Dear ZBS prayer partners, supporters, friends, church leaders and parents,
We are thankful to all for your support, both in prayer and with finances. Please join us for thanking God for his blessings and faithfulness.
You might know that Rev. Shahabaz Boota resigned and joined PhD studies in the USA. We are thankful for his ministry ZBS and wish him all the success. ZBS board has appointed Rev. Ashkenaz Asif Khan as interim principal.
Praise Items:
1. ATA has renewed ZBS accreditation for the next 5 year! This is heartening to know and we are thankful to God and to all our friends who have stood beside ZBS and helped in many ways to maintain the standards and values for the theological education and training programs. Our Diploma, B.Th, MDiv, and MA OL (a joint program with DAI and FC College) is accredited. Along with this one-time accreditation is granted to Graduate Diploma in counseling and MTh.
2. We are thankful for the new deep tube well at the new campus. Now the campus is self-sufficient in water supply. Also, the long-standing demand of the government has been met by installing razor wire on the top of the boundary wall with plaster on both sides of the wall. Praise God for this provision.
3. After the MTh course, our national teachers are qualified to teach MDiv classes. (MTh was conducted in the leadership of Dr. Allan Harkness and with financial support from Overseas Council Australia)
4. After the completion of the graduate diploma, our national teachers taught the counseling course to M.Div. class. These trained teachers who obtained the graduate diploma (taught by Ms. Jean Brand) will be available for counseling services and teaching.
5. As the year 2023 started, we as staff and students pledged to ourselves to make ZBS “paper free”! We found that it was easier to say than actually doing it. But we started it and we are getting used to it. Now a number of Whatsapp groups have been created for various communication areas. Students are encouraged to use smartphones for many things they are able to do related to life and work at ZBS. Our photocopy and printing expenses have greatly reduced. There are no notice boards anymore. Cell phones are notice boards! Teachers are encouraged to use laptops/USB and make use of smart screens in the classroom.
6. Our teachers are getting training along with teachers of Bethlehem Bible College, Bethlehem, Evangelical Theological Seminary Cairo, Jordan Evangelical Theological Seminary for online instruction/education. We are planning for online education in the near future. Thanks to OCI regional director Dr. Magdi Gendi and Dr. Paul Clark for providing this wonderful training sessions. Miss. Maryam Daniel is getting advanced training in Greek and Hebrew at FCC University, Lahore. Our faculty also participated in a four days zoom workshop (Overseas Council International USA Institute) along with MENA (Middle East and North Africa region) region seminaries on the topic of Church and seminary relations. ZBS principal also lead one session. ZBS faculty Miss Maryam Zeeshan and Mr. Farhan Hameed are enrolled in MA OL (Organizational Leadership) , a joint program by FCC, ZBS and DAI. Principal and two teachers ( Rev. Tariq Aslam and Mrs. Maryam Zeeshan) will be participating in OCI Institute in Nairobi from April 21-26, 2024 hosted by the Association for Christian Theological Education in Africa (ACTEA).
7. Beside regular classes and intensive courses at the campus, a successful six days summer school was held at the Camp Mubarak located at the 7000 ft high Murree Hills for MDiv students who numbered 42. There were 5 female students. We are thankful to Camp Mubarak for providing a very economical package for boarding and lodging. Boarding, lodging, tuition and travel expenses are paid by the students themselves. Students learnt much from the teacher Mrs. Corien Waheed. They also enjoyed a lot including a walk on the famous “Mall Road”, a legacy of the British Raj and watching hail storms, monkeys, wild animals, and many Himalayan birds including cuckoos.
8. Newly arrived SABC (South Asia Bible Commentary) Urdu, published by MIK Lahore, arrived at ZBS and students opened it with prayer and thanksgiving. Principal gave a brief introduction of the project and commented on its significance because of its relevance to South Asian Culture and issues. Principal Ashkenaz Asif was a member of its theological advisory board and had contributed the commentary for the books of Haggai. Its English version is available on Amazon.
9. Our library catalogue is accessible online for more than 11,000 entries. Thanks to ZBS library staff for their decade long efforts. Please visit zbspak.org. We thank God for the hard work of ZBS library staff over the years.
10. A month-long interim courses were offered in March. We are thankful to the guest teachers, especially Dr. Emmanuel Bhatti (MD) for teaching a course on Public Health as outreach ministry.
11. We had a wonderful time with Dr. Yousaf Sadiq (Ph.D) who gave a special lecture on the History of the Punjabi Zaboor (Psalms).
12. ZBS principal, teachers ( Pastor Robinson Gill, Pastor Javed Morris, Pastor Farhan Hammed) and staff ( Mr. Asif George) attended the TEF ( Theological Educators Forum) annual conference in Lahore. The conference was arranged by TEF and Open Theological Seminary staff and very well organized.
Prayer Requests:
1. ZBS family went through a traumatic incident when Mrs. Feroze Khan, one of our M.Div students lost her life in a tragic bus accident on the motorway on April 13, 2024. Her two children, daughter and son are both getting Nursing training and husband is involved in outreach ministry. ZBS and the PBCI family held a memorial service at the ZBS city campus. She is buried in Dera Ismail Khan alongside her father’s grave as she wished.
2. Please pray for a major equipment and vehicle replacement plan which will be useful and functional for the next 15 years. We are requesting our friends and supporters for funds for this big project.
God bless you,
Ashkenaz Asif Khan Principal