Bethany Bible Training Center

Pinecrest – Bethany has a contract on the Salisbury Center Property

noreply@blogger.com (Bethany Bible Training Center) — Thu, 22 Oct 2015 19:47:00 +0000

As the Board of Pinecrest Bible Training Center, Inc. we wanted to make an announcement concerning the campus property in Up-State New York. On October the 20th we signed a contract with The Whitestone Academy of Whitestone, New York. They have served the New York City area since 1981 where they offer Grades 6-12. They have International Students from many nations and plan to use the campus to teach and to house both national, as well as the International Student.

They will be required to make a very substantial investment into the property to get it up and running so that when they are done it will extend the life of the buildings and campus into the future.

Because of this sale we will be able to pay a great deal towards past liabilities and it will move us forward towards what the Lord has for us here in Virginia. Whenever the Lord closes a door behind us it is exciting to be able to then move forward to what is ahead.

We are so thankful to all of you who pray and financially support this ministry and we ask you to continue to stand in prayer and financial support with us as we move forward into the future. I believe that we are living in exciting times where Jesus is about to reveal Himself and pour out His Spirit once again upon the earth. There is going to be a great need for the Lord to have places, like Pinecrest-Bethany, where the Lord can dwell with His people and where He can train and teach them by His Spirit.

The vision remains the same: To be a place where He can come and be Lord, as well as a place where His people can come apart to learn His voice, study His Word and pursue His heart, while developing a life-transforming relationship with Him. Here at Bethany, as the Bethany of old, we want to be a place where the Lord loves to come. A place where He is welcome and has friends that He love’s and love Him. An atmosphere where when He comes, everything else is set aside so that He can say and/or do whatever He may please.

Pray with us for a campus setting where we can once again house and teach the students that the Lord is, and will be, sending our way.

To all the alumni who have passed through the doors of Pinecrest or Bethany Bible Training Center, I hope that you will always feel a part of and welcome here. I know the name has changed, the location has changed and through the years the students, the staff, the faculty and leadership have changed, but one thing that remains the same is that our heritage and our birthright is from the same vision that the Lord gave in the birthing of this school. We all are partakers of that vision that was in the Lord’s heart as He drew each one of us here as student, visitor, staff, teacher, board member or leader. He brought us, each one, here for the same purpose.

God bless you,
Jack Picataggi

Life After Bethany- Alumni Update

noreply@blogger.com (Bethany Bible Training Center) — Tue, 18 Mar 2014 20:18:00 +0000

It feels like only yesterday we were attending chapels and classes, as well as working in the kitchen and maintenance. We are happy to share an update of how our lives have changed and progressed in the Lord since attending Bethany!

Almost four months after graduation, we were married in Florida and moved to Virginia. As students, sometimes we get in our minds that after graduation we must become pastors and plant a church. However, that is not always how the Lord works. Daniel became a heating and air conditioning technician and I became a preschool teacher. We quickly became rooted in a church in Fredericksburg, VA, and began serving in any way possible. We did anything from assisting in leading the youth group to greeting at the doors on Sundays. Where ever we were needed, we allowed the Lord to use us. This included our jobs as well. Being a Christian is living for the Lord every day and taking every day as an opportunity to minister in any way we can. The Lord really used the first year and a half of our marriage as a time of pouring out what the Lord had poured into us at Bethany.

A year ago, our lives changed in a very dramatic way. After much prayer and discussion, Daniel and I decided that the Army was the direction in which the Lord was leading us. This was never what we had planned to do, but God has a way of changing "our plans" and guiding us into His own. It was definitely a trying time for both of us. Daniel was gone for 9 months of training to become a cook as well as an Airborne Ranger, with only a few opportunities for us to see each other. Although this was hard on both of us, the Lord was working in and through us each and every day. He taught us to depend on Him completely. Luke 1:37 says "For with God nothing shall be impossible." Daniel has been able to minister to his fellow soldiers, and set a standard that is not "normal" in the military. This is all by the grace of God.

We were stationed in Washington State as of January 2014. We have found a church here, and are looking forward to how the Lord will use us here on the west coast. We are expecting a baby boy in August, which is such a blessing from God. Daniel deploys soon, and we are praying for grace and favor over him where ever he may go. We are so thankful for what the Lord has done, is doing, and will continue to do in our lives.

God Bless you all!

Daniel & Tabitha

Daniel & Tabitha Canton graduated Bethany in May, 2011.

Student Testimonies

noreply@blogger.com (Bethany Bible Training Center) — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 19:42:00 +0000

My time at Bethany has been one of the most challenging and rewarding seasons of my life. The Lord has helped me to see how real a relationship with Him can be, and He has challenged me to cultivate that relationship as the most important aspect of my life. In the process of cultivating my relationship with Him, He has also been healing me and making me more like Him. It hasn’t been easy at times, but it has definitely been worth it. Besides a personal relationship with Him, the Lord also has individual plans for each one of our lives, and since coming to Bethany He has given me new clarity, purpose and direction regarding His plan for me. He has opened doors for me and is leading me down a path that is better than anything I could have ever imagined or planned for myself. I feel like I’m on the adventure of a lifetime with my best Friend!

Second Year Student, Joseph Bourg
Olympia, Washington

Since being at Bethany, I have come to know the Lord in a very intimate way. I have seen the wonder working power of the blood of Jesus and the manifestations of the Holy Spirit. The Lord has taken away my anger and sadness, and has replaced it with His love and joy. He has led me to His still waters and restored my strength. I will live to testify of His goodness and great faithfulness.

Second Year Student, Exhilda Mwuape
Zambia

Looking back at my first year, I am in awe at the work God did in such a short period of time. I learned what it was to truly desire the Lord, to want Him and only Him. God revealed Himself to me as my Father, my Bridegroom, and my Redeemer. I found my identity in Christ my first year, and everything else just fell away. Now that I am in Virginia for my second year, I am eager and excited to see what the Lord has for me. He has truly remolded my life at Bethany and I know there is only more to come.

Second Year Student, Jaimie Bornemann
Long Island, NY

I am only in my second quarter at Bethany Bible Training Center and already my time here has been very fruitful. The Lord is really placing a hunger in my heart for more of Him. I am becoming more sensitive to God’s voice through seeking Him one on one and through learning to wait on Him. The more time I spend with the Lord, the more I want to get to know Him. The more He reveals of Himself, the more I love Him. This time at Bethany is not just an experience which will be fondly looked back upon. Instead, it is a time of laying the foundation necessary to live a life continually with Christ as the center. I am eager to use this training and let the Lord build upon it.

