“The LORD hath done great things for us; whereof we are glad.” (Psalm 126:3) On April 23, our Bible college graduated our first students. Eleven young people received their diplomas, and we are grateful for all those who had a part over several years to reach this milestone.
Especially meaningful to me was to see one of our graduates receive the Debbie Christiansen Award in honor of my wife now in Heaven. It is to be given out yearly to the graduate who has shown faith in the Lord in the midst of great difficulties and suffering. The graduation ceremony itself was very moving and capped off with many of the visiting family members trusting Christ as their personal Saviour. Amen!
One of our graduates is returning to serve in his home church being pastored by FBMI Missionary Nathan Goodpaster. Two of our graduates will be helping to start a new church this July under FBMI Missionary Mike Morrissey on the island south of us. We have brought on three of our graduates as staff in our church to help us as we grow our ministry. Others will continue with us as interns, as they mature and seek God’s will for their lives.
On a personal note, my son Caleb graduated in May with his master’s degree from Hyles-Anderson College in Indiana. What a blessing, as all six of our children have worked their way through and graduated from there and are serving the Lord. I am excited to see how the Lord will bless Caleb’s life as he continues to follow the Lord.
Our Vacation Bible School this year was a great time of conducting 24 local meetings Monday through Thursday and a large gathering at our church on Friday. We have records of 247 children trusting Christ. The next Sunday we saw a total of 41 baptisms, most of whom were children from VBS who had their parent’s permission to follow the Lord’s command. Amen!
Speaking of graduates, I was able to lead three new college graduates of a local university to the Lord on a Thursday evening on our city’s boulevard by the ocean’s shore. That night they received something far more important than a diploma! Soul winning can be fun!
I am looking forward to the arrival of my daughter Ruth, her husband Mike Morrissey, and their three children to the Philippines in July as they plant a church about a four-hour trip south of me. It will be a blessing to have some family in my “backyard”! May the Lord bless all of you during your summer season, and may it be a time of reaching souls and helping young Christians to grow in their faith.
Your co-laborer,
Scott Christiansen
One of our college graduates, Clarice Arriola, who received the “Debbie Christiansen Award” in honor of my wife