The Word of Life Experience: Summer 2023

The Impact of Discipleship Interview with RJ Borja

Navigating a Complex World Discipling the Next Christian Leaders

Issue 18

CONTENTS

02 04 06 10 14 16

A Note from Don Lough, Jr. Summer Ministry Update The Impact of Discipleship: RJ’s Journey from a Lost Marine to a Launching Missionary Alumni Updates Alumni Weddings Introducing the 2023 Alumnus of the Year: Phil Moser Navigating a Complex World: Discipleship, Biblical Counseling, and the Next Wave of Christian Leaders Dedications & Word of Life Board of Directors Global Report Life Change Camper Scholarship

A Note from Don Lough, Jr. At Word of Life, we are dedicated to reaching young people around the world with the truth of God’s Word. In over 80 countries, we are seeing God use this ministry to help youth and families begin a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and grow in their walk with Him. We are blessed to hear countless reports of lives transformed through Word of Life, and we want to give you the opportunity to read these stories as well. For this reason, we are merging the content of our Lifeline magazine with The Expe- rience to create an expanded publication for our alumni family as well as other dear friends of the ministry. As you read The Word of Life Experience, I hope your heart is encouraged to hear how God is changing lives throughout the globe!

23 24 26

EDITORIAL BOARD

Director of Word of Life Foundation – John Nelson Director of Marketing – John Yarosh Editor-in-Chief & Copywriter – Hope (Trimble ‘20) Cate Designer – Teresa Stursberg ‘14 Advancement – Kay Gross Alumni Engagement Manager – Rebecca Berga ‘15 & ‘16 Alumni Relations – Ken Hayden ‘86 International Marketing Coordinator – Joshua Paulhamus ‘14 & ‘15 Social Media Manager – Noah Haneman ‘18 The Word of Life Experience is a publication of Word of Life. We want to build a community where you can find longtime friends, share testimonies of what God has been doing, encourage others with stories of change, and learn how you, too, can be involved with the mission of Word of Life. ©Copyright 2023 — Word of Life Fellowship. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without written permission. The perspectives of the author(s) in this magazine do not necessarily represent the perspectives of Word of Life Bible Institute and/or Word of Life Fellowship.

In His Service,

Don Lough, Jr., ’84 Chancellor, Bible Institute President and CEO, Word of Life Fellowship, Inc.

wol.is/home

We Believe At Word of Life, our mission is to bring the hope of Jesus Christ to youth and families around the world. We have always believed in the life-changing power of God’s Word. By God’s grace, we will continue to reach a constantly shifting culture with biblical truth that never changes. We recently released a video as a resource to help you share what Word of Life is all about with your church, school, or community. Scan the QR code to access the video!

We Believe video

The Word of Life Experience

Summer camp ministry is in full swing, which means our Bible Institute student body is completing their ministry practicum to cap off the academic year. We have been blessed beyond measure to see God at work – not only in the lives of campers, but also in the lives of those who are faithfully serving at camp.

Florida During the summer months, Word of Life Florida comes alive with action-packed activities, engaging worship, and biblical truth. This fun-filled youth camp, called The Coast, offers both junior and teen weeks to give campers of every age the opportunity to encounter Jesus Christ. Through a team of dedicated Bible Institute students, staff, and volunteers, The Coast is committed to seeing every life reached and changed for eternity. New York Word of Life New York is home to four impactful summer camp ministries: The Ranch (elementary students), The Ridge (middle school students), The Island (high school students), and The Pines (families). Each program is designed to meet campers where they are with the hope of the gospel. Our team of staff, Bible Institute students, and volunteers are all part of one goal: seeing every camper take the next step in their walk with Jesus. Around the World Word of Life is actively ministering in over 80 countries, and many of these locations host camp programs for children and teens. These camps serve as beacons of hope for young people in remote regions of the world, many of whom would not otherwise have access to the gospel.

“God has been teaching me to depend on Him and do everything for His glory. Please pray that within every interaction I have with campers, marketing or not, I have the wisdom to bring glory to God in it.”

– Anastasia Miller (Social Media Specialist at The Island) ‘23

“The Lord has been teaching me to trust in Him even in the chaos of it all. Please pray that I may be content in serving and continuously keeping my gaze fixed on Him.”

– Serenity Williams (Unit Leader at The Ranch & Ridge) ‘22 & ‘23

Please Pray! • Pray many campers would make the decision to trust Christ or take the next step in their faith journey. • Pray God would give our staff, volunteers, and Bible Institute students the spiritual rest and refreshment they need to serve effectively. • Pray God would use this camp season to spark long-term impact in families, churches, and communities.

Learn how you can sponsor a child or teen to attend one of our youth camps (see p. 24)

The Word of Life Experience

The Impact of Discipleship: RJ’s Journey from a Lost Marine to a Launching Missionary By Hope (Trimble '20) Cate In the early 1950’s, Word of Life co-founder Harry Bollback navigated the Amazon River in a wooden canoe to bring God’s Word to the Xavante tribal people. I am always inspired by Harry’s story, and by the lasting impact of his faithful ministry. When I think of his heart for the gospel – the heart that compelled him to embark into unknown territory to share the hope of Jesus – I wonder if this kind of passion still exists somewhere in the church today.

