like to say that all the apprehension of witnessing for Christ is gone, but I know it’s not. Hopefully in my time away from school I will have the opportunity to share with friends and family the hope that I have — hope in Christ.

How you can help: National Volunteer Program.

Many alumni ask us how they can help Word of Life at the Bible Institute or around the world. Here is one of the biggest ways you can get involved.

The National Volunteer Program is an opportunity for people to use their gifts and abilities to help with the ministry needs of Word of Life New York. The purpose of the program is to assist our staff in creating and maintaining an environment in which students can be trained and equipped for future ministry, our guests can be refreshed in God’s Word, and the Gospel can be clearly proclaimed.

The program hosted more than 650 volunteers in 2012, including people who came on their own, couples and families, retirees, youth groups, and church groups. You don’t have to be a professional or highly skilled to volunteer. Although some of our volunteers are trained in a craft, many know just the basics or are willing to simply do whatever needs to be done. Projects involve carpentry, clerical work, electrical jobs, general labor, health care, housekeeping, heating and air conditioning repair, computers and technology, kitchen work, landscaping, lawn care, maintenance work, masonry, mechanics, painting, and much more.

During Memorial Day weekend last year, the program hosted 300 volunteers. They helped prepare New York for summer camp and the conference season. The volunteers accomplished much and were also able to enjoy our facilities and participate in the special Memorial Day service at the Bible Institute. Alumni who are interested in helping this Memorial Day weekend will be able to enjoy Word of Life’s Homecoming weekend.

Some of the major upcoming projects in the first half of 2013 are:

• All camps: Cleanup and landscaping; volunteers and counselors for camping season
• Family Campground: Build a pavilion for the youth program
• Inn: Remodel STC housing, upgrade roofing
• Island: Finish building the beach/dome bathhouse, remodel bathrooms, replace decks
• Ranch: Remodel cabins
• Bible Institute: Remodel dorms

We are indebted to the services of our volunteers. The support they provide cannot be measured.

The National Volunteer Program is a labor of love. Please ask the Lord how He will allow you to be used as a volunteer with Word of Life in 2013.

For more information, check out volunteers.wol.org or email us at nvp@wol.org. You can also call David McClain, our program coordinator, at 518-494-6369.

From the Editor: Issue Six.

by Jen Slothower

Alumni Director Emeritus Wayne Lewis seems to think you all will enjoy getting a column from me, the editor, in every Victory Journal (and a photo of myself, at some point).

So here we go.

The reason I shied away from putting my name all over this magazine in the past is mostly that I think my part shouldn’t matter. If you are reading and enjoying what we are sending you, you’ll be reading and enjoying it, and the person putting it together is of no consequence. (And if the opposite is true, then we just have to work harder.) But as we change this Victory Journal and aim to make it something that not only blesses the alumni population but also accurately reflects you, my role in the Victory Journal’s development might be more important than I realized.

First, understand that I am not a staff member at Word of Life. While I am an alumnus, I live in Cambridge, Massachusetts, down near Memorial Drive, where you can look across the Charles River black like glass and see Boston, a city that has so much hope, promise, and intellect but is really as lost as this world has ever been. I have degrees in journalism and have done everything from designing the front page of a newspaper each night to covering the Celtics at the Garden to editing Sunday School lessons for teenagers. Right now, I am a diehard Yankees fan who writes baseball, football, basketball, and hockey stories for a Boston-based national sports website.

So, why am I editing the Victory Journal?

Well, why not? Think about this: When has the Bible Institute ever been about spitting out cookie-cutter Christians? Has Word of Life’s goal ever been to create a template of what every graduate should look like? When you devote a program to pushing its students deeper and deeper inside the Word, should you be surprised when some of them find Jesus Christ in the deepest of ways and then want to take Him to places where no one speaks His name, from Fenway Park to Boylston Street to Harvard Square?

