Sign In Sign-Up

V. The History of the Full Gospel Fellowship of Pastors and Churches

Back to the Table of Contents ......... Back to "Living in the River"
Webster defines fellowship as "mutual association of people on equal and friendly terms." The Greek word "koinonia" is translated "fellowship" in most translations of the New Testament. W.E. Vine says it means (a) communion, fellowship, sharing in common (from koinos, common). It is translated "communion" in 1 Corinthians 10:16; (2), that which is the outcome of fellowship, a contribution (Romans 15:26; 2 Corinthians 8:4). The Greek word "metoche", partnership, is translated "fellowship" in 2 Corinthians 6:14. In the LXX, Psalm 122:3, "Jerusalem is built as a city whose fellowship is complete." This word seems to have a more restricted sense than koinonia. Koinonos denotes a partaker or partner (akin to No. 1); in 1 Corinthians 10:20 it is used with ginomai, to become, "that ye should have communion with (RV) ... that ye should have fellowship with" (AV).
Prior to coming to Belle Vernon I spent most of my years in ministry in a major Pentecostal denomination. Suddenly I found myself virtually alone and void of fellowship with other ministers. There were a number of charismatic churches in our area, but none of the pastors reached out to welcome me into the valley. Consequently, I spent the first four or five years doing what I felt God had sent me to do, but doing it alone.
Finally, in the early 1980's contacts were made and a small group of local pastors began meeting at a local Howard Johnson's restaurant once a month for breakfast and fellowship. This became a precious time as I got to know other men of God and began to become acquainted with their particular giftings and callings. These times of fellowship led to our conducting joint services on Good Friday and New Year's Eve.
In the mid-1980's we began to meet for fellowship on the second Wednesday of each month. The meetings began at 9:00 a.m. and lasted until 10:30 a.m. However, one major problem continued hindering the fellowship of the brethren. I am not sure if the problem is unique to southwestern Pennsylvania or, if in fact, it is a problem everywhere. Our local churches seemed to have revolving doors on them. There did not seem to be a sense of commitment or belonging in the hearts of many church goers and they just "floated" from church to church as often as they wished. The Lord revealed that this was due to the fact that the pastors always welcomed them with open arms instead of inquiring as to why they left their former church. In fact, they were often given jobs in the new church as a means of keeping them.
In late 1989 we were in one of our fellowship meetings when Pastor Joe Burgan shared a testimony of how pastors in the Pittsburgh area were meeting together for prayer. It was suggested that we begin doing the same. It was discussed and finally agreed upon that we would meet at 6:30 every Thursday morning for prayer. These private times of prayer for pastors have proven to be a great blessing and source of strength, unity and healing. As we entered into our sixth year of Thursday morning prayer times, we opened the door for our wives to attend with us. This has become a blessing to us as well as to them.
Covenant seemed to be a central location, so I offered to host the prayer meetings. The prayer time usually lasts until 7:30 a.m. Following prayer we go to the fellowship hall and share some refreshment and fellowship before leaving at approximately 8:30 a.m. to begin the rest of our day of ministry.
While in West Virginia for the Christmas holidays in 1994, the Lord awakened me and whispered, "Gather my people together for a season of solemn assembly." I returned home and shared this with my fellow pastors. In mid-January we began a series of nightly gatherings. The pastors took turns sharing the Word. Night after night the auditorium was filled with men and women who had come together in obedience to the Word of the Lord. The meetings continued for twenty-one consecutive nights. Something began to happen in our fellowship times. A sense of caring, belonging and oneness was birthed. The doors were opened for other pastors to become involved in our prayer and fellowship times. At one time the group grew from the original ten pastors to over twenty. God marvelously began to do a number of exciting things in our midst.
The first thing we addressed was the problem of "church hopping". We all agreed that it had to be stopped. A verbal agreement was reached. We would notify a fellow pastor if someone from his congregation attended our services if their church was in service at the time. After the second time, we would speak to the person or persons and ask them if there was a problem with their pastor or their church. If there was a problem, we would advise them to seek a solution and have healing ministered so that the "spiritual leaven" would not be brought into the second congregation. This has virtually ended the revolving door problem. Word among some of the area disgruntled is that they now have to leave the valley to find another church because all of the pastors have closed the door to church-hopping. HALLELUJAH!
A second blessing that came out of the solemn assembly gathering was the creation of a monthly Valley Rally. We would meet on the last Saturday night of each month for a special corporate gathering of all the congregations. Each pastor took a turn in hosting a rally. He would be responsible for securing a speaker, arranging special music, and receiving, counting and delivering the offering to a pastor who served as fellowship treasurer. The rallies continued for over two years. As of this date, we have returned to the original Good Friday and New Year's Eve gatherings.
The formation of the "Fellowship of Full Gospel Pastors and Churches" is another blessing provided by the solemn assembly. A certificate was given to each pastor to visibly display in the church foyer to announce the participation of both the pastor and the congregation in this unified effort to gather the Pentecostal/charismatic believers together in love, grace, unity and vision. A copy of the certificate has been included to give further details. (see article 5.1 in appendix II)
A fourth blessing that came out of SOLEMN ASSEMBLY I was the idea for a secondary school of Christian Education for those who desire to further their studies in the Word of God. This has resulted in the birthing of MON VALLEY BIBLE INSTITUTE.
I wish that I could report that our fellowship of pastors is perfect and without areas of need. However, knowing that the treasure is in clay vessels, I must report that not all of the pastors have remained in fellowship with us. For one reason or another, some have determined that they are more comfortable remaining at "arms-length". In this morning's prayer and fellowship time, five local congregations were represented. This figure represents approximately 50% of those who were here at the beginning. I thank God for what He has done, is doing and will continue to do. Remembering that it is "His church", and that He is building it; I simply stand and give Him all the glory for what He is doing.