Second Year Student, Michael Manion
Cazenovia, NY

I had every intention on going to college after graduating High School, but the Lord quickly changed my plans and called me to Bethany. Since being here, the Lord has transformed and healed me. God has met me so personally both in and out of chapels. I sometimes think of what my life could have been if I followed through with my original plans of going to college, but then I realize that nothing could ever replace my time here. I have come to know God in such a deeper way and for that I am forever thankful.

Second Year Graduate, Ashley Negron
Bronx, NY

Thoughts From A Student On Faith

noreply@blogger.com (Bethany Bible Training Center) — Tue, 12 Nov 2013 17:03:00 +0000

Lately God has been showing me the great importance of faith in our lives and how we should not take it for granted, because “without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him” (Heb. 11:6).

Without faith, we are not able to offer God that which He is due or receive anything He wants to give us and bless us with (Hebrews 11:4, 7–8, 11, 17, 27, 30, 33–34).

Everything we are and do is based on our faith in God: “The righteous will live by faith” (Gal. 3:11). Our source of life is God alone, we find our life, righteousness, and freedom in faith in Jesus Christ (Gal. 3:23–24).

By faith, we have assurance about the truths and realities we cannot see and we have confidence in times of trouble (Heb. 11:1). Fear brings doubt, but faith enables us to obey and follow God. Fear prevents us from moving and growing in God, but faith produces fruit and “faithful actions” (James 2:18).

Faith is our shield (Eph. 6:16). We need it every day and in every situation so we can prevent the flaming arrows of the evil one from hurting us.

Through faith, we are able to find strength in weakness, to conquer every situation in our lives, to obtain the promises of God, and to become the mighty men and women He has called us to be. As His people, we are to walk a life of victory which only comes through faith in Him who overcame.

We should remind ourselves of who God has been in our life and believe in who He says He is, no matter the situation or season we are in. He does not change; He is the same yesterday, today and forever! We must not let ourselves be like the Israelites, when they let unbelief come and blamed God by saying that He brought them out of Egypt to kill them. They forgot who He was and what He did for them. God is faithful in all that He does, and wherever we are, God has brought us there with a purpose: to bless us and use us to bless others.

The place of “holding on” might be the hardest one; it is a place where faith has been tested. It is a place of believing and waiting on God. There we can either let unbelief come, which leads to fear, or we can believe in God, in His Word, and in His promises, and go with courage and boldness into the battle, knowing that it has already been won. No matter how long you have been waiting and holding onto His promises, believe that the One who promised is faithful to bring it to pass (Heb. 6:12, 15).

God has called us as His people to walk a life of faith, taking up our cross and following Him. He is with us, as our Captain and Shepherd, King and Friend, every step of the way. He has provided everything we need so that we can walk as confident sons and daughters in the victory He has already provided for our lives.

Vyara Markova is a Second Year student from Silistra, Bulgaria. Her name means “faith.”

A Soldier In The Army Of The Lord

noreply@blogger.com (Bethany Bible Training Center) — Mon, 14 Oct 2013 16:09:00 +0000

“The Lord said that He was here to stay and that he was going to make us a habitation, not just a place that He likes to visit. The question is are we ready for revival and the answer is, absolutely yes. We may not feel like we are ready because we are more aware of what we need, and not what He wants.
What is the lord is speaking? Are we ready for a revival? Are we soldiers? What direction is the Lord taking us? The Lord is saying that we are soldiers in His army. Either we understand, or perish.

I was frustrated because I thought that I was not going to be a part of what the Lord was going to do. We need to understand something and that is, He never takes us to a desert to leave us there. We also need to understand that the hardest part of traveling through the desert is the end. It is at the end when you run out of supplies, you run out of water, and most of the time you’re hopeless. At that point you are ready to step into the oasis. So the Lord’s been saying recently that we are soldiers in His army. As a soldier we are given orders. One of those orders is to not abandon your post. You must carry out your command to the last detail and I believe the Lord has sent us here with a purpose and a plan to accomplish. I believe the Lord has said that He is going to start a revival!

Let’s turn to 2 Timothy chapter two. Many of us concentrate on the process but as we read this, I want you to focus on the purpose and the reason why we have been enlisted. Focus on why He is calling us soldiers. Do you think it’s just so we can be organized and trained? Are we prepared for a battle that will never come? Are we farmers who sow seeds but never see the harvest? If the lord has called us to be soldiers, surely there will be a battle. If you are a farmer, you are preparing for a harvest. Our strength is found in Christ Jesus, not in ourselves. Our hope is in God. For me this is a basic principle of revival. I have heard a preacher saying that the common denominator for revival isn’t prayer, although that is a part of it. The key factor for revival is desperation! Is my desire for God so strong that I want nothing else? Am I truly desperate? By enlisting as a soldier, I know that where I will perform is in the battle. I can be very good in the training but when the battle comes, I need to be able to deliver what I’ve trained for. We have been prepared for such a time as this. I asked the Lord if revival is now, then where are the people? The Lord answered me ‘Cast your net!’ What I’m saying is that each one of us has a responsibility. Each one of us has a gift. Maybe you are thinking why am I even here? Maybe you think you are wasting your time. I believe the Lord has brought you here and you do have a purpose in this city.

You are in a time and place where the Lord is waiting for you to respond. This is a time where you are going to use what the Lord has given you. I want you to be aware of the process and purpose that the Lord has called you to. It’s time to become ready and step into it. Let’s be obedient and understanding of what the Lord is doing.”

                                                           Pablo Molina
                                            An excerpt from last Thursday's chapel
                                               October 10th, 2013

Alumni Highlights

noreply@blogger.com (Bethany Bible Training Center) — Tue, 01 Oct 2013 20:56:00 +0000

We are so honored to announce Bethany's former graduates Shane and Rachel Roberts’s ordination as Youth Pastors! Congratulations to you both!

Shane and Rachel are originally from Lowville, NY. After graduating High School, Shane felt the Lord prompting him to attend Bible School at Bethany. He was a student from 2009-2011. Rachel later followed in 2011 and graduated in 2013. After completing her course of study, they said their “I do’s” in May, 2013.

Shane and Rachel are members of New Heart Ministries in Syracuse, NY.

Hello Friends!

Rachel and I wanted to share with our Bethany family what the Lord has done in our lives since graduating in May 2013. As of Sunday, September 15th, we were ordained as Youth Pastors in our home church New Heart Ministries. We have felt the call to be youth pastors for many years and we can’t believe that we are actually seeing it come to pass. We were blessed to have our friends and family come and share this moment with us. We were especially honored to have Rod and Wendy Levey be there and share in this exciting new step of our lives. The presence of God was there and it was beautiful. We received prayer and impartation; it was an emotional time for us. Having Rachel’s family there to support us was an even greater blessing. I believe our marriage has been a true testimony to Rachel's parents of the Lord's goodness and faithfulness.

