Fall 2012 | 1 - Elim Bible Institute

Fall 2012 | 1

2 | Fall 2012
E L I M F E L L O W S H I P P R E S E N T S
SPEAKER: Dr. Larry Osborne has served as a Senior
Pastor and Teaching Pastor at North Coast Church in CA
since 1980 and helped oversee the growth of the church
from a fledgling group of 128 meeting in a rented school
to a multi-site ministry that reaches over 8,000 in weekend
attendance. He is an author and a nationally recognized
trainer of pastors. His books include Sticky Church,
Sticky Teams, 10 Dumb Things Smart Christians Believe,
Spirituality for the Rest of Us and The Unity Factor.
COST: $59; includes conference, lunch at the Elim Bible
Institute Dining Hall and coffee & snacks during breaks.
O C T O B E R 4
with special guest
LARRY OSBORNE
REGISTRATION: To register or for more information,
contact Elim Fellowship. Or, for quicker access, scan the
QR code below with your smartphone!
LOCATION: ELIM GOSPEL CHURCH
1679 Dalton Rd, Lima, NY 14485
WHEN: Thursday, Oct. 4, 9am–4:30pm
elimfellowship.org
585.582.2790

IN THIS ISSUE // FALL 2012
04
06
08
10
11
FORMED FOR SERVICE
Paul Johansson tells how God used Elim to help prepare him for ministry.
SUMMER OF LOVE
God did miracles on campus this summer with a multitude of volunteers.
IN THE HARVEST FIELD
Elim alumni share their experiences pastoring an international church in Vietnam.
STAYING EQUIPPED
Take an EBI online class this winter and get better equipped right from home.
RAISING UP THE NEXT GENERATION
The first ever Lift MiniCamp is helping EBI students prepare for ministry.
From the
DESK OF THE PRESIDENT
As I write this, it has been four months since I was named the 7th President
of Elim Bible Institute. It has been an incredible four months! We have experienced
the most amazing groundswell of support for the school that has enabled
us to invest in upgrading the campus, although we had almost no money
and not nearly enough workers to do it. How did it happen? Dozens of individuals
and churches have simply volunteered, giving time and money to transform
the campus. Check it out in the article titled “Summer of Love.”
As I think of my new role as President of EBI, I have an image in my mind. It is
of Carlton Spencer, the son of our founder I.Q Spencer, as a 10-year-old boy walking down the railroad
tracks near Elim. He is looking for pieces of coal that had fallen from the train, then carrying them back
to the campus so they could be used in the school’s coal stove to heat the area where the students were
studying. Amazingly, on my first day on the job as President, 98-year-old Carlton Spencer was on campus
and laid his hands on me in a prayer of consecration. I was humbled.
I think of the equity of the lives of so many who have gone before us that has brought the school to
where it is today. In its 88-year history, countless believers have given their lives, fortunes and intercessions
to see Elim fulfill its mission. I want to do all I can to preserve the results of their sacrifice, because
there is still a promise to be inherited. Our inheritance is to prepare laborers for worldwide revival. Elim is
never more in the center of God’s will than when it is preparing pastors, missionaries, church planters and
worship leaders.
To learn more about Pastor Mike, visit elim.edu/meetpastormike. The page includes several video messages from
him, including his vision for training young people for ministry. There are also short bios of each member of his
family and videos by several of them.
Fall Fall 2012 2012 | 3 | 3

4 | Fall 2012
FORMED for SERVICE
The following is an excerpt from Paul Johansson’s message, “What’s in the Elim Box?”, delivered in one of the main sessions of
Elim Fellowship’s IGNITE Leadership Conference, held May 22–24 on campus at Elim Gospel Church. The message was a great
overview of the history of Elim and encouragement for our future. To listen to the whole message, go to the link given below.
Lessons from the Lord don’t often come packaged in
glamour. Rather, they typically come in some of the lowliest
of ways. And this is where Elim functions best—not
in the lights of Broadway, but in the context of need and
where there is need of life.
Let me tell you an Elim story.
I came to Elim from New York City. Our family came up
as a result of the Latter Rain Revival, coming in 1949 to
Hornell, NY—Elim’s former campus. When we got there,
we looked around and my grandfather said, “Just put a
rope between those two trees, hang a canvas over it and
we’ll all camp right on the campground.”