When I talk with RJ Borja, however, I am reminded that the answer is a resounding “yes”!

s I pick up the phone and start talking with RJ (Ray-Jeovannii Santiago Borja '14 & '15), it becomes

me, the ‘Christian life’ continued to look like doing anything I wanted.”

evident that his enthusiasm for life stems from his contagious love for God. He excitedly explains how he, his wife, Janessa (Schuring '11 & '12), and their three children are getting ready to serve as full-time missionaries in a Brazilian people group that currently has no access to the gospel. They have been studying linguistics, culture, and Bible translation techniques in preparation for life and ministry among indigenous villages. When I ask RJ how he came to know Christ, I discover he didn’t grow up with the joy of the Lord that is so evident in his life today. “I was raised in a family who claimed to be Christian, but it wasn’t lived out in the home. At the age of thirteen, my younger brother and I were invited to go to a Christian camp. That was the first time I ever heard about Jesus and how He died for our sins. I wanted that so badly. I trusted Christ in that moment, but I had no discipleship or follow up afterwards. For

Because of this lack of Christian mentoring, RJ continued to drift away from any knowledge of the God of the Bible. By the time he joined the marines as a teenager, RJ describes himself as completely lost. “I had no understanding of God’s Word, His love for me, or His desire for me to know Him.” He describes the day when he recognized the weight of his sinful lifestyle. “At the age of 21 is when I really recognized who the Lord was. It was my last year in the Marine Corps. As I was pursuing myself and my own desires, I fell flat on my face. I was broken because of my sin, and I was looking for someone to help me bear my burden.” Even after contacting his family and confiding in them about his sin, RJ still felt no relief. “I went to sleep because I was so exhausted from crying. When I woke up, I started reading God’s Word.”

I trusted Christ in that moment, but I had no discipleship to follow up afterwards. For me, the ‘Christian life’ continued to look like doing anything I wanted.

I stop to picture this moment in my mind: a young marine on a massive ocean vessel, carefully thumbing through the first few pages of the Bible he’d brought with him onto the ship. I can hear RJ’s smile break through in his rising tone, as he recounts this turning point in his life. “It was then,” he exclaimed, “that I found God’s love. As I read through Genesis and beyond, I kept realizing how God is for people. I realized God is real, and He wants a relationship with us.” He recalls hurriedly skipping ahead in his Bible, eager to discover where Jesus fits into all this. “I realized Jesus not only died for my sins and rose from the grave, but He has also prepared a life for me – a life that is only available in Him. I remember that moment of turning my sins over to God, saying ‘You can have all of it.’”

RJ in 2013

RJ during his service in the Marines

This is when RJ shares something incredible: It was at this moment of personal revival, in the middle of the ocean on an aircraft carrier, that God brought other new followers of Christ into his life! “For the first time, I had other believers I was walking with. It was like someone had just turned on a bunch of

light bulbs in a dark room.” He describes this community of fellow believers on the ship as his first encounter with biblical discipleship, the springboard that helped him begin actively growing in his faith.

The Word of Life Experience

"Discipleship is irrevocably necessary. It’s not just a luxury; it is a necessity to disciple and to be discipled."

God used this season in the military to lead RJ to Word of Life in an incredibly unique way. “Somebody on the ship was sent a Word of Life Quiet Time, and they threw it in the trash.” He recalls stopping to look at this brightly colored book in the garbage can. “I hadn’t heard of Word of Life before, but I was interested in what this beautiful book could be. As I picked it up and started flipping through the pages, I said, ‘Dude, it’s filled with Scripture!’” RJ goes on to explain that he had been praying about God’s direction for his life; little did he know at the time that God was about to work through this Quiet Time journal to guide his next steps. “One day, while I was praying on my bed, our ship hit a massive wave. As the ship rocked, the Quiet Time book fell off my bookshelf and onto my chest.” This time, when RJ began flipping through the book, he noticed there was an ad for Word of Life Camps and ministry opportunities. He recalls his sense of excitement that evening. “‘God,’ I said, ‘Is this the answer to my prayers?’” God continued to draw RJ to Word of Life, and he attended the Bible Institute the following year. During RJ’s first chapel on campus, Harry Bollback shared about his experience ministering to the Xavante people in Brazil. As a fellow veteran of the Marine Corps, Harry Bollback’s story immediately resonated with RJ. “He became my role model. I remember praying, ‘God, I want to be just like that guy. Like, I want to serve You faithfully, take Your Word to a nation that has never heard it, and I want to die loving You.’” I listen intently as RJ shares more about his journey – graduating from the Bible Institute, working in a discipleship role at Word of Life, serving in Brazil as a Cross Cultural

Intern, and marrying his wife, Janessa. I’m struck by God’s faithfulness in using biblical community and discipleship to bring RJ from where he was (a wayward young man searching for answers) to where he is today (a vibrant Christ-follower ready to spend his life building gospel-driven relationships with those who have not heard).

I share this observation with RJ, and he is quick to affirm that discipleship has been a crucial aspect of his spiritual journey.

“This may seem obvious,” he says, “but discipleship is irrevocably necessary. It’s not just a luxury; it is a necessity to disciple and to be discipled.” He explains how pivotal discipleship has been during this season of missionary training. “It’s important as believers to recognize that God calls us to make disciples of all nations. This is one of the key ways Word of Life set me up for success. Everywhere I went, I was receiving some form of discipleship, whether formal or informal. The Christian community was present.” When I ask RJ how people can be praying for his family as they prepare for the mission field, he asks that God would provide a community both on and off the field to walk through this journey together with his family. “First of all, pray Janessa and I will love one another, love our kids, and love our team, as we will be the first picture of the church that this people group will see. Pray God will use us to clearly communicate the truths of the gospel to bring about lasting heart change.” As our conversation comes to a close, there is no doubt in my mind God will use RJ and his family to point many people to Jesus. I walk back to my office with a renewed excitement about the hope of the gospel – but this response is only natural when talking with someone as passionate about sharing Christ’s love as RJ.