Back to the Table of Contents ......... Back to "Living in the River"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

VI. The History of Mon Valley Bible Institute

Back to the Table of Contents ........ Back to "Living in the River"
One of my the deep desires in my heart has always been to provide a vehicle of learning for those who truly want to study the Word of God. For years the Lord has directed me in placing books and study tools into the hands of those who wish to go beyond where most Christians normally stop in their learning and study. My heart is especially sensitive to young ministers. I honestly believe this is because I did not have someone like this in my early life. In an earlier chapter, I shared the hurting words of my pastor: "God has not called you to the ministry!" Thirty-eight years later, I can still say, " He did call me! I did pursue the right path."
As the fellowship of pastors continued, we found ourselves beginning to talk about the possibility of birthing a school of ministry. When this subject was brought up, something in my spirit would leap, and I would discover an excitement rising up in me that I had not felt in years. Was it truly possible? Could we, in this economically depressed part of the vineyard, really believe God would allow us to bring it to pass?
After one of our Thursday morning prayer times, we went into the fellowship hall for some refreshment and fellowship. Again, we discussed developing a training center for Bible instruction. I had always felt it should be some kind of "faith-school" and that we should be content to just provide Bible knowledge and instruction. However, on this particular Thursday the conversation turned to the possibility of providing instruction that could earn college accreditation for the work done. At that point, I drew back and publicly disqualified myself as an instructor. After all, I had only attended a three-year Bible Institute and did not have the necessary academic credentials to teach in an accredited school.
I remembered being asked to teach in the West African School of Theology in Lome, to go a number of years ago, but the invitation had been withdrawn because I did not have a Masters Degree. I was determined not to be embarrassed again! When I disqualified myself, one of the other pastors at the table spoke and said, "If you are not qualified to teach in this school, no one is!" However, I was firm in my statement and left the fellowship meeting feeling that someone else would have to lead and teach in this venture. I came before the Lord and wept over what I felt was my lack of credentials.
Seeing my tears and knowing the desire of my heart, the Lord began moving in a way that would allow Him to get what He was after. God wanted a school of religious instruction in this area of southwestern Pennsylvania ... and what God wants, God gets! John Custer, one of our beloved pastors, knew a woman who had given her life to birthing colleges and helping groups like ours to realize the will of God. Her name is Dr. Eva Boyd Evans. She pastors Cornerstone Church in Fairfax, Virginia, and is also the academic dean of Cornerstone Bible College and Graduate School in the same city. He mentioned that he would like to invite Dr. Evans to come to our area and meet with us for a serious time of questions and answers about the possibility of bringing our vision to reality.
We agreed, and Dr. Evans came to us for a special informational meeting. I had never met her before, but she knew me when I came into the room. The meeting lasted for about ninety minutes. At the close she said she had a word from the Lord for me. Dr. Evans, whom I had never met before, simply confirmed what the Lord had already spoken. He had called me to this place, for this time, and that He had brought me to a place of leadership in the Body of Christ. Neither Pastor Custer nor I had told her that during the first Solemn Assembly that the pastors had set me in order as an apostle to the Body of Christ. I am not impressed with titles but was keenly aware that the function of an apostle had been ongoing for several years. God had already taught me that ministry was not title or position, but function. In the early Church (c. 33 A.D.) "minister" was used as a verb, an action word. The word "minister" is intimately connected in meaning with that of the word "ministry". Thus, all Christians in the early Church had a ministry of actively, dutifully, functionally and effectively working for the Lord and His people. Today "minister" is no longer used as an action word, but as a noun, to name a person, place, or thing.
A very quick bonding took place between Dr. Evans and my wife and me. We became friends in a matter of days rather than the months or years it usually takes. I shared my fears and embarrassment over not having continued my education to have received the necessary degrees to qualify me, in the minds of the academic world, to build and lead a Bible College. She asked me to prepare a petition for life standing credit. Two months and thirty- eight pages later, I handed it to her for evaluation. I took the necessary courses, had my transcripts forwarded from Valley Forge Christian College, and became a student at Cornerstone Bible College and Graduate School. I submitted myself to a strong academic committee for life-standing evaluation and began journeying down the road to earning the necessary degrees. I was on my way to the place where spiritual life and academic attainment could be married with the objective of producing the offspring of an accredited spiritual Bible College.
