By John Rhee
From July 25th to October 3rd, John Rhee led us in a study of the first four centuries of the history of the church. During this time, we focused on the formation of the church, the early persecutions against Christianity, the beginning of the Christianization of the Roman Empire, and three of the main ecumenical councils: Nicaea (AD 325), Constantinople (AD 381), and Chalcedon (AD 451). We also discussed the main heresies that the church had to deal with in order to safeguard the orthodoxy of Christian doctrine. Because of these heretical teachings, the church developed the doctrines of the Trinity and of the person and natures of Christ, using careful vocabulary to bring clarity and precision through the creeds. Since this course was prepared for leaders in Africa, Dr. Oyor Moses helped us present a short overview of the history of the church in Africa.
All the leaders overcame the challenge of time differences and their daily responsibilities to read the assigned materials and contribute meaningful discussions in each session. I thank God for giving me the privilege to serve in this course, and I pray that He may continue to bless the preaching of His Gospel throughout the African nations.
For the next course, Pastor David Baik will lead a course titled “Self-care at the Core of Pastoral Care: Emotional Intelligence.” Please pray for this new course and for the Pan-Africa Cohort members to be effectively equipped as shepherds of God’s flock.