RJ and Janessa Borja with their three children (left to right: Jeilani, Rojelio, and Rokaio)

Dinner with a Brazilian family during RJ's Cross Cultural Internship (CCI)

A youth event during RJ's CCI ministry

The Borjas visiting with their sending church (Faith Bible Church, Chestertown, NY) during a trip to Brazil

The Word of Life Experience

Alumni Updates 1970’s

Claudiu '04 & Andrea '05 Nazarie

Stephen Maxam ‘78 and his wife, Barbara, live in Massachusetts. Steven is a nursing home administrator and is involved in his local church. 1980’s Loretta (McDonald ‘80) Crider lives in Pennsylvania. She and her late husband, Rick, have three adult sons (Ryan, Hudson, and Trent) and three granddaughters. John Maynard ‘81 and his wife, Linda, live in Amsterdam, New York. John and Linda have served for over 42 years as area missionaries with Word of Life Youth Ministries (previously Local Church Ministries). John is currently a youth ministry coach for the Extended Region. At church, John serves as an elder, Olympian leader, and Sunday school teacher fill-in. Jackie (Murphy ‘81) Bailey and her husband, Jeffrey ‘82 (also a Bible Institute alumnus), live in Montana. They have four children and one grandson. Jackie has

been serving as an early childhood educator for the past 35 years!

Linda (Yearsley ‘71) Garrity is retired and lives in New York. She formerly worked as a dietician. At church, she sings on the praise team and heads up the fellowship team. Dianne (Cottrell ‘73) Lee lives in Texas and is married to George. She is retired and got married in December 2021 for the first time at 69 years of age! Barbara (Thomson ‘76) Frazeur and her husband, Donald, live in New Jersey. They have five adult children and six grandchildren. Barbara is retired from working in retail sales. Debra (Johnson ‘77) Mader lives in Montana. She and her late husband, David, have two adult sons (Christopher and Jacob) and three grandchildren. Debra is retired and works in the children’s ministries at church.

Carole (Muller ‘82) Hebler and her husband, Wesley, live in New Jersey. They have two adult children and six grandchildren. Carole teaches language arts and history to seventh and eighth grade students at South Jersey Christian Academy. Kim (Keefer ‘82) Williams and her husband, Troy, live in Arizona. They have three adult children and two grandchildren. Kim works remotely as a transaction coordinator for a real estate team based in Oregon, where she and her husband lived before relocating to Arizona. Jon Perry ‘82 and his wife, Tonya (Sellers ‘83) , are both Bible Institute alumni and live in Ohio. They have two daughters, (Caroline and Dedie), and one in heaven. They also have two grandchildren, Annabell and Levi. Jon works for Chewy and is on the mission committee at church.

2000’s Hannah (Ballou ‘00) Sheldon and her husband, Stuart, live in Maryland. They have four children: Stuart III, Robert, Helen, and Edward. Hannah is a homemaker. Rebekah Rineer ‘03 lives in Pennsylvania and owns Creative Expressions Floral Design. She also nannies and volunteers at Mercifully Known Ministries. At church, she plays the baritone horn in the orchestra, sings in an ensemble, and takes part in leading worship. Richelle (Moyer ‘04) Westerhaus is married to Joshua, and they live in Colorado. Richelle works at Restoration Church doing childcare. She also owns Be Still Wreaths and Jewelry Design. At church, she teaches first through third grade on Wednesday nights as part of the children’s ministry. Laureen Chuman ‘04 is a full-time missionary at Maranatha Bible Camp in Nebraska. She is the bookkeeper for the camp; on the side, she co-manages the camp coffee shop and runs the first aid station. She became an EMT in January 2022. At church, she is on the worship team, security team, brew crew, and welcome team. She also volunteers with her local fire and rescue department as an EMT and firefighter. This past April, she worked with Sam Frey as one of the Open Air Evangelism leaders for the 2023 Bible Institute OAE trip to New York City. Matt Olson ‘04 and his wife, Sarah, live in Pennsylvania. They have a six-year- old daughter, Elise. Matt is a Help Desk Coordinator at The Haverford School. At church, he is an adult Sunday School teacher, a youth group leader, children’s church leader, a member of the sound and A/V team during the service, and more. Claudiu ‘04 and Andrea (Jennings ‘05) Nazarie are living in Michigan, where they are raising support to move to Romania as full-time missionaries with Life Romania, a youth ministry in Romania. Claudiu attended the Bible Institute in Hungary, and Andrea attended in New York. They have five children ranging from five years old to fifteen: Elliott, Micah, Caleb, Oliver, and Wyatt. At church, they are both involved in children’s ministry.

