Summer Intensive

Well, today I start a week of a 9-5 class called Introduction to Pastoral and Theological Studies.  I’ll write a post later in the week to give some of my thoughts on 1 week intensives, but for now I just wanted to comment on how amazing my fellow classmates are in this class.

So, one guy is a missionary in Turkey whose pastor is beat and stabbed on a regular basis.  Another is a missionary to China who has been kicked out twice.  Another is a guy from S. Korea who went to elementary school and university… between that he studied judo.  Oh, and then there is John Piper’s assistant…  I’ve never felt so boring.  Thankfully, Kari’s post from Saturday reminded me this seminary isn’t a competition.

Get To Know Your Seminary Professors

Before I came to seminary, I asked some men who have been in the pastorate for some years and have graduated seminary some advice on what I should look for and accomplish while I am in seminary. Of the many tips I was given, one of those tips was

Find the professor(s) with whom God desires to unite you in a special way. Most professors pour themselves into students outside of class, but they obviously can’t pour themselves into every student. God seems to provide connections with certain professors/administrators that He uses to sanctify and grow you. Keep your spiritual eyes open for these opportunities. They may be for your entire seminary career or they may be for a season. Both are wonderful.

To be honest, I had no idea how this would work-especially at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Seriously, most of the professors on campus are actively engaged in other ministries as well as writing books. The thought kept going through my mind of why would one of these professors want to get to know an untimely-born, turning-30, seminary student who took 12 years to finish his undergrad (it is legitimate!)? Little did I know how God would “unite [me] in a special way.”

Just Ask

I was told by at least five different teachers, pastors, and friends to get to know a certain professor outside of class if I had the opportunity. Now, I would not recommend what I did to everyone (I have been told that it is not the ideal approach), but I sent this particular professor an email telling him I was instructed to get to know him outside of class if possible. I continued by telling him I realized how busy he was and that if there was anything I could do to help him in his ministry I would love to help. Guess what? He took me up on my offer.

Since then, a friendship has bloomed in a way that I never thought would be possible. This man has become a mentor to me as I continue my journey through seminary. While he is the one that I can say I have a special bond with, I have met with many other professors outside of the classroom. Quite a few of them have not even been my instructor.

In my two semesters at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, I have had lunch and or dinner with at least three different professors (hey, we all eat!), I have set up appointments to discuss personal and theological issues with two professors, and I have caught one professor in the hallway and asked if I could have a word with him because his name came up in a conversation and I wanted to know his view on an issue. We talked in his office for 20 minutes and pretty much disagreed the whole time!

They Are People, Too

The one thing I have learned (perhaps it is my old age?) is that these men are people just like you and me. I have talked with Dr. Mohler in the halls a few times and have always found him to be “just a regular guy.” Sometimes, it can be intimidating when your professor is a past president of the state convention. It is humbling to be able to ask your professor if he would sign the book he wrote that has been so influential to your life. In the end, these men have families and lives just like the students. While God has used them in a mighty way, they are usually more than willing to engage the students. After all, we are that next generation and the baton must be handed down at some point.

My advice would be to humbly ask your professor(s) if there is anything you could do to help them outside of class. Do not expect a “yes” every time or from every professor. Take advantage of where God has you and who He has put into your life. If you are active and engaged in the classroom, you will soon discover that the faculty and staff have a favorable opinion of who you are as a person. That being said, be careful that your goal is not to “get in good” with the professor. Rather, seek to drink from their well of knowledge and experience. Learn from these godly men every chance you get both inside and outside the classroom.

Vintage Hypocrite

Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed.
James 5:16a

Well… I feel dirty just saying it… I took my laptop to class today.

Despite my outspoken advocacy of Vintage Notes, I broke down and took the mac to campus. Now, before you break out the stones and begin tossing them at me, allow me to give my reasoning:

1. Access to the Greek and Hebrew - I’m currently taking a class on the book of Hebrews and the professor often encourages us to look at the Greek… I haven’t taken Greek yet, so looking at it does nothing for me. However, having the computer there allows me to pull of the original language and look at it and better understand what is going on… well, a little bit at least.
2. I’m a tree hugging hippie - Well, not really… but two of my professors offer their lecture outlines online and I hate wasting the paper to take them to class to write notes on them… especially when I plan on taking them home and entering them into the computer. It just doesn’t make sense.

Now, let me make a couple observations as one who was a pure Vintage Note taker until today.