It is a huge responsibility and privilege to minister to the youth and we don't take it lightly. Our hearts desire is to lead a generation sold out for Jesus Christ, who will walk in the destiny that God has for them.

Thank you, for all of your love and support. We know we wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for you guys and of course God, guiding and teaching us. We love you and can’t wait to see all of you again.

Feel free to follow New Heart Ministries at www.newheart-ministries.org.

Love,

Shane and Rachel Roberts

We Have Arrived To Chesapeake, Virginia!

noreply@blogger.com (Bethany Bible Training Center) — Fri, 13 Sep 2013 19:59:00 +0000

We have finally arrived to our new school location in Chesapeake, Virginia! Chapel and classes have resumed and we are excited to see what the Lord is going to do in this new phase of Pinecrest/Bethany's history. Thank you all so much for your prayers and financial support in our endeavor to follow the Lord's leading. Seven years ago when we arrived in Salisbury Center, Joanne and I were sure that we were signing on to a very critical time in the history of Pinecrest, not fully knowing what the Lord had planned. It amazes me how we think we "know" and the whole time the Lord has something else in mind. Thank God the scriptures tell us in 1 Corinthians 2:9 "Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor has it entered into the heart of man, the things which God has prepared for those who love Him," yet somehow we think we know. I certainly would rather be in the center of His plan than my own. We do have a few events coming up that we would love for you to be apart of. On October 18th, we will be having our Bethany Dedication Service. November 7th-9th we will be having our Fall Women's Conference. Both events will be held at our new school location at New Life Providence Church, located at: 423 Shell Rd. Chesapeake, VA 23323 For more information visit us at bethanybtc.org, or call us at 757-995-5345. May I ask you once again to please continue standing with us, both in your prayers and financial support? We are in a vulnerable stage and need the strength of your prayers, and of course your financial support. Please note our new mailing address. Bethany Bible Training Center P.O. Box 6010 Chesapeake, VA 23323 If you mail something to the Salisbury Center address it will certainly get to us, just a little slower. You can still call us at 315-429-8521 and it will be forwarded to our temporary number. Just leave us a message and we will get back to you as soon as we can. Our permanent landline should be connected shortly. Once again, to those of you who are supporting us, from the bottom of my heart, thank you for partnering with us. For those who have not yet decided to support us on a monthly basis, may I remind you of your time at the school and how the Lord changed your life? Your help will make it possible for those the Lord is yet to send, to have the same opportunity that you had. Please pray and ask the Lord if He would have you support us and if He says yes, know that we would be most appreciative.

End of the Year Reflections

noreply@blogger.com (Bethany Bible Training Center) — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 20:35:00 +0000

The final school year in New York is coming to a close here at Bethany. This week is the Week of Prayer and graduation is this Saturday, May 4th.The year has flown by, but it has been a wonderful time of meeting with the Lord and allowing our lives to be transformed in His Presence. As we have kept our hearts open to Him, He has been faithful to meet with us and change us, molding us into His image. As the year ends we look back and are thankful for all that He has done, but we also look forward with excited and hopeful anticipation at what He has in store for the future. No matter where He leads each of us after this school year, we have come to know that He is faithful, that He is going before us, and that He will indeed complete the good work that He has begun in us, both individually and as a school. Also, a big thank you to all who have made this life-changing year possible: students, staff, faculty, and partners.The Lord has done great things through your prayers and sacrificial service. May the Lord bless you and lead you into all that He has for you!

NYC Youth Rally

noreply@blogger.com (Bethany Bible Training Center) — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 20:26:00 +0000

Bethany Bible Training Center is excited to be a part of a special youth conference on Friday April 19th through Sunday, April 21st in New York City. Pastor Lionel Etwaru of Global Christian Ministries is hosting the event, worship will be led by the Bethany worship team, and Jack and Joanne Picataggi will be bringing a present Word from the heart of God. We feel that this will be a special time of the Lord calling and commissioning those who will be future leaders in the Body of Christ to a greater level of intimacy and devotion to Him in preparation for the days to come. Meetings will be held at Global Christian Ministries 86-02 115th St Richmond Hill, NY 11418. Service times: Friday 7:30pm, Saturday 6:30pm, Sunday 10:30am. For more information please contact Bethany Bible Training Center @ 315-429-8521.

A Letter To Our Alumni

noreply@blogger.com (Bethany Bible Training Center) — Tue, 05 Feb 2013 21:27:00 +0000

Dear Friend,

By now, I am sure that you have heard the news of Bethany Bible Training Center’s move to Chesapeake, Virginia for the upcoming school year. Sometimes when news of this importance is announced, there can be some confusion added as the story is passed along, so I wanted to contact you so you could hear some of the details of this move from me personally.

I have included a link to the letter we recently sent to our mailing list regarding the move. If you have not already read it, please take a moment to read it here @ http://blog.bethanybtc.org/2013/01/there-is-excitement-filling-air-as-news.html before you continue with this e-mail.

As you know from the letter, this move has been four years in the making, and during that time, the Board and I have held the decision before the Lord in much prayer. Even though we are stepping out in faith and obedience in how we believe He is leading us, we do not want to be ahead of the Lord or behind Him, but right in the center of His will.

It can be hard to convey to you in writing, but I feel such a great sense of anticipation for what the Lord has in store for Bethany, and I have heard the same from so many of our friends, donors, staff, and students. Since the announcement has been made, I have been contacted by several seasoned men and women of God who have prophesied that God is in this move, and who, without knowing, answered questions that I personally have held before the Lord about how this move will affect the school. More and more each day, my confidence has grown that God is leading us step by step in this decision.

As far as what the future holds for Bethany, we are planning to start a full schedule of classes in late August at the New Life Providence Church Deep Creek Campus in Virginia. While the church has been generous enough to allow us the use of their building, which is the original church building attached to their larger sanctuary, the school will remain a separate entity from the church.

Regarding the campus here in Salisbury Center, at this time I do not feel we should sell the property. We are planning to hold graduation here in May and Youth Week in July, as well as a few other retreats. For the future, we are looking into opening the buildings for the summers for our conferences, possibly making the campus available to other churches to rent out for retreats, and continuing to have our Work Scholarship students work here in the summer months to help pay for their upcoming school expenses. Then, each winter, we will close up the buildings until the next summer. We do have several major repairs to tackle, including overhauling our water and sewage systems, and we are planning to replace the roofs this summer. I believe that the Lord is not finished with this property, and all that has been spoken over it may still have its fulfillment in the future. We are still seeking Him for exactly how it will come to fruition, but we know that our God is a big God, and He is able to accomplish great things.

