Change In Worldview, Change In Heart

Written by Elizabeth Harwood, May 6, 2010

“This is the trip I’ve been waiting so long for,” shares Ben, a Nigerian who was discipled by Anthony Petrillo over 20 years ago. Today, Ben is committed to starting a school in Africa that models the guiding principles of TEN3.

Quick—go back to basic arithmetic—what is 3x4? How about 2x6? Because the law of mathematics is certain, the answer to both equations is, of course, 12. Now, imagine you learned arithmetic incorrectly. Imagine whatever was influential in your life during the time you learned arithmetic wasn’t 100% accurate. Because your worldview of math was distorted, you’ve spent most of your life believing 3x4=10, and 2x6=9. How confused would you be, and how much hope would you have for success?

Ben’s testimony is a voice of why youth often feel like there is no hope. “I didn’t understand why the word of God applied to me,” Ben shares. “Because my father was a Pastor, I thought it was their duty, not my concern.” Spiritually, Ben was at the mercy of other influences in his youth, including his own assumptions. “Pastor’s are also often poor,” he continues, “and I wanted to be rich in this world.” Without the knowledge of God’s word regarding what makes someone truly rich, Ben naturally made strong assumptions that wealth was tied only to material possessions. Ben’s worldview concluded that 3x4=10.

“When Anthony arrived in Nigeria,” Ben explains, “he took interest in me, my brother, and my friends. He started a bible study group and then started discipling and mentoring us.

It was a refreshing time for me,” he continues, “with many moments of training and breakthroughs in my life, especially with my personal relationship with God and with others. When my worldview changed, so did my heart, and I was relieved from thinking my only hope for a future is to run away from my calling.” Ben continues, “Soon thereafter, when I heard about the needs in South Africa, I felt called to go. So I did!”

Similar to how Anthony was called from the U.S. to serve in Nigeria, Ben was called from Nigeria to serve in South Africa. There, he embraced the spiritual role of discipleship. However, it wasn’t long before he started to observe the realities of day-to-day life and began to wonder how meeting spiritual needs can unite with physical ones. “It became clear to me,” Ben elaborates, “that discipling people to disciple others spiritually, while also teaching real-life skills to generate honest income, was the need. This is when my burden for a transformational education system synced with TEN3’s.”

And the burden is not limited only to Nigeria. TEN3’s relational history in Africa also goes back 20 years. Ministry leaders in over 20 countries in Africa have expressed an interest in receiving TEN3’s help to disciple the third generation.

For the past two years, TEN3 has been working to develop educational materials requested by African leaders. The 2010 Curriculum for Africa workshops in Nigeria this summer is the venue where the discipleship of these requested materials will begin. These workshops will nurture our ongoing, long-term commitment to developing transformational educational systems. The 2010 Curriculum for Africa workshops is also where Africans like Ben can make the important transition from being burdened by the need to actually implementing a solution.

“Transformational education is the key,” says Ben, “because its approach addresses the physical need without neglecting the spiritual integration to transform minds and subsequently communities. This is especially challenging in the context of African culture,” he continues, “and TEN3 has the commitment, experience, and credibility to teach Africans how to impact the lives of youth in their communities. I am a witness and a testimony to this, and very much look forward to returning to South Africa after attending the 2010 Curriculum for Africa workshops to lead a school that uses TEN3’s model of education” Ben humbly evaluates.

Ben’s story begs us to wonder how many other African brothers and sisters are waiting to find hope. Please continue to pray for Ben as he makes the final preparations to travel to Nigeria for the 2010 Curriculum for Africa workshops and that the many others who would like to attend are able.

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