My vacation has been going great. My family comes back into town in just a few days, and that is going to be an amazing few weeks. Hope all is well with you all!
In Christ
Saturday, June 27, 2009
T-Shirt
So in talking to a friend about some evangelism ideas, I went online and created / ordered this shirt. When I get it (10 days), I will just wear it around, go sit at Starbucks with a small sign that says "prayer requests?", etc. If any of you have any other ideas, that would be fantastic. I have the link saved if anyone wants to buy one for themselves.
My vacation has been going great. My family comes back into town in just a few days, and that is going to be an amazing few weeks. Hope all is well with you all!
In Christ
My vacation has been going great. My family comes back into town in just a few days, and that is going to be an amazing few weeks. Hope all is well with you all!
In Christ
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Potential Classes For Fall 2009
I went through the Fall 2009 course catalog yesterday and found a few courses that I can take. Given my schedule, I will be taking once course at the seminary, and one course online. This is obviously not my first choice, but I am rolling with the punches here. I will probably end up taking one of the history/heritage classes and one of the testament classes. Or perhaps even both of the history/heritage classes. We will see. As I said earlier, I can not register for 3 more weeks. I have listed the potential courses below with a brief summary of what the course will be.
Church History I - A general survey of the history of Christianity from the New Testament to 1500 AD.
Basic Old Testament I - An introduction to the ancient Near Eastern background and the canon of the Old Testament and the contents of Genesis-Esther with emphasis on historical issues, theological interpretations, and contemporary applications.
Basic New Testament I - An introduction to the Jewish, Greek and Roman backgrounds, the canon of the New Testament, and the contents of Matthew-Acts with emphasis on historical issues, theological interpretations, and contemporary applications.
Baptist Heritage - A survey of the historical basis of Baptist thought and practice from its inception to the present. Under consideration shall be the major theological issues addressed by Baptists, Baptist ecclesiology, and leading Baptist figures. Special attention shall be given to the Southern Baptist Convention and its cooperative program and agencies.
Biblical Hermeneutics - An introduction to the nature of the Bible, the definition of and need for hermeneutics, a survey of historical and contemporary hermeneutical approaches, the principles of a healthy interpretive approach, and case studies of biblical passages which illustrate the principles. Preferably taken during the first year.
Church History I - A general survey of the history of Christianity from the New Testament to 1500 AD.
Basic Old Testament I - An introduction to the ancient Near Eastern background and the canon of the Old Testament and the contents of Genesis-Esther with emphasis on historical issues, theological interpretations, and contemporary applications.
Basic New Testament I - An introduction to the Jewish, Greek and Roman backgrounds, the canon of the New Testament, and the contents of Matthew-Acts with emphasis on historical issues, theological interpretations, and contemporary applications.
Baptist Heritage - A survey of the historical basis of Baptist thought and practice from its inception to the present. Under consideration shall be the major theological issues addressed by Baptists, Baptist ecclesiology, and leading Baptist figures. Special attention shall be given to the Southern Baptist Convention and its cooperative program and agencies.
Biblical Hermeneutics - An introduction to the nature of the Bible, the definition of and need for hermeneutics, a survey of historical and contemporary hermeneutical approaches, the principles of a healthy interpretive approach, and case studies of biblical passages which illustrate the principles. Preferably taken during the first year.
Monday, June 22, 2009
Seminary Update: Acceptance
There is a definite need to update again today. I have been accepted by Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary to enter the Master of Divinity program in the Fall of 2009.
The next steps will not be attend one of the orientation sessions (none of which occur during my vacation, ha) and I will then be able to register for my classes. Classes with commence on August 20, 2009.
Thank you for your prayers, I am looking forward to the journey.
Glorious, Chris Tomlin
We lift our hands in praise to You
We lift in our hearts in worship to You, Lord
We lift our voice to You and sing
Our greatest love will ever be You, Lord
You, Lord
Glorious
Over us
You shall reign
Glorious
There is a King that we adore
With humble hearts we bow before You, Lord
There is a place we long to be
Face to face we long to see You, Lord
Majesty and power
Are Yours alone forever
The next steps will not be attend one of the orientation sessions (none of which occur during my vacation, ha) and I will then be able to register for my classes. Classes with commence on August 20, 2009.
Thank you for your prayers, I am looking forward to the journey.
Glorious, Chris Tomlin
We lift our hands in praise to You
We lift in our hearts in worship to You, Lord
We lift our voice to You and sing
Our greatest love will ever be You, Lord
You, Lord
Glorious
Over us
You shall reign
Glorious
There is a King that we adore
With humble hearts we bow before You, Lord
There is a place we long to be
Face to face we long to see You, Lord
Majesty and power
Are Yours alone forever
Wisdom
As humans, we have the highest level of intelligence on this Earth. We can use our intelligence for the greater good (and sometimes destruction) of just about every aspect of this world. If Solomon asked the Lord for wisdom and was blessed, one could deduce that Solomon was one of (if not the) wisest men our Earth has seen. My question to you all is, “Where does knowledge stem from?” Solomon’s answer to our question is fear if the LORD. When you read below, I want to note that step 2 is actually the first step. However, unless we seek and find said fear, we cannot begin our journey of knowledge. Also note that there is more to knowledge than the first three chapters of Proverbs (where I obtained this information), but I just want to get you thinking and started. I hope that you will dive into it further on your own.
