This is our first blog! Welcome. Our goal with this blog is to give you an insight into the lives of the Walker family as we embark on a great adventure. Below is an extended version of the first letter we sent out. If you didn't get the letter and would like to start receiving our letters, please email us with your name and address and we would be glad to get you on our mailing list.
Hello everyone!
Several months ago we began to sense that God was calling us to some significant changes in our life. Since you have been important in our lives, we are writing to let you know about our journey so that you can pray for us in the days ahead.
In the last few years since we finished college, Brian has worked as a mechanical engineer for the MOX Project at Savannah River Site. Robin first worked as a pediatric nurse, but has been able to stay home with our children, Hailee & Nathaniel, since they were born. A little over two years ago we started leading a young adult Bible study at our church. As Brian developed a hunger for a deeper relationship with God he was discipled by a gentleman at our church. During that time, we were introduced to the ministry of Bethel Church in Redding, California and began to read books by Bill Johnson and its other pastors, watch their teaching and sermons online, and attend local conferences led by their pastors.
As Brian’s hunger for God’s Kingdom continued to grow into a call to vocational ministry, we discovered that Bethel operates a ministry school. We had such a great respect for their teaching, leadership, and value for God’s Kingdom that we decided to apply.
Let's back up and tell you how we got here. There has been a hunger growing in us to see God heal people's lives and to see God's kingdom advanced. Neither one of us thought we would ever desire to be pastors or have ministry be our vocation. However in the last couple of years our desire of doing ministry full time has grown. We began to recognize a call to ministry, but had not known when or where. A woman of God prayed over us in early 2011 and heard from the Lord that we would pastor a church someday. This is when the ball started rolling. We heard some smaller details here and there, then about 6 months ago Brian clearly heard the Lord telling us not to sell our van, which we were trying to do at the time. Brian asked "Why?" and the Lord said, "You will need it to move all of your belongings across the country." Brian wanted to make sure he heard clearly from God so he waited for further confirmation, and didn't feel led to tell Robin at the time. A month or two later Brian had a dream of himself and Robin at Bethel Church. In the dream we were in the sanctuary near the front with our arms wrapped around each others sides and crying with joy. Brian did feel led to tell Robin about this, but Robin thought perhaps it was just a dream of hope that one day we might visit.
Before we felt the call to ministry school, we felt God asking us to sell our house. We didn't know that God was preparing us to leave, we only knew that God was asking us to not have a mortgage. Several months after Brian's previously mentioned dream of Brian and Robin in the Bethel Church sanctuary, Robin was having some time alone and asked God, "Where are we going to go when this house sells?" God responded clearly:
"You're going to Bethel"
"What? In Redding?"
"Yes"
"What if we don't go? What if I say no?"
"You are the one watching the story of Jonah with Hailee this week; what happened to him when he disobeyed?"
*Robin's jaw dropped*
"So what, are we going to get eaten by a whale?"
"No, because I know you will be obedient."
"It's true, if we are supposed to go, Lord, you know we will"
Robin paused for a minute while everything was buzzing through her head.
"Well, do I tell Brian this?"
"Not yet"
"When?"
"You will know; he will ask you."
Sure enough an hour or so later Brian asked Robin what was on her mind and she told him everything. We started filling out the application immediately. Later in the week we received several more confirmations from the Lord through family and friends, so we knew we were at least supposed to apply. It is a very rigorous application process with a long, large question form and then three separate recommendations, and then a phone or Skype interview. At first there were no interviews available for almost a month, however we checked back again and one had opened up for two days later! We scheduled that one and Brian had a wonderful interview with one of the men on the acceptance team for the school. He said Brian was a wonderful fit and he would receive an acceptance letter in the next few days, which he did! God had made his will known, but as Gideon requested of God to give him a second sign in making the fleece dry and covering the ground in dew, we wanted to know for certain that we were hearing clearly that we were to attend ministry school. There was the issue of the mortage. In the recent housing market, it would take God's intervention to sell our house. God declared His will by selling our home six (yes…SIX!) days after it was listed for an above full price offer to the first person who viewed the house. We closed June 7th and my parents graciously allowed us to stay with them until we leave. We are thrilled and confirmed and that has brought us to where we are today.
Now we will tell you more about the school:
The Bethel School of Supernatural Ministry began in 1998 with 36 students and has now increased to 1200 students. Offering the possibility of three years, the first year is comprised of Biblical study, discipleship, and hands-on ministry training. The second year focuses on vocational ministry such as pastoring, evangelism, counseling, or worship. The third year is an internship under the pastors at the church.
We are very excited about the adventure that lies ahead for our family. We have been so impacted by God’s great love and power that we want to serve God in transforming other people’s lives, too. You play a vital role in helping us respond to God’s calling on our lives. There are so many things you can do to help sustain us and be a part of this journey with us. The school is full-time, however Brian is seeking contract/part time work, and Robin will likely work as well. We most of all desire your prayers, encouragement, and phone-calls. If you are able, we would also appreciate your consideration of an offering to assist us in meeting our tuition, housing and basic living expenses. We estimate these basic expenses to be about $30,000. If you feel led to contribute, donations can be sent to our church, or to us at the addresses below.
We look forward to sharing our journey, testimonies, and other updates. Please keep checking back here. Also please feel free to email us if you would like to get in touch with us.
Thanks again so much for your support. Please feel free to contact us by phone or email with any questions you might have. You can find out more about the school here http://www.ibethel.org/bethel-school-of-supernatural-ministry
Love in Christ,
The Walker family
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