Donna (Loose ‘84) Vitt and her husband, Paul, live in New Jersey, where Donna is a nurse. They have an adult son, Aaron ‘10 , who is also an alumnus of the Bible Institute. Greg Fletcher ‘88 and his wife, Brenda, live in Virginia. Greg has worked with Pioneers since 1990, serving in Japan, Australia, and now in the United States. He is currently on the church partnerships team with Pioneers. William “Billy” Kryger ‘88 is married to Rebekah, and they live in Kansas. Billy is the pastor at Berean Baptist Church and is a chaplain with Corporate Chaplains of America. 1990’s Julie (York ‘93) Owen recently relocated to Tennessee with her husband, Edward, after living in Maine for all her life up until now. Julie is a registered behavior technician with Golden Steps ABA. Peter ‘96 & ‘97 and Bette ‘96 & ‘97 Verkaik live in Florida and serve with Word of Life as missionaries to West Africa. Paul ’97 & ‘98 and Jennifer (Hine ‘98) Greaves live in Troy, New York, and have two children: Mercedez and Giavanni. Paul is a master control operator for Spectrum News, and Jennifer is a preschool teacher at a Christian school. Erik Valverde ‘98 lives in California, where he is a licensed marriage and family therapist and a board-certified behavior analyst and personal trainer. Julia (Knight ‘98) Puntigan and her husband, Steve, live in Arizona. They have two children: Juda (11) and Naomi (10). Julia is a stay-at-home mom. At church, she is involved in the women’s ministry. Bethany (Stalvey ’98 & ‘99) Lamneck lives in Florida and is married to Wes. She is a self-employed, work-from-home mother. At church, she is involved in communications, worship, and the leadership of a life group. Jonathan Jones ’99 & ‘00 and his wife, Laura (Irons ‘99) , live in Maine. Jonathan is one of the pastors at Lisbon Falls Baptist Church, where they have served since 2005. They have three children: Alivia (18), Felicity (16), and Caroline (12).

Michelle "Shelly" (Tiffany ‘05) Lambert and her husband, Scott ’05 (also a Bible Institute alumnus), live in Washington. Shelly works in human resources and helps with the children’s programs at church. Rhonda Hawks ‘06 lives in Virginia, where she works as an ESL teacher. At church, she leads a Bible study. David Meadows ‘07 is married to alumna Britta Ann (Dykeman ‘07) . They have three children ranging in age from eight to thirteen: Josh, Charity Ann, and Eden Marie. They live in Kansas, where David is a senior water/wastewater plant operator for the city of Bonner Springs. Britta is a stay-at-home homeschooling mom, and she helps edit, format, and publish books. David Rineer ‘08 & ‘09 and his wife, Kim, live in Pennsylvania, and they have two children: Connor and Ethan. David is the director of youth ministries at Calvary Baptist Church in Lansdale. 2010’s Julie (Canfield ’09 & ‘10) Eichelberger is married to fellow alumnus Andrew ‘07 . They live in Pennsylvania, where Julie is a stay-at-home mom to their two boys, Caleb and Malakai. At church, Julie does sound and PowerPoint. Elizabeth (Leland ‘10) Anderson , her husband, Dustin, and their five children are preparing to move to Kansas, where Dustin will be the associate church planting pastor at Church of the Open Door in Leavenworth. Their children, Selah, Dahlia, Azalea, Remington, and Ira, range in age from one to seven. Ryan Bump ‘10 is married to Julianne. They live in Michigan, where Ryan is an associate pastor of student ministry at Berean Baptist Church. They have four children: Sophia, Lucy, Annalise, and Evelyn.

“[Some favorite memories are] building lasting relationships that have

helped me grow beyond my years at WOLBI, building a love of ministry, and using my spiritual gifts while learning Scriptures.” – Ryan Bump ‘10

11 The Word of Life Experience

David Lenahan ‘10 lives in California, where he is a deputy sheriff in Riverside County. Maria Diodonet ‘11 & ‘12 lives in New Jersey, and she works as an injury prevention coordinator at St. Christopher’s Hospital in North Philadelphia. She is also a bilingual advocate for the Domestic Violence Center of Chester County. At church, she is a greeter and has led small groups; she is looking to join the worship team. “My mom passed away during my time at Word of Life, and I could not think of a better place for me to have endured such a heavy loss. The Lord knew the Word of Life family was exactly what my heart and soul would need.” – Maria Diodonet ‘11 & ‘12 Latisha (Sweeting ‘12) Roberts is married to Zachary. They live in Florida, where Latisha is involved in the children’s ministry at church. Abby (Perry ‘14) Johnson and her husband, Caleb ’14 (also an alumnus), live in North Carolina. They have a daughter, Eloise. Abby is a stay-at-home mom, and she teaches a girls’ Sunday school class at church.

they are preparing to head overseas and serve as full-time missionaries with Pioneers. They have a one-year-old girl, Reese. Andrea (Carbeck ‘16) Ward and her husband, David, live in Ohio. They are the parents of a two-year-old (Alex), and are expecting baby number two in July (Elizabeth). John Sellers ‘16 & ‘17 and his wife, Rachel, live in Indiana. They have a six- month-old son, Mason. John works as a media specialist and is involved in the music ministry at church. Stephan Harness ’16 & ‘17 and his wife, Hannah (Stebner ‘17 & ‘18) are living in Rhode Island. They have a six-month- old daughter, Vivian. Stephan works as a pharmacy technician. At church, he is involved in teaching youth and working in the A/V booth. Anneke (Vosburgh ‘17) Hoffman and her husband, Joel, live in Pennsylvania. Anneke works for Burklea Farms feeding calves and just started working for a local Christian mechanic. Emily (Taylor ‘18) Meyer and her husband, Alan, live in Ohio. Emily is a teacher at LifeWise Academy, a release time religious instruction program. She is on the worship team at church, and she and her husband are in charge of the third to sixth grade youth group on Wednesday nights.

