This teacher’s diary started during my vocational teacher’s education and today I work as a vocational teacher in Finland. I teach programming. The diary helps my learning and shares information about eTeaching in the form of Online Bible Study.
BIBLE STUDY
TOPIC
We started Skype Bible Study in the Summer of 2012. Presently the Old Testament topic is Psalms. We have studied the New Testament through twice and are doing it now for the third round. In May 2025 we had to change to TEAMS because Microsoft killed Skype. Presently we use Google Meet together with all the FLM Helsinki small groups. Life develops together with Jesus.
LECTURE PLANS
- Online Bible Study starts on Saturdays at 10 am, Helsinki time, with greetings and technology checkup. Starting prayer is held around 10:30 am.
- After the prayer we continue with the Old Testament reading and discussions on the topic.
- In the discussions the Bible is interpreted per se by using the whole Bible.
- In the middle of the double lecture is a 10 minute brake. During the brake, the network connections are left on, so that the conference call won’t have to be re-established.
- Around 11:10 am we continue with the New Testament reading and discussions.
- In the end is a prayer time for common prayer requests.
- Bible Study ends around noon.
Brakes support concentration in eLearning, hence the brake is important!
Video example of weekly Online Bible Study.
SHALOM
LANGUAGES USED
- God has no language barriers.
- In Skype Bible study we mostly use Finnish. When needed we discuss in English.
- The Bible has been red in several languages, while others followed the text from their own Bible.
- Important thing is to have the Bible in your own mother tongue.
- For your personal growth in faith, God wants to speak to you in your own mother tongue.
- When talking with God in prayer we pray in many tongues.
BIBLICAL LANGUAGES
Biblical languages are Aramaic, Greek and Hebrew.
- Biblical Hebrew eTeacher certificate
- Biblical Greek eTeacher certificate
MINISTRY
Power Point in English: Skype Bible Study
TRIPS
Stockholm, January 2013
The first Skype Bible Study trip was done to Sweden. Talking about Jesus on the cruise and metro in Stockholm showed peoples sensitivity for His name. Unfortunately, the Ethiopian restaurant we were looking for was closed due to renovation.
We found seven churches in Stockholm, of which only one was open on Monday. The hunger for God’s Word was evidently not met by the artistic organ music performed during the lunch brake. People need also nourishment for their souls!
Tallinn, Midsummer 2014
Our next Skype Bible Study cruise trip started in a cabin with prayer and reading God’s word. We were headed to Estonia, who marketed it seft as Europe’s most secular country. My Jesus cap stood out from the tourists.
Starting from the communist time the Olaviste church has witnessed revivals in Estonia. We could feel same connection while reading the Church’s Finnish Bible and praying in the church bench. The other tourists seem to have felt the same touch of the Holy Spirit.
Teacher Training, May 2015
- The vocational teacher education’s practical training contains 30 detailed lecture plans and classes.
- eTeaching via Skype Bible Study made haft of my practical training.
- My advisor participated in one Skype Bible Study and gave valuable feedback.
- Other half of my practical training was done at Ethiopian Mekane Jesus Church Seminary, where I thought 22 theology students Information Technology (IT) class.
Video of my practical training.
Stockholm, September 2015
In the Fall of 2015 we went again for a cruise to Stockholm. We visited Jacob’s Church, Christian Bookstore, Ethiopian Restaurant and distributed some Christian reading for people.
St. Petersburg, Summer 2018
In the Summer of 2018 we visited the FIFA Football World Championship Tournament at St. Petersburg. Wearing my Jesus cap I got to witness a one goal game. The winner was found, with the goal being the best own goal that I have ever seen.
South East Asia, November 2016 – June 2019
I volunteered first as a soccer coach and then worked as fulltime Computer Teacher in South East Asia. I taught programming and computer science in Wesley School. During the last school year my responsibilities included both the Elementary and High School computer teaching.
During this time I also continued leading Skype Bible Study. Thank you for your co-operation!
Ethiopia, Christmas 2021
It had been over six years since visiting my birth country, so I decided to spent Christmas at Addis Abeba. I got double-Christmas because the Ethiopian calendar places Christmas on our Epiphany. In January I participated in the Orthodox Christians Timkat selebration.
In my 1979 baptism by the Mekane Jesus Church I got a godfather Timo Työppönen, who passed away on 28.12.2021 in Finland. The same day I got a positive Corona test result. Due to Covid I didn’t get to return to Finland as planned, but had to rebook my flight 16 days later. Thank you to the world best godfather for your respect and prayers!
South East Asia, March 2022 – June 2023
Due to Covid restrictions I started my remote work in February 2022 from Helsinki. It was a month of math teaching from home, in English, remotely to Wesley School Grade 9., 11. and 12. students at South East Asia. In March I traveled to East-Java and got also Grade 10. as my teaching responsibilities.
During school year 2022-2023 I continued as the Wesley High School Math Teacher. Living in the most populous Muslim country in the world. And Java being also the most populous island in the world. Just below Equator the weather included plenty of rains and hot humid temperatures. I returned to my home country Finland in June 2023.
Middle East, May 2024
In the midst of the war in Middle East, the Lutheran Caspari Center held their yearly course in May 2024: “Discovering Jesus in His Jewish Context.” After 25 years I got to walk again in the footsteps of Jesus. Thanks to the Lord! Previously I visited the Holy Land as a 20 year old young man who had just came to the living faith. I can warmly recommend Discovering Jesus course for all who are interested in the Bible and its history!
ANIMATIONS
Animations can be used for teaching. They initialize a topic, encourage learning and – when created – they teach problem solving.
- Leo the Lion was my own sketching. I used Wacom drawing tablet and pen. As software Microsoft Whiteboard and default Windows videoeditor.
- Wesley School student project is from a class I taught in the Spring 2019. Music, voice, 3D modeling and animations were all done by the students.
GoAnimate software
- Animations are also easy to do using GoAnimate software.
BOOK
In 2018 we published my parents biography: “Helena and Tapio Räisänen in Jesus Heart Beat at Etiopia”. You may read the prologue from the link.
Prologue
The book was self-published and 500 copies in Finnish have run out. But you can order the Finnish eBook if you want. Thank you for your prayers!
THANKS
- Centria University of Applied Sciences: www.centria.fi
- Omnia Vocational Collage: www.omnia.fi
- eTeacherBiblical: www.eteacherbiblical.com
- Finnish Lutheran Mission Collage: www.kansanlahetysopisto.fi
- Jerusalem Center for Bible Transalators: http://eng.bibletranslators.org/
- Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland: www.evl.fi
- Tampere University of Applied Sciences: Professional Teacher Education
- Tampere University: https://www.tuni.fi/en
- Uusi Tie Oy: www.uusitie.com
- Wesley School: Wesley School
“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” Ephesians 2:8-10
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