For the fourth time, I have the incredible opportunity to serve at the Word of Life Bible Institute in Berlin, Germany, by teaching a week-long intensive course to a small group of dedicated students who are preparing to serve the Lord in Germany and throughout Europe. My prayer is that this time will not only provide them with valuable ministry training but also build up their hearts as they prepare to serve in their own local churches.
The course I will be teaching focuses on the principles of disciple-making. We will be studying the example of Jesus’s ministry with His disciples, looking closely at the principles He employed to raise up and send out His followers. The goal is to provide these students with a biblical and practical framework they can apply directly to their future ministries, whether they are leading a small group, planting a church, or discipling a new believer one-on-one. I am confident that these are foundational truths that will serve them well for years to come.
In addition to the time in the classroom, these trips have also been a time to pour into the staff at the Bible Institute. Over the last 4 years, my wife and I have gotten to know the new staff who have joined the team since God called us back to the States in 2014. This year has been an especially tough year for the team there, with the transition of several long-standing leaders to other areas of ministry in Germany. Max Schüler (pictured with me above), the Academic Dean at the Bible school and my translator in the classroom, has stepped up to fill the gap as the team continues to adjust to this next season of ministry. He continues to inject a passion for the Word and the Church into these students as they train for future ministry, and he has become a good friend over the last several years. Paul Troxler, with whom we served while we lived in Germany, has temporarily come out of retirement to also lend a hand in leading the ministry through this time of transition. I pray that I will have opportunities to refresh and encourage these men and the rest of the staff like Onesephorus did for the Apostle Paul (2 Tim. 1:16).
This year, I also have the opportunity to speak at the “Thank You Weekend” retreat for the summer camp staff at Word of Life. Each summer, they host 8 weeks of camp, staffed by current and former students along with high school volunteers. In the fall, they invite these students back for a fun weekend of refreshment. I’m excited to reconnect with many former students and campers from when we served there and encourage them in the ministry God has called them to.
It continues to be such an honor and a blessing to partner with the ministry in Germany, and I know that there is no way we would be able to do this without you all “holding the ropes” as I make these trips. There are two ways you can specifically be partners in this ministry. First, please be in prayer for the whole process leading up to and during this trip. You can pray specifically:
- For wisdom as I update the material for the class and prepare for the weekend sessions.
- For safety as I travel and deal with jet lag while teaching. Last year, due to a missed connection and unplanned overnight stay in NY, I landed at 8 am Tuesday morning and was in the classroom teaching at 11 am!
- For my family as I am away for a week.
- For the students’ hearts to be receptive to the Word and the conversations that happen throughout the week, both in the classroom and around campus during the “downtime.”
- For clear communication during the teaching times as they will be done through a translator.
Second, in an effort to keep the tuition low for students at the Bible Institute, I will once again be raising support to cover the costs of travel. Our goal is to raise $1,400 to fully fund this trip. Would you prayerfully consider partnering with us financially? If you would like to give towards this, you can do so through our church, Freedom Baptist in Goldsboro. You can give online at freedomgoldsboro.org/give, selecting the “Germany Missions Trip” fund.
We’re looking forward to all that God is going to do during this week of ministry and through these students as they continue to serve in their churches throughout Europe!
Nate Deck 