To date, I have a Bachelor of Biblical Studies degree, Master of Theological Studies degree and a Master of Divinity degree. With the completion of this project, I will be receiving a Doctor of Ministry degree. It has been a long, hard and expensive road. However, the value and benefit of providing a strong spiritual and academic curriculum for our students will more than compensate for the effort. Once I had compiled sufficient credentials, we were ready to outline our curriculum.
A committee of pastors met with Dr. Evans for the explicit purpose of getting started. She quickly helped us to arrange an order of necessary things to get done. First on the list was the choosing of a name for our school. The name decided upon was "Mon Valley Bible Institute". MVBI has quickly become known among the Christian community in our area. The second item on the agenda was the selection of executive officers. I was asked to serve as President. John Custer was asked to serve the dual capacities of Vice President and Registrar. Dr. Eva Evans agreed to become our Academic Dean, provided I serve as her Academic Dean pro tem. Don Anders, the pastor of Greener Pastures Christian Fellowship, serves as our Dean of Students.
We applied to the state of Pennsylvania for all necessary requirements to start a Bible College. A few weeks later we received a large packet of official materials from the Secretary of Education for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The Secretary informed us that it would be virtually impossible to begin a college in the state of Pennsylvania. The state requirements are very stringent. They had sent us a stack of papers over 1/4" thick. We were stopped on the very first page. Requirement # 1 read, "The state of Pennsylvania requires that any person or persons attempting to start a college within the commonwealth shall have a minimum of $500,000.00 in unencumbered funds in deposit in a licensed financial institution in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania."
The executive committee met and realized that the state had virtually stopped us dead in the water. However, knowing that man cannot stop the plans and purposes of God, we took a step back and waited for the Lord to redirect our steps. We contacted Dr. Evans once again. She agreed to come to the Valley and meet with the executive committee to re-structure our plans. We decided that all of our credits would be given through Cornerstone Bible College and Graduate School and that our name would reflect that we were a Bible Institute and not a Bible college. This satisfied the commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the executive board, and, most of all, the Lord. It was to be full speed ahead!
With Dr. Evans serving as our academic dean, she would be in a position to help create the curriculum that would ensure acceptance by Cornerstone Bible College in Fairfax. Her input has been invaluable. She has also become a member of our faculty, and has taught two courses in our first two years of existence. Her first course was on "Blood Covenant" and her second one dealt with "Spiritual Warfare". She has agreed to return for another course in the fall.
There is a Yiddish proverb that says, "Life is a dance. If you are smart, you learn the steps." We knew very quickly that if we were going to get God's job done in God's way, we would have to look to someone that knew how to do it! Dr. Evans did. We looked. We asked. We hoped and prayed! And she responded! And guess what ... we are learning to dance the college dance! We look like a college. We feel like a college. And we are functioning like a college. Someone has said, "If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck ... it probably is a duck." At this point we only have three classrooms, a small library of less than a thousand books, and less than seventy-five students and faculty, but we are a Bible College. God said it would be, and it is!
Since we would initially be a part time school, it was decided that classes would be held on Tuesday evenings. First class begins at 6:15 p.m. and ends at 7:45 p.m. Second period begins at 8:00 p.m. and ends at 9:30 p.m. In our first semester, Systematic Theology I was taught by Rev. John Custer. I taught a course on Biblical Hermeneutics in the second period. We had approximately fifty students our first semester. About fifteen were taking courses for college credit. The rest were auditors. We have since had courses on The Book of Hebrews; First Principles I & II; Systematic Theology II; Spiritual Warfare; Praise & Worship; Eschatology; Pneumatology; The Revelation of God's Eternal Purpose; Basic English Grammar; Nouthetic Counseling; Church History; and Old Testament Survey I.