That was right next to founder I.Q. Spencer’s house. We
were like his annex on the outside there. It was just our
clothes hanging on lines—it was like the Beverly Hillbillies
coming into Hornell!
I watched how God moved in those humble beginnings.
And as a result of the touch of God on my life at that time,
three years later I found myself at Elim Bible Institute.
As soon as my brother Robert and I got there, we were
given work to do. Everybody had some kind of chore. It
was called a work duty. It was what we had to do because
we were students, and God used even those work experiences
to hone us. He still does.
My first job was repairing a house—an old house falling
down. People had lived in it for years in disrepair. They
needed some pipes in there and we had done plumbing
before, so I was quite satisfied. We repaired some
old pipes in that building and came away with a sense
of accomplishment and a knowledge that we had done
something good.
The next day we were given another assignment. All I understood
of it was that we had to deal with some heifers.
Now, I’m a New York boy, remember, and I didn’t even
know what a heifer was! Not a clue! Someone enlightened
me and said, “Well, it’s a cow that hasn’t had a calf.”
To listen to Paul’s complete message
or any of the other sessions from Elim
Fellowship’s IGNITE Leadership 2012
Conference, go to elimfellowship.org and
click on the Resources tab OR scan this QR
code with your smartphone.
They said these heifers had been out on the side of the
hill about 10 miles south of the campus on I.Q. Spencer’s
farm and that Robert and I had to go out and round them
up. We had no idea how. The only thing we knew is how
the cowboys on TV do it, with the lariat—you know, on
horseback. But we had no horse and no lariat so we had
to go and tackle these behemoths by hand.
This was a scene, I’m telling you right now. Not knowing
how to get a cow from the field to the truck was a serious
problem! So we grabbed one of those things around the
neck and pulled it down like roping a calf!
This presented a dilemma—how to get the cow we
tackled from the ground to the truck! I marveled at the
solution. Our leaders said, “What you got to do is take
your fingers and put it in the cow’s nostrils. She’ll come
along.” So here I am, with my fingers hooked in a cow’s
wet nose. Not very glamorous. But she followed with
ease! Hence the saying, “leading by the nose.”
It’s amazing how the lowliest scenarios can teach valuable
spiritual lessons. That experience taught me a principle
of leadership in a way I never expected. It helped
me learn to take control of a situation by allowing myself
to walk in my authority, even if it meant I had to get my
hands dirty. I got things moving.
It is remarkable how Elim has always afforded a concentration
of learning opportunities through tough and
even humorous circumstances! Graduates continue to
acknowledge this supernatural thing that takes place on
“the hill.” It can hardly be explained or described. But a
combination of classroom education combined with God’s
individual attention to
each student continues to
make so true the old Elim
slogan, “Healed in heart;
formed for service.” n
Rev. Paul Johansson is a former
Elim Bible Institute President
and is currently Chancellor
and Chairman of the Board of
Directors. He lives with his wife
Gloria in Hampton, VA.

EBI’s Partnership with Elim Fellowship
& Elim Gospel Church benefits students
Ecclesiastes 4:12 tells us that there is strength in unified numbers: “Though one may be overpowered, two can
defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.” One alone is the weakest, two are better, but
three intertwined are best. That intertwined unity is what we want to model on the Elim campus. The three Elim ministries—
Elim Bible Institute, Elim Fellowship and Elim Gospel Church— are unique and separate in their purposes and
strategies, leadership and staff, and target audience demographics, but we share common heritage, location, values,
and vision to each do our part in spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ throughout the whole world. We are each stronger
when we work together—we experience the synergy that occurs when we value
what each has to offer, benefitting from one another’s strengths and covering each
other’s weaknesses. As a symbol of this emphasis, we recently named the wooden
bridge that crosses the pond and connects the whole Elim campus the Unity Bridge.
To fully prepare students for ministry, it takes more than just the staff and faculty
of EBI — it will take all of Elim working together. By partnering with Elim Fellowship
and Elim
Gospel Church
on campus,
EBI’s students benefit from exposure to and
receiving ministry from many sources.
