Seminary Student - Faith at Work

Through one of the numerous blogs I track on  google reader I picked up on a pretty amazing post by Timmy Brister about sharing his story on the graveyard shift.  It is pretty amazing.  I’ve worked in a warehouse before and I could see and hear everything he described.  Timmy is a student at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, a husband, a father, and works 3rd shift for UPS.  Now, go check out the story.

Tough transition day

My heart broke today.

I walked into the kitchen to fix some lunch and saw my wife crying… enough said, right?

I walked up and simply held her.

“I’m sad,” she said through her tears. “I miss my friends.”

There wasn’t much to say except that I understood and that I wished I could make things easier… but I can’t. I can simply hold my wife, love her, and pray for God’s grace during this time in our lives.

The fact of the matter is that I’m sad too… Moving is hard, no two ways around it. We’ve left our best friends in the world hundreds of miles away and now we sit in a new house, new town, new church… not much is familiar… no walking into church and looking to your left to see ____ and ____. No knowing that when you go to the coffee shop you’ll likely run into ____. No calling up _____ and _____ to come over for dinner. It is tough.

I’ve spent time today dwelling on the Gospel and reminding myself that my King also had to leave the place he knew, a place he loved… he left the throne of heaven and came to live and die on earth. That has helped… staring at Jesus usually does… but it is still a battle.

I’d be humbled and honored if you could take a moment and say a prayer for my family.

My hope is built
on nothing less
than Jesus blood
and righteousness.

I dare not trust
the sweetest frame
but wholly lean
on Jesus name.

Edward Mote c.1834

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.

My Journey - What is going on?

Ok friends, not giving any advice in this post… Just thinking out loud here…

So, if you know about me then you know I am not currently attending seminary. I’ve been taking seminary classes virtually and was planning on transferring to a residential campus at the start of 2008. Through a series of events that I have not had time to share yet (though it is on my “to be posted” list) my wife and I decided to move forward with the decision to quit my job, move to far away, and attend seminary. It was a decision based on much prayer and through much council. Through the whole process it appeared that God’s hand was working things in such a way that it was going to work… now, here we are, about a month away from when we need to move and we haven’t sold our house. This is the final piece to the puzzle. It is also the make or break of the whole deal. No house sell, no move, no seminary… do not pass go, do not collect $200.

So, I sit here today… wondering. Did I miss something? Lord, what are you doing? I know you aren’t a con-man trying to hide your will from me… but I just don’t understand.

Thankfully, I am not crushed by the situation… it isn’t like I’m freaking out. I’m not questioning God’s plans and purposes… But I’m just confused. Everything seemed to be right, and now this.

So, I’m not sure what to do. We figure that we have about another week before we miss our window of opportunity for this upcoming semester (the one we have already registered for). After that, I’m not sure what happens… Do we put off seminary for another 6 months? Continue to live in this state of limbo? Do we throw in the towel and just keep trying to do virtual classes?

I don’t know… no answers here.

You have any answers? Anyone want to buy our house?

Should women attend seminary?

Now, some of you might read that and think, “that’s a stupid question.” And of the ones who think that, half of you think it is stupid for one reason and half think it is stupid for another.

However, the fact is that whether the question is good or not, it’s one I think we should tackle.

My short answer is yes. In fact, my answer is so much a yes that Just a Gal (my wife) is going to seminary with me. And by going, I mean attending.

The longer answer is that I think anyone who has the ways and means should attend seminary. And if you don’t have the means, I’ve already blogged about the ways… so, there is really no excuse. So, why everyone? Well, I guess mine is kind of a reverse logic… meaning, why not? Why not take time to study the depths and beauty of our redeemer and his gracious word? If you are a Christian, why would you not take the opportunity to do that?

Now, sure, we can have all kinds of debates about who can be an elder or deacon or sunday school teacher… and all the other debates that surround woman, men, and gender roles… but we can’t debate with Jesus.

Luke 10:38-42 (ESV)
38 Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. 39 And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to his teaching. 40 But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.” 41 But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, 42 but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.”

Is this a proof text for women to attend seminary? It has to be:

1. Uh, yeah Dr. Insert Your Professor’s Name is great… But this is JESUS!
2. Jesus was teaching. Again, better than Dr. Insert Your Professor’s Name.
3. Jesus said that Mary chose the good portion. He like that she was attending his seminary class.

So, there you have it ladies. Go to seminary. Jesus thinks its a good thing and so do I… but Jesus’ opinion is probably the better one to go with… I’m just a tag-a-long.