SOC Sunday School Class at Bethel Pentecostal Fellowship
By Brother Joe Vinson
To the faithful ministers of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Greetings in His Holy Name. As an ordained minister and former graduate of the School of Christ, I have always felt the SOC was God’s last call to His Church to return to the holiness message; been and preached in the book of Acts.
Brother Clendennen’s vision has been affirmed by the worldwide results the school has produced. I have taught the SOC in Angola State Penitentiary in Louisiana under the direction of Rev. Marty Harden, Pastor of Bethel Pentecostal Fellowship in Patterson, LA and Associate Pastor, Steve Manville, since 2005 and have seen many inmates turn to our Lord.
The SOC played a major role in helping turn Angola from one of the most violent prisons into one of the most peaceful prisons in America. In 2012, I taught a 19-week correspondence course to 65 members of our church, who graduated from the school. Last year, Pastor Harden and I both at the same time, felt that the time had come to turn the School of Christ into a Sunday School format.
Editing each chapter into a 45-minute lesson, we have produced an anointed teaching tool. Some of the chapters are small enough to combine them with another chapter. As of this writing, we have done 62 lessons. The school can be done in 120 lessons or 120 weeks. We offered the School of Christ to any adult member of our church. The goal of the classes are to lead members into a closer relationship with Christ.
It is for people who have a desire to be more Christ-like and who want to share this gospel of holiness to the world they find themselves in every day.
The results after 62 weeks have produced church members who are more faithful and have a deeper desire to be more Christ-like and bring Him to the world they live in every day. One of the true signs that it is having a positive effect can be seen in the faithfulness of the class members. In conclusion these 120, 45-minute lessons of the School of Christ, can turn people back to the pure holiness message of the Gospel. It is vital that whoever teaches the school, must be an experienced anointed teacher of the Gospel using the same format Bro. Clenndennen used Bro. Brian Larsen is now using. Men who are not just reading the material but have the experience to share with the
class, real world examples that affirm the teachings. Our Lord will be coming back soon for His Church, which will be without spot or wrinkle. This Sunday School format can help anyone who wants to be ready to meet the Lord in the air.
(L) Joe Vinson - Sunday School Teacher, Marty Harden - Pastor, James Dumas - Sunday School
Joe Vinson teaching SOC Sunday School Class