Designed by www.ChoiceDesignStudio.com

Contact Paul & Marcia CowleyEmail:paul@disciplesupport.org marcia@disciplesupport.orgPhone from USA 011-254-733-609-066Skype: marcia.cowley

Africa MailDisciple Support MinistriesP.O. Box 2318-00621, Nairobi, Kenya(please do not send packages)

Contact DSM in AmericaDisciple Support MinistriesPhone: 561-901-3590

NON-PROFITORG.

US POSTAGE

PAIDFT. LAUD, FL

PERMIT NO. 1169P.O. Box 3982

Panama City, FL 32401RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED

Please pray forPaul, Marcia, Isaac, Joshuaand Alegria Grace Cowley

Wk Book Wk Book1 Genesis 2 Matthew3 Exodus 4 Acts5 Leviticus 6 Mark7 Numbers 8 Romans9 Deuteronomy 10 Luke11 Joshua, Judges 12 Corinthians13 Ruth, 1 Samuel 14 John15 2 Samuel 16 Galatians, Ephesians,Phil., Colossians17 1 Kings 18 Thess., Timothy,Titus, Philemon19 2 Kings 20 Matthew21 1 Chronicles 22 Hebrews, James, Peter23 2 Chronicles 24 Mark25 Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther 26 1-3 John, Jude, Revelation27 Job 28 Luke29 Psalms 1-50 30 Acts31 Psalms 51-100 32 John33 Psalms 101-149 34 Romans35 Prov., Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon 36 Corinthians37 Isaiah 1-33 38 Matthew39 Isaiah 34-66 40 Galatians, Ephesians,Phil., Colossians41 Jeremiah 1-30 42 Mark43 Jeremiah 31-52, Lamentations 44 Thess., Timothy,Titus, Philemon 45 Ezekiel 46 Luke47 Daniel 48 Hebrews, James, Peter49 Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah 50 John51 Nahum, Habakkuk,Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi 52 1-3 John, Jude,Revelation

DSM Bible Reading Plan“Be diligent to show yourself approved to God, A worker who does not need to

be ashamed, Rightly dividing the Word of God.”2 Tim 2:15

Send Contributions ToDisciple Support Ministries

P.O. Box 3982Panama City, FL 32401

Friday begins in the early morning darkness. Prayer, Bible study, praise and song. Then it’s out of the sheet metal shack and on the way. After all, it’s a long journey ahead. But the Cost of missing the Opportunity is simply too much to consider in exchange for a bit more of sleep.

Onto the dirt path…walking three miles to the nearest dirt “road”. Then an additional 2 miles along the road…5 full miles in hard soled dress shoes. When he gets to the bus station, he breaks out his shoe shine brush to clean his dusty shoes. After all, he’s a pastor. He represents God to the people…and the people to God. The magnitude of that role and responsibility brings forth Godly fear, respect and reverence…evidenced partly in how he dresses. After all, he’ll explain, “our witness is outside, not inside.”

The bus is scheduled to arrive at 8 am. It’s never early, rarely on time, and usually late. Any time before 10 a.m. is considered “on time”. There is time to have a cup of tea. That will hold him until he reaches Nairobi…at least 8 hours away. That’s if there are no delays at the border, no sudden “inspections” by police, no traffic jams, or mechanical breakdowns or punctured tires. Otherwise, it can easily become a 12+ hour pounding, potholed pilgrimage. It’s the daily transport to Nairobi, Kenya. And it’s the only city that holds this precious Opportunity for this “upcountry” pastor from Tanzania. A true miracle…a providential answer to years of prayer. He knows it, he appreciates it, and he thanks God for it every day.

A full day is spent on the bus. One rest stop…utterly optional at the driver’s discretion. When the pastor finally emerges from the bus, it is at least late afternoon, if not early evening in Nairobi. He quickly finds a local bus for the rush hour ride to another pastor’s home for the night. Rush hour transport is erratic and unpredictable at best. It can be a 30 minute trip on a good day…4 or more hours on a rainy day. He calls the host pastor to meet him at the entrance to the slum. It’s abundantly unwise for anyone to enter a slum unless it is his own community…especially unwise if you’re not from the city…even more foolish if you are from another country…and no one with any Wisdom enters in the dark. They’ll walk another mile into the middle of the slum area…where the “really poor” people live.

