Why I Teach at the BI

Topics: Keep Believing Ministries·Travel·Word of Life

I’m in there somewhere, along with about 175 students. We took the picture after the final session on Daniel this morning. Since Tuesday I’ve had the privilege of teaching these students for 10 hours.

Someday soon they will be pastors and missionaries.
Someday soon they will be youth pastors.
Someday soon they will be leading churches around the world.

Who wouldn’t want a chance to influence young people like that?

Right now I spend four weeks a year teaching at various Word of Life Bible Institutes:

I teach Galatians in New York.
I teach James and Daniel in Florida.
I teach 1 Peter in South Korea.

I’m happy to do it because this is my investment in the next generation. After the final class, one of the students gave me a handwritten note:

Dear Mr. Pritchard,

Just wanted to write you a note and tell you I much I appreciate you. I am so thankful for you taking your time away from your home and family to come and share with us. You are so loved here, and respected. Thank you for sharing your energy and wisdom and sharing your heart with us. You have had a tremendous impact on my BI year and my life. I pray that you have a safe trip and that God blesses you for coming here and pouring into a bunch of kids. I hope you know you are loved. 

Who wouldn’t want to teach when you get a response like that? And these “kids” will soon be Christian leaders in their own right.

The future belongs to the young. The book of Daniel tells us how a young man made a difference for God in a pagan land. I truly believe I taught a room full of Daniels this week, which is why I came and why I will keep coming as long as they will have me. 

Visitor Comments:

November 18, 2011, 4:48 PM Justin Large says:
	Incredible to hear. You are a making a difference that will reach beyond even the students earthly life. Thank you sir.
November 18, 2011, 7:26 PM Ethan VanBruggen says:
	Thank you So Much for sharing that Pastor Ray! I remember how impacting your classes at WOLBI are. I was fortunate enough to have you for Galatians in NY and Daniel in FL because of collegians. I just want to say thank you for being a real person. There are so many ‘influential’ christian leaders, but so few of them are real people you can talk to. Thank you for being one of the few!
November 19, 2011, 12:08 PM BethanyB says:
	I went to WOLBI FL in 2000-2001 and NY in 2001-2002 and, Dr. Pritchard, you were one of my favorite teachers the whole time. So please, please, please keep on teaching at WOLBI!
November 20, 2011, 8:20 PM Janik says:
	Thank you so much for the last week. It was amazing to see that God is sovereign and that history confirms the Bible! Thank you especially for your James class! Quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger :) I pray that you’ll put your safety in Christ. Thank you!!
January 19, 2012, 1:36 PM Bill Boulet says:
Senior Pastor, Heritage Baptist Church, Lakeland FL	Amen to that Ray! That is why I love it too. Give me a buzz when you are in FL next month, would love to do lunch.