As to finances, we will end this school year not owing our outside vendors anything, but we are still behind in our payroll. Our staff and faculty—many of whom you probably know—have been so faithful to serve in this ministry for without receiving a regular paycheck for many months. Bobbi Adkins approached me about starting a fund to help pay the faculty and staff, and if God puts it on your heart to contribute, please feel free to contact her at 315-429-8521, Ext. 46 or bobbi@bethanybtc.org. Beyond that, I believe we have a word from the Lord that He will fully provide for our staff pay and relocation expenses.

Today, I am going to ask you for four things: your prayers, your confidence, your faith, and yes—your financial support. I believe that God met you during your time here, and I ask you to stand with us now and in the future so that the students He sends our way will have the same opportunity you did to encounter Him through the ministry of this school. You can donate online @ http://www.bethanybtc.org/Donate.htm or contact Tico Rios in our Business Office at 315-429-8521, Ext. 12 or businessoffice@bethanybtc.org.

Please feel free to call me at 315-429-8521, Ext. 25 or e-mail me at jack@bethanybtc.org If I can answer any questions for you, or if you have any insight or encouragement for us as we take this step of faith into the future God has for Bethany Bible Training Center. Hope to see you for a visit either here or in Virginia.

May God bless you,

Jack Picataggi

President

If you are not on our mailing list, please send me an email with your address, phone number and any other contact info you would wish to share, also let me know if you wish to receive the Banner and we will be glad to add you to it. If you would prefer not to receive these email updates, send me back an email at jack@pinecrest.org asking to be removed and I will take care of it.

Host Your Event at Bethany

noreply@blogger.com (Bethany Bible Training Center) — Thu, 31 Jan 2013 20:54:00 +0000

Are you or your church looking for a location to hold annual Conferences, Church Retreats, and/or Youth Events? Contact us here at Bethany and make your summer plans! For more information call us at (315) 429-8521, or email at reservations@bethanybtc.org.

We are Now Accepting Students for the 2013-2014 School Year!

noreply@blogger.com (Bethany Bible Training Center) — Mon, 28 Jan 2013 20:34:00 +0000

Would you like to be a part in making Pinecrest/Bethany history? Come join us as we step out into what the Lord has for us.

We are now accepting students for the 2013-2014 school year in Chesapeake, Virginia!

Applications are available at www.bethanybtc.org/school

There is Excitement Filling the Air as News of Significant Change is Upon Us!

noreply@blogger.com (Bethany Bible Training Center) — Tue, 15 Jan 2013 02:36:00 +0000

Dear Friends,

I am writing to you with news of a significant and exciting change for Bethany Bible Training Center. I have a lot to try to communicate, and I know this letter is long, but I ask that you read it carefully, and I pray that God will witness to your heart the things I am about to share.

As a friend of Bethany, you probably know that we have struggled throughout our nearly 45-year history to meet our financial obligations. In the seven years I have been President, we have done all we can to live within our means, but the cost of constant repairs to hundred-year-old buildings, and even the expense of heating in upstate New York winters, just drains our finances. You would be amazed at the number of staff required to maintain the grounds and our 55,000 square feet of buildings.

In the past, I was never sure what we would do if we came to the place where the needs of the buildings required more than we had. I have gone before God again and again and questioned whether it was possible to carry on without the finances we needed to pay our staff and our bills. I had assumed that if we were not able to continue on in this property, then we would close our doors and the school would be finished. But while I was praying this past May, I felt the Lord begin to speak to me that He had different plans for the school’s future.

Let me take you back four years to one of our Board meetings. As we were seeking God for the school’s future, Joe Nieves gave a prophetic word that, just as God led the Israelites by a cloud in the wilderness, the cloud was beginning to move, and it was time to move on from this location. The Board of Directors (Dan Backens, Alan Bugos, Jack Buskey, Steve Chiyka, Donald Laughner, Joseph Nieves, Joanne Picataggi, Ed Szumowski, and Tom Worth) unanimously voted for me to begin to look for a new location for the school. At the time, nothing opened up, so I put the idea on a shelf.

But back in May, I felt the Lord speak to me that the time had come to move the location of the school. With the Board’s blessing, I contacted Board member Dan Backens, who pastors New Life Providence Church in Virginia Beach, and with whom Joanne and I have had a 15-year relationship. I met with Pastor Dan in October 2012 in a meeting I felt was very much orchestrated by the Lord. With the unanimous approval of Bethany’s Board of Directors and the consent of the elders at New Life Providence, we are making preparations to move Bethany Bible Training Center to begin the 2013-2014 school year at the New Life Deep Creek Campus in Chesapeake, Virginia.

The Deep Creek Campus, a church plant of New Life Providence Church, provides us with a chapel that seats about 200 and office and classroom space—even a cafeteria. We are also looking into renting houses on the same street as the church to use for men and women’s dormitories. We are taking things one step at a time and trusting that if God is leading us, He will open the right doors for us.

While we are still arranging all the details of the move, for many years I have sensed a connection in the Spirit between the school and the Virginia Beach area, which others have witnessed to. I did not necessarily expect to see that connection work itself out quite in this way, but I see the Lord’s hand in so many aspects of this move.

Not only will the school be relieved of the expenses of the buildings (which cannot be livable indefinitely without major repairs), but we can also pare down staff needs and operating expenses. From this position, we can concentrate on being a “School of the Spirit” instead of tending to school buildings. This location is also accessible to more students and will provide them with more job opportunities to support themselves, which will relieve the school of the number of scholarships we presently award at our own expense. Of course, we will continue to make the school available to those God sends our way. Our goal is not to become a profit-making organization, but by the grace of God, to be self supporting, and to faithfully continue in the purpose God has for this school.

Let me be clear: relocating the school has been discussed at different times throughout the school’s

history, but it is never—never—a decision we would make for purely logistical reasons. Moving to Chesapeake is not just a “Plan B” because finances are tight; I and the Board believe we are being obedient to the Lord’s direction for the school at this time. I know I speak for all of us when I say that we have approached this decision soberly, and we know that we answer to God for our stewardship of His school and ministry. It is a weighty responsibility, and one that none of us takes lightly.

I know I also speak for many of you when I say that I love these old buildings in Salisbury Center. As a student in the 1970s, I met God in Small Chapel services that lasted for hours and carried up through the tunnel and into pot-clanging singing sessions in the Cafeteria. As Dean, and now President, I have seen students on their faces at the altar or dancing for hours or just sitting and talking in the “Caf.” I have walked the grounds of this school and encountered God here in a way that has been unique to any other place I have ever been. I have spent 16 years of my life in the various positions God has called me to here, and I will profoundly miss this place, just as I know so many of you will. Whatever your experience here, and however God has impacted your life through Pinecrest/Bethany’s ministry, I know that for me, what God has done in my life here is tied up in this campus, and it is something I will always treasure.