Upon arrival, the host pastor’s wife graciously provides a meal to the weary traveler…his first and only meal of the day. He soon collapses into a deep sleep on the dirt floor of the rusted tin shack. It’s 9 o’clock at night. Today was simply the necessary journey. Like the magi seeking the Messiah, he is on a tiresome quest. But tomorrow brings the Prize he was been seeking.

By 5.00 a.m. Saturday, both pastors are up and about. After a time of prayer and quick preparation, they are soon walking out of the slum in the cold morning darkness. It is a particularly dangerous time to be walking about. The night thugs often wait for a last chance of catching some easy prey: unwary people…perhaps with bus fare in their pockets. The pastors catch a 30 minute bus ride across town to the Bible School. Arriving by 6.00 a.m. for their “volunteer duties”, they are quickly engaged in the regular routine of opening the School. Fetching water, scrubbing latrines, wiping, sweeping, mopping, dusting…it goes on and on for nearly an hour. The Pastor from Tanzania works alongside a small army of 20 volunteers hastily preparing the Bible School…before 200+ Pastors and Ministry leaders descend on the site. Every student is scheduled to assist several times per semester. But the pastor from Tanzania is on the schedule every week…in exchange for his bus fare. Without the financial assistance from the Ministry, he’d never be able to access this precious Opportunity to attend Bible School. The roundtrip bus fare is $20…a week’s wages…if you can find work.

At 7.30 a.m., the Ministry provides breakfast: tea and a mandazi (fried dough). Then it’s off to class at 8.00 a.m. The Goal is at hand: a full day of intense Bible Study…a morning class and an afternoon class. He has traveled and toiled for this: to encounter God through His Word. There is no carnal enticement, no monetary motive, and no earthly agenda. He has come to hear, and know, and absorb God’s revealed Word and Wisdom. There is no place like this. No other Bible School that will accept him. Not in Kenya, not in Tanzania…not in all of East Africa.

After a full day of intense instruction and learning, he leaves the Bible School at 5 p.m. and rushes to the downtown bus terminal. By 8.00 p.m., he is on the trip home. An all-night bus journey, barreling down bad roads at breakneck speed. He does his best to get a bit of sleep, albeit continually disturbed. If all goes well, he is back “home” in Tanzania by 6.00 a.m. Sunday morning. Then he’s back on the road…walking another few miles to home. After a quick cup of tea, he is off to open his church. “Morning glory” begins at 7.30 a.m. Then he teaches the Bible Study from 9.00 until 10.30 a.m. The General Service continues until 1 p.m. Then it’s time for counseling, critical needs and any assortment of issues to handle with church members. Hopefully he’ll be able to go home for a few hours, before returning to the church for the Evening Worship Service…from 6 p.m. until 8 p.m. Then back home for his one main meal of the day. Finally, by late Sunday night, his three day pilgrimage comes to an end. He crawls into bed exhausted, but ecstatic…for what God has done in his life, and in the lives of his congregation.

I’m exhausted just recounting the routine of our “upcountry” pastors. Week in and week out, they faithfully and joyfully journey to Nairobi for one full day of Bible Study each week. Typically, we have 15 pastors traveling weekly from Tanzania, the border of Uganda and distant “upcountry” Kenya to the Bible Schools. Many, many more desire to come. We have capped it at that number due to simply to cost constraints. Our commitment and cost, however, pales in comparison to theirs.

Their commitment costs them three full days, many miles and much hardship. Time away from their families, their ministries, and even more telling…time they are taking out of their jobs. Virtually all of our pastors work full time in secular jobs to support themselves and their churches. In addition, they “volunteer” each day they are at the Bible School, in consideration and appreciation of sponsoring their bus fare. Coming to study the Word of God costs them something…in very real, tangible and practical ways. Which begs the question?

“What would motivate a man to willingly and voluntarily undergo such incredible hardship week

after week, year after year?”