Mon Valley Bible Institute Faculty
I thank the Lord for bringing a wonderful group of men and women together to form the faculty of Mon Valley Bible Institute. We seem to be growing each semester. Among those on staff at this time are:
Don Anders, Greener Pastures Christian Fellowship
Reed Anders, Associate Pastor, Greener Pastures Christian Fellowship
Dr. James Ash, Pastor, First Baptist Church of Monongahela
Alan Assad, M.A., Art Institute of Pittsburgh
Joseph Burgan, Pastor, Higher Ground Full Gospel Church
John Custer, B.S., Pastor, The Orchard Christian Fellowship
Frank J. DePolo, M.T.S., M. Div., Pastor, Covenant Christian Church
Dr. Eva Boyd Evans, Pastor, Cornerstone Church
D. Kevin Jones, Associate Pastor, Covenant Christian Church
William Lusk, Pastor, Nottingham Christian Center
D. W. Norton, Pastor, Olive Branch Baptist Church, Rostraver Township
Kathleen Pallo, B.S., English Teacher, Belle Vernon Area School District
Linda Spencer, M.S., Principal, Weirton, WV School District
We have a good mixture of pastors and educators on our faculty. Those pastors who do not hold degrees in any particular field are being encouraged to move forward in their own academic achievements. Several are beginning to move in that direction.

Facilities
Another area that needed to be addressed concerned the campus for our school. We began in the fellowship hall of Riverside Tabernacle Church in Monongahela, PA. The congregation at Riverside had constructed a lovely new fellowship hall, and they graciously allowed us to temporarily use their facility to launch our historic beginning. The Valley Independent, our local newspaper, reported that "A unique learning experience will kick off September 17 in the Mid-Mon Valley when a new type of college will start classes. The Mon Valley Bible Institute will begin fall semester that evening, offering students the opportunity to earn college credits in courses vital to their religious well-being. Classes may also be taken on a non-credit basis (audit).
The institute was borne through the efforts of the pastors who comprise the Mon Valley Full Gospel Fellowship of Pastors and Churches, a group of 23 pastors from 18 churches who have met for prayer early every Thursday morning for more than six years. The group initially gathered local congregations together on the first Saturday of each
month for a Valley Rally, which will be held this evening at the Christian Assembly of God Church in Bentleyville." (see article 6.1 in appendix II)
We conducted our first two semesters in the fellowship hall of Riverside Tabernacle. Our third semester moved to the fellowship hall of The Orchard Christian Fellowship in Monessen. Our Vice-President and Registrar pastors this lovely congregation, who, like Riverside Tabernacle, opened their arms and their doors and welcomed us. Our evenings spent at both Riverside Tabernacle and The Orchard Fellowship will forever remain in our memories. As I sat back and observed some of the classes, the looks of excitement and interest on the faces of the students made it very evident that we had truly heard from the Lord. (see article 6.2 in appendix II)
Early in our preliminary discussions Dr. Evans communicated a truth to those of us who served as the executive committee, that has remained with me. She said: "Gentlemen, don't ask me to explain how or why, but a proven fact is that those pastors who give themselves to providing on-going education on a college level, as you are about to begin doing, have discovered that in the process their local congregations have experienced constant growth." Her words became prophetic. Pastor John Custer reported that sudden growth began to take place at the Orchard Fellowship for no apparent reason. He said they were doing nothing different than before, were not involved in any type of growth or enlargement effort, yet new people began attending at virtually every gathering. He was not alone in his observation.
Pastor Don Anders also reported that Riverside Tabernacle also had begun to experience growth in virtually every area of the church. Attendance was up. New people were attending. Finances were up. A spirit of revival and renewal was beginning to take place.
At Covenant we were also experiencing growth, renewal and blessing. New families began to attend our services. Finances increased by as much as 40 percent. In fact, the pastor even got a small raise!

