HAVE YOU HEARD ABOUT VALBI ... DO YOU KNOW WHAT IT IS??

By Pastor Fred Veerhuis

Most readers of FIRE will have heard about the teaching ministry of Asia Focus in Vietnam. It is usually described as VALBI which is short for Vietnam Australia Lutheran Bible Institute. The concept of VALBI came out of links established between Pastor August Fricke and leaders of small groups of pastors around Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and Da Lat, who were seeking teaching for themselves and the emerging pastors they were discipling. Most of the ‘students’ had little education beyond year 6 and many had become pastors later in life. The old model of formal seminary training was simply unsuitable for the task.

The leaders in Vietnam were clear about one thing in particular. They wanted the teaching to affirm the central conviction of the Reformation that the only means of justification before the Lord God was by a pure gift of grace, freely given for Christ’s sake, through faith. Each Australian pastor who teaches in Vietnam establishes his teaching only on the basis of the Word of God. In my case, I commence each monthly session of Valbi by repeating that the only authority I recognise for what I teach is the Word of God viewed expressly through the lens of the person and completed work of Jesus the Christ. Therefore my mission is to proclaim that salvation can only come through grace, and that it can only be received by faith and trust in Jesus Christ as my Saviour and Lord.

The Vietnam Bible Institute has been operating for 8-9 years. It involved 3 days of intensive teaching every two months. Initially it was Pastor August who was the teacher. As a good leader should, he drew others into this work. Over time at least 8 Australian pastors have taught there. A year before the Covid epidemic closed everything down, Pastor August, assisted by Pastor David Christian, conducted the first graduation service. Around the same time as that graduation, a second group of Christians pleaded with Pastor August for gospel-based teaching for their pastors in the central highlands of Vietnam around the city of Pleiku. So now, if Australian Pastors actually get to Vietnam to teach there are two centres. Just so you know, there is poverty everywhere in Vietnam and support is needed for every class that is taught. The student costs include travel, food and accomodation, venue and translators. The Australian teachers generally cover their own expenses.

VALBI by Zoom?

In late December 2021, the leaders in Vietnam asked if it might be possible to teach the Bible Institute by zoom. The idea had not occurred to us but Pastor David Christian and I agreed to ‘give it a go’ at the end of January. I think I was shocked that, apart from our translator, Esther, there were 162 people involved from all over Vietnam (63 locations), even some from Hanoi. We were blessed by massive prayer support - including specific prayer that the technology would not fail us. It didn’t.

During a review of the first Zoom Valbi the Vietnamese leaders requested that we do the teaching once a month rather than every two months. Asia Focus funds cover every second month so money is an issue. Nethertheless, we agreed to that request for this year. That’s around $3000 every two months. There have been some very generous offers of support for this, from both individuals and congregations.

The second ‘Zoom Valbi’ took place in late February. Once again there were more than 160 tuned in. At least 4 noisy roosters made their presence felt! Pastor David’s teaching focussed on the Gospel of Mark. My own contribution is to demonstrate how Jesus the Christ is the long-expected and yearned for fulfilment of all the covenant promises and prophecies of the Old Testament. My basic text book for this is the Gospel of John.

The teaching is shared around. While David Christian and I will teach in March, Chris Reardon from Cairns will teach in April assisted by Peter Steicke. Peter will do the bulk of the teaching in May. Chris will teach again in early July. More teachers will be added shortly. All of us, with Pastor August, agree that the Spirit-driven hunger of our Vietnamese brothers and sisters to know the truth and freedom of Jesus Christ is a source of enormous joy and encouragement. Feeding those hungry people is our absolute priority and privilege.