“I am so grateful for my Bible education from Word of Life, as it has

equipped me in not only knowing an in-depth overview of the Bible, but also knowing how to continue studying the Bible.” – Emily (Taylor ‘18) Meyer Seth Grunder ’18 & ‘19 and his wife, also an alumnus, Taylor (Hoogstraten ‘18 & ‘19) , are living in Florida, where Seth is the student pastor at Movement Church. Kamin Sealey ‘19 is married to Leah, and they live in Pennsylvania. Kamin is the student coordinator at Emmanuel Baptist Church in Johnstown, Pennsylvania. “I met some of my best friends [at the Bible Institute], people who continually push me to follow Christ.

I grew in my faith by leaps and bounds.” – Kamin Sealey ‘19 2020’s

Caitlin (Muller ‘20) Kitchen and her husband, Isaac ‘20 , live in New Jersey, where Caitlin is substitute teaching at a Christian elementary school. At church, she is involved in the children’s ministry. Jordan Smith ‘21 & ‘22 lives in Florida, where she is a music teacher and a student at USF. At church, she works in children’s ministry, middle school girls’ ministry, foster care ministry, and a discussion group in the young adults’ ministry.

Rebekah (Sheets ‘16) Davey and her husband, Wesley, are living in Florida, where

Connect with us!

Join our Facebook group to share and connect with other Bible Institute alumni. wol.is/alumnifbgroup

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@wordoflifealumni

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Peter '96 & '97 Bette '96 & '97 Verkaik (left)

Bethany (Stalvey '98 & '99) Lamneck

Latisha (Sweeting '12) Roberts

Elizabeth (Leland '10) Anderson

Julie Eichelberger '09 & '10

What Is Your Favorite WOLBI Memory? “ I had a once-in-a-lifetime experience in Israel with lots of WOLBI friends and faculty. ” – John Sellers ‘16 & ‘17

“ I got to accompany Harry Bollback as he led a Snowcamp meeting. The group in my local church ministry, Perth Bible, pointed me out when he asked if there was a pianist in the house. The song was “Be a Missionary.” I loved every minute of it !” – Donna (Loose ‘84) Vitt

“ One time, I forgot to put water in my instant oatmeal, and the dorm hall smelled awful for the next week. Extra points because I stuck it in the microwave right before quiet time, so my roommates and I had to sit there and wait before I could get it out! ” – Caitlin (Muller ‘20) Kitchen

“I was a housekeeping intern, and Ralph Deshetsky and Nancy Goodrow were some of my favorite people! Their leadership and love for Christ were huge for me.” – Laureen Chuman ‘04

Billy Kryger '88 (below)

Rebekah Rineer '03 (left)

Kamin Sealey '19 (right)

Laureen Chuman '04 (below)

Dianne (Cottrell '73) Lee (below)

Rebekah (Sheets '16) Davey (right)

David Rineer '08 & '09 (left)

13 The Word of Life Experience

Alumni Weddings

2022 November 11 Joseph ‘12 and Hannah Dowdy November 25 Joel and Anneke (Vosburgh ‘17) Hoffman

2023 February 18 Galen ‘17 and Elizabeth Esper March 11 Jesse ‘16 & ‘17 and Samantha (Baldwin ‘16) Schuring March 18 Dahlas ‘17 and Stephanie Forgie

April 3 David and Tamara (Artuch ‘83) Scarbrough April 16 Matthew ‘18 and Hannah (Price ‘18) Topping April 22 Dylan '18 and Allison (Bradley '20) Franklin May 14 Thiago ‘20 & ‘21 and Candace (Harris ‘22) Nascimento Derrick ‘19 and Isabella Kenyon May 20 Jacob '21 & '22 and Haley (Skeffington '21 & '22) Lingerman June 2 Bryant '21 and Kiana (Stimson '21) Mieras June 3 Philip '20 & '21 Staib and Tawny (Jodie '19 & '22) Luke and Chloe (Lawson '20) Tyler Jack '21 & '22 and Annalise (Fisher '21 & '22) Hilsher Jordan ‘13 & ‘14 and Makenzie Upchurch June 9 Jesse and Hannah (Kitchen ‘17 & ‘18) Reinmuth June 11 Tracy '21 & '22 and Molly (Vander Wiele '22) Kenyon June 17 Lee '15 and Daniela Lethers July 8 Kairo '19 & '20 and Julia (Gregory '19 & '20) Oliveira

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Jacob '21 & '22 and Haley (Skeffington '21 & '22) Lingerman

Joshua ‘14 and Katrina Cook

(Photo credit: Morgan Phillips)

15 The Word of Life Experience

Introducing the 2023 Word of Life Bible Institute Alumnus of the Year: Phil Moser New York Bible Institute Class of ‘86 “Sometimes, we forget it was a child who gave Jesus the five loaves and two fishes. He wasn’t an adult; he wasn’t a seminary trained student; he was just a child who gave what he had. God took what he had, multiplied it, and fed a multitude.” These words from Phil Moser reveal more than just a knowledge of the biblical account in Matthew 15. They demonstrate a posture of humility – of someone who profoundly believes his accomplishments in ministry are simply the result of a great God who multiplies small offerings.

