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.

Where Are We Headed: Word of Life's Newest Alumni Stretch Out Across the Globe.

This summer, we checked in with the four Bible Institute campuses to see where their students were headed after graduation and how time at Word of Life influenced these students’ decisions. Not surprisingly, the Class of 2012 is quite the international crew! Students came from all over the world to learn the Word of God, and they dispersed again to carry truth back into the many countries that need Christ. These are Word of Life's newest alumni, ministering all around the world. Here are some facts and figures on where the students are headed, plus what students from each campus had to say about their year.

NEW YORK
Where They're From: New York (100), Michigan (32), New Jersey (28), Florida (24), Ohio (23), Virginia (21), Massachusetts (20), Korea (19), Connecticut (15), Maine (15), Canada (13), Indiana (12), North Carolina (11), New Hampshire (11), Japan (10), Tennessee (8), Rhode Island (7), Maryland (6), Texas (5), California (4), Brazil (3), Mexico (2), New Zealand (2), Germany, Argentina, El Salvador, Nigeria.
Where They're Headed: Liberty University (Lynchburg, Virginia): 49, Liberty University distance learning: 27, Cairne University (formerly Philadelphia Bibilical University; Langhorne, Pennsylvania): 29, Trinity College (Palos Heights, Illinois): 22, Baptist Bible College (Clarks Summit, Pennsylvania): 20, Moody Bible College (Chicago): 17, Lancaster Bible College (Lancaster, Pennsylvania): 15, Cedarville University (Cedarville, Ohio): 9, Bible Institute second-year program (Schroon Lake, New York): 150-plus.

New York: Jack Price

I’m a sophomore at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia, and studying business communications. At this point I don’t have a clear vision of what my career will be after I graduate. But the Bible Institute, having about 450 students a year, allowed me to get to know many different people.

Word of Life surrounded me with a community of fellow Christians who were looking for opportunities to grow in their faith. From the classroom to the Collegians, I was able to help others draw closer to God as they also helped me. The speakers who came to the Bible Institute integrated the academic material with spiritual truths that helped strengthen my relationship with God. As a result, the classroom became a place not just to learn the facts of the Bible but also how to apply the material to real-life situations.

The speakers ranged from Bible teachers, like Ben Gutierrez of Liberty University, to presidents of universities, like Dan Anderson from Appalachian Bible College. Each presented me with material that challenged both the knowledge of my mind and the condition of my heart.

As I think about my experience at Word of Life and how it has prepared me for Liberty University, I am very thankful for the opportunity I had to spend a full year studying the Bible and conditioning my heart and mind so that I can continue to grow in a new community.

FLORIDA
Where They're From: Florida (60), North Carolina (19), New York (7), Pennsylvania (5), Michigan (5), Virginia (5), New Jersey (3), Connecticut (2), Alabama (2), Ohio (2), Delaware (2), Texas (2), Georgia (2), Taiwan (2), Bahamas (2), California, Indiana, Ontario, Oregon, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, Mississippi, Mexico, Brazil, Paraguay.
Where They're Going: Bible Institute second-year program: 27, Liberty University: 3, Southwestern College (Fort Worth, Texas): 2, Tennessee Temple University (Chattanooga, Tennessee), Southeastern University (Lakeland, Florida), University of Mary Hardin-Baylor (Belton, Texas).

Daniel Fahning, Florida

After I graduated from high school, I had no motivation to go to college or learn the Bible, even though my grandmother, Lori Fahning, offered to support me for a year at the Bible Institute. At the time, my life was focused on enjoying the world and doing what I wanted to do, so I thought I would visit Japan and live in a different atmosphere.

Living in Japan was fun but unfulfilling, and now, as I look back, I feel like I was Jonah.

After I had been in Japan for about seven months, I read a book called Every Young Man's Battle. My aunt had given it to me before I left for Japan, and, as I read it, I felt God get ahold of me. I realized I needed Him, and I decided to go to the Bible Institute.

The summer before the school year started, during the Monday of STC training week, I rededicated my life to Jesus Christ. God taught me so much through being in the Word daily and serving Him with my life. My mind has been transformed ever since.

I went to the Bible Institute in Florida that year, and at Missions Conference, God began to tie together the different directions my life had been heading. I had been in Japan for the 9.0 earthquake on March 11, 2011, and at Missions Conference, I was broken for Japan. I began to think about how God could use me there.