Needed: A Permanent Home
One thing that continued to make a cry and a plea in my spirit was to trust in God to provide a permanent home for our school. We had gone to look at a church facility in Monessen that was being sold by the Presbyterian Red Stone Presbytery. It was a beautiful, colonial-style brick structure that seemed to have all the necessary space. It even had a gymnasium. However, after prayer and much discussion, the brethren in the fellowship did not seem to want to move on it. I simply said, "Lord that means you have something else for us." My heart continued to wait for the Lord.
And then it happened! I learned that the gentleman who owned the building adjacent to our church building was contemplating selling. He operated a produce business from the basement and leased the main floor to an antique shop. I told the Lord that if this were to become a reality, He would have to close down two businesses and provide the finances for our small church to build a campus, since it seemed that the pastors in our fellowship did not want to commit to a joint project. Philip Randall, the owner of the 34 Main Street property called and asked if we were interested in the building. He was, indeed, going to sell. Almost fifteen years earlier, I had asked him to give the church the first right of refusal if he ever decided to sell. I walked through the building with him, keeping my spirit open to the Lord all the while. Years earlier I had attended real estate school in Florida and knew that a single dollar would hold the property for us! When our tour was over, I reached into my pocket and took out a dollar bill, which I put in his shirt pocket with the words, "We want the building." He chuckled and agreed.
I now had to believe in God for the additional $44,999. The project was presented to the congregation, and the next thirty days were spent raising funds. At the end of that period we had $22,500. I then placed a small note in The Cornerstone, our weekly bulletin, asking if there were two families who could loan the Lord $22,000 for twenty-four months at the current interest rate. Two of our families responded. One brought $10,000, and the second brought $12,000. In three months the entire debt will repaid! To God be the glory! In late August of 1996, we met at the attorney's office and closed the real estate transaction. A check for $45,000 was written to Mr. Randall. When we left the office, we were the new owners of 34 Main Street, the future home of Mon Valley Bible Institute. Tragically, Mr. Randall died in mid-December. If we had not acted when we did, if I had not placed that single dollar bill in his pocket, and most of all, if we had not trusted God, we would have lost the property. Another interested party had offered Mr. Randall $10,000 more than we had paid. He informed them that the minister wanted it and that he had given his word. If we had waited, the estate would have sold it to the highest bidder, rather than to the Lord. Again, we saw the faithfulness of the Lord.
We now owned a building that would have to be completely gutted and then rebuilt to accommodate a college. In the natural all would have to wait, due to lack of funds. Our treasury was drained! On top of that, we would have to begin repaying the $22,000 to the two families who loaned us the money. Payment was set up on an amortization schedule, and our obligations totaled $1,000 per month. I really had no intention of beginning construction until the debt had been repaid, but again, the Lord proved that His ways are not our ways, and that His ways are beyond our mortal understanding.
Brother David Staley, a local godly carpenter, had begun attending The Coffeebreak Bible Class on Friday morning. I began to discuss with him the various possibilities that 34 Main Street held. We walked through the facility and I shared what I saw in my spirit. I showed him where I felt the bookstore, library, restrooms and main classroom should be. He seemed to have a connection with my spirit and was able to see what I saw. He thought our first step should be to cut through the wall and join the two buildings together. The following Friday, he requested we begin the next Monday. He said, "I want to donate my time to help join the buildings together." I will never forget the first morning of work. We later discovered that the two adjacent walls were constructed of 26 inches of brick and stone. It took several days! During the process, I injured my shoulder, causing me pain which continued for four months. However, we continued work daily. After several weeks, the two buildings were joined, a new ramp had been installed, and we were beginning to set some walls.
Brother Dave showed no signs of stopping, so we continued to build. Finally, I told him that, since building was what he did for a living, I wanted him to keep track of his hours. The laborer was worthy of his hire. I began to share our excitement with the congregation. At offering time I would urge them to do what they could, knowing that if we do what we can, God will do what we can't. They did ... and He has! In just nine months, we were able to complete the project. A number of pictures are included in the Appendix to show some aspects of the construction work. We now have three large classrooms, a library, a book room, offices and restrooms. (see figures 6.1, 6.2 and 6.3 in appendix I)
In order to complete the entire project, we went into the 32 Main Street Building and constructed a large classroom that would accommodate approximately fifty students. This is now classroom #2. This new addition is directly above our existing fellowship hall, where the weekly Coffeebreak Bible Class meets on Friday mornings. We also constructed a new set of stairs that would allow entrance to MVBI from the rear parking lot. This part of the project came about as a last minute afterthought, but it fit so perfectly into the architectural design that one would not believe it had not been part of the original plans. Having accomplished three major building programs during my thirty-seven years in ministry, I now can see why I "felt" led to take two years of mechanical drawing in high school. I can still hear my high school teacher, Mr. Griffin, ask me why I was enrolled in wood shop and mechanical drawing classes if I had intentions of entering the ministry. I look back on these three projects and realize that we have never had to hire an architect. Truly, the Lord is faithful to His plan and purpose for our lives.
In a recent class on the subject of angels, given by Dr. Eva Evans, at the Pentagon, she said: "There will be times when God will dispatch an angel to come and whisper revelation in your ear while you are asleep. When you awake, you will discover that you suddenly have an answer or solution to a problem, know how to do something that you had not previously been able to do, or simply be in possession of the Father's will in a way not previously known or understood..." I simply awoke one morning and shared a sudden revelation with my brother and builder, David Staley. I told him that we should construct a set of stairs in the building, and the particular place where they should be located. After looking at the possibility and then finally constructing them, his evaluation was that it would have been almost "sinful" not to have designed the new stairs in the facility. This may seem trivial, but it again proves that the Lord is concerned that we do all in accordance with His plans. He sees and reveals the need for excellence, even in the small things.

