A Note from Brian
In our Quiet Time, we have recently been in 1 John. Chapter four reminds us we can love because God first loved us. One of the joys of being at the Bible Institute is the relationships students build here. These relationships turn into opportunities to live out 1 John. It has been my privilege to watch students live this out. We pray for and encourage growth in this area, and we would encourage you as parents to do the same. Loving others is not always easy, but it is what God has called us to do. It is possible through His strength and example.
Latest News
Both Campuses – Over the past several days, we’ve had a ton of fun with Spirit Week! Both campuses planned their Spirit Week on the same dates so they could have a fun experience together. Each day, students were invited to wear a theme-based creative outfit, such as Wacky Twinsday.
New York
We have been encouraged to see the gospel go out during our Huskies athletic games. Through our sports ministry alone, we have already seen 14 people come to Christ! Visit wol.is/huskies to learn more about our sports ministry.
God has also been doing great things through recent OAE trips (if you are unaware of what OAE stands for, it means open air evangelism). We have had two trips so far this year, giving students the opportunity to share the gospel on the streets of Albany. Out of those two trips, we had 206 full presentations of the gospel and saw 13 people come to know Christ!
Every year, Schroon Lake holds a 26.2-mile marathon that runs through our property. We have students stationed throughout campus so they can cheer on the runners, and we are always told it’s the highlight for the runners to go through our property. We were able to cheer for 1,100 runners in the Adirondack Marathon!
Did you know you can send your student an Encouragement Pack to be delivered directly to our Snack Shack on campus? Visit our online store to order yours today: https://nystore.wordoflife.edu/
Florida
Our students have had evangelism training with Del and Mary Ann Benner. The Benners have also taken all our students out on ministry by taking a few groups each weekend. So far, we have reached out to 1,839 people, given 304 full gospel presentations, and seen 28 souls saved! We give God the glory for what He has done through us!
All our students are now in one of 11 ministry teams, such as Overflow Band, Overflow Drama, events teams, Child Evangelism Fellowship teams, local church teams, and cross-cultural teams. We are excited to partner with churches and Word of Life Youth Ministries to minister at churches, schools, and events.
From an academic standpoint, we have completed the following classes: Genesis 1–11, Galatians, Personal Evangelism, Judges, Creationism, and 1 Peter. Future classes this month include Romans 1–8, Romans 9–16, Colossians, and Proverbs.
Upcoming Events
New York
- Reverb: October – December
Our students have the opportunity to serve at a series of youth evangelism events called “Reverb.” Click the link to learn more and order tickets: wol.is/reverb - Open Air Evangelism Trips: October 9 & 23
- Campus Preview Days: October 26–28
Click here to sign up for Campus Preview Days or a personal tour of the campus: wol.is/visit
Florida
- Reverb: October – December
Our students have the opportunity to serve at a series of youth evangelism events called “Reverb.” Click the link to learn more and order tickets: wol.is/reverb - Fall Festival: October 19
- Campus Preview Days: October 19–21
Click here to sign up for Campus Preview Days or a personal tour of the campus: wol.is/visit
Introducing the Ministries Department
New York
Note: We have an incredible group of staff in the ministries department, each of whom is a valuable part of the team. The following list only includes a few of the main people your student will be interacting with in the department. To contact someone in New York ministries, students can email studentministries@wol.org.
- Jon Bubar – Dean of Ministries
As dean of ministries, Jon oversees the entire department and makes sure each area is working together to accomplish the vision of multiple meaningful ministry opportunities for your student. If there is a general problem with your student’s ministry or service assignments, Jon is a person you can contact. - Mark Bodlien – Ministries Coordinator
Mark makes sure every student is placed on a ministry team where they will have multiple meaningful ministry opportunities throughout the year. Students can reach out to Mark if they have questions about their ministry team assignment or schedule. - Micah Melville – Ministries Operations Coordinator
Micah ensures students and staff have what they need to accomplish (and travel to) their ministry opportunities. He also provides support for on-campus events. - Ethan Morin – Assistant Ministries Coordinator
Ethan oversees transportation and assists Mark Bodlien in assigning ministry teams. - Caroline Tompkins – Ministries Department Administrative Assistant
Caroline serves our team by helping with student questions, handling department announcements, and providing general organization and communication assistance for the team. If a student or parent is unsure who to contact, they can start with her, and she’ll help them find the right person! - Sadie Diaz – Service Assignments Coordinator
Sadie assigns and coordinates all the students’ service assignments. These assignments allow students to serve the student body in numerous ways. If a student has a work conflict or any issue regarding their service area, they can contact her in the ministry’s office or email studentministries@wol.org.
Florida
- Justin Crow – Dean of Ministry: jdcrow@wol.org
Justin is our Dean of Ministries for the Bible Institute in Florida. He is also our Assistant Camp Director during our winter camp (Pursuit Camp, as well as our satellite camp called Intersect) and summer camp (The Coast). - James Koch – Ministries and Service Assignments Coordinator: jekoch@wol.org
James assigns and coordinates students’ service assignments as well as their ministry teams. - Josh Auli – Ministries Operations Coordinator: jdauli@wol.org
Josh ensures students and staff have what they need to accomplish their ministry opportunities. He also provides support for on-campus events. - Kyle Gray – Director of Pursuit Camp, Intersect Camp, and The Coast: kylegray@wol.org
Throughout their year at the Bible Institute, students will have the opportunity to engage in ministry through Word of Life Camps. Kyle provides direction and oversight over Pursuit Camp (our Florida winter camp), Intersect Camp (our satellite winter camps in Ohio and California), and The Coast (our summer camp in Florida for children and teens).
Monthly Updates
Please note that our upcoming issue of The Bridge will be posted next month, after which we will continue to post monthly throughout the year. Bridge updates will be sent on the first Friday of every month. If you ever have any questions, feel free to reach out at jmskau@wol.org or connect with us through our Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/wolbibridge
Please note: You are required to answer the questions and agree to the group rules to be added to the Facebook group.