Now, I am at second year in New York, and I am pursuing being in full-time ministry. Lord willing, by His grace, I will be in Japan one day as a missionary. Right now I want to further my education (perhaps at Moody Bible College) and better equip myself with a solid foundation, but my hands are very open to whatever the Lord has in store for me. This is path where He is leading me today, but it is always subject to change. To God be the Glory!

OWEN SOUND
Where They're From: Ontario (15), Quebec (2), New Brunswick.
Where They're Going: interning at Bible Institute: 7, college/university: 8, working: 7, Liberty University, Redeemer University College (Ontario), full-time in local church.

Owen Sound: Nathan Clock

I grew up as the youngest child of seven in the small northern town of Goulais River, Ontario. Coming to the Bible Institute and getting into the Word of God has been one of my most life-changing experiences. Being constantly immersed in the Word and being stretched in all of the ministries has had a huge impact on my life, and it’s led me toward my decision for next year — the Word of Life Resonate team. Resonate is a ministry team made up of Bible Institute alumni that travels around Canada sharing the importance of the Word of God with teenagers and challenging them to dedicate one year of their lives to study at the Bible Institute.

This ministry will help me to continue to grow and be stretched. I chose to apply to be on the Resonate team because I have a passion to see more lives changed by the Word of God, just like the Word has changed mine. The Resonate team is a great opportunity for me to be an impact on as many young people today as possible.

JEJU ISLAND
Where They're From: Korea (10), Japan (5), Taiwan (2), Quebec, Texas, Virginia, Argentina, India.
Where They're Going: returning home to minister in local churches and continue studies in Korean or Japanese universities: 11, Bible Institute second-year program: 7, Liberty University: 2, Moody College (Chicago, Illinois), Southeastern University.

Jeju: Yun-Yu (Betsy)

Last year at the Bible Institute in Jeju, I not only learned the Bible — I also learned a lot about living as a missionary. Our two resident professors, Mr. Steve Nicholes and Mr. John Hawkins, are both missionaries. I’m from a strong Buddhist family, so it’s challenging to share the Gospel with my relatives. But I know God is calling me to share the Gospel with people, even though I’m not sure where and when, so I just want to be prepared as much as possible and discipline myself.

Before coming to the Bible Institute, I was always afraid to raise support. But so many professors said, “It’s time to take your step and put your faith in God.” I’m a person with a really small amount of faith, but being a missionary is not my ability — it’s something God will do through me. Last year, I learned to trust God with all my heart. I learned about the Bible so much and how it can be a tool that can help others and tell people the truth. Before the Bible Institute, I couldn’t make the Gospel clear. I always said, “Jesus loves you.” I was afraid to tell people that they were sinners. It’s really important to have a brave heart to tell the truth.

Now I’m at the Bible Institute in New York for second year so I can further seek God’s will. Second year is learning about ministry, and through that time, I can be sure about God’s calling in my life to be a missionary.

Superstorm Sandy: Help and hope after the devastation.

By Joe Bartolo, first-year student, Whitman, Mass.

Superstorm Sandy swept across several states, but it seems that New Jersey was hit the worst.

A group from the Bible Institute volunteered to help those dealing with the devastation, and 16 of us ended up going for four days to serve those in need. Many homes were left completely unlivable by Sandy, and some families lost almost all their belongings due to water damage. The flood damage was devastating, and many houses required more manpower to rebuild than most residents could offer.

We were asked to fulfill the need of doing the dirty work. Walls and floors need to be demolished due to mold buildup. Some houses had to be fully gutted, and in some of them, all the belongings were completely destroyed. With the help of the RAINE Foundation, which provided tools and food for us, we were able to help many families with dire needs.

With a common goal in mind, our team instantly bonded and formed close relationships. We had "family time" each night, sharing what happened during the day and what God was doing in us. We realized what a great opportunity we had.

Many people were completely overwhelmed after the destruction, and as we worked, we saw looks of relief on people's faces. Some were brought to tears. With the commitment and willingness of all of our team members, we completed several projects quickly, and the thankful looks were a tremendous reward for all of us. Our team strove to show the love of Christ to the people in New Jersey, realizing that is what they needed most. We did the physical work but also showed that we cared about these people.

We didn't want to be another religious group doing work -- we wanted to be a group of guys showing the love of Christ in our actions.