Phil Moser, his wife, Kym, and their two grandkids

Pictured right: prayer during a rally at Word of Life Island, a teen camp

hil was born in a rural town outside Fort Wayne, Indiana. He grew up in a Christian home and was introduced to Jesus through believing parents who were actively involved at church. In describing the journey that molded him into who he is today – a faithful servant of Jesus, husband to Kym Moser, father, grandfather, pastor, author, and international Bible teacher – Phil explains that God worked through many small details to direct him toward a life of ministry. During high school, Phil was discipled by John Barnett, who worked at the Christian boarding school Phil attended. (Today, John Barnett is a renowned speaker and a board member at Word of Life.) Phil shares, “He was God’s spokesman in my heart during my high school years.” Already, God was laying the groundwork in Phil’s mind for the importance of biblical discipleship. Phil went on to complete a degree in business at Bob Jones Univer- sity. As graduation day approached, he presented his career plans to his friend and future wife, Kym. “I expected her to be wowed; instead, she asked me the question, ‘How involved is God in all those plans?’” When confronted with the realization that he hadn’t laid his life direction before the Lord, Phil decided he would try seminary for a semester – until God changed his plans in a way he didn’t expect. “My sister was a staff nurse at Word of Life Island, and I came to pick her up. While I was there, Word of Life missionary Don Kinzer asked me about my plans for the following year.

"At Word of Life, God developed my love for ministry,

because there were so many opportunities to actually do ministry."

This was no secret to God, however. After wrapping up his master’s degree, Phil was asked to become the campus pastor for the New York Bible Institute campus. He accepted this position, and he and Kym served faithfully in the lives of students for three years. After- ward, Phil became the teaching pastor at Fellowship Bible Church in New Jersey, where he has been ministering for nearly thirty years. He continues to return to the Bible Institute as a guest lecturer and has taught at seminaries and conferences around the world. Throughout Phil’s years in full-time ministry, he has made an indelible mark on the landscape of discipleship and biblical counseling. One of his most noteworthy contributions – and one that is familiar to any Bible Institute alumnus who studied under Phil Moser – is the Biblical Strategies book series. “In part, the Biblical Strategies series came out of my work with Bible Institute students,” Phil shares. "Even though I didn’t start writing until much later, it was there that I saw how the Bible works – how the Bible helps someone with anxiety, and how it helps someone with self-pity.”

‘I’m going to seminary to see if I’m called to ministry,’ I responded.

‘Seminary is where you go when you have a call to ministry,’ Don replied, ‘but the best way to discover your call to ministry is to do ministry.’”

Through that conversation, Phil decided to come to Word of Life Bible Institute in New York. “At Word of Life, God developed my love for ministry, because there were so many opportunities to actually do ministry. With each new opportunity, my love for God and others grew.” Phil’s desire to pursue teaching came out of his year as a Bible Institute student as well. One day, he was asked to fill in for a study hall position that involved peer tutoring and teaching. “Afterward, I said to the Lord, ‘If I could do that for the rest of my life, that would be great.’” After graduating from the Bible Institute and serving on staff for a short time, Phil married his wife, Kym, and the two moved to California so Phil could attend The Master’s Seminary. It was there Phil developed a heart for pastoral teaching. He shares, “I didn’t know how God would connect pastoring and my love for Word of Life.”

17 The Word of Life Experience 17

"In part, the Biblical Strategies series came out of my work with Bible Institute students,” Phil shares. "Even though I didn’t start writing until much later, it was there that I

After presenting practical ways to apply biblical truth to real-world struggles, each of the Biblical Strategies books features a Bible reading schedule and Scripture memory plan. These guides are tailored to help people dealing with procrastination, anger, temptation, or whichever topic the book addresses. Over the past year and a half, God has provided a new ministry opportunity for Phil – one that is impacting countless refugees affected by the war in Ukraine. In July of 2022, Phil and the Biblical Strategies team trav- eled to Europe and distributed over 50,000 books on over- coming anxiety to Ukrainian refugees in Poland and the surrounding areas. Over half these books were copies of a children’s storybook written especially for young refugees. Amazingly, God had laid it on Phil’s heart to write this book only three months earlier. “I realized I had nothing for the children,” Phil shares. He had taught periodically at a seminary in Ukraine in years past and had already translated and published several books for the Ukrainian people. When he heard about thousands of Ukrainians crammed in refugee shelters and storage units following the Russian invasion, Phil’s heart was broken for the children caught up in the trauma of war. God opened unimaginable doors in the weeks that followed, providing a gifted illustrator, gracious donors, and many others who volunteered their time and resources to make the children’s book a reality. On May 14, 2022 – just 40 days after Phil had the idea of writing a book for refugee children – Safe in the Storm: A Ukrainian Children’s Tale was sent to print in the Ukrainian language. Since that time, Phil’s book has been distributed to thou- sands more children living inside the country’s borders – an opportunity made possible through a partnership with Word of Life missionaries in Ukraine. At the end of last year, Phil offered to send 10,000 books as gifts to accompany Word of Life Ukraine’s gospel-centered musical produc- tion. God richly provided resources for this project just in time for Christmas. This spring, God also opened doors for Phil to visit the Ukrainian missionaries himself, signing and handing out books to children after the show was over.

saw how the Bible works."

Phil giving Safe in the Storm: A Ukrainian Tale to a refugee in Poland

On May 14, 2022 – just 40 days after Phil had the idea of writing a book for refugee children – Safe in the Storm: A Ukrainian Children’s Tale was sent to print in the Ukrainian language.

“It was a beautiful thing to see the courage of Ukrainian believers,” Phil shares. He was especially impacted by all the young Ukrainians who are actively engaged in ministry. “During a conference I did at a church [in Ukraine], I was most taken aback by the fact that about 50% of the people there were 25 years old or younger.” Even through the danger and uncertainty of the war, these young believers are shining as lights for Christ. In Ukraine and around the world, the outlook for the future often seems darkened by sin and suffering. However, stories like Phil’s reveal that God is actively working in our day, and that we have the opportunity to be used by Him in ways we could not imagine. With this in mind, Phil leaves readers with these simple yet profound words of wisdom: “Don’t downplay what you have to give to the Lord. Give Him your ‘five loaves and two fishes’ moments, and He will multiply them in ways that will astound you.”