To add to the students’ experience, this
year we have increased their involvement
in some of the Elim-related conferences
that are held on campus. They
will receive ministry from speakers Lance
Wallnau and Randy Clark at EGC’s Kingdom
Conference on Sept. 20–22. At EF’s One Day,
held Oct. 4 at EGC, they’ll hear from Larry
Osborne, pastor and author of several books
including Sticky Church, Sticky Teams and Ten
Dumb Things Smart Christians Believe. Students
will experience solid youth ministry at
EF’s Saturate (Nov. 8–10 at EGC) and college
ministry at the BASIC Conference (Nov. 9–11
in Rochester). They’ll also participate in some
of EF’s Ethnos Conference (Nov. 30–Dec. 2 at
EGC) as part of EBI’s annual Missions Week.
(See ads in this issue for more info about
registering for any of these conferences.)
Students who have interest in youth or
college ministry or missions can get more
involved as volunteers, working alongside
the staffs of those ministries. They’ll rub
shoulders with more seasoned leaders,
while learning what goes into putting on a
large conference.
Another way we are encouraging unity
and synergy among the three ministries
on campus is the All-Elim Chapel, Thursdays
11am–noon during the school year at EGC.
(continued on page 10)
Fall 2012 | 5

6 | Fall 2012
SUMMER of LOVE
For those of us not old enough to remember, the “Summer of
Love” was a social phenomenon in 1967, when young people
gathered in various US cities and began to share their resources
(among other things!). In 2012, EBI enjoyed its own Summer of
Love as pastors, housewives, businesspeople, alumni and students—even
youngsters—came from across the country to Lima
to help repair, restore and renovate the aging Elim campus.
These needed changes were far beyond EBI’s budget and
manpower—and that’s where the volunteers made it happen.
This volunteer effort was a response to President Mike Cavanaugh’s
plea for workers to donate their time, skills, and
sweat to offset the cost of repairs. The call was first given in
May, during the Elim Fellowship Leadership Conference. Since
then, scores of volunteers have come to the campus for days,
weeks, and even a month or more to help with extensive campus
renovations. Out-of-town volunteers were given room and
board in exchange for their labors.
Among the first to come forward were Jack Thorpe and his
wife Darlene. As volunteers themselves, Jack became the
Volunteer Coordinator, and Darlene
temporarily tackled some of the chores
she had as EBI’s former head of housekeeping,
but this time without pay.
Your people will
volunteer freely
in the day of Your
power. Psalm 110:3
EBI Board of Directors member Brian
Johansson organized and sent a
van-load of workers from New York
City’s Bowery Mission, and they descended upon the campus
for a week with energy and a will to work. One of their main
tasks was to renovate Faling Hall into a women’s dormitory
and get the rooms ready for students’ arrival. They cleaned the
interior, painted all the rooms and moved furniture. Jamie, one
of the men from the Mission, said that his group came primarily
to work, but they also enjoyed the change of scenery. “We
wanted to get inspired…closer to God,” he said. “Just knowing
we were coming to the country was inspiring! Love it, man…
the peace of mind… We wanted to stay longer!”
number of pastors have supplied manpower. Pastor Bill
A King, who attended Elim in the mid-1980s, brought some
of his church members from Oswego, NY, to help for a week
because they love Elim and its mission. “This is our school,”
Pastor King explained. “Our church depends on it for apprentices
and staffing. When I came up a few weeks ago to look
around, I saw the campus with my old contractor’s eye and it
needed some work. We have a large number of guys who do
construction projects and we wanted to help.” They were given
the task of repairing the front porch of Faling Hall. But rather
than just repair it, they tore down the old, decayed porch and
built a beautiful new one, with materials the church purchased
and their donated labor.
Pastor Doug Abbey came for several visits of a few days
each. He built a new porch on the back of Faling Hall, as
well as worked on the roof of Blake Hall and new construction
in Washington Hall. Pastor Jeff Ell (’80) and Philip Williams
(‘04) from Roanoke, VA, used their drywall skills to repair and
repaint walls in the Student Center. Pastor Curtis Stitt (‘87) and
12-year-old Justin made volunteering in Washington Hall
a father-son project.
Pastor Roger Sumner and his wife Susan (Parsons, stf. ’88–’91)
drove 1,200 miles from Waycross, GA, to spend an entire
month volunteering—he in construction and repair, and she
in media. Despite the hard work, for them the time spent was
a refreshing mini-sabbatical and an opportunity to be part of
investing into the school that has been such a significant part
of their lives and ministries.