And the answer: Nothing less than the very Words of Life. Something infinitely more valuable than any passing pleasure, prestigious promotion, carnal craving or temporal target. These men know this: the Bible, the revealed Word of God, is not some trivial tale of sacred suggestions from a mere mortal philosopher. Indeed, it is much, much more…

“For we did not follow cunningly devised fableswhen we made known to you

the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ,But were eye witnesses of His majesty…

And so we have the Prophetic Word confirmedwhich you do well to heed

as a Light that shines in a dark place,until the day dawns and the Morning Star

rises in your Hearts;Knowing this first,

that no Prophesy of Scripture is of private origin,for Prophesy never came by the will of man,

but men spoke from God,moved by the Holy Spirit.”

2 Peter 1.16

Foolish men would discount such profound Words from Peter the Apostle. Either he was exaggerating (if not lying)…or he was describing the presently available Wisdom of God. It cannot be both. This Christmas, let us carefully consider, ponder and weigh His Gift that is available to us…

Do we cherish His Word daily?

…or merely pick at it like a spiritual snackwhen we get the urge?

Are we willing not only to “count the cost” but also then to “pay the price”

to personally hear God’s voice through Hiswritten Word?

…or must it come predigested,prepackaged, live-streamed

and colorfully choreographed by a surrogate…by someone else

who has faithfully labored through His Word for us?

And what have we done to reveal God’s Wordto an unsaved world?

…or do we conveniently considerthat it is the job of professional pastors

who have “that calling”?

It’s not enough for us to sit in a church and participate in corporate fellowship. If we really believe that Jesus is the Word of God…then it beckons us to personally and tirelessly toil to seek Him…and then make Him known to others…by earnest, diligent, indeed fervent effort. Our bibles should be worn out. The pages tattered and soiled…from constant use. Our shoes should be dirty and worn…from bringing the Good News to all the world. They are dying to hear it…and will surely die, unless they hear it.

Christmas itself marks the epochal entre point of the Good News to all mankind…

“In the beginning was the Word,And the Word was with God,

And the Word was God.…And the Word became flesh

And dwelt among us…”John 1.1-14

Celebrating Christmas is to also our Opportunity to rekindle a commitment…to cherish and share the Gift that Jesus left behind…His Words of Life. The apostles Peter and John did. The Pastors of the Least still do.

Wise men still seek Him…find Him…and make Him known.

Friday begins in the early morning darkness. Prayer, Bible study, praise and song. Then it’s out of the sheet metal shack and on the way. After all, it’s a long journey ahead. But the Cost of missing the Opportunity is simply too much to consider in exchange for a bit more of sleep.

Onto the dirt path…walking three miles to the nearest dirt “road”. Then an additional 2 miles along the road…5 full miles in hard soled dress shoes. When he gets to the bus station, he breaks out his shoe shine brush to clean his dusty shoes. After all, he’s a pastor. He represents God to the people…and the people to God. The magnitude of that role and responsibility brings forth Godly fear, respect and reverence…evidenced partly in how he dresses. After all, he’ll explain, “our witness is outside, not inside.”

The bus is scheduled to arrive at 8 am. It’s never early, rarely on time, and usually late. Any time before 10 a.m. is considered “on time”. There is time to have a cup of tea. That will hold him until he reaches Nairobi…at least 8 hours away. That’s if there are no delays at the border, no sudden “inspections” by police, no traffic jams, or mechanical breakdowns or punctured tires. Otherwise, it can easily become a 12+ hour pounding, potholed pilgrimage. It’s the daily transport to Nairobi, Kenya. And it’s the only city that holds this precious Opportunity for this “upcountry” pastor from Tanzania. A true miracle…a providential answer to years of prayer. He knows it, he appreciates it, and he thanks God for it every day.

A full day is spent on the bus. One rest stop…utterly optional at the driver’s discretion. When the pastor finally emerges from the bus, it is at least late afternoon, if not early evening in Nairobi. He quickly finds a local bus for the rush hour ride to another pastor’s home for the night. Rush hour transport is erratic and unpredictable at best. It can be a 30 minute trip on a good day…4 or more hours on a rainy day. He calls the host pastor to meet him at the entrance to the slum. It’s abundantly unwise for anyone to enter a slum unless it is his own community…especially unwise if you’re not from the city…even more foolish if you are from another country…and no one with any Wisdom enters in the dark. They’ll walk another mile into the middle of the slum area…where the “really poor” people live.