My professional life right now consists of me keeping the jobs I can get as journalism melts around me. But my personal life is exactly what I have prayed it will be since I first discovered the idea of a life consumed by God (Colossians 3) at the Bible Institute. I now aim to walk with God, and then to carry the only true hope I’ve ever found to the people I see in everyday life.

The Bible Institute is billed as “a great place to start.” And it is just that — a start. For all that people love about their Bible Institute years and what happened there, the true glory belongs to the years after, and how God takes a short time of immersive Bible training and turns it into incredible changed lives all over the world.

I live in Cambridge. You live in Lynchburg, Virginia; Hudson, Florida; Chicago; California; Brazil. I write sports. You sell insurance and help in your youth group. You teach and volunteer. You raise your kids or devote your life to missions.

I rarely set foot on a Bible Institute campus, but I know why God has me using my journalism experience to make this magazine happen. The Bible Institute isn’t just about Open Air Evangelism, Snow Camp, and supervising the bakery at the Word of Life Inn during the summer. It’s about what happens when an intense year becomes a life of knowing God and spreading His Truth.

The message of the Bible Institute, of Word of Life, of Jesus Christ, is spread throughout the world in so many ways by those who are the alumni of the Word of Life Bible Institute.

We want to make the Victory Journal something that ministers to those people — that tells their stories. I hope you’re encouraged to know a Bible Institute graduate is bumbling her way around Boston, sharing Jesus, and I want to be encouraged by hearing what you are doing now. We want the Victory Journal to be a continuing dialogue of what we learned at the Bible Institute but also a place to share with each other what God has done since then.

So, send us your stories. Share your memories. Tell us what you like and don’t like about the Victory Journal (or our online blog), and how it could be better for you.

This isn’t about the Bible Institute or Word of Life — it’s about how God changes lives through the Bible Institute and Word of Life, and that means we want to hear from you.

We have big plans for the Victory Journal. We’ve come a long way, but we’re still trying to expand and do a better job of serving you. Please send us your ideas and stories via alumni@wol.org, mikebush@wol.org, waynel@wol.org or jenslothower@wol.org. We will keep you updated on what we’re doing within these pages and online.

And you know, this column might not be such a bad idea if you send us plenty of your stories to talk about in each issue.

Q&A: Gary Ingersoll

Resident professor, Florida campus

Certain teachers seem as much a part of the Bible Institute as Scripture memory or chapter titles. But few have always been at Word of Life ... or even in ministry. The Florida campus has a former titan of industry (well, close enough) as one of its resident professors — a man whose Bible training went well beyond book studies.

Tell us how you ended up at the Bible Institute in Florida.

I came 3,200 miles, from the other corner of the country, to the Bible Institute in Florida as a “job transfer” in 1997. I had been a Word of Life missionary with Local Church Ministries in Washington state for 12 years. The opportunity to be a professor at the Bible Institute does not often present itself (after 15 years, I am still the newest professor at the U.S. campuses), so when I heard an extension campus was opening in Florida, I began asking about transferring to the new position of resident professor. Some five or six months later, we were moving to Florida! 

How did you get into teaching the Bible?

Educationally, my story begins in 1970, when I was in the second of a five-year program to become an engineer at General Motor Institute (now called Kettering University, in Flint, Michigan). It was then that I asked Jesus to be my Savior through the ministry at the nearby Riverdale Baptist Church. I earned my engineering degree in 1974, took an educational leave of absence from General Motors (I worked in things like “car crash-testing”), and enrolled at Grand Rapids Baptist Seminary. I earned a masters of divinity in 1978 and became the associate pastor at my Riverdale, my home church. An economic recession resulted in my losing my pastorate. So I returned to seminary in 1981-82 to get a masters in religious education and then took an associate pastorate at Bethany Baptist Church in Seattle, Washington. In 1985, I came on staff with Word of Life as a local church missionary to Washington state, where I served until moving to Florida.