Dedication Day
After nine months of continuous hard work we were finally ready to dedicate our new campus to the Lord. Dedication day was set for August 31, 1997. A number of special guests joined us for the festivities. Among those in attendance were the President of Cornerstone Bible College and Graduate school; Elder Carl Fuetsch and his wife Liz; Elder Ron DuPrey and his wife Donna; Dr. Eva Evans, Pastor of Cornerstone Church and Academic Dean of Cornerstone Bible College and Graduate School; my parents, Rev. & Mrs. John DePolo; Mr. J. E. (Ted) Kuhn, secretary of the Municipal Authority of the Borough of Belle Vernon, and a wonderful group of men and women from the Mon Valley, as well as individuals from the various congregations that comprise the Full Gospel Fellowship of Pastors and Churches.
Elder Carl Fuetsch gave the dedicatory Scripture and message; Dr. Evans and my wife Becky cut the ribbon; and Mon Valley Bible Institute was officially opened! As men and women began touring the facility, my heart began to sing! I rejoiced in the fact that we were able to present a finished product to the Lord. He spoke it! He ordered its construction. He
even took the time to tell us where to put a set of stairs. And now it was completed!
(see figures 6.4, 6.5 and 6.6 in appendix I)
As I mentioned earlier, I became keenly aware of an important insight during our dedication ceremonies. A manifestation of a thought or revelation of God is no more real when manifested than it is when it is just a thought in His mind. As I walked through the facility and listened to the many and varied comments of those who were seeing it for the first time, I became aware that my level of excitement was no greater now that the project was finished than it had been when it was first revealed to my spirit. In fact, I think my level of exuberance and excitement was even greater at the beginning than at completion. One explanation for this may well be that, at completion, I was totally exhausted. Horace Bushnell said, "God has a definite life-plan for every person, girding him, visibly or invisibly for some exact thing which it will be the true significance and glory of his life to have accomplished." I truly feel that the birthing of Mon Valley Bible Institute is one part of God's ordained plan for my life. Many times during these past twenty-three years, I have asked God the "Why", "Wherefore" and "How long" of Habbakkuk in reference to my remaining in this corner of southwestern Pennsylvania. As I have taken the time to deeply reflect on these past years while preparing this work, I must conclude that Joseph and Jesus both spoke words that would express what I feel deeply within. Jesus said to Pilate, "For this cause was I born, and for this cause came I into the world" . Joseph, when talking with his brothers after the reunion, said, "Fear not; for I am in the place of God". If there is one thing of which I am sure, it is that God sent me to the Mon Valley. He planned it. He ordered it. I am so grateful that I obeyed Him! (see figures 6.7 and 6.8 in appendix I)

The Future of Mon Valley Bible Institute
As we now prepare to begin our second year of classes at our permanent campus, I can see only good things for our future. In the prayer of dedication that I lifted to the Lord, I had said, "...for the preparing of men and women to more effectively serve You, we dedicate this campus. For the continuous teaching and sharing of God's eternal Word, we dedicate this campus. For the bringing of men and women into God's plan and purpose for their lives, we dedicate this campus. And most of all, for the honor and glory of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, we dedicate this campus..."
Our faculty is growing. A second Baptist brother has become part of our staff. For the fall semester, Dr. James Ash, Pastor of First Baptist Church of Monongahela, Pennsylvania will join our staff. He will be teaching a course on "Christian Apologetics". Rev. D. W. Norton, Pastor of Olive Branch Baptist Church recently taught a course on "Witnessing and Evangelism".
We have added a second night of classes this fall also. Last year, classes met on Tuesdays at 6:15 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. Now we will offer a Thursday evening class at 7:00 p.m. This will give students working toward a degree the ability to earn up to nine credits each semester. On September 22, 1998 we will conduct our first graduation exercise. At this time it appears that five students will be receiving degrees at one level or another.
I feel that the Lord has ordained MVBI at this place for this time in the history of our world. We stand as a Biblical beacon of light, offering help and hope to all who will come to us. For His children from all walks of life, all religious backgrounds, and all stations in life, we stand ready to assist, guide and encourage everyone to pursue God's plan for their destiny. Our motto says it all: "Equipping the saints ... to build the body ... to complete the task."

