Arriving at Seaview on the Friday evening, I didn’t really know what to expect, but from the reports I’d received from my friends I was assured it would be a good week. After a brief introduction to the week ahead and a chance to catch up with old friends and make new ones, we went to bed to get a good night’s “sleep” to be nice an fresh for the first day of classes!
A typical day started off with a rise at 7am to get washed and beautified, followed with a chance to have a quiet time for half an hour; breakfast was after that, then prayer time. Before we got into the teaching classes, John Nixon gave a Bible study. He was teaching on the Tabernacle and I found this very interesting and enjoyable. It was amazing to see Christ being brought out through the deconstruction of the tabernacle. We usually had four or so classes after this, with a short break in-between each one, and this would bring us up to lunch! The afternoon varied each day – some were more class orientated and some gave us a good dose of what we felt was well deserved free time. Tea was at 5.30pm or so and after this we finished off the learning day with a few more classes or prayer and study time, ending at 8.30pm. Often after classes finished we would head down to the harbour in Kilkeel to have a time of praise before supper.
For me this was my first year at training week and throughout the week I undertook several classes. These included, “Counselling a child for salvation”, “Discipline”, “Teaching a memory verse”, “Urgency in the Gospel” and the very important “Teaching a Bible lesson”, but for me my favourite classes were on “The Roman Catholic child” and “What is the Gospel?”.
In the “What is the Gospel?” classes we considered the Gospel in four parts – God’s perfection and purity, the separating sin within us all, the Lord Jesus Christ, and responding to the Gospel. This was such a good class as it taught us how to make the Gospel understandable and clear for children, while still staying true to the Bible. The class focusing on the Lord Jesus Christ made me realise just how gracious my Saviour is, and made me more thankful for my salvation and the opportunity 
I have to minister the good news this summer.
I really enjoyed training week and I am grateful to the staff who took their time out to teach and help us. However, I ultimately thank the Lord for bringing me to the week, for using it to help equip me in the evangelising of children. I just hope and pray the He will help me to put into practice what I have learned and continue to draw me closer to Him.
Mark Ferguson