Upon arrival, the host pastor’s wife graciously provides a meal to the weary traveler…his first and only meal of the day. He soon collapses into a deep sleep on the dirt floor of the rusted tin shack. It’s 9 o’clock at night. Today was simply the necessary journey. Like the magi seeking the Messiah, he is on a tiresome quest. But tomorrow brings the Prize he was been seeking.

By 5.00 a.m. Saturday, both pastors are up and about. After a time of prayer and quick preparation, they are soon walking out of the slum in the cold morning darkness. It is a particularly dangerous time to be walking about. The night thugs often wait for a last chance of catching some easy prey: unwary people…perhaps with bus fare in their pockets. The pastors catch a 30 minute bus ride across town to the Bible School. Arriving by 6.00 a.m. for their “volunteer duties”, they are quickly engaged in the regular routine of opening the School. Fetching water, scrubbing latrines, wiping, sweeping, mopping, dusting…it goes on and on for nearly an hour. The Pastor from Tanzania works alongside a small army of 20 volunteers hastily preparing the Bible School…before 200+ Pastors and Ministry leaders descend on the site. Every student is scheduled to assist several times per semester. But the pastor from Tanzania is on the schedule every week…in exchange for his bus fare. Without the financial assistance from the Ministry, he’d never be able to access this precious Opportunity to attend Bible School. The roundtrip bus fare is $20…a week’s wages…if you can find work.

At 7.30 a.m., the Ministry provides breakfast: tea and a mandazi (fried dough). Then it’s off to class at 8.00 a.m. The Goal is at hand: a full day of intense Bible Study…a morning class and an afternoon class. He has traveled and toiled for this: to encounter God through His Word. There is no carnal enticement, no monetary motive, and no earthly agenda. He has come to hear, and know, and absorb God’s revealed Word and Wisdom. There is no place like this. No other Bible School that will accept him. Not in Kenya, not in Tanzania…not in all of East Africa.

After a full day of intense instruction and learning, he leaves the Bible School at 5 p.m. and rushes to the downtown bus terminal. By 8.00 p.m., he is on the trip home. An all-night bus journey, barreling down bad roads at breakneck speed. He does his best to get a bit of sleep, albeit continually disturbed. If all goes well, he is back “home” in Tanzania by 6.00 a.m. Sunday morning. Then he’s back on the road…walking another few miles to home. After a quick cup of tea, he is off to open his church. “Morning glory” begins at 7.30 a.m. Then he teaches the Bible Study from 9.00 until 10.30 a.m. The General Service continues until 1 p.m. Then it’s time for counseling, critical needs and any assortment of issues to handle with church members. Hopefully he’ll be able to go home for a few hours, before returning to the church for the Evening Worship Service…from 6 p.m. until 8 p.m. Then back home for his one main meal of the day. Finally, by late Sunday night, his three day pilgrimage comes to an end. He crawls into bed exhausted, but ecstatic…for what God has done in his life, and in the lives of his congregation.

I’m exhausted just recounting the routine of our “upcountry” pastors. Week in and week out, they faithfully and joyfully journey to Nairobi for one full day of Bible Study each week. Typically, we have 15 pastors traveling weekly from Tanzania, the border of Uganda and distant “upcountry” Kenya to the Bible Schools. Many, many more desire to come. We have capped it at that number due to simply to cost constraints. Our commitment and cost, however, pales in comparison to theirs.

Their commitment costs them three full days, many miles and much hardship. Time away from their families, their ministries, and even more telling…time they are taking out of their jobs. Virtually all of our pastors work full time in secular jobs to support themselves and their churches. In addition, they “volunteer” each day they are at the Bible School, in consideration and appreciation of sponsoring their bus fare. Coming to study the Word of God costs them something…in very real, tangible and practical ways. Which begs the question?

“What would motivate a man to willingly and voluntarily undergo such incredible hardship week

after week, year after year?”

And the answer: Nothing less than the very Words of Life. Something infinitely more valuable than any passing pleasure, prestigious promotion, carnal craving or temporal target. These men know this: the Bible, the revealed Word of God, is not some trivial tale of sacred suggestions from a mere mortal philosopher. Indeed, it is much, much more…

“For we did not follow cunningly devised fableswhen we made known to you

the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ,But were eye witnesses of His majesty…

And so we have the Prophetic Word confirmedwhich you do well to heed

as a Light that shines in a dark place,until the day dawns and the Morning Star

rises in your Hearts;Knowing this first,

that no Prophesy of Scripture is of private origin,for Prophesy never came by the will of man,

but men spoke from God,moved by the Holy Spirit.”