Back to the Table of Contents ......... Back to "Living in the River"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

VII. The River Still Flows North

Back to the Table of Contents ......... Back to "Living in the River"
As you have traveled with me from Simpson Creek, the small tributary that flows into the West Fork which, in turn, flows into the Monongahela River, I have attempted to see, show and explain to you God's purpose for giving me life. From my birth, to my youth, to my adult life, I, like this ancient river have been continuously moving NORTH. Again I emphasize the spiritualizing of all that the river and its direction of flow signify. I reiterate the parallel in this natural river with the spiritual river that Jesus spoke of when He said "out of your belly [inner man] shall flow rivers of living water. This spake He", said John, "of the Holy Spirit who was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified [had not yet ascended]." As an intensive study of the Word reveals, Heaven, the place of God's dwelling, is quite probably in the north.
My connection between the Monongahela River and the River of the Spirit is quite obvious. The Monongahela flows north to join the Allegheny, and together they form the Ohio River. The Ohio ultimately flows into the mighty Mississippi, which, in turn, flows into the Gulf of Mexico. Always moving to an even larger and fuller body of water, the tiny tributary of my birth has been, and continues to be, constantly flowing to largeness and fullness.
In 1953, when the Lord graciously filled me with His Holy Spirit, the flow north began. With each passing year, I became more aware that there was always more to be seen, experienced and known. Now in 1998, I sit and ponder God's ways with me, and I have suddenly discovered that the River of the Spirit is flowing today in a more powerful and plentiful capacity than ever before. His Word is given in greater understanding and illumination than in earlier years. The anointing of His Spirit has been given in a measure that I have never known before. To make this point in my teachings, I have often used the illustration of the thimble to describe the fullness of the Holy Spirit. Take a thimble down to the river and fill it to capacity. If it could talk, it would express the joy of fullness, the feeling of having all that there is, and the excitement that it has reached its maximum capacity of fullness. Then try to explain to the tiny thimble how much more water there is in the river in relationship to how much it has received. A quick mental picture of the vast quantity not yet experienced can easily be seen. The thimble would probably never be able to realize how much water there really is. Apply that to our lives. We have received His Spirit. Many currently feel that they "have it all" now, because they have been baptized in the Holy Spirit.
Only God, Himself, can make us know how much more there is. I do not believe we will ever reach the end of this mighty River. We can continue flowing north toward the throne of God and, ultimately, enter into the presence of Him who sits on the throne. Even then, we will not exhaust all that He is! Throughout the endless aeons of eternity, we shall ever be entering new experiences and revelations of the great and mighty God who, in His infinite love, sent the Holy Spirit to lead, guide and instruct us, as we move from creek to stream to river to ocean of His eternal fullness.
We are living in an hour when the River of God seems to be a recurring theme in song and sermon. Truly He is flowing in great torrential power and current today. Revival seems to have been replaced with renewal. Visitation has seemingly moved deeper until it is becoming habitation; God is dwelling in the midst of His people. God is calling us to enter the larger river of the Spirit and to keep ever moving toward Him and His throne.
Some have been in the shallows for so long that they now feel no need to move out into the current where the Spirit is moving in fullness. Others have been in the desert for so long that they no longer feel a need for the River of God. I am reminded of the men of Jericho as they came to Elisha and asked him to help them. The men said, "The situation of this city is pleasant, but the water is nought and the ground is barren...". It is time to get to the River. It is time to seek after the fullness of the Holy Spirit so that the soil of our lives can become fruitful and not barren. The Bible reveals that the Church was born in the moving of the Holy Spirit. I personally feel that what became necessary for our birth remains necessary for our maintenance and for our continuance. Modern elaborate buildings, large crowds, great finances, and charismatic personalities are not enough to get the job done in this hour. As we approach a new century, we must enter into the full flowing of the mighty River of God, the fullness of the Holy Spirit. Anything less will doom our efforts to failure! THE RIVER IS FLOWING NORTH! Launch out into the deep ... let the shoreline go! "And the Spirit and the bride say, come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely."

Bibliography
Alcock, Katherine, Walking With God, Hodder and Stoughton, 1887.

Bainton, Roland H., The Church Of Our Fathers, The Westminster Press.

Barbour, G. F., The Life Of Alexander Whyte, New York: George H. Doran
Company, 1925.

Belle Vernon Area Sesquicentennial Official Souvenir Book, 1964.

Belle Vernon Borough Ordinance Book Ordinance #1, 1884.

Bessell, Richard, The Monongahela, Erwin and Company.

Bicket, Zenas J.; Carlson, G. Raymond; Zimmerman, T. F., And He Gave Pastors, Missouri: Gospel Publishing House, 1979.

Brooks, Phillips, Yale University: Lyman Beecher Lectures On Preaching, 1877.

Brown, Elijah P., The Real Billy Sunday, the Otterbein Press, 1914.