“It’s good to get your hands dirty in working
for the Lord. You get to see results instantly,”
Pastor Roger said. He continued, “I was never
a student at Elim but some of the people on
this hill have invested so greatly into our lives
and our church that I feel I have a bit of an
Elim education. I cannot thank the Lord for them enough; this
month-long effort is only a token.”
Pastor Ron Neff and his wife Cindy of Lewiston, PA, brought
a group of 21 laborers for a three-day donation of hard
work. Among their crew were professional roofing contractors
whose clients include Penn State University. They used their
own equipment and repaired the antique roof atop Washington
Hall—a job that would have cost thousands of dollars that
EBI could not afford. “It was among the worst roofs we’ve ever
seen,” one of them said. “It was done with tar and burlap, and
more tar—we had to pull all that out of there before we could
do anything.” But they persevered and Washington Hall now
has a new roof. Others in the group repaired drywall, painted
and hauled out furniture. Cindy and Jenny Hartzler got “down
and dirty” as they deep-cleaned the Dining Hall kitchen.
Other Elim alumni joined in the work, like Jim Mark (‘90),
who came down with church friends from Brockport, NY,
for a Saturday to paint and work on other projects.

Even future alumni have come, too. A young man named
Brandon came with Pastor Bill King “just for the serving
aspect.” But he was also fueled with a personal vision. “I believe
that I’ll be here as a student at some point,” he said, “so
this is something that will have future meaning to me.” Matt
Hendricks volunteered the whole summer and then decided to
enroll as a student.
The other ministries located on campus participated, too.
Elim Fellowship continued to pay the salary of skilled maintenance
worker Crockett Button and sent him over to work at
EBI three days a week for a month. The staff of BASIC College
Ministries gave a day doing whatever was asked of them.
Elim Gospel Church contributed in several significant ways
over the summer. Outbreak, EGC’s youth ministry, sent 50
teens to work at EBI one evening, instead of holding their normal
weekly meeting. Another group of 20 EGC teens and adults
gave a couple days cleaning dining hall chairs as part of their
summer “585” mission outreach. EGC members Gordy Schmitt
and Dick Slakes worked several days replacing crumbling steps
in the courtyard. The EGC congregation also took an offering
and gave over $45,000 to the school, which eased a summer cash
shortfall. Several other churches that couldn’t send volunteers
gave cash to help pay for materials for repairs.
In addition to outside volunteers, several EBI students spent
their summer on campus, working to help pay their tuition.
They repainted all the black railings and re-stained the pond
bridge, installed new signs indicating building names, and hung
new doors on the Tab. Every person has made a tremendous
impact on the safety, functionality and aesthetic aspects of the
campus, so that the work of training Christian leaders can continue
for years to come.
A crew from Elim Grace Church in
Oswego, NY, totally replaced the
front porch of Faling Hall. The church
purchased all the materials and the
men donated their labor.
Besides general repair work, some of
the campus buildings have been repurposed.
The school’s current enrollment
has eliminated the need for two of the
oldest buildings: College Hall, the stately,
columned building that housed Elim classes
since the 1930s; and Spencer Hall, the fourstory
administration building and women’s
dormitory named for Elim’s second President,
Carlton Spencer. By closing these
two buildings until they are repaired and
needed in the future, the school will save
thousands of dollars in heating costs during cold upstate New
York winters. Other buildings will now hold classroom space
that used to be housed in College Hall. Most offices that used to
be in Spencer Hall, including those of the deans and president,
have moved into the lower level of the Student Center, and
faculty offices are now in the Library building.
Washington Hall, which used to house the bookstore and staff
apartments, is being transformed into a new Admissions
Office with an attractive reception area, and the upstairs apartments
have been redesigned to accommodate female students.
Another thing you’ll notice the next time you arrive on campus
is a change in the traffic pattern. Bethel Drive, alongside
College Hall, is now an exit only, and the main entrance
to campus is now the wider Maranatha Drive to the west. The
attractively landscaped area between Washington and Spencer
Halls is now reserved for pedestrians with no through traffic
and is more of a true courtyard for gathering together.
During one of his tours around campus toward the end of
the summer, President Mike Cavanaugh commented on the
improvements and the incredible support of volunteers. “It has
been so encouraging, almost overwhelming, to see those who
love Elim come forward and help in this time of need.” Many,
many thanks to all who have given their time, talents and resources
to improve the Elim campus this summer of love! n
Although much has been accomplished this summer,
there is still much more to be done in restoring the
campus. There are more projects for volunteers with
a variety of skill levels and amounts of time to give.
