Satellite Bible School Empowering Rural Vietnamese Leaders with the Word of God

OD partners in Vietnam conduct satellite Bible school programs for Christians who are interested in learning the word of God more deeply. This Bible training program is exclusively designed for people from far-flung rural areas, especially those who may not have enough time or financial resources to pursue full-time courses.

OD partner *Daniel describes the program, "This satellite Bible School program spans for two years, students are called for classroom sessions only three times in a year, each time those sessions last for ten days. By the end of the course, they have a certificate with accreditation from the recognized churches, making them eligible to serve as church workers in Vietnam and establish churches if needed."
 

What led me to satellite Bible School?

Nguyen*, a lean man in his thirties and a student in this program, shares, "I am married and have two children. Although I come from a Christian family, I was never deeply passionate about my faith. However, in 2018, my life took a dramatic turn when my child fell critically ill.

Desperate, I turned to the Lord, and miraculously, my child was completely healed the following day. From that moment on, I decided to commit my life to God. I joined this course, eager to learn more from the Bible."

Thach* is another student from Nguyen's village who was inspired while in his forties to learn more from the word of God. Through this course, he has a story similar to Nguyen's; however, his goal is slightly different: "I live with my wife and child and serve as a deacon in my church.

Although my family has been Christian for the last two generations, I still strongly desire to deepen my understanding of God's word. I am thrilled to have an opportunity to take this course. It will help me lead Sunday services back in my village and also lead the Sunday school groups."

Apart from Thach and Nguyen, many women also attend the course. Despite having young children and balancing their responsibilities at home, they remain dedicated to participating in the classes actively.

Mai*, 26, a mother of two children dressed smartly in a white shirt and a long skirt, shares, " I wanted to serve the Lord, but to do that, I needed to understand the Bible clearly. Hence, I opted for this course. I am so happy that I graduate this year in December."

However, Mai will have to work harder to get the final certificate: "Though I can begin serving in the churches, I will be on probation for one year before I am given the final certificate, which will be based on my performance. This process applies to everyone taking this course."

Lien*, 38, is another married woman with 2 children. She is shy but confident when she speaks: "Although I was born into a Christian family, I was always fearful of ghosts. However, after getting baptized, all my fears disappeared. Thereafter, I have always wanted to learn more about God; this course is my way to achieving it."
 

The course was difficult, but I accepted the challenge

Though the course is part-time, and the students come for classroom sessions only three times a year, the coursebooks are extensive, and discussions are intense. Mai shares slowly, "Sometimes I feel that the subjects I learn here are very difficult, but I have accepted the challenge, and I continue working hard.

One of the most important things I have learned here was how to lead a small group in prayer ministry. I will apply all that I have learned here in my church."

Lien also enthusiastically describes her classroom experiences: "We have dormitories where we stay while we attend these classes. We are a total of 36 students. During the classroom sessions, we have so many thought-provoking and interesting things to discuss. I really enjoy these moments of learning. "
 

Challenges in the Ministry

Mai talks about the challenges associated with ministry, which she already understands very well because she is involved in it: "Many times, we struggle due to the lack of food and money, and we need to seek financial support from donors, which is very tough.

  However, the lessons we learned in these classes will always help us navigate these difficulties."

She also shares about her fear of facing opposition: "I used to be fearful of reaching out to communities where believers are persecuted. However, this course has taught me clearly that we need to share the Gospel only with people who want to hear it. This makes the approach of sharing the Gospel very much simpler."

Thach adds about the persecution of Christians in Vietnam, "Most rural churches in Vietnam have adjusted to persecution and think of it as a usual scenario for Christians because it is very common to be persecuted in some way if you are a Christian.

  When we follow God, we know that persecution will occur. But when we face persecution, we need to focus on God and pray to him. That is why I want to learn more about God's word so that I can share it with people and encourage them in all their circumstances.

Explaining how churches in Vietnam continue to experience pressure and opposition, Daniel shares worriedly, "Christians in Vietnam require continued prayer support and encouragement as they face intense pressure from their communities because of their faith. The government and society very closely monitor churches; many Christians face discrimination, and some even encounter violent persecution incidents.

The satellite Bible School is dedicated to creating well-equipped leaders with strong knowledge of the word of God so that they can lead their churches in persevering for their crown of life, even when it gets tough. Kindly pray for us."

*Names changed due to security reasons
*Representative image used