"Coming Meetings At Faith Temple," Waves of Truth From The Open Bible, Petersburg, Florida: Faith Temple Publishing, 1963.

Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Department of Education, Harrisburg, PA.

"Covenant Christian Church dedication is set for Sunday," Herald-Standard, Friday, June 10, 1983.

Cruden, Alexander, Cruden's Dictionary of Biblical Terms, Michigan: Baker Book House, 1958.

Dake, Finis Jennings, God's Plan for Man", Lawrenceville, Georgia: Dake Bible Sales, Inc., 1967.

Damazio, Frank, The Making Of A Leader, Bible Temple Publishing, 1988.

Day, Richard Ellsworth, The Shadow of The Broadbrim, Judson Press, 1857.

Dedication Service, Mon Valley Bible Institute, August 31, 1997.

DePolo, Frank J., Rivers Of Living Water, Covenant Christian Press, 1997.

------- "Summer Report", Vista Magazine, Christian Church Of North America, 1961.

"DePolo's honored by congregation," Tribune Review, October, 19, 1996.

Eckert, Allan, W., Wilderness Empire, New York: Bantam Doubleday Dell Publishing
Company, 1989.

------The Frontiersmen, New York: Bantam Doubleday Dell Publishing Company, 1967.

-----Twilight Of Empire, New York: Bantam Doubleday Dell Publishing Company, 1989.

-----The Wilderness War, New York: Bantam Doubleday Dell Publishing Company, 1978.

-------Gateway To Empire, New York: Bantam Doubleday Dell Publishing Company, 1983.

-------The Conquerors, New York: Bantam Doubleday Dell Publishing Company, 1980.

Evans, Eva Boyd, Ph.D., Lecture: Doubly Camped, Washington D.C., 1997.

------- Executive Committee Meeting, Belle Vernon, PA., July 1996.

Foster, Debbie, "A verse in their hearts...," Valley Independent, September, 1996/

Http://www.irp.usace.army.mil/nav/monback.htm, 1998.

Jacobus, Melancthon, W., Jacobus' Notes on the New Testament, New York: Robert Carter and Brothers, 1860.

Lim, David, Spiritual Gifts, Springfield, Missouri: Gospel Publishing House, 1991.

Lorant, Stefan, Pittsburgh, The Story of an American City, United States of America: Missouri, Gospel Publishing House, 1979.

Luchetti, Cathy, Under God's Spell, San Diego, New York and London: Harcourt Brace Publishers, 1989.

"Dedication of Educational Unit," Pentecostal Evangel, 1969.

Shipley, Joseph T., Dictionary of Word Origins, United States: Barnes and Noble Books, 1945.

Sommer, Elyse, Metaphors Dictionary, Invisible Ink Press.

Stanphil, Ira, Hymns Of Praise, Follow Me, Missouri: Gospel Publishing House, 1959.

Stephens, Sylvester, K., Exploring Pennsylvania, Harcourt, Brace and World.

The Holy Bible, American Standard Version, Texas: Star Bible Publishing, Inc., 1901.

-------King James Version, Iowa: Riverside Book and Bible House.

-------New King James Version, Thomas Nelson, Inc., 1979.

The New Testament from 26 Translations, Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1967

Turabian, Kate L., A Manual For Writers, Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 1967.

Turnbull, Ralph, A Minister's Obstacles, Fleming H. Revell, 1959.

Vine, W. E., Expository Dictionary Of New Testament Words, New Jersey: Fleming H. Revell Company, 1966.

Warnock, George, Feed My Sheep", Columbia, South America, 1994.=

Websters Twentieth-Century Dictionary, Edition, 1978.

Williams, Bob, "The Christian Explosion In West Africa," Tribune Review, May 18, 1980.

Vita

Reverend Frank J. DePolo has been the senior pastor of Covenant Christian Church in Belle Vernon for 23 years. He currently serves as president of Mon Valley Bible Institute, also in Belle Vernon. He was twice elected to the Belle Vernon Borough Council. During his five years of service, he spent three years serving as Council president. He worked with the Belle Vernon Area School Board on numerous occasions when counseling is required.
DePolo is a native of West Virginia. He is married to Rebecca Day DePolo of St. Albans, West Virginia, and has two married sons and four grandchildren. His daughter, Heather, resides at home.
He has traveled to West Africa on eight separate occasions to teach and to minister in bible colleges and ministers' seminars. He has also ministered in Haiti and Costa Rica. He has served as a past president and vice president of the Belle Vernon Area Ministerium.
He has written more than 20 Biblical and theological books. He has spent more than 15 years in radio ministry and more than four years in televison ministry. He is currently in his 37th year of ministry.

Back to the Table of Contents ......... Back to "Living in the River"