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We thank and praise God for his grace, mercy and providence upon Yabatech UBF.

Our key verse for 2016 was John 15:5, "I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” 

    2016 started with so many uncertainties in Nigeria. The economic and political climates were uncertain considering the dwindling government revenue due to fall in crude oil prices, the mainstay of the economy as well as low production and at the same time a new government in power. 

    Therefore, our prayer was to remain in Jesus according to His command so as to bear spiritual fruit through having 40 SWSA, 60 one to one Bible study and each leader taking care of one Bible student as well as to establish a new Team to raise 12 new disciples. Hence we all focus on personal spiritual struggle through daily bread and Tuesday Bible study on Yabatech campus, where we fish and study in groups and later establish 1:1 Bible study.

    We studied three books: Genesis, Exodus and Matthew respectively. We also rotated Sunday Worship Service messages among Shepherds Duke, Joseph, Samuel and Collins whenever he was around due to the nature of his work. God blessed us through these books. Through Genesis we learned basically about creation faith. Through Exodus we learned about God’s mighty power to save his people and bring them to himself. Through Matthew’s gospel sttudy we learned that Jesus Christ is the one and only messiah, hence we should put our hope and trust in Him.

    However, God had a specific area he had planned to train us, that has to do with our independent faith and personal spiritual growth. These trainings began after Missionary Timothy Lee’s family returned to Korea on February 18. They had been co-working with missionary Andrew Yoon’s family for several years. Their absence left our chapter with only Missionaries Daniel and Susanna Hong’s family.

    Last April we had a joint Easter conference with other local chapters and it was really an encouraging and refreshing time. For several years, we have had a big generational gap between the leaders and Bible students. But God helped us not to give up on prayers and struggle to maintain Bible study. He heard our prayers and blessed us to establish ‘Vast Army Team’ after our 2015 Easter Conference with 5 growing leaders – Four brothers and a sister- Samuel, Gideon, Alvin, Michael and Sandra. We also thank God for Sisters Mercy and Bisola who are currently undergoing National Youth Service Corps training.

    Our chapter’s Summer Bible conference this year was poorly prepared. But God had great mercy on us and blessed the conference. 16 new Bible students attended the conference and we could form a new team called ‘Hope of God’. Through this team we are earnestly praying for God to raise 12 new disciples of Jesus Christ. God also blessed the conference with repentance; Sister Mercy shared a sincere repentance’s testimony. Brothers Samuel, Alvin, Michael serve symposium on ‘Purpose Driven Life’. We were so thankful to God that there was repentance during the conference.

    Also, this year, God has really worked among our leaders; Shepherds Collins, Joseph Edesi and Benjamin who have begun to be more committed with high sense of ownership of God’s ministry. We pray that God may bless their families and use each of them to serve at least one Bible Student. Our 2017 key verse is Matthew 9:37-38. Then he said to his disciples, ‘The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field’. 

    There seems to be many challenges all around us in Nigeria; social, economic and political. Students complain about their many problems such as personal and family, but we believe the real problem according to our Lord Jesus Christ is they need shepherds who care, listen, teach them the word of God and pray for them.  For this we really desire to put aside  our small personal challenges and focus on the big picture of God’s hope, mission and vision in this coming year.

Our prayer points are as follows:

1. I pray to be renewed both physically and spiritually; trust God and live by faith each day.

2. For each leader to serve one Bible student.

3. To raise 12 disciple of Jesus Christ through Hope of God team.

4. For God to strengthen our House Churches.

5. For God to bless Missionaries Daniel and Susana Hong’s mission life in Nigeria.