If you’d like more information about volunteering on
campus, contact Volunteer Coordinator Jack Thorpe
at jackthorpe@elim.edu or 585-582-8306.
Fall 2012 | 7

In the harvest field
JACOB & LINDA BLOEMBERG have served in HANOI, VIETNAM, as international workers through
Elim Fellowship since 1997. Jacob pastors Hanoi International Fellowship and is the lead facilitator
for the Missional International Church network. Linda teaches 4th grade at Concordia International
School Hanoi.
We recently talked with them about how God led them to their current place of ministry, what part
Elim has played in the development of their calling, and what life is like for their family in Vietnam.
How did God’s call to missions get started for you?
LINDA: I grew up in a non-believing home, but my parents sent us
with neighbors to a church’s girls’ club, where, at age 5 I heard
a missionary speak. I went home and told my parents that I too
wanted to be a missionary. After a while, I stopped attending
church and by my senior year of high school I was disillusioned
by my life and suffering from bulimia. I sought out a friend who
was a Christian and started asking questions about her faith. I
gave my life to Christ within days of my high school graduation—
and I made the commitment that if I believed the Word of God to
be truth and that without a relationship with Christ people would
perish, then it was my responsibility to share that with others.
A simple theology, but one that led me on a course of missionary
service.
JACOB: I was raised in a Dutch Reformed church in Holland. The
pastors were evangelical and stirred up my faith. During a youth
conference, I experienced the outpouring of the Holy Spirit,
although I had no clue what this was and what to call it! I became
more committed than ever to share God’s love with others. I
felt called to reach out to punk youth in Amsterdam and joined
YWAM [Youth With a Mission] to do just that. I worked with an
evangelistic hard rock band, which held weekly Rock & Roll Bible
Studies in a houseboat and did outreach in nightclubs.
What were your next steps?
JACOB: We both completed YWAM’s discipleship training school in
Amsterdam, which is where we met while on staff. After serving
in Holland — a nation with many other Christian workers—we
both felt strongly that there was a whole world out there where
there was no overt Christian church or presence and we wanted
to go there—to go places most Christians didn’t want to go!
How did EBI fit into God’s plan for you?
LINDA: We were dating and beginning to talk seriously about
marriage and the future. We were living and ministering in the
Netherlands, but we weren’t able to find a Bible school there that
would meet Jacob’s needs for further training. We decided on EBI
(my pastor was a graduate and recommended it highly). We were
married and came as married students in 1992. I have a degree
in Psychology and Social Work with certification as a drug and
alcohol counselor, so I was able to work at Groveland’s medium
security men’s prison and “put hubby through” EBI.
8 | Fall 2012
JACOB: We had come out of YWAM to EBI with some issues that
needed healing. After 2 years at EBI we began to pray that God
would make clear to us where He wanted us to go. We wanted to
be in a country where God could use our vocational skills to open
doors and reach the unreached. The very week we began praying,
a man shared in my missions class about an organization, Asian
Ministry Teams, that was being given visas to Vietnam to start
social/vocational projects like orphanages, vocational training
programs, and drug and alcohol programs. This fit exactly into
our skill-set and seemed an answer to our prayers, so we began
actively pursuing a future in Vietnam. After graduating from EBI
in ’96, we left to join AMT. Within a year, we arrived in Hanoi and
started our work at an orphanage. Fifteen years later, we are still
here, and while our ministries have changed, we are still serving
God in this nation we now call ‘home.’
Linda, you’re a teacher in an international school?
For my online masters degree in education through Regent
University, I was inspired to write my thesis on a hypothetical
concept for a future Christian international school. Little did
we know that the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod (LCMS)
was thinking of establishing such a school! As leaders in our
community here, we were invited to be part of the process early
on. After eight years cutting through bureaucratic red tape, LCMS
established Concordia International School Hanoi and I was hired
as part of the founding staff.
What’s it been like raising a family in Vietnam?
LINDA: From our early days in the Friendship House orphanage,
our children have been involved in ministry. They played with
and loved the Vietnamese children. But this wasn’t ‘ministry’
to our kids—it was just life. Some friends spoke English, many
did not. As they entered international school, their friendships
became more international too. As our ministry changed and
our children grew older, their involvement grew. All three kids
have been actively involved in HIF—youth leadership, children’s
program helpers, worship team, etc.