1. Temptation - I never knew how INCREDIBLY tempting it was to get online, check email, set system preferences, organize my folders, download notes for other classes, set new wallpaper image, etc, while in class. It drive me crazy when I see people doing it, and yet, today I had to concentrate not to do it. It was a challenge to say the least! I think I did a good job for the most part, but I don’t know… it is HARD to not do anything but take notes and use my bible software.
2. Repentance - Paper is better! Seriously, I really do think it is better. I found myself getting a bit lazy when I had the professors notes sitting right in front of me… essentially all the important stuff was already there. So, I just sat and listened (trying not to go online). Conversely, when all I have is my notepad in front of me I am forced to think about what is said and what I need to remember. Also, I really do like being able to write all over the page and draw lines, arrows, circles, and other visual clues to my notes… but that might just be me.

Conclusion - I’ll probably continue to take my computer and use it as a support tool, however, I intend to keep Vintage Notes as my primary approach to note taking.

Whew… I feel better now that I’ve got that off my chest.

Seminary Studies and Devotional Time

Lots of Christians have a “devotional time” or something like that… a time that is set aside daily to study God’s word, pray, and worship. Me, I try to do it first thing in the morning. Starting my day focusing on God and his word helps me to get going in the right direction from the get-go.

While at orientation the other day, one of the speakers said something that was really interesting. He said that he recommended that you use your studies as the content of your devotions. I’ve thought about that for a couple days and recently began to apply it. I really think it is a great idea.

The greatest benefit of using your class studies as the content of your devotions is that it helps bridge the gap between “class” and “real life.” As seminary student we have the very real threat of taking our class work and separating it from our worship and devotion of God. Integrating your studies into your devotional time helps take down this mental dividing wall. Now, learning and worshiping are no longer at odds (a trap we must avoid at all costs).

Now, by way of clarification, I do mean that the bulk of your devotions should be focused on scripture… So, I don’t mean to imply that you should read your textbooks during this time. However, in your classes you, no doubt, have various portions of scripture to read in a given week (and likely some commentaries on those scriptures). THIS is the content I am suggesting you integrate into your devotions.

Now, don’t take this to be a hard and fast rule… sure, there are certainly times when you are lead or desire to study other parts of Scripture in your devotional time. Go for it. However, I think the point is that you don’t have to separate your studies and devotions. You aren’t more spiritual if your devotions are “on top of all your other studies” and you aren’t “lazy” if you use your devotions to read class assigned scripture readings.

Like I said, I’ve been doing it this week focusing on Hebrews (I’m taking a class on Hebrews this semester). So, in the mornings I read a portion of the text, pray through it, and then read some commentaries. It has been refreshing as I feel that I am both learning the content for class and truly worship as I do it.

Anyone else got some thoughts on this?

And so it begins…

So, I just returned home from my first official, residential, seminary class. Before the class started I was just sitting there, taking it all in… 6 years to get here… wow!

So, the class was great. The 3 hours FLEW by. While the material wasn’t the most interesting content I couldn’t help but smile and try to suck everything I could out of the professor. It was GREAT!

I went vintage notes style and was in the minority BIG time (only one other vintage note taker in the class).

A big lesson I learned tonight is that that it is distracting to sit towards the back of the class because you can see everyone’s computer and what all they are doing… I almost had to rend my garment and braid a rope together for an old fashioned temple cleansing as I watched a girl in class go online to pay her tuition, check and reply to several emails, visit a website, and, the icing on the cake, create an Evite for a birthday party. Least I REALLY rant about this young lady, I’ll bite my tongue and simply call it a night.

One day down… many, many more to go.

Seminary Orientation

I’m 30 years old… the last time I went to an orientation for school was… 12 years ago.

Today is new student orientation at my seminary and me and Just a Gal will be heading over to campus while Just a Brother watches the Little Man and Sweet Pea (a funny blog post in its own right, I’m sure).

After orientation tomorrow, it is GO time… my first class begins Tuesday evening at 6:00 p.m. I’m a little bummed about that because I am a morning learner… So, we’ll see how I handle 3 hours at night.

It is kind of surreal to think that it is all happening now. After 7 years of thinking about attending seminary… I’m about to being my first full-time semester. I have mixed emotions… will it be all I hope it will be, will it be harder than I think, can I really handle the pressure, am I as smart as I think I am? The question keep coming and, I guess, only time will tell.

Just a Gal is pretty nervous too. She’s only taking one class, but school has never really been her thing… top that off with being in a class, most likely, 95% guys… 95% of which have been in seminary for more than 1 class… and you can imagine how she feels. That said, I’m really excited for her (and her classmates). Just a Gal is truly amazing. She knows her stuff and I think it will be good for all these future pastors to hear the theological thoughts of a mother and wife who is at seminary so that she can simply be a better mother and wife. Sure, these guys will probably know bigger words than her and will have a lot more books on their shelves… but Just a Gal wrestles with the Gospel every day as she deals with two kids under 4 and a husband that… well… is me!