Phil Moser with Matias Radziwiluk (Word of

Life Ukraine Director) and the missionary team, April 2023

Joshua ‘14 and Katrina Cook October 6-8 / Pottersville, New York We are so excited to hear from Phil Moser during the alumni award presenta- tion and chapel – and this is just one of the exciting events you can experience at New York Homecoming! Bible Institute parents, siblings, families, and alumni are invited to join us for this weekend of fellowship and activities for all ages.

Registration is now open, so scan the QR code or visit wol.is/nyhomecoming to save your spot today!

19 The Word of Life Experience The Experience

Navigating a Complex World: Discipleship, Biblical Counseling, and the Next Wave of Christian Leaders In an age when 61% of young adults describe themselves as living in “serious loneliness 1 ,” mentoring has become a rare, sought-after commodity. This phenomenon is old news to most students. Men and women who are in college today experienced the global pandemic during high school. The social and ideological friction of the past several years has drastically affected those formative teen years for many students. The most surprising factor of all is that these students are more interested in being mentored by an older adult than generations who came before them 2 .

And yet, isolation statistics are soaring to an all-time high.

As the body of Christ, it is critical that we intentionally invest in this generation – that we not simply talk at them, but rather walk with them in biblical discipleship. The question is, how do we begin integrating discipleship into our daily habits? Drew Burtis '11 & '12, the dean of students at Word of Life Bible Institute's New York campus, speaks to this issue in the context of the students he encounters on a daily basis. “These students are the most connected and the most disconnected generation. They are able to connect with anyone around the world at any time, but they don't have real life, one-on-one

relationships. Discipleship is the pushback [against isolation]. It allows students to be in relationship with other people – to study the Word of God together, memorize Scripture together, and pray together. " When asked to define discipleship, Drew points to the example of Jesus. “At its basis, discipleship is the practice of following Jesus; we learn from Him and His teachings, and we implement those in our lives.” He points out that community mentoring is a vital part of discipleship when we follow the biblical model. “Jesus had the twelve He poured into so they could go and do the same. We need that, too.”

Drew explains how the student life department at the Bible Institute is exploring new ways to create a culture of discipleship for students who desperately need it.

Drew Burtis '11 & '12

“We like to divide discipleship into three different categories. First , there’s relationship discipleship. This involves a home group setting where staff and students get to know one another.” In these home groups, a staff member hosts students for board games or a meal in a casual fellowship context. This comes back to the community factor; relational discipleship is about bridging the gap of Christ-centered relationships in these students’ lives.

Joe Schenke '82 & '83 is the director of biblical counseling at the New York Bible Institute campus. He oversees a team of intern counselors, each of whom are graduates of the Bible Institute program. These students gain hands- on experience in counseling students on campus, and they come away with valuable training and certification in biblical counseling for their future ministry. To illustrate the different types of discipleship, Joe draws from an analogy by Steve Viars from Faith Biblical Counseling Ministries 3 . “Discipleship can be described as a river,” Joe says. “The normal way we grow and change is in that discipleship river, and that river is headed toward Christ.” He explains that typical discipleship methods (both relational and intentional) help students enter the flow of the discipleship river. Every once in a while, though, we get caught in an “eddy" – a hardship or lifestyle that pushes us away from the regular rhythms of discipleship and growth. “Biblical counseling is the kind of discipleship that focuses on the person who’s stuck, so we can help them get back into the flow of the discipleship river.”

Drew goes on to share the second step of discipleship at the Bible Institute, which is intentional discipleship.

“This is the more structured setting we refer to as a D-group. Every week or two, groups meet together to read God’s Word and discuss what they’ve been learning from their daily quiet time. There’s also a Scripture memory aspect to D-groups, as members learn a verse and recite it together. There’s accountability, as they push one another to become like Jesus. Finally, there’s a prayer aspect; everybody prays for a person they know who doesn’t know Jesus, but they also pray for one another on a daily basis.” Drew shares that the Bible Institute has been implementing this “D-group” model due to its efficiency and effectiveness in building a discipleship culture. “There’s a unique dynamic in the small group setting. It breeds the courage and transparency to share, often because of what someone else has shared. There’s a comfort for students in knowing they’re in this together and they’re not alone in their struggles.” Drew emphasizes that the goal is for every student to be involved in these first two forms of discipleship (relational home groups and intentional D-groups). The third type of discipleship is intensive discipleship, more commonly known as biblical counseling. Students today are facing many acute challenges in the area of mental health. Anxiety and depression abound on college campuses, and Christian colleges are no exception. Intensive discipleship, or biblical counseling, places a concentrated effort on addressing difficult issues from a biblical perspective.

Joe Schenke '82 & '83

21 The Word of Life Experience

Learn how you ca a student to visit t Institute campus!