What on earth took you from crash-testing cars to teaching the Bible? What did God do in your life?

Well, I got saved when I was a sophomore in college. I was in the second year of a five-year work study program to become an engineer with General Motors when it was the largest company in the world. By that point, I had been around Christian friends for some three years — first in high school and then again in college. I knew they had an inner joy, peace, and purpose I lacked in my life. But because of my background as a teen in theologically liberal churches, I had difficulty sorting out true from error in my understanding of Scripture — I thought I was somehow already a Christian who could work my way to Heaven!

I also came to understand before I was saved that to become a Christian meant that I must change my focus in life. I had natural abilities as an engineer, so I thought I could pursue that career, make a lot of money, and, of course, live happily ever after. Yet as a “seeker” of the truth about Jesus, I came to understand that His disciples were those who took up their own crosses to become true followers or disciples of Him. I believe that the Lord was calling me to salvation but also calling me to a greater purpose in life than I had up to that point. 

After I was saved, I had several long conversations with influential older Christians like my college calculus professor, Dr. Bolander. He and others helped me see how I could become a true disciple of my Lord Jesus. He encouraged me to finish my engineering degree (after all, the Lord may just want to use that in my future, too!) and to get involved in my local church. I worked with the teen program, which was involved with Word of Life, and began to help out at some evangelistic activities in our area.

As I became more involved in working with my local churches and helping them with their youth work, I began teaching on a regular basis. So, 20 years before I became a professor at the Bible Institute, I was teaching doctrinal studies to teens at my church each week. Little did I know that the Lord was going to use all of these as preparation to continue my work with young people at the Bible Institute in Florida.

How did you end up in Washington state?

The saddest day in Fran’s and my life had to be the day my ministry to the youth at Riverdale Baptist came to an end. There was a hard-hitting recession that resulted in a third of the people in Flint leaving town to find work. My church lost close to half its membership, so I became an unemployed youth pastor. Without work in Flint, I re-enrolled in seminary and also began working as a contract engineer designing machinery to make breakfast cereal for Post Cereal (I did things like design a better “raisin machine” that adds raisin to Post Raisin Bran!). 

I continued to look for full-time ministry in a local church, but nothing was available in Michigan. But we got in touch with Bethany Baptist in Seattle, which had contacted my seminary looking for possible pastoral candidates. I started Word of Life clubs there, became fast friends with the new local church missionary, and went to my first Word of Life camp the next summer in northern California.

What makes Word of Life unique, and why did you want to stick around?

My wife, Fran, and I first choose to come on staff with Word of Life and, from time to time over the past 27 years, have chosen to remain with Word of Life instead of moving on to some other ministry based upon one primary observation: Word of Life continues to afford the two of us a greater opportunity of service for our Savior, Jesus Christ, than anything else into which we could be investing our lives! We could be involved elsewhere, make more money, and perhaps gain greater fame or a more impressive title. Yet we have chosen to invest in the lives of the 120-plus young people that each year become our students. It is our goal to help them grow in their walks with the Lord as we pastor them like a “one-year youth group.” They truly become “our young people,” whom we love!

Do you have someone at Word of Life you would like to hear from in a Q&A? Email alumni@wol.org. 

Alumni News.

Here's what a few of your classmates have been up to. Send your news to alumni@wol.org.

Wilfredo Bobe (’79) is an interim pastor at Granite Baptist Church in Milford, New Hampshire. His daughter graduated from the Bible Institute in 2012.

Debbie Sanville Fanus (’79) is a special education teacher and teaches junior church. She encourages everyone to reconnect at Homecoming on Memorial Day weekend at the Bible Institute campus in New York. It’s a great opportunity!

John Walker (’82) is involved in a Jamaican ministry. He would like to encourage everyone to keep serving, keep giving, and never give up.

Rosario (Baez) Farese (’84) and her husband have a vending business. They are involved in a ministry that shares the Gospel with people in a drug program and in a church Bible study.

