When I came to Gospel For Asia’s School of Discipleship I didn’t know what I was getting into (in a good way). I was shocked by how loving and friendly the community at Gospel For Asia (GFA) was. I didn’t just go to class, eat, sleep and repeat; I lived life surrounded by people who loved Jesus. They chose to invest in me and my classmates.
Many of the families here “adopt” different students and pour into them in deeper ways. After two years in the program, I felt like I had an additional family here. While it was difficult being away from home for two years, the Lord gave me people here who loved me for me.
I watched how the staff acted in an office environment, but I also saw them be laid back at home and in everyday life situations. They shared their struggles and stories with me. I learned from them and their walks with the Lord. He put people in my life who had similar struggles and those who were further along in their walks than I was to help me see Jesus.
Not only did I grow with the staff, I also grew with my fellow classmates. Students get to see the good, the bad and the ugly of each other as they live together. They learn how to serve each other when someone leaves their laundry in the dryer or leaves their dirty dishes in the sink. They process the lessons they are learning together in class and what they are learning in their VTA (Vocational Training Assignment). As they work on homework together they can hear things from each other’s perspective and see things from another point of view that they may have never considered. Growing in grace and love is often the outcome of these things.
We hear time and time again from graduates of School of Discipleship about how much the community here has impacted them. There are countless ways the students can engage in the community. It is very common to hear both students and staff request to have lunch together.
Having just one simple lunch hour to learn more about each other and what God has done in your life cultivates relationships. The Fellowship Hall, what we call our dining area on campus, is frequently a place where people can join for lunch or other activities together. The students regularly have house dinners together and often invite different staff members to join them. Food and love for Jesus are great ways to bring people together.
“I have been really impacted by how the community pour out theirs lives with the students, spending time with us, investing in us, discipling us, when they know that it is only for a year.” —Leanne, SD Graduate
It is amazing to see how relationships are built on mutual love for Christ and each other. They’re built on the eternal, not the temporary—and they last longer.
Students wrestle through difficult things throughout their year as the Lord continues to refine them. They have a safe place to ask the difficult questions and grow in Jesus. The staff extend Christ’s love and acceptance, even when they fail.
Yes, it is a year to die to yourself, but it also is a year to learn to put Christ first and others first and have more of Christ in you as you come to know Him more.
I am grateful the Lord called me here to be part of this community. I grew leaps and bounds through my time in SD and continue to do so now as I serve on staff. I can walk with the students and other staff and continue to passionately pursue Jesus.
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