Of course, there were struggles in how to raise children in a
culture we barely understood. What do we do when the neighbors
give our children food from their ancestral altar or touch them
in ways inappropriate to our western sensibilities…When we are
medi-vac’d but the children are left behind...When their tuition

Above: Jacob & Linda Bloemberg with their children. Josiah, 16, and
Mikayla, 12, attend international schools in Hanoi. Lianna, 18, recently
arrived in the US to begin Houghton College.
Below: People from many nations worship at Hanoi International Church.
“
costs more than our yearly support? We pray. Sometimes we had
to intervene and other times we had to trust them to God’s care
and protection. God is truly faithful!
One of the biggest struggles, shared by every long-term
missionary, has been how to raise ‘third culture kids” and
prepare them for their unique futures. We continue to juggle this
as Lianna is beginning university 10,000 miles away. Just as in
fulfilling any call, the cost of it can be painful. So we press on, we
trust, and we continue to come before the Throne.
Jacob, how did you become pastor of an international
church and what is it like?
When we arrived in 1997, Hanoi International Fellowship (www.
hif.vn) was a small fellowship of 30–40 Christian foreigners who
met only on Sunday morning for worship and encouragement.
As Vietnam continued to open up to foreign investment and
trade, more companies, embassies, schools and organizations
came to Hanoi. As the expatriate population grew into the
tens of thousands, so did HIF. Coming from every continent,
denomination and industry, HIF today is a very diverse
congregation of 400–500 people. The most exciting thing is to
worship with people from so many tribes and languages. Visitors
often say this is such a foretaste of heaven!
Expatriates usually have short-term contracts of 1, 2 or 3 years.
Therefore, our congregation experiences a high turnover in
attendance, volunteers and staff. This turnover presents the
greatest challenge in leading and managing HIF. Volunteers
usually serve for just one year, and my eldership team turns over
We encourage EBI students to consider serving overseas
in countries where most Christian dare not to go — to serve in
world-class cities at the forefront of God’s Kingdom work —
in international churches as pastors or youth pastors or in
international schools as teachers. You can minister to the world
in just one congregation or classroom!
We are open to receive interns and workers here in Hanoi!
We currently need a youth pastor, preferably a young couple,
who can commit to at least two years. (EBI grads Joel & Rebekah
Berthet served as youth leaders in 2010–2011, which was a great
experience.) Contact Jacob at pastor@hif.vn for more details.
The MICN site (micn.org) posts job opportunities for international
churches, but people can contact me personally as well.
“
about every two years! My 2 full-time pastoral staff and office
manager are committed for three years and that is a real blessing.
Culturally diverse teams can lead to misunderstandings and
confusion, but if well managed, they can be highly effective. The
staff at HIF are from the Philippines, Canada, Sri Lanka, Nigeria,
USA and Holland—where in the USA can you experience that?
Pastoring an international church (IC) is different from
pastoring a local church in the USA. It is really difficult to get to
know people by name, similar to college churches or military
chapels, where people come and go all the time. I don’t have
weddings and in 15 years only have had four memorial services;
if someone is seriously sick or has complicated issues, they leave
the country. We are missing college-aged and grandparents but
have many young adults and families.
ICs are often in strategic, influential cities. At HIF we have
a great opportunity to share the love of Christ in Vietnam’s
capital. I see it as a multiplication factor—I put all my time and
effort into building up the body of Christ. On Sunday I preach a
sermon. Then on Monday one listener will meet the President or
Prime Minister, another travels to the ethnic minorities in the
mountains for development work, another teaches English to
students in the National University, and another leads a company
with a Christ-like leadership style. Thousands of people in Hanoi
and North Vietnam are being touched daily by the testimony of
Christian lives lived amongst them. Our purpose statement: To
glorify God among the nations through unified worship, genuine
relationships, and transformational outreach.
And what is MICN, with which you also have a role?
Our goal at Missional International Church Network is to help
international church leaders envision how their IC can be
missional within their unique context (Asia & Middle East), to
encourage them through mutual support and member care,
and to see them engage in global and local networking. By
default, international churches tend to be inward focused, just
serving the Christian foreigners and holding a Sunday gathering.