Jason Shugar (’89) is married to Lynn and has two children, Sarah and Jack. He is a classroom teacher, loves horseback riding, and plays guitar on the worship team at church.

Ted Whitney (’91, ’92) teaches a new believers class at his church. He recently started a new job at Liberty University overseeing online communities.

Victoria (Mahairas) Sotelo (’93) and her husband pastor at Inwood Church in New York City. She studied marriage and family therapy in graduate school. She encourages everyone to look up the New York Gospel Outreach in New York and to come and visit anytime!

Michele (Lockwood) (’99) and Robert Columbine (’98) are missionaries with World Venture in Senegal, West Africa. Michele would like to share that God's grace is sufficient.
 
Kelly Smith (’01, ’03) has been involved in drama and puppets with Word of Life Teens Involved. He married Kimberly Nolan last year, and they are planning on going to SYME (School of Youth Ministries in English) in Japan.

Kendra Jenkins (’04) is the office manager of the Business Intelligence Office at Liberty University. She is heavily involved with a missions organization in Kazakhstan and is involved in her local church’s worship team.

Jeremy Biesecker (’08, ’09) is trying to establish a full-time Gospel illusion ministry. He says that becoming a Word of Life student was one of the best decisions he ever made.

Meghan Gordon (’10) is a Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages major at Moody Bible Institute.

Rachel Williams (’11) is majoring in psychology and hopes to graduate next year and help with a church plant back home in Connecticut. She helps with youth ministries in Connecticut and Ohio.
 
Nathan Tse (’12) is studying media and helping with the tech needs at a local church. He encourages all alumni to keep up relationships with people! He still keeps in contact with some people he knows from Word of Life and says that has been very encouraging and has pushed him forward in his walk with God.

Remember When.

Have a remember when you want to share? Send your thoughts to alumni@wol.org, and feel free to include a photo!

Linda (Klump) Moser (1976)
Someone brought a sheep — yes, a sheep — into the dorm above the dining hall.

Sylinda (Birchard) Alfred (1978)
I remember when it poured rain at graduation. We rushed into the tabernacle very discouraged, and Pete got us all singing “Cheer Up Ye Saints of God!”

Rosario (Baez) Farese (1984)
I remember the Snoopy theme song being played on the piano and Dr. Davis’ and Dr. Wicks’ humor.

Jodi Rabquer (1992)
When Martin jumped in front of my tube at Snow Camp to keep me from hitting a tree!

Richard Kroeger (1993)
I remember when there was no snow for Snow Camp. Everyone prayed, and then on the third week, it started to snow, and it didn’t stop the rest of the year.

Jonathan VanDyk (1994)
I remember Youth Reachout with Rick Warken in the summer of 1994.

Brad Schmidt (1995)
I will never forget the Open Air Evangelism trip to Chicago and the great time we had in the van ride out there.

Andrea (Miller) Barnard (1996)
I remember Daniel White getting hit in the eye with a ping pong ball and having to spend time in the hospital.

Tara (Eddy) Spurlin (1997)
Housing in the Japan dorm and riding bikes everywhere (skirts and all!) because it was so far away from main campus. All 11 girls in the dorm were close and bonded deeply through evening devotions, study hours, and countless hours of stories and laughs.

Robert DeWitt (2000)
Open Air Evangelism in New York City with Greg Valentine.

Teresa (Davis) Green (2001, 2002)
Traveling with the drama team and playing games during study hours. I was very close to my dorm-mates and loved the time we spent in the Word, praising God through music and encouraging each other in Christ.

Adam Gibson (2002)
Getting an eight-foot gator off the skatepark during junior camp.

Brett Owen (2006, 2007)
I let my roommate duct-tape me to a chair outside Australia dorm next to the road at night.

John Eichelberger (2012)
Being part of the last class year when men had to wear ties.

Nathan Tse (2012)
Two words: Snow Camp!