Joe is quick to emphasize that effective counseling must be anchored in the biblical foundation of who God is and who He made us to be. “Psychology comes from the Greek word, psyche , which means ‘soul.’ We cannot understand the nature of the soul apart from a biblical anthropology. God created us [to be] dependent on our Creator, so we cannot understand who we are, humanly speaking, apart from a growing understanding of God.” Biblical counseling functions as a short-term, intensive care system for people dealing with acute difficulties in their lives. “Some suffering is because of bad choices, and some is because people have been sinned against,” Joe shares. “Still other issues in counseling arise because of the results of a fallen world.” Biblical counseling points these people back to the grace and truth of Christ when deep suffering or sorrow blurs their view of the gospel. Ultimately, the counselor seeks to guide the counselee to a place where they can get back into the river of relational and intentional discipleship. Breaking discipleship down into three categories does not imply that every discipling relationship will look the same; rather, this categorization serves as a helpful baseline to assess the discipleship taking place in peoples’ lives. By implementing relational, intentional, and intensive discipleship on campus, Bible Institute staff are hopeful that students will spark a movement of discipleship in their own local communities. "Discipleship is meant to happen in the local church,” Drew Burtis says. “We just want to be a resource to them. We provide a method to teach [students] disci- pleship and its importance in the life of a believer. Then, we send them back to their local churches.” As important as discipleship is, it is far from being easy. It takes initiative to reach out to younger believers and intentionally invest in their lives. But if we want to reverse the loneliness epidemic and show Gen Z what Christ- centered community looks like, it must be through biblical discipleship. Whether through a casual coffee day or a focused Scripture study, God can use a willing heart to raise up the next generation of Christian leaders.

Relationship Discipleship

2 Intentional Discipleship

3 Intensive Discipleship

SOURCES

1 Weissbourd, Richard, Milena Batanova, Eric Torres, and Virginia Lovison. Loneliness in America: How the Pandemic Has Deepened an Epidemic of Loneliness and What We Can Do About It. Making Caring Common Project, n.d. 2 The Deloitte Global Millennial Survey. Deloitte, 2019. 3 Viars, Steve. “The Discipleship River.” Journal for Biblical Counseling, 2022, 58–60.

an bring the Bible ! (See back cover)

We Are Grateful for You! Thank you for your faithful friendship to the ministry of Word of Life. Because of your prayers and support, students are encountering the gospel, churches are being strengthened, and lives are being changed for eternity! If you would like to learn more about ways you can support Word of Life, please contact our advancement team at 518.494.6000 or advancement@wol.org . Word of Life Board of Directors Officers Dr. Donald H. Lough, Jr. – President & CEO Mr. B. John Nelson – Vice President/Treasurer Lt. Col. Walter R. Price, Ret. – Secretary

Directors Dr. Mark L. Bailey Dr. John S. Barnett Mr. Mark R. Berardelli Mr. Andrew C. Brown Mr. Bob G. Brown

Mr. Joseph J. Hunt Mr. Robert L. [Bobby] Lanyon Mr. Chad J. Lubke

Dr. Ronald D. Moore Rev. Philip A. Moser II Mr. John M. Page

Mr. Roger L. Burdick Mr. Robert C. Doll, Jr. Mr. Andres N. Fernandez Paz Dr. Christopher Gnanakan

Mr. Jonathan H. Price Mr. John H. Reimer, Jr. Mr. Brian M. Smoker Mr. Kristopher M. Stout Capt. Dane C. Swanson, USN Ret. Mr. Ronald D. Wyrtzen

Mr. Cory J. Hansen Mr. Robert L. Horst Mrs. Riley P. Hoselton

In Memory of:

Brad and Diane Zimmerman Jim and Diana Zimmerman

Mary Bragg Deb Nightingale Ann Moore Norman Cary Deb Nightingale Pastor Phil Ginyard Deb Nightingale Joyce Hardzog Daniel and Lisa Saur

Dan Hauburger, Jr. Carl and Maureen Fazzino Betty Higgins Melana Smith Brent Ice Olan and Sharon Adams Bob and Sue Brown

Francis Martin Kimberly Lynn Sherry Prowell Bob and Sue Brown

23 The Word of Life Experience 23

Discipleship Around the World

Guatemala A healthcare team of 54 people recently returned from Guatemala. The group treated 1,718 people and provided almost 4,500 prescriptions. 279 people made professions of faith through this ministry.

Liberia, West Africa The team in Liberia is continually discipling and equipping churches to reach others for Christ. They recently hosted a three-day training session to equip pastors with church planting skills. This conference was followed by one-day camps where children and teens learned how to share their faith. The Saturday after these camps, 50 young people launched into the community to practice sharing their faith; as a result, 28 people gave their lives to Christ!

Hungary Almost 80% of our team from across Europe converged in Budapest, Hungary, for the triennial European Staff Conference. This was a refreshing time of encouragement, fellowship, and fun around the theme, “Together Forward.”

Image: students on the 2023 Missions Reality trip to Taiwan experiencing the English Café in person, which is now online!

Taiwan For years, Word of Life Taiwan has been using English teaching as a platform to evangelize and disciple students. Through their exciting online initiative, called English Café, Christian volun- teers will be able to build discipling relationships with English learners around the world.

25 The Word of Life Experience

Will You Be a Part of Life Change? Now more than ever, young people are looking for hope. That is why Word of Life Camps exist. Through exciting activities, caring counselors, and biblical messages, we are committed to meeting campers where they are and helping them encounter the hope of Jesus Christ. Because our goal is to reach as many young people as possible with the gospel, we always strive to make our programs affordable for everyone. For many families, however, finances are still a major obstacle preventing them from sending their teens and children to camp. You have the opportunity to make a difference in these young people’s lives. By giving to the Life Change Camper Scholarship, you can help sponsor a camper with an outstanding financial need. Not only will these young people have a blast at camp, but they will also get to discover the life- changing truth of God’s Word.

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