2 Peter 1.16

Foolish men would discount such profound Words from Peter the Apostle. Either he was exaggerating (if not lying)…or he was describing the presently available Wisdom of God. It cannot be both. This Christmas, let us carefully consider, ponder and weigh His Gift that is available to us…

Do we cherish His Word daily?

…or merely pick at it like a spiritual snackwhen we get the urge?

Are we willing not only to “count the cost” but also then to “pay the price”

to personally hear God’s voice through Hiswritten Word?

…or must it come predigested,prepackaged, live-streamed

and colorfully choreographed by a surrogate…by someone else

who has faithfully labored through His Word for us?

And what have we done to reveal God’s Wordto an unsaved world?

…or do we conveniently considerthat it is the job of professional pastors

who have “that calling”?

It’s not enough for us to sit in a church and participate in corporate fellowship. If we really believe that Jesus is the Word of God…then it beckons us to personally and tirelessly toil to seek Him…and then make Him known to others…by earnest, diligent, indeed fervent effort. Our bibles should be worn out. The pages tattered and soiled…from constant use. Our shoes should be dirty and worn…from bringing the Good News to all the world. They are dying to hear it…and will surely die, unless they hear it.

Christmas itself marks the epochal entre point of the Good News to all mankind…

“In the beginning was the Word,And the Word was with God,

And the Word was God.…And the Word became flesh

And dwelt among us…”John 1.1-14

Celebrating Christmas is to also our Opportunity to rekindle a commitment…to cherish and share the Gift that Jesus left behind…His Words of Life. The apostles Peter and John did. The Pastors of the Least still do.

Wise men still seek Him…find Him…and make Him known.

Designed by www.ChoiceDesignStudio.com

Contact Paul & Marcia CowleyEmail:paul@disciplesupport.org marcia@disciplesupport.orgPhone from USA 011-254-733-609-066Skype: marcia.cowley

Africa MailDisciple Support MinistriesP.O. Box 2318-00621, Nairobi, Kenya(please do not send packages)

Contact DSM in AmericaDisciple Support MinistriesPhone: 561-901-3590

NON-PROFITORG.

US POSTAGE

PAIDFT. LAUD, FL

PERMIT NO. 1169P.O. Box 3982

Panama City, FL 32401RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED

Please pray forPaul, Marcia, Isaac, Joshuaand Alegria Grace Cowley

Wk Book Wk Book1 Genesis 2 Matthew3 Exodus 4 Acts5 Leviticus 6 Mark7 Numbers 8 Romans9 Deuteronomy 10 Luke11 Joshua, Judges 12 Corinthians13 Ruth, 1 Samuel 14 John15 2 Samuel 16 Galatians, Ephesians,Phil., Colossians17 1 Kings 18 Thess., Timothy,Titus, Philemon19 2 Kings 20 Matthew21 1 Chronicles 22 Hebrews, James, Peter23 2 Chronicles 24 Mark25 Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther 26 1-3 John, Jude, Revelation27 Job 28 Luke29 Psalms 1-50 30 Acts31 Psalms 51-100 32 John33 Psalms 101-149 34 Romans35 Prov., Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon 36 Corinthians37 Isaiah 1-33 38 Matthew39 Isaiah 34-66 40 Galatians, Ephesians,Phil., Colossians41 Jeremiah 1-30 42 Mark43 Jeremiah 31-52, Lamentations 44 Thess., Timothy,Titus, Philemon 45 Ezekiel 46 Luke47 Daniel 48 Hebrews, James, Peter49 Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah 50 John51 Nahum, Habakkuk,Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi 52 1-3 John, Jude,Revelation

DSM Bible Reading Plan“Be diligent to show yourself approved to God, A worker who does not need to

be ashamed, Rightly dividing the Word of God.”2 Tim 2:15

Send Contributions ToDisciple Support Ministries

P.O. Box 3982Panama City, FL 32401