When Peter, James, and John witnessed Jesus’ transfiguration on the mountain, Peter cried, “Lord, it is good for us to be here; if You wish, let us make here three tabernacles: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah” (Matthew 17:4). But Jesus did not even respond to Peter’s emotional proposal. His intention was not to build stationary monuments to God’s glory where man would begin to worship at the altar of past experience; it was to have a people who lived in such intimate communion with Him that they would carry His heart and His presence into the ends of the earth. We cannot remain stagnant, pitching our tents at the literal or figurative location of past revelations of God’s glory; we must be obedient to move with Him as He leads.

There is no substitute for God's presence, and as Moses prayed, so our hearts cry to the Lord, “Unless You go in the lead, do not make us leave this place. For how shall it be known that Your people have gained Your favor unless You go with us…?” (Exodus 33:13-16, JPS Tanakh, a modern Jewish translation of the Hebrew Bible).

As profoundly as God has moved here in Salisbury Center, I am convinced that His purpose for Bethany Bible Training Center is not confined to this campus; His intention goes beyond a location, and I believe He has a continuing, unique call for this school to fulfill. I have great anticipation for what He has in store for us and for the students He has yet to send our way. If He is leading us to a new place, then His plans for us there are greater than anything we could try to manufacture on our own.

You have been a faithful friend of this ministry, and I ask you to continue to stand with us in this next phase of Bethany Bible Training Center. We need your support now more than ever. Our financial situation has not changed since the last time I wrote you: our staff is now 44 weeks behind pay, and we have overdue bills, as well as the coming costs associated with moving an entire school across several states. Your donation, large or small, is so needed and appreciated at this time. I have also included an insert with some specific ways you can lift us up in prayer.

Please also mention Bethany to anyone you think might be interested in coming as a student. We believe God is going to continue building on the spiritual foundation that has been laid here in Salisbury Center and what He has been doing in the lives of our students, and we are expecting great things in the years to come.

Jack Picataggi, President

and Bethany Bible Training Center’s Board of Directors

God Is Returning

noreply@blogger.com (Bethany Bible Training Center) — Tue, 20 Nov 2012 22:12:00 +0000

Before departing for Thanksgiving break, the Lord spoke His heart through various prophecies. "The Lord will have an army uniformed to His will. The world will be in confusion but His people will not be shaken."
"God is returning and what he is returning for is what we have of Him inside of us. We need to refute everything other than Him not because it's "bad", but because it's worthless and not lasting." May we be in union with His heart.

First Quarter at Bethany

noreply@blogger.com (Bethany Bible Training Center) — Fri, 12 Oct 2012 00:43:00 +0000

We are almost in our second quarter of school and I am pleased to report to you that this year has begun with some very exciting situations. First, we have gotten in about ten international students from almost as many different countries. Second and even dearer to my heart, our chapels have been absolutely outstanding. The very first morning as we began to worship, the Lord’s presence swept in, and it just got better and better with each song. What was really great was that the next day it happened again, and the next chapel, again. Into the second week He has just continued to sweep in by His presence, meeting, blessing and speaking to us prophetically. One aspect to His coming so far, is that it has been in such a gentle, sweet way, not in driving music or in war-like beats, but truly in a gentle worship, highlighted by the students’ voices. This year a young man, Samuel, who has been a missionary to China for several years, brought his violin. It has added a wonderful dimension to the worship and the Lord has at points really anointed Samuel’s playing.

Each year that I have been here at the school, which when added up equals sixteen years, I have heard it said or have said myself that “this year is unique because:” and we would give our reasoning for such a statement. Always the statement, to me, has been sincere and not just said for hype or any such reason. So I can genuinely tell you, for me this is different in that the Lord has come right in, despite our being unsettled and just getting started. You almost have the impression that He is eager to come and get going with what is in His heart for this year. Whatever His reason is, I say, “Lord, come.”

The level of hunger and desire for the Lord is high and that is always a good quality to measure by. The maturity level of the students is very well balanced as well, which strongly affects where we can and will go for the year.

Please pray and believe with us that the Lord will be blessed by us, and that we can receive all that He has for us this year. A year’s time at Bible school is always an amazing journey, full of possibilities and so much potential, yet we want His best!

- Jack Picataggi

Youth Week 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Bethany Bible Training Center) — Sun, 29 Jul 2012 21:07:00 +0000

We just finished our 2012 Youth Week and all I can say is that these young folks came ready to go, and go they did. The normal process is that the first couple of days are uphill, and then we start to get a real flow of worship, the word and their hearts responding to the word.

Usually we start Sunday night with worship and a bit of orientation. Then the youth go on to snack bar and off to their rooms to get to know each other and their counselors. If all goes smooth, we’re off to a good start.

Sunday night worship began, they pushed back the chairs, and almost all of them came up front and they stepped right into worship. It was great! Monday night, after another great time of worship and the word, ten came up to get saved and another twenty or so came up to dedicate their lives more fully to the Lord. Next thing, Pastor Ken Gerry asked them how many would like to receive the baptism in the Holy Spirit (we usually get there Thursday night) and the Lord filled many of them as they opened their mouths and began to speak in tongues as the Spirit fell on them. It was tremendous! The next morning, Tuesday, we prayed and encouraged them further in the Holy Spirit. One young man in particular got so filled with the Holy Spirit in the 9:30 am service that he was still there until 3:00 pm, speaking in tongues and interceding for many issues in prayer as the Lord just continued to sweep over him. I don’t know about you, but for me that is just down right exciting to witness!

Well that’s not the end; it was only Tuesday morning. I have to confess, I was really wondering how that could be built upon. What the Lord did was to increase the level of His presence and the depth of our worship reflected that depth as well. These young people worship like they had been in a place of free worship all their lives. Pastor Ken and I just kept saying to them and each other how glad we were just to be there and participate with them.

On Saturday morning before they left, we went around the room and each one gave a short testimony. Almost every one of them spoke (that in itself is a miracle) and what they said was how much the Lord had done in them and that they were going to go home and stand for the Lord in their homes, in their schools and in their churches.

In the end, I believe that the Lord strengthened them and set them on fire to be able to go back home and take what they had gotten from the Lord and stand fast in the liberty they had gained.

- Jack Picataggi, President

Testimonies at Bethany

noreply@blogger.com (Bethany Bible Training Center) — Sun, 29 Jul 2012 21:07:00 +0000

This first devotion is a reflection on chapel at Bethany, written by Brianna Franco. Brianna just completed her first year of the Biblical Studies Program.

