Dr Maggie Low taught “OT Exegesis and Preaching” in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam from 28 Nov to 8 Dec 2016. This was the last instalment of eight courses for 31 Vietnamese pastors to complete their MMin degree awarded by TTC, in a special partnership with the Vietnamese Institute of Bible and Theology. The objective of the OT course was to equip the pastors to exegete different genres of the Old Testament, such as narratives, psalms, prophecy, and wisdom literature. Besides submitting exegetical exercises, each of the pastors also had to plan a sermon and preach for about 10 mins. Their sermons were translated into English so that both the lecturer and the class could give them constructive feedback.

The pastors had excellent knowledge of the Bible but were eager to learn new scholarship. The feedback was that they appreciated a fresh and deeper way to understand the Scripture. They learnt to integrate the OT historical and literary backgrounds into their sermon, and some were even inspired to learn Hebrew as they saw how it added to their insights. The leadership and faculty of TTC looks forward to the Vietnamese pastors attending our graduation ceremony in May 2017. It is our privilege to support our brethren in a challenging ministry, but one in which God is clearly at work.