(Pastor Fred Veerhuis)

Testimony comments after the recent Valbi:

“Praise the Lord, our Heavenly Father, who loves us as Vietnamese and Australians. May God anoint you and bless you in a special way. I am serving God in Antioch in Binh Thuan. Thanks be to God for His inexpressible gift, for sending you to Vietnam, for loving Vietnam, for teaching us the Word of God and for sharing your experiences in serving God…”

“I learned from Pastor Fred through Mathew 13, the parables about the Kingdom of God. Now I understand more about the amazing grace of God our Father, through our Lord Jesus Christ. He is a Sower, He love all sinners and appreciates us as treasure, as a pearl of great value. He went and sold all that he had and bought it! Amen!”

“The teaching of Pastor David in the book of Mark is very profound, easy to understand and closely to Vietnamese even though Ps David is Australian. Your teaching has helped me to understand properly the truth of our Lord Jesus through the stories of a woman who had a discharge of blood, Jairus’s daughter, the power of Jesus is above nature, etc…”

“After three days of VALBI, I see myself as a small student, as Mary who needs to be taught and learned the Word of God everyday. I want to be close with Australian Pastors to be taught by the Word of God more. I am like a child need a spiritual father as Timothy - a spiritual child of apostle Paul.”

“Through VALBI sessions… Your life has encouraged us to love God and love people with all our heart, all our minds and all our strength. I promise with you- my teachers, my spiritual fathers that I will love people by the love of God, as the way He love us, as the new commandment of Jesus giving us in grace ( John 13:34) and continue to bring the Gospel to people in the good time or in the bad time we still sow the seed as you has taught us. I and servants of God in Vietnam always remember you in our prayers. May God pour His grace upon you abundantly and we hope that you will come back soon to continue to teach us, guide us, support us and help us the Word of God and serving God with us! Amen! Hallelujah!”

“I am Dieuka, Pastor of Phumlu church in Honquan, Binhphuoc. First of all, I give thanks to God so much. Thank you… for teaching us. I really appreciate that. I have learned many good things in the short time of two days about the kingdom of God, the hidden treasure. The value of our life is not about this world but about the eternal life. I learned from chapter 14 of the book of Pastor Fred, ‘From mount of Sinai to exile to Babylon.’ the commitment by the covenant of God to Israel. Thank you for teaching us with all your heart, your teaching is very helpful for us in the ministry in Vietnam. I understand that ‘My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.’ (Hosea 4:6). We should teach the Word of God to people of God.”

“I thank God so much for using you as a shepherd- teachers to help us…. Although we’re very far from two side of this earth, God still use you effectively for His kingdom. May God bless you, your health, your family, your descendants in His peace.”

“VALBI is very helpful for us as pastor, teacher of church in Vietnam, so we know how to build church of God stronger. We are trained by the Word of God so we need to do the will of God to bring the blessings of God to our church and our lives as well. Praise the Lord for choosing us to VALBI. We all are very blessed through VALBI. Thank you Pastor Fred, Pastor David for teaching us and thank Esther for translating this class for us to understand the Word of God very well.”

This testimony is from Pastor Phuoc. “The Word of God has touched my heart. I am so thankful to Holy Spirit. Praise God for sending Pastor Fred and Pastor David to Vietnamese. Your teaching is really practical and truly from the Word of God. Holy Spirit has waked us up from deluding ourself and making light of the Word of God. Thank you so much! May God bring you to Vietnam so we can see you in personally.”

“I am A Nel from Pleiku. I learned… that God has a special plan for every one, He wants us to fulfill His purpose and bring glory to God’s name. I understood the New Covenant of God is guided by the power of Holy Spirit without measure.”

“I am R’lan Thi from Pleiku. I learned from Ps David about humility as John said “He must increase, but I must decrease.”

“I am Oi Na from Pleiku. I learned that God always give His disciple opportunity to serve Him anywhere. Even in the desert, in synagogue God still teach us and make miracles and showing love to people.”

“I am Oi Then from Pleiku. I learned that God is working in His Covenant. We should seek Him and be faithful to Him, obey His Word.”

Asia Focus Australia - Faith and Love in ACTION!