The Power of Relationships
First I learned to love my teacher. Then I learned to love my teacher’s God, Henrietta Mears once said, referring to the viewpoint of a student who has decided to follow Christ because of his or her teacher.
Relationships are a vital link between unbelievers and the gospel. No one understood this better than Vernie Schorr (now Vernie Love), one of the pioneers of the International School Project in Russia, as well as a key writer of our elementary curriculum. Vernie was instrumental in bringing out what was then a revolutionary approach to the conference strategy – the focus on small group relationships.
Vernie agreed to develop the elementary version of the curriculum and also recruited others. “So I went after my colleagues who were trained in the International Center of Learning,” said Vernie. “This training center had developed a small-group strategy over the past 10 years in the U.S. and Canada. I pulled in as many of them as I could, and we put together the material, both the curriculum and the training (workshop) material, focusing it around the concept of small group teaching and discussion.”
The Moscow Team
Small-group Discussions
It was an unusual idea: many “teachers” (trained delegates) in the workshop, each with their own group of 8-10 “pupils” (teachers attending the conference). Many of the ministry leaders were skeptical to say the least. But the teachers loved talking about the materials and asking questions. Even to this day, when ISP enters new countries, teachers are amazed by this “new” approach to teaching.
A few years ago, several uninvited “guests” attend one of our DreamMaker conferences. When asked why they were attending, they answered, “Well, we are supposed to be in this building for another conference, but it is boring. Then we walked by and saw you all interacting in your small groups and doing fun activities. We wanted to join your conference because it looked like a lot more fun!”
“The success of the small groups depends on the training that the facilitators receive,” Vernie said. “Building relationships was the key. It is the small group facilitator (SGF) who builds the relationship with each teacher.”
Relationships can last for decades
Lena met Ernie on an ISP trip in Tyumen, Siberia, more than 15 years ago, when Ernie came with a group of ISP teachers to conduct a conference. Lena was a student-teacher.
She became a Christian, started going to church, and eventually married the pastor’s son! They migrated to Boston where he was employed as a carpenter and later transferred to Charlotte, North Carolina.
“I’ve kept Ernie’s picture all these years hoping someday to get to High Point, so I could see her again and thank her for coming to Russia,” explained Lena.
“What a tearful happy meeting with Lena, her husband, and their five children!” recalls Ernie when they did finally reconnect. When she asked Lena, “How many people in High Point did you show my picture to before you found someone who knew me.” Her answer stunned me. “She (Martise) was the only person I asked!”
How exciting to catch a glimpse of the many reunions to come when we reach Heaven!
“You can present content at a conference,” said founding ISP Director, Dr. Blair Cook. “But if there isn’t a connection with the people, it just stays in the head. But when you begin to have a connection at the heart level, the actual wrestling with spiritual topics takes place within a small group. I think the Holy Spirit really uses those interactions.”
What about YOU?
You, too, can touch the lives of teachers through small group relationships. Let us know if you would be interested in hearing about future trip opportunities. Click here to fill out the form and we will get back to you.