We challenge ICs to become externally focused on the wider
expat community and their city, to discover opportunities for
service in their cities and countries, and to become missional in
expression as a whole congregation. Pastoring an IC is unique
and challenging, so the peer support and friendships are highly
valued. MICN holds an annual conference in a different city each
year. This year it was in Hanoi with 60 people in attendance; next
year is in Kuwait, and 2014 in Beijing. n
Fall 2012 | 9

STAYING EQUIPPED
EBI ONLINE CLASSES bring the resources of seasoned teachers into the convenience of your own home. All of EBI’s classes
are designed to equip you with greater knowledge of the Bible and its practical application for a variety of ministry situations.
One of our goals is to make you, as an online student, feel connected to the EBI community. Often you will have more direct
interaction with the online professor than in an on-campus classroom! The online classroom employs a variety of tools to engage
you and convey information — audio, video and interactive discussion groups. You will also read textbooks, write essays
and take online tests. Online classes run concurrently with the 16-week on-campus schedule, January 7–April 26, 2013.
Here are some of the upcoming online classes offered starting this January.
BELL TOWER credits
Chancellor & Chairman:
Rev. Paul Johansson
President:
Rev. Mike Cavanaugh
Academic Dean:
Rev. John Miller, Ph.D.
Dean of Students:
Rev. Stacy Cline
Dean of Administration:
Jeremiah Miller
Director of Admissions:
Rev. Noah Grant
Communications Coordinator:
Evan Thorpe
10 | Fall 2012
• Paul Edwards teaches Old Testament. Both the Old and New Testament classes help you to grasp the overarching
message of the Bible, building a firm foundation for further studies.
• Nathan Sanders offers two classes — Apologetics and New Testament. The Apologetics class is designed to teach
you how to defend your faith as you contrast the biblical worldview with other worldviews.
• Harry Vellekoop teaches Cross Cultural Studies, which challenges you to be an aggressive “world Christian” as you
discover world evangelization is the Great Commission for every follower of Jesus.
• John Miller offers two classes — Synoptic Gospels and Theology II. Synoptic Gospels introduces you to the life, work
and person of Jesus, and it explores several kinds of literary criticisms to strengthen your ability to defend the reliability
of the gospels. Theology II focuses on Harmatology (the nature of sin), Christology (the humanity and divinity of
Jesus) and Soteriology (the biblical record of the saving grace of God).
One recent online student commented, “The [two] online courses that I took with EBI
were challenging, enriching, and broadening. Both classes required me to intensely
study the tenets of my faith, as well as to take a scholarly approach to that same faith.
The course guides were clear and concise, giving direction to the courses and their
outcomes. They created in me a deeper hunger for the Lord...”
All of the online classes are offered through our website host, Populi (explore the
Populi environment at https://vimeo.com/album/195979). For a complete listing
of online classes or more info, call the EBI Academic Office at 585-582-8210.
All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction,
for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for
every good work. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 NASB
This issue:
Writers: Susan Sumner,
John Miller & Terri Cavanaugh
Layout & Design: Evan Thorpe
& Terri Cavanaugh
Photography: Kelly Franke
& Susan Sumner
For suggestions for future issues,
please contact Evan Thorpe,
evanthorpe@elim.edu or
585-582-8291.
Please send address changes
to the address below.
My wife says we can
take EBI classes online —
get Bible and ministry training, with
the same courses taught on campus,
but without traveling to Lima!
Is she right...again?
PARTNERING, cont’d from page 5
Speakers at the All-Elim chapels include leaders
from EF churches and ministries and will help
expose the students to men and women who have
gone before them and are “doing the ministry” for
which the students are preparing. The staffs of
EBI, EF & EGC are encouraged to attend, and the
services are open to everyone from off-campus,
too. Check the EBI website (elim.edu/events) for
the schedule of All-Elim chapel speakers and other
campus events.
Following the Thursday chapels, lunch will be
available in the EBI Dining Hall at a reduced price.
Everyone is invited to come to chapel, then stay for
lunch and enjoy some fellowship with others from
the Elim family. Please join us! n
ELIM BIBLE INSTITUTE | 7245 College Street, Lima, NY 14485 | Admissions: 1.800.670.ELIM | Other calls: 585.582.1230 | Email: admissions@elim.edu | Web: elim.edu

UPCOMING EVENTS
SEPT
20 – 22
2012
SEPT 30
– OCT 2
2012
OCT 4
2012
NOV
8 – 10
2012
KINGDOM CONFERENCE
Sponsored by Elim Gospel
Church; features speakers
Lance Wallnau, Randy Clark
& Leif Hetland.
