Semester Impressions

There are 2 hours until my next class, I'm eating dinosaur shaped fruit snacks, and the reading isn't done yet. Hello college life once again! I'm finding that I need to get far ahead on reading over the weekends if I'm ever to have tiem to write papers or study for exams. While there aren't many assignments that I actually have to turn in... I have reading due every class session for every class. I'm already behind. I'm not worrying though. It's worth worrying about. This final semester of Moody finds me taking the following classes...

Apologetics. This class I had to get permission to take at the same time as Sys Theo 2. Usually you take it after that class. The prof. is a new guy. I got to be in the class where we evaluated him last semester. He's a soft-spoken guy. The class seems good so far though I'm ready for some deeper stuff than the introductory material. Recently we learned there are 4 major approaches to Apologetics (defending the faith)... 1. By Reason and logic, 2. By hard evidence, 3. Divine revelation, and 4. Appeal to faith. It seems the "Reformed approach" is the divine revelation, ("The Bible says...") I think I lean most in that direction. I believe in the power of God's Word. Although the Apostles have used a combination of all these apporaches it seems.

Evangelistic Messages. My final round with Dr. Neely. Most of the textbooks are about examining the culture. I've always been wary of paying too much attention to the culture, lest we subtly trample on truth. Don't wanna fall into the trap of the Fundamentalist movement (the official one, not the broad use of the word) nor do I wanna compromise like the Neoevangelical movement sometimes did (and therefore forfeited their mantra). So I'm working through how much we should consider culture. I've benefited from something my Apologetics prof said, "We need to adapt to the culture but not adopt the culture." Something I'm not looking forward to in this class aside from preaching without notes is that we're required to give an invitation at the end of the sermon AND create a follow-up strategy. In my street preaching my final appeal has always been something to the effect of, "I'm not asking for your money. I won't pass an offering plate. I'm not asking you to join a church nor am I trying to sell you my church. I just want you to think for a moment about what happens after you die. Please feel free to come and ask us any questions you may have." I'm not one for altar calls... it's too artificial. I don't want someone to look like they're saved. I want them to be saved. I don't want someone to think they are saved because they've put one foot in front of the other... I want them to actually be saved.

Systematic Theology 2. This class is about what I thought it would be... Theology. Like the last Sys Theo class I'm hoping it will be more in depth than the introductory one. I felt like it was mostly review in Sys Theo 1. It was easy. I did have a little fun on the first day though. The prof said he had a wife and a cat. He then asked us if we'd like to see a picture of them. He put up a hand drawing of a cat and a woman as stick figures he said he did just before class. He told us his cat's name was Dodger and continued talking. I couldn't help but ask, "Does your wife have a name?" A fun moment for sure.

Psalms. I wonder if I'm most excited about this class. Why? Because I chose it and it specifically wasn't required. I couldn't gone with another Bible elective. It's during one of the most yucky times of day too... 3pm. I really wanted to take it though. I've always admired John MacArthur's handling of the Psalms and how well this genre of the Word of God can speak to our lives in a way that touches the emotions so perfectly that you know they're Holy Spirit empowered. I want to get to know the Psalms better to be able to preach them better. Just today I was reading Psalm 16:4a which says, "The sorrows of those who run after other gods shall multiply..." That was so true as I've faced idolatry in my life. Praise God He works miracles to mold us into the image of His Son! The funny thing about this class is that I'm the same age as the professor. I think we'll get along great.

3 Credits of Internship. So I just recently found out that all I gotta do for my internship is preach 3 more times and help out a rehearsal group in the beginning preaching class. All those weekly mentoring hours I thought were required... aren't. I still plan to do some of the originally planned things with my church though. this just makes it easier becuase now it's on our own time and we're not bound to a number of hours. So I'll be at church a lot for sure. I'm excited abotu that. I've also made my intership count as my PCM. This will allow more weekly time.


Beyond these things I've returned to my working out back here at Solheim. A freidn recently told me that my fatigue may be due to working out too often. Is 5-6 days a week, 45 min. to 1 1/2 hours too much? Lol... maybe. I'm gonna cut it back to 4 days a week and see how that goes. I know the multivitamin I'm taking every day has been helping for sure. I still haven't got into a healthy amount of prayer and personal musical worship as I'd like. It seems school is frustrating the quantity of time I'd like to spend with the Lord. I wish I could skip classes in spend the time in prayer and song, but alas... homework looms. It's also been fun to room with Nick from home for his first semester. I find that I am more sarcastic toward him. We play with eachother a lot. I just hope I don't get outta control. He has a lot of respect for me and I don't wanna act too childish.

This semester I intend to continue praying for my sisters and my future wife every Wednesday. I ask the Lord for the men of this campus to be men (courage, confidence, decisiveness, gentleness, and the strength and wisdom in how to love their respective ladies as Christ loved the Church) and the women to be women (willing hearts of submission and respect to their respective guys, emotional stability, and for divine protection against immature guys). I'm learning that I think we shouldn't act romantically based upon some mysterious spark between us and someone else. That's too fickle and could mean anything. I think we need to seek godliness... in our own lives and in the lives of those we consider for a future spouse (to not treat it that seriously is a waste of time and emotions). We must seek godliness and the Lord's will as best as we can discern them and act in the most honorable and wise way we can. to that end for myself I pray for me to be open to walk in the paths God lays out before me. I ask Him to prepare the way and grant me the grace to discern where He's working. I'm keeping my eyes and options open. I'm confessing my desire for marriage yet putting the Lord first. I need so much wisdom these days. I need the Lord because I can be so divided and confused. I ask God to help me as I seek who He may have for me in the future, whether it's near or far... though I wonder if it's near. I'm trying to continue to treat things reverently and not to take anything for granted when and if it does happen. Need to remember the implications of a relationship. A friend reminded me recently that godly women don't have to be found in Bible college. I'm aware of that. I'm also aware that time and distance don't matter if the Lord puts two people together. I don't need to worry that time is slipping away. God will do as He wishes and if He is working... it'll all work out. the question is, is He working? If so, how? With who? Grrrrrr... Lord?

I also wonder where God will take me after Moody. For the longest time I've wanted to go to Seminary, leaning primarily toward Master's Seminary in California. I'm still open to that. But in the past couple months I've really wondered if I should just get started in ministry. So I'm gonna look at my options for after graduation and see what God does. I could be in another country this time next year. Lord, what will you do?