I think it going to be really cool to see how it all goes… for her and for me.

Ok… strap on your seat belts… the ride begins now!

5 Lessons I Learnd in Study Hall That Will Help in Seminary

When I was in High School I occasionally got lunch detention (aka. Study Hall). Looking back, I couldn’t tell you what I did… but I’m sure I deserved it. That said, I will admit that it wasn’t really punishment. I mean, I got 30 minutes of peace and quiet to finish all my homework… then when I got out, there was no waiting in the lunch line… PERFECT!

Seminary requires a lot of reading, studying, and thinking. Without giving adequate consideration to these three areas, you’re going to be in a lot of trouble. So, here are 5 lessons I learned from study hall that I think will help us be more productive in our seminary studies:

1. No talking - If there was ever a rule that you remember in study hall it was “NO TALKING.” … total silence … With no one to talk to you had three options, read, study or think (I know… you think there is a fourth option, but sleep was the second sin after talking).

   When approaching your studies try and find a place that you will be able to devote yourself wholly to your task. This means avoiding the front of the library where you see all your classmates coming and going and avoiding the coffee shop where everyone knows your name. It also means you might need to leave your house (unless you live alone or with roommates that hate you).

   Do your best to find a place where you can sit and truly engage in your work without distraction… One thing I know for sure, I was never more productive with my home work than in study hall.

2. Lunch is long - Since my study hall lasted for half the lunch period, it felt like I was being robbed of eating time… Everyone else got the entire period to eat… but not me. Surely I’ll have to run out of here and scarf down the mystery meat with barely time to get to my next class. Wrong! The reality is that I was never rushed for lunch. I always had time to get my food, eat it, and even hang out with my friends.

   When studying, you might feel like you’re missing out on a whole lot or that the rest of your life will be a mad rush when you get finished with your assignment. The reality is that you aren’t going to miss as much as you think… in fact, it might make things better (see #3)

3. No lines after study hall - I don’t know how your school did it, but I remember a mad rush to get to the cafeteria. There was alway a line and if you were one of the last people to get in the cafeteria then you could easily wait 10 or 15 minutes in line. However, when study hall let out I always walked calmly up to the line and got my food… no waiting at all!

   The lesson here is that you don’t always have to rush with the crowd. Evaluate your time and realize that sometimes it is just better to sit and study while other “stand in line.”

4. The tie that binds - Study Hall always seemed to bond people… remember The Breakfast Club. This should be especially true for seminary students.

   As we sit and study our creator and his work in the earth it should transform us. After a good study session we should be, I would hope, changed and transformed more into the image of Jesus. Our relationship with and passion for our King should be stronger than when we first sat down.

5. You don’t ask for extra study hall - I never walked out of study hall thinking, “No, I don’t want to hang out with my friends and eat lunch… I’d rather go sit in that quite, uncomfortable room with the teacher constantly saying ’shh’ and staring at me.” No, when it was over, I was ready to get out and live my life.

   When studying in seminary, set aside your time and place for study and then leave it there. As you give yourself fully to study, so to give yourself fully to other people in your life. When your “study hall” is over, invest in your friends and family. You’re family doesn’t want to hear, “not now, I’m studying.”Having a place to focus and study without distraction will allow you to focus on other things once you’re on “the outside.”

All this talk of high school cafeterias has me craving tater tots… mmmmm… tater tots…

he(B+)rew

As you may or may not know, I recently completed a 2 week intensive for Hebrew 1.

Today I got my grades and was very pleased with my B+.

The grade however got me to thinking… do all seminaries have the same grading scale? My B+ was a 91-93… I remember in undergrad (oh, so long ago) that 90-100 was an A… Not anymore…

So, here is my seminary’s grading scale. Is this what everyone else uses?

