January 17, 2023

Prayer Letter January 2023

Dear Partners

After a few weeks of rest, we are back on duty, working hard at planning and preparing for the new student intake in February. We are thankful for safe travels, relaxation and refreshment, although some of the team experienced loss. We now looking at the year ahead with a sense of anticipation and expectation, filled with faith and aware that challenges will lie ahead. The team are meeting with potential students and local pastors register and enroll our 2023 student body.

On Wednesday, 7 December we held our Celebration and Commissioning Service for 75 students (3 in absentia) who completed their year at JBC. It was attended by 350 students, guests and staff members. It was an inspiring evening of being encouraged to preach Christ, along with celebration and spontaneous dancing and singing.

Five things we are asking for prayer for:

Please pray with us for our new student body for 2023. Please pray for many students to join our three campuses and who will go on to bless God’s people with faithful Bible teaching.

Please pray that the Lord will continue providing sustainable funding for the work done at JBC. JBC has experienced significant growth over the last few years and therefore need an increasing group of partners who will generously fund our students to study and JBC to operate. We are so grateful for the generous provision over the years that has facilitated our growth.

Please pray for our Train the Trainers conference 17 – 19 January 2023. It will be held in 5 countries as well as online. Please pray especially for hub venue in Nairobi.

Please pray for JBC as we continue to serve with a course accredited by the Quality Council for Trades and Occupations (QCTO). Significant work has been done to align our material and teaching, but as this is a new qualification it is unchartered territory for everybody. Later this year the first students will be sitting their professional qualification exams.

Please pray that new staff will settle in quickly and feel welcome and part of the team.

Accreditation

We are now accredited as a college and are working hard in partnership with the Association of Christian Religious Practitioners and the Quality Council for Trades and Occupations to offer the new professional qualification. Please pray with us that the new institutions offering to train in this space have a love for the Lord Jesus and a clarity around the importance of the proclamation of God’s word. We hope to be a great blessing to these bodies, as well as the various colleges who will seek to be accredited in this space. We have been approached by a few colleges to collaborate with them. Please pray for these opportunities.

Gospel Partners

Student Bursaries and Lecturer Support

The majority of our students come to us because they do not have access to other theological training and rely on bursaries to fund their studies. About 80% of our students need bursaries to study and a few of our students also require travel assistance to attend. We are so grateful for our gospel partners who have already offered to help.

As we grow and expand as a college, we are going to need more trained staff. Currently nine of our staff are doing further part-time theological training with other colleges. Please pray for them as they write papers and sit exams that the process would deepen their knowledge and love for the Lord in preparation for future works of service. We thank the Lord for our faithful gospel partner supporters who have funded some of our staff to pursue furthering their studies.

Should you wish to discuss funding a student or supporting a lecturer complete their studies, please contact Glynnis Jeffries, Partnership Development by emailing: glynnis@jbc.org.za

Our Bank Details:
First National Bank
Melville Johannesburg, Branch code 256505
Account Number:62078805888
SWIFT Code: FIRNZAJJ
Ref: Your name
Email proof of payment to glynnis@jbc.org.za

Our mailing address is
admin@jbc.org.za
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