I am seeing more and more the importance of individual Bible studies in the process of leadership and teacher development. On this trip, I spent much more time than in the past in studies with families and potential leaders, in individual studies and conversations. These individual studies are very encouraging and have great potential for leadership and teacher development. I want to do more of this on future trips.
On the other hand, seminars provide lots of teaching hours and help the churches more quickly. The best use of teaching time is in seminars with preachers and church leaders, because the things I present are then taken to the various local congregations for study and sharing. Consider the impact of three seminar days in Chichi, with 6 hours of seminar each day—18 teaching hours x 25 present = 450 student/hours of instruction. There were between 15 and 20 congregations represented.
At the seminar in the Bible training institute, one day with 6 hours of instruction x 45 present = 270 student/hours of instruction.
The situation should not be seen as an either/or option. It is both/and–both seminars and individual studies.