“After being at Bethany for a year, I look back at my time here and realize that God has changed me in such a dramatic way. God has used a number of ways to change me, including work duties, living in the dorm, study hours, classes and most of chapel. I can sincerely say that chapel has changed my life.

Growing up, I attended a private Christian high school and I quickly learned that chapel is nothing without God showing up. Any group of people can get together and sing a few songs, but if their hearts aren’t open and receptive and God isn’t invited, then that entire meeting will be nothing more than just a meeting. After attending several Youth Week and Challenge conferences, I always desired to find a place to truly cultivate the worship that I was so passionate about. I came to Bethany as a student fully prepared to dive into all that God had for me. I wanted to take advantage of every possible minute to seek and get closer to God. And chapel is where it all began.

I’m not one to hold back in fear of dancing or singing, but this year God pushed me to the limits of what I thought I could do in a corporate meeting. Once I directed my focus off of “what I can get out of chapel” to “how God wants to use me to give”, then my prayer life also began to change. I truly believe that worship is the door to the heart of God and chapel time was a gateway to enter into God’s heart.

Worship is often a word that we misuse. Worship is not a time of day, but a lifestyle. Through worshiping in chapels, I learned what it was like to worship God in everything that I do. Whether that was engaging in a conversation or a relationship, or working on a specific task during my work duty or setting aside an allotted time during my day for personal devotion, all I desired to do was worship God.

I have gained so much from my times in chapel alone. I have never felt the spirit of God move the way He had during certain chapels this year. Chapels have given me a sense of hope that God is still faithful to move and to encounter us in special ways that people no longer believe Him for. Chapels have been a time of declaring who God is and who we are in Him, for not standing on anything but His word. Chapel, in the beginning of the year, also enabled me to prepare myself for the warrior that I was becoming and ultimately became. Chapel was a place of peace and refuge when the stress of being a student and entering into the stage of adulthood was overwhelming.

One of the things I have learned that has impacted me the most is that God goes where He is welcomed and stays where He is wanted. Through chapels this year, a hunger was cultivated to make a house of devotion in me where God would want to stay so that I can experience Him everyday the way that I can experience Him in a chapel service. I know that God is no where near being done with working in me and I only hope to continue growing in all that God has for me in the future. I thank God for where He has brought me and for the things that He revealed to me. I am beyond blessed and appreciative to be a part of a school such as this where we have the opportunity to worship God and let Him be free to do as He wishes.”

Kaela Norman has attended Youth Week, Bethany’s annual summer youth conference, for the past few years. Kaela will be attending Bethany as a student for the first time this year.

“The first time I ever came to Bethany was when I was fifteen, attending my first Youth Week. I already had a pretty good relationship with the Lord, but had never experienced an encounter with the Lord the way I did there. Walking around Bethany I heavily felt God’s presence, like it was His home. I knew that wherever God was, I wanted to be. That is why I decided that I want to attend Bethany for college. I know that Bethany is a place where God’s Spirit dwells and therefore is the perfect place to get close to Him. I feel as though the Lord wants some time with me, undistracted, so that He can show me His plans before I venture out into the world.”

Memorial Service for Stan Smith - Manlius, NY

noreply@blogger.com (Bethany Bible Training Center) — Mon, 14 May 2012 14:22:00 +0000

There will be a memorial service for Stan Smith on Saturday, June 30 at 11:00 A.M. The service will be held at:

Community Covenant Church
107 Pleasant St.
Manlius, NY 13104

Manlius is located about ten miles outside of Syracuse, NY

Stan Smith - Home with the Lord

noreply@blogger.com (Bethany Bible Training Center) — Tue, 08 May 2012 20:39:00 +0000

Stan Smith

As many of you may already know, Stan Smith went home to be with the Lord on May 3, 2012. Stan was a graduate of Pinecrest Bible Training Center and started his ministry at Pinecrest Retreat Center in Setauket, Long Island, New York. Stan was never religious, but was truly a lover of God and of His people. He will be greatly missed by all thosed who loved and knew him.

Along with the memorial service, held at Agape Church, there will be one in the south hosted by Bob Lake and another to be held in the north hosted by Tom Worth. As the dates and locations are set, we will post them here on this blog.

Below you will find a copy of the obituary written by Stan’s lifelong friend, Dr. Tom Worth and revised by his wife, JoAnn DeJoria Smith. You can also read the article written by Dr. Tom Worth on Charismanews, an online publication of Charisma Magazine.

Please be mindful of his wife JoAnn and the ministry they started, and in lieu of flowers, please consider sending donations to:

Gospelsmith

1168 Kristen Court

Nipomo, CA 93444

You may also donate on gospelsmith.com. Your donations would be greatly appreciated.

“Stanley Roland Smith, Jr., 59, died at home, early in the morning, May 3, 2012, with his wife, JoAnn by his side. Stan was born November 11, 1952, the only child of Stanley Roland Smith, Sr., and Charlotte Hale Smith. His father was a musician who had played the French horn under Toscanini and his mother is a well-regarded Christian writer. He was born in New York and grew up in Georgia. He graduated from Druid Hills High School in Atlanta in 1970. He was a graduate of Pinecrest Bible Training Center, Salisbury Center, NY, and had his B.A. from Canada Christian College, Ontario. After graduating from Pinecrest in 1975, he served faithfully as a Minister of the Gospel for the rest of his life. He began his ministry in Setauket, Long Island at the Pinecrest Retreat Center.

Then he was a Bible teacher at Faith Haven in Woodstock, Ontario, where his son, Christopher was born to him and his wife, Deborah Smith. He served as a pastor in Adrian, Michigan, and then pioneered a church in Detroit where he served as a pastor for well over a decade. There, he would go into the roughest areas of Detroit, such as Clarke Park and tell people about the Savior.

He made mission trips overseas to places as various as India, Bulgaria, Switzerland, Latin America, and England. Throughout his career he was in demand as a visiting preacher in many churches. He spent the last twelve years of his life in the Central Coast of California with his wife, JoAnn DeJoria Smith, whom he married in 1999. During those years he and his wife JoAnn attended Agape Church. Stan was often called upon to preach or minister prophetically during their time at Agape. They also travelled on various mission trips to China, Peru, Korea, Switzerland, England and spoke in many churches across the United States. When Stan was no longer able to travel they planted and pastored a church in Nipomo called The Gathering.

He also wrote books and tracts on practical Christianity and a memoir of his wife, telling of her conversion. In his later years, he strengthened and taught many believers over the Internet through his website www.gospelsmith.com and on Patricia King’s television programs. Several of Stan’s articles were and are posted on Elijah List, Patricia King’s site and Identity Network. Not the least of his gifts was his original musical ability on keyboard, guitar and vocals. He wrote songs and choruses, which are still being sung in congregations to this day. But his great interest was in exploring spontaneous musical expression in worship services, seeking to convey creatively what he sensed the Spirit was saying. He was a midwife in that sense, helping many into greater freedom of expression and deeper creativity.

