Eighteen full-time students and several part-time students from Ireland, England, Germany, the Czech Republic, Lithuania, Haiti, Ghana, Sweden as well as the U.S., joined us in Limerick City, Ireland for a three week School of Christ in 2018. On that first Monday, we completed the first series on “The Conflict,” and entered our prayer time at the end of the day. Suddenly, the Spirit of God came down mightily upon several of the students. Many of the students were filled, and others refilled, with the Holy Spirit in that one prayer meeting. One young lady, who had not been saved very long, was caught up in prayer and she suddenly began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave her utterance. What a wonderful way to start a School.
For twenty days we began each day with an hour of prayer, followed by nine SOC lessons, and finished each day with an hour of prayer. A number of the students were involved in active Christian ministry. Others were young Christians that included a former gang leader, a former drug user and criminal, a former witch, and a former gambler.
One pastor in attendance had previously been involved in a Charismatic ministry as an apostle over a large church. He was the overseer of eighteen churches that were associated with their ministry. He was disillusioned with ministry, knowing something was terribly wrong. He stepped down from ministry, handed the churches over to others, and began to seek the Lord afresh, seeking the Truth. That is when he found the School of Christ Europe online. He devoured every word of the School material. He testified that this three week School was vital for him and his ministry. He plans to send five pastors to the 2019 School of Christ.
One young man, who was at first very suspicious and mocked the old-fashioned biblical principles contained in these messages, soon became convinced that this was actually the Truth contained in Christ. He quickly repented as the Holy Spirit began to convict his heart. The environment of the School of Christ gives time and space for radical surgery of the heart, and Biblical renewing of the mind.
On one Sunday morning, as we prayed upstairs for the fire of God, a fire broke out downstairs when a light fixture burst into flames. Two students acted immediately to prevent a serious fire, and three fire-engines were on the scene quickly to secure the entire building. We thank God for His mercy in this situation.
The effect of the SOC on individual lives is always amazing to see. One lady, who listened to the messages in her own language in the classroom, sent links of the messages to friends in her own country. Her friends then joined us in prayer and fasting during the School. As they listened to the messages they were enthralled by the Truth of Christ contained in the School.
The international translations of the SOC material are a remarkable resource. Other doors are opening for us to reach into new areas, and into new lands, through those who have been impacted by the SOC teaching. Some pastors that attended this School plan to use the School of Christ training material in their own church congregation. Our constant prayer is to see the Church spiritually on fire for God and the school is a remarkable tool in God’s hand to prepare people for such a work.
Keith Malscomson – Europe SOC Director