EBI FALL DISCOVERY DAYS
Free for high school juniors
& seniors, college students
& youth leaders. Check out
classes & life at EBI.
ONE DAY
This conference, sponsored by
Elim Fellowship and held at Elim
Gospel Church, features author
Larry Osborne.
SATURATE
This annual Elim Fellowship
conference is for teens, young
adults & youth leaders, and is
held at Elim Gospel Church.
NOV
9 – 11
2012
NOV 30
– DEC 2
2012
JAN 7
2013
JAN
14 –18
2013
BASIC CONFERENCE
Join hundreds of college
students & young adults at the
Hyatt Regency, Rochester, NY.
ETHNOS
Begin your journey toward
missions at Ethnos; sponsored
by Elim Fellowship and held at
Elim Gospel Church.
SPRING SEMESTER BEGINS
Both on-campus and online
courses are available.
EBI WEEK OF PRAYER
Set aside some time to seek the
Lord as you join EBI students &
staff for a season of prayer.
FEB
24 – 26
2013
APRIL
7 – 9
2013
MAY
21 – 23
2013
THURSDAYS
RAISING UP THE NEXT GENERATION
11am
EBI DISCOVERY DAYS
Free for high school juniors
& seniors, college students
& youth leaders. Check out
classes & life at EBI.
EBI DISCOVERY DAYS
Free for high school juniors
& seniors, college students
& youth leaders. Check out
classes & life at EBI.
EF LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE
This annual conference offers
a great time of receiving from
the Lord and connecting with
other leaders.
ALL-ELIM CHAPELS
Join students and the staffs
of EBI, EF & EGC during the
school year for worship &
Elim-related speakers.
In June, EBI hosted 21 current & prospective students at its very first Lift Support Raising MiniCamp! During the
four days of training, the students learned how to build their own missions support teams for prayer and financial
assistance — to help them in fulfilling the call of God on their lives.
They heard from experienced Campus Target workers, who also rely on
the support of others in fulfilling their calling. By the time they left Lift
MiniCamp, students had studied a Biblical understanding of support raising,
saw myths & fears of support raising dispelled, and were given tools to help
them effectively raise support, including getting 200 copies of their personal
support letters ready to be sent out. We’ve been blessed by the stories that
participating students have told us. One student casually shared with her
unbelieving hairdresser about what’s been going on with her at Elim and in
her life, and the woman decided right on the spot to support her with $100
Above, students attending the Lift
MiniCamp pray for one another.
a month! The students are learning that when people believe in what you’re
doing and who you are, they are willing to invest into your life!
We work hard to keep the cost of attending EBI as low as possible. But
even with their savings, contributions from family, part-time jobs or work study programs, some students still find it
difficult to come up with all the funds they need. That’s where your support — from alumni, churches, friends, and
all who love Elim and believe in its mission of training laborers for worldwide end-time revival ministry — can really
make a difference.
To invest into the life of an EBI student,
you can contribute toward the scholarship
fund—with a one-time or recurring gift.
Or you can give directly toward a specific
student. See at right for three easy ways
to give—online, by phone or by mail. For
more information, contact the Accounting
office at 585-582-8310 or accounting@
elim.edu.
Visit elim.edu/support
to give to scholarships
donate by phone
585-582-1230
send support by mail
7245 College St. Lima, NY 14485
Fall 2012 | 11

Change Service Requested
BELL TOWER
Elim Bible Institute
7245 College Street
Lima, NY 14485
DISCOVERY
DAYS
Discovery Days at EBI is a place for high school juniors and seniors
to get away from the “noise” of their daily lives and seek the Lord
for answers about what lies ahead!
For youth leaders or alumni who bring a group of students, we’ll put
you up in our guest wing and cover all of your meals while you’re
here FOR FREE!
For more info about Discovery Days:
elim.edu/campusvisit or 585-582-8292
Non-profit Org.
U.S. Postage
PAID
Rochester, NY
Permit #973
SEPT 30 – OCT 2
FEB 24 – 26, 2013
APRIL 7 – 9, 2013