And yet all these descriptions and accomplishments hardly convey the mystery of the man. Those who knew him would all alike confess that he was one of the most original characters we have ever known. He was a man of the Spirit and yet he was very down to earth. He centered his life in Jesus Christ. He was a deep thinker and a capable and practical theologian. All who heard him preach and teach and prophesy were brought into fresh focus on the Lord Jesus. He was not perfect, and he had his blind spots, and he was deeply sensible of his faults, but the difference was that he freely admitted as much and had a disarming candor in confessing those things. None of us will forget his infectious sense of the absurd and his kindly humor. He was a delightful conversationalist. He was a loyal friend. He coped gracefully with brain cancer for the last two years of his life. During those years the two paramount aims of his life came into clearer focus: he loved God and he loved people. He may have been the smartest man many of us have ever known, and yet—all of that was eclipsed by love, the love of Jesus.

He is survived by his wife, JoAnn DeJoria Smith, of Nipomo, California, his mother, Charlotte Hale Pindar, of Savannah, Georgia, his son and daughter-in-law, Christopher and Danielle Smith, his grandson, Garrett and his granddaughter, Sydney, all of Three Rivers, Michigan. His stepdaughter and her husband, Heather and Bryan Hutchens and their children, Robert and Kathleen, also survive him.”

Stan Smith's Memorial Service will be held at:
Agape Church
950 Laureate Lane
San Luis Obispo, California 93405
(805) 541-0777
May 19, 2012 at 11 a.m.

God is Love

noreply@blogger.com (Bethany Bible Training Center) — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 19:35:00 +0000

I Corinthians 13 is probably one of the most well known passages of Scripture in the Bible. Personally, I have always been drawn to it, and I couldn’t help but wonder why. Why do people like it so much? Is it because of the beautiful words, or the poetic nature of it? I tend to think that people are drawn to the idea of love.

You see it everywhere you look. From the time children are little they see it in fairy tales; the princess is swept off her feet by Prince Charming and they live happily ever after. You see it in school, girls and boys looking for love to make them feel “loved.” We see it now every time we turn on our televisions, people wanting to be equal and “just love each other.” Everyone wants to love and be loved. But really, do we even know what love is?

Love isn’t anything that we could conjure up on our own. Love isn’t butterflies in your stomach, or roses on your doorstep, or doing the dishes after dinner. Love is something from God’s heart, not ours. The concept of love has been so polluted, that when true love is sitting right in front of people, knocking at their door, they turn away.

In I John 4:8, it says that God is love. Take the portion of scripture in I Corinthians and replace the word ‘love’ with the word ‘God.’ Our whole walk with the Lord is our own personal love story. God is the very meaning of love. So, in the times where we feel as if we can’t love someone, remember that God has put his very heart inside us; we need to depend on that, and not our own hearts. This world needs a heart, it needs His heart – that with each heartbeat pulses a love that nothing else can compare to. We need to lay down our hearts of stone and flesh, and take on the heart of love itself – Jesus Christ.

- Alissa Stupiello, Second Year student

Where is Jesus?

noreply@blogger.com (Bethany Bible Training Center) — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 21:26:00 +0000

Recently, I was reading my Facebook page and noticed what a recently married young woman I know had written on her wall. Apparently, she was decorating her home for Christmas and had put out a nativity set complete with shepherds, sheep, some wise men, Joseph, Mary, and of course, baby Jesus. Now, we get to what she posted on her wall. She said, “My cat stole baby Jesus and now we don’t know where He is.” Of course, I smiled at the thought. Then I quickly thought, “I know where He is. He is all grown up and living in your heart!” How quickly we lose sight of who Jesus is today and where He really is: alive and well, fully mature, and ever making intercession for each and every one of us He calls His own. Now, if we really take a moment and reflect on that one thought, it tends to give us peace and assurance. Ahh… all is well. He knows where I am and I know where He is.

Personal struggles, relationships, the busyness of the Christmas season, and life in general have a way of stealing Jesus from us to the point where we too can say we don’t know where He is. Maybe for some of us, it’s the little things that steal Him away from our hearts and minds; wrapping presents, preparing for a test, our favorite show on television, staying a little longer in bed in the morning, or even a good book. How easy it is to let our thoughts, emotions, people and events steal Jesus from us. Now, I can hear what you are saying - “I thought He never leaves us or forsakes us.” It’s true. He never does. But we often let things into our hearts that crowd Him out to the point where there is no room for Him. You see, He really is all grown up. He doesn’t just need a small manger anymore, but rather the totality of each and every one of our hearts. Little baby Jesus is now the mature Son of God. And He still seeks a place to lay His head and His heart. Neal A. Maxwell said, “Each of us is an innkeeper who decides if there is room for Jesus.”
This Christmas season, consciously make room for Him. Don’t let Him get lost in the trappings of the season, or buried beneath the circumstances of your life. Welcome Him afresh with wonder and awe of who He really is – King of kings and Lord of lords!

- Wendy Levey, Faculty

Fall Coffeehouse

noreply@blogger.com (Bethany Bible Training Center) — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 22:28:00 +0000

Students, staff and faculty enjoyed coffee and performed specials during this Fall's coffeehouse

Annette, Wendy and Rod

Shane, Jordan, Sam and Luke

Luke and Josh

Victor and Mark

The Kitchen performs a special

Thoughts on the New School Year

noreply@blogger.com (Bethany Bible Training Center) — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 17:28:00 +0000

Each school year, I have heard it said by someone here at the Bible school that this looks like it’s going to be the best year we have ever had. This time I’m not going to say that, but I do want to say that this year the students have come in with great desire for the Lord and real anticipation for Him to come and meet with them. I also believe that God loves to see that in our hearts because it gives Him a platform upon which to come and meet with us – in the worship, in the classroom as well as our prayer closets.

One aspect that has really excited me personally this quarter is a class I am teaching to Second Year, called The New Covenant (formally Hebrews). So far, this year we have had a few times of going around the table discussing different topics. The participation of the class, and their thoughts on the different subjects, has just been outstanding. Today our topic was, “Just who is this priest called Melchizedek?” It was great to hear what they thought. At the end of class, one fellow commented that after hearing all the different thoughts and ideas, he felt like his head was exploding. It was dizzying. Some said Melchizedek was a man, he was a vision or he was a type of Christ, and others said he must be Jesus. They were truly thinking and changing their minds as the topic went around the table.