A	97 - 100
A-	94 - 96
B+	91 - 93
B	88 - 90
B-	86 - 87
C+	83 - 85
C	80 - 82
C-	78 - 79
D+	75 - 77
D	72 - 74
D-	70 - 71
F	below 70
I	incomplete
W	withdraw
S	satisfactory
P	passing

Kids - The best seminary study guide

A recent conversation with Little Man:

Just a Guy (JG) - So, what did you learn about in class (Sunday School) today?
Little Man (LM) - Ummm… Jesus… and Matthew.
JG - Oh, what did you you learn about Jesus and Matthew?
LM - He was a co-wek-ter… a… a…
JG - tax?
LM - Oh, yeah, a tax co-wek-ter. He was Jesus friend.
JG - Was Matthew Jesus’ disciple?
LM - No, he was a co-wek-ter… uh, tax co-wek-ter.
JG - Right, Matthew was a tax collector but when he met Jesus he became one of his disciples. Do you know any other disciples?
LM - Uh… Peter? and uh… John… and uh, Jesus…
JG - No, Jesus wasn’t a disciple… that’s silly. So, did you learn anything else in class?
LM - People didn’t like co-wek-ters but Jesus loved them… OH! I was silly (giggling). Jesus isn’t a disciple, he’s a King.

… He’s a King! Yeah, I almost wrecked the car trying to turn around and give the kid a high-5 for that gem. I love it when my son drops bombs like that one.

But, as any parents will tell you, raising kids in the fear and admonition of the Lord is no easy task. For as many times as I hear things like “Jesus is a King” I hear, “I don’t want to pray” or “I don’t want to read the bible book” or countless other things that break my heart. It is a tough job and I thank God that he is gracious and merciful to us as we seek to honor him in raising our kids.

The thing that I’ve learned most with Little Man is that kids are the best seminary study guide. See, you and I sit in a stuff classroom with some uber-genius professor and a bunch of bible nerds discussing eschatology, antinomianism, and countless other “ologys” and “isms”… but leave the classroom and I have a big “so what” for you. Does the information you learn in seminary actually translate into information that can help you be a better pastor, spouse, parent, friend?

Deep down I think that in order to get your seminary degree you should have to write a children’s book. Can you actually take all these big words and phylosophical concepts and communicate them clearly in such a way that even a child can understand?

Little Man is 3 years old right now and at least once a week we have a discussion about the trinity… uh, yeah… and, as much as I’d like to explain it using big theological words, the reality is that he is three… so, now I must not only communicate truthfully and with correct theology, but it must be in a way that a 3 year old can understand.

Now, let me say that I haven’t mastered this one yet. But every time Little Man asks me a question I am forced to not give pat answers or to change topics. I must wrestle with what I believe and how I can explain it to my son. Therefore he has become my very best study guide.

Thanks Little Man.
I love you.

Vintage notes

I love technology. In particular, I love computers. In more particular, I love macs.

That said, I think it might be time to unplug the drug and start taking notes the old fashioned way… with pen and paper.

“Crazy” you say. “Next you’ll suggest we use a quill and ink… or maybe we should go back to stone tablets!”

Well, before you get out the pitchforks and torches, hear me out. Here are my top 6 reasons to leave the computer at home and just bring a pen:

1. Your Professor isn’t on facebook - That’s right… I know you’re looking at facebook, or myspace, or checking your email, or reading articles on goingtoseminary.com… I know it and so does the professor. The fact is, if the computer is there then the odds of you getting distracted are good. Come on everyone, confession time, who has surfed the net during a lecture?
2. You can record the lecture if you want a transcript - When you have the computer you can get A LOT more information down then with pen and paper… but more isn’t always synonymous with better. When all you have is your pen and paper then you are forced to write wisely. Not every word is going to make it on your paper. You are now thinking about what is being said and evaluating its worth. No more mindless typing, rather thoughtful writing is now occurring.
3. Do you even know what your professor looks like - If you’ve ever preached you know that eye contact is worth its weight in gold… is anyone actually listening? Give your professor some nonverbal feedback. Look him in the eyes. With the computer gone there is no longer this 15″ screen between you and the professor. The air is clear… now he is talking to you and not the back of your screen.
4. You type too loud - It might not be you, but someone does… It’s like small arms fire in that room. click, click, click, click, click, click, click, click… How annoying. Lets have some quiet in here, I’m trying to listen to the lecture.
5. You can’t draw - No, this isn’t about your artistic ability… rather, some things are just better captured in a chart or diagram with arrows, lines, and smiley faces… ok, not that last one… but you get the gist. Yeah, you can do all that on the computer, but by the time you open the other program, make you chart or whatever, import it into your notes… sheesh, the class is over. Taking notes on paper make it easy for you to switch from the right to left side of your brain while listening to the lecture.
6. Your hero used a pen - Your theological heroes all used pens. Whether it is Calvin, Lewis, Wesley, Augustine, Paul… they were pen and paper guys. Join with all the great men and women of old and take note taking back to its roots. Leave the computer at home and start taking vintage notes.

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