News From Hungary

 

    I would like to introduce the EKE Bible school, so in this way the American brothers and sisters can get to know better the work we are doing here in Hungary.

 

~Herkely János  (EKE Bible School Director)

 

 

 

 

    The Bible school’s goal is, that the participants would get to know understand and use the Bible better. The school helps  it's students to make clear the basic definitions so they can resist heresy with a firm belief. It provides practical aids in the church ministry and encourages the students to be active in church life. The Bible school would like to build the churches in which the students belong to by strengthening its students spiritual life.

 

    The Bible school program lasts for two years, containing year A and B, but a one year training can be completed all by itself as well. Year A and B alternate, so does not matter which one student start with, in this way two classes can study together for in one year. When students enroll, they make a commitment for only one year, but our experiences is that  most would like to do both. One school year includes 8 weekends plus 2 weeks. We compiled the syllabus in a way that in every weekend and during the 2 summer weeks subjects alternate each other. We try to provide notes written by the lecturers for the lectures and beside these the lectures are recorded and copied for those who wish to have them. Having a fast copy machine, which we got from the Hauge Mission, is a big help. The students write a test paper every weekend according to the previous weekend lectures. At the end of the school year they have an oral exam. 

 

    We would have liked the lecturers to be there on all the weekends and serve during the Sunday service as well, but it does not always work because most of the teachers have to serve in their own church. At that time the students take parts from the Sunday service. During the weekends the students make two devotions out of three which is a good opportunity for practicing.

 

The syllabus contains the following subjects:

* Introduction and explanation to the Old and New Testaments. In this subject students get to know the background of the biblical books and they search for its message.

 

* Theological Fundamentals. The students trying to find answers to important theological questions based on the Bible which have to be cleared for every believer.

 

* Biblical Ethics. It examines questions coming up from the everyday life from the view of the Bible.

 

* Practical Theology. Its aim to provide help in the area of the church ministry.

 

* Church and Mission History. Introducing such events and people which can be a good example for today believers.

 

    Let me say a couple of words about the teachers.  Every subject had a person responsible for working out the syllabus, and helping, instructing, supervising the lecturers of the actual subject. Unfortunately, we have no leader for the subjects of Theological Fundamentals and Biblical Ethics at this time, because their primer ones could not take up this task for the reason of health problems. They have no offspring yet, but we can substitute them. We need more teachers to make the others burdens easier.

 

The following lecturers serve in the Bible school.

 

*pastor

 

    The students came from all over the country and they are very different according to their age and occupation, but they are one body in Jesus. 

 

    Let me say a couple of words about operating. After one and a half years it can be said, that this is one of the most blessed service areas of the EKE. We had a great joy already at the beginning, the Lord gave more students than we expected. It was a big question whether the teachers can cope with these plus tasks what teaching means. All in their names I can say, that God blessed greatly and gave them back the time, they devoted their energies for. The second big question was, what would be the school’s atmosphere like, because there are so many of us from different environments. During my university studies and as a teacher as well I met lots of different methods which tried to find the answer for how can teaching be effective and how can we have good relationships with students to make easier their studies. My experience was, that all of these methods have weak points, none of them are perfect and practice does not always indicate the theory of the teachers and psychologists. Our lecturers are not mastered teachers and even though they did not study different methods, my experiences is that it is much better in the Bible school than in any other public school I have seen. Not the method, but God’s spirit who solves the big question. He induces desire in the student's hearts towards God's word and He gives word and message to the teachers and these two meet in the Bible school. As a teacher it is a great experience to see, during the breaks and meals students surround the teachers and talk about God's word in connection with the questions which come up during the lecture or just simply induced by life. I have never seen such a desire towards studying in a worldly place, especially not from elderly people. But all these are not from us, it is the work of God. We did not need any artificial organization to make good fellowship. From the beginning we can pray together, a true sister and brother relationship has been formed among the students. They pay attention to each other, the stronger carries the weaker in spiritual and physical meaning as well. If someone does not come, the others seek for him because they miss him. Since we have spent two weeks in Alberti I feel as if we were a big family. There are some students who were shy and were afraid to say a word in front of a bigger group, they became very brave after they talked at their first devotion. Big group did not frighten, but made them brave. During the summer weeks the group served at two churches: at Nyaregyhaza, and Monor. In December we had an occasion together where the students served with songs, testimonies, poems and preaching. This evening opportunity meant strength and encouragement to them. Not only preparing theoretically but practically as well part of their education. 

 

    It is great to see, that we are one in praying for our occasions and students. If a student or church starts a new service, it becomes important to the others in the community as well and they all carry it in prayers.

 

    Even though a Bible school weekend can be very tiring because of the many programs, the students always look forward for the next one. For the second class the school ends in September, but they already started asking questions now, whether they could have a third year or maybe come together regularly after finishing the school to keep up the relationships and good community.

 

    Our hope is the students take this good community experience to their own church so they still will be an active member of building God’s kingdom.

 

    In 1997 I was asked to accept the work in EKE in connection with organizing and leading. As a first impression it was not clear to me what should I do. I was satisfied with my previous workplace, my bosses had big plans with me, my family settled down to live our peaceful life in a small town. As an opponent there was a call which did not seem to promise any good. We had got one week to think through our answer. During that time I stood before the Lord with my wife and asked Him very seriously to make a decision. The day before the deadline we read in Hebrews 11:8.: "By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, he obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going." By reading this word it was obvious to us what is God's will. As Abraham experienced that God’s promises are true and it was worth believing in them, we could also experience, that His word is greater than any human opportunity. For me the Bible school more likely means refreshment than work or just boring technical preparation. Paper work can be joyful as well because it has a great goal and the result is very blessed. I am very grateful to God for leading my life and that I can be part of His work at the Bible school.

 

János Herkely