To me, this is what Bible school is about. Us taking a subject and allowing the Holy Spirit to come in and teach us through the use of each one of us adding what we each feel He is showing us. For me as a teacher, there is no better outcome of a class than to get them all thinking and speaking into the subject, and then the Holy Spirit taking all of our thoughts and what is right from each one and teaching us.

I have one other thought concerning our chapels. The presence of the Lord has been coming in and our worship has been holding at a really high point. So, when we get to class, I feel that it gives us a great platform from which to begin.

- Jack Picataggi, President

Internship Report

noreply@blogger.com (Bethany Bible Training Center) — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 14:07:00 +0000

Vangast Bitukenja is the pastor of Tanzania Assemblies of God Upendo Revival Christian Center in Dodoma, Tanzania and has spent more than twenty years in ministry. He has a heart to reach the Muslim people with the love of Christ and has travelled on missionary trips to the Muslim nation of Zanzibar, despite being previously jailed for sharing the gospel there.

Vangast and his wife, Rehema, are the proud parents of four biological children and three adopted children. He graduated from Bethany’s Advanced Biblical Studies Program in May 2011.

Vangast recounts his second- and third-quarter internship experience with New Jerusalem Church of God in Christ in Buffalo, N.Y., pastored by Willie and Verdis Griffin and presents a call for the American church to pursue godliness and holiness.

I have learned many things during my internship at New Jerusalem Church. One of among many is the life of Pastor Griffin and his wife, Verdis. To be honest, these servants of God have taught me a big lesson through their lives about true love. Their church has been a place where I have experienced the extraordinary presence of God and have sensed, felt, and touched the true love of God. In this church, love is not only spoken, but is being put into action. For the people in this church, love is the lifestyle of their daily activities.

The second thing I learned from the Griffins is how they teach their people through example. They also do before they tell their people to do something. I have seen the way they devote themselves to God and the work of ministry. They are ready to help their people anytime, are so humble, and they help people and work as if they were many years younger than their actual ages.

On another note, from my time in the United States, it grieves me to say that I believe that much of the church in America is now in compromise. Instead of the church influencing the world, to a large extent the world is influencing the church. I am saddened when I see church leaders who fear to correct and rebuke sin because they don’t want to offend people. They want to have big numbers in their churches. Of course, not all are like this, but I have seen it in some churches which I visited and in how some pastors treated their people. That is why I say this.

In some churches I visited, I didn’t experience the move of God; I saw how to collect money. Many plans were made only to honor people rather than God, and bishops were mentioned more often in conferences than the name of God. When we elevate our money, plans, and people above God, this is a great sign of a dying church.

I urge American churches to change their vision and start planning to receive missionaries from other countries. To be honest before God, America as a nation has gone down spiritually. I don’t mean that American churches should stop sending missionaries to other countries, but I am challenging them to see the reality. Many people are focusing on sending missionaries, but I believe that there is also a need for missionaries to come from other nations who may help America to rise again.

May God continue to purify His church around the world and raise up godly leaders, like the Griffins, who will shepherd His people into the fullness of God’s purpose for this hour.

Buy Oil

noreply@blogger.com (Bethany Bible Training Center) — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 18:41:00 +0000

In February 2010, Stan Smith underwent emergency surgery to remove a large brain tumor, and some doctors are describing his recovery as “miraculous.” Nevertheless, ongoing medical treatment and some of its side-effects have made travel impossible for now.

If you would like to donate to a fund to help Stan and JoAnn with their financial needs during this time, please contact our Business Office at 315-429-8521, Ext. *812 or businessoffice@bethanybtc.org. Or, donate directly to Stan and JoAnn’s ministry at gospelsmith.com. We hope those of you who have been blessed by Stan’s ministry will be willing to be a blessing to him now.

Buy Oil
by Stan Smith

There are many good things to say about the anointing, but I’m going to boil them down to a single thought: the oil Jacob poured on the rock represented God’s manifest presence. The house where God lives must be a house that makes room for His manifest presence.

As a teenager, a troubling question made its way around the churches: if God withdrew His presence from the church, how many of us would know the difference? And how many of us would continue doing what we’d always been doing, totally unaware that God Himself had left?

I didn’t know if I could answer the questions well, but I resolved early in my Christian life that I would build my own ministry on God’s manifest presence, in such a way that if He withdrew, I would be unable to continue.

In John 14:21-23, Jesus gave a simple recipe for His manifest presence:

“He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him…If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him."

This isn’t a call to live under the law; it is a call to grace, which we enter into by repentance and faith. And it is a call to intimacy, a life of hearing and responding to His voice.

In the beginning of my ministry, I didn’t know how to access the voice of God. If He spoke, I was likely to mistake it for my own thoughts. I missed a lot in my early days.

But I always looked for scriptures I could act on, and there are plenty. I learned that a deep walk with God doesn’t consist in prowling around in the obscure passages of scripture; it consists in finding the simples commandments and acting on them.

They’re simple, but they aren’t necessarily easy. Humble yourself. Submit to God. Serve one another. Love one another. In everything give thanks. Pray without ceasing. Whatever you do, do it as unto the Lord.

And I John 1:9 is one I’ve needed when I’ve sinned: “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” It’s easy to say, “Yeah, yeah; I already know that.” It’s better to take a few minutes to do it, and to do it as often as necessary.

Jesus talked about oil in the parable of the ten virgins – it’s in the first few lines of Matthew 25. He told of ten virgins who needed oil in their lamps so they could participate in the part of the wedding that happened in the middle of the night.

I won’t try to explain the wedding customs in Jesus‘ day, but suffice it to say that His hearers found the story very believable. The point was this: five of the virgins were wise because they had bought oil during the day, and five were foolish because they had not.

It wasn’t a big purchase. I’m guessing they needed to spend about as much as someone might spend for a flashlight battery today.

In more than forty years of following Jesus, I’ve seen that this parable holds a key for all of us. It is impossible to pay a great price today to buy all the oil we’ll ever need. But we can make a small transaction today, exchanging a few minutes here and a small effort there to invest in God’s manifest presence.

Small investments add up.

Don’t be fooled by get-rich-quick schemes. See if you can find a small opportunity to buy oil before you go to bed tonight. Look for another before lunch tomorrow.

Buy oil. Small investments add up.

Stan Smith is a 1975 graduate of Pinecrest Bible Training Center and a passionate worshipper who uses his diverse gift-mix to equip the church, assuring the whole body of Christ that God wants to walk them into rich encounters with Him. Stan and his wife JoAnn live in Avila Beach, California and often minister together in prophetic teaching and in gifts of prophecy and healing. Stan has taught in Bible schools and was a pastor for 17 years, engaging in prison ministry, inner-city evangelism, and travel to many nations. Stan continues his writing ministry at gospelsmith.com.