1. Seek understanding like silver, and search for it as hidden treasures.
2. Fear the LORD.
I think the true fear is proof of your belief. It is then that you understand the true power of your Creator. However, your fear is also simultaneously comforted by the compassion, mercy, and grace of our God. Once you reach step 2 above, you gain the following.
Then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God. For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding; he stores up sound wisdom for the upright; he is a shield to those who walk in integrity. Guarding the paths of justice and watching over the way of his saints. Then you will understand righteousness and justice, and equity, every good path; for wisdom will come into your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul.
We now reach a third stage in our search for wisdom. We are not just stuck in fear of the most powerful entity in the universe. His arms are wrapped around us. However, as you can see from the bold highlights above, you have to reach the third step, and only a certain type of person gets there.
3. Gain comfort in Wisdom.
So now I ask you, once you gain this great wisdom, do you have the power to evaluate and make decisions using your own knowledge? Nope, sorry, I would advise that you not try to do this. This brings me to step 4.
4. Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.
Now that the right decisions are being made, because you are making them with the Lord, you are to pay tribute.
5. Honor the LORD with your wealth and with the first fruits of all your produce; then your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will be bursting with wine.
I remember when I was 18 years old and started my first “real” job that was not based upon bagging groceries or any of the other various roles I worked in over the years at a nearby grocery store, a wise man (my dad) told me that he did not think I would have success in business without paying my tithe. Having grown up in the church, I did believe in God, so I began to pay my tithe. I want to avoid going into the whole “Prosperity Theology” fiasco, but I will say that I feel that he was 100% correct. I think that I have arrived to where I am today not because of what I did myself. I did not have a 3.75 GPA or even a degree from one of the top universities like most of my coworkers. So looking back, I see me entering my firm as an act of following God and his blessings rather than my own success.
Finally, I think there is one more step in this whole process of wisdom.
6. Do not despise the LORD’s discipline or be weary of his reproof, for the LORD reproves him whom he loves, as a father the son in whom he delights.
The path is narrow, as we know, and difficult. The sins of our former life were fun. The problem with being born-again is that our minds are not erased. Please do not throw stuff at me for using this as a metaphor, but when unplugged from the Matrix, you know both worlds. You know the matrix (old you) is wrong and not real. But keep focused on your walk. Do everything you do in the name of Jesus Christ. Do not wish to satisfy the flesh is Paul calls it, but push forward to satisfy the desires of your God who loves you.
For those of you that are hurting and seeking to be cleansed of something in your life, I have a task for you. Now, you can’t tell anyone you are doing this though. If you have to work, you can do this as your work through out the day. I invite you to have a day of fasting and prayer. It is hard, but I am a big fan of it. Remember, do not tell anyone else what you are doing. If I am doing it, I just tell people I had a big breakfast or lunch depending on the meal that I am explaining why I can’t go grab a burger with someone. If you can, get somewhere and be alone. Turn off all electronics. Just sit there with your bible and read / pray for however many hours you can get away. If you have to work, then do it when you get home. If you have a family to take care of, do it after they go to sleep. No mater how you do it, get alone with God with no distractions. Remember though, this is a secret. This is time that you are giving to the Lord alone.
1. Seek understanding like silver, and search for it as hidden treasures.
2. Fear the LORD.
I think the true fear is proof of your belief. It is then that you understand the true power of your Creator. However, your fear is also simultaneously comforted by the compassion, mercy, and grace of our God. Once you reach step 2 above, you gain the following.
Then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God. For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding; he stores up sound wisdom for the upright; he is a shield to those who walk in integrity. Guarding the paths of justice and watching over the way of his saints. Then you will understand righteousness and justice, and equity, every good path; for wisdom will come into your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul.
We now reach a third stage in our search for wisdom. We are not just stuck in fear of the most powerful entity in the universe. His arms are wrapped around us. However, as you can see from the bold highlights above, you have to reach the third step, and only a certain type of person gets there.
3. Gain comfort in Wisdom.
So now I ask you, once you gain this great wisdom, do you have the power to evaluate and make decisions using your own knowledge? Nope, sorry, I would advise that you not try to do this. This brings me to step 4.
4. Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.
Now that the right decisions are being made, because you are making them with the Lord, you are to pay tribute.
5. Honor the LORD with your wealth and with the first fruits of all your produce; then your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will be bursting with wine.
I remember when I was 18 years old and started my first “real” job that was not based upon bagging groceries or any of the other various roles I worked in over the years at a nearby grocery store, a wise man (my dad) told me that he did not think I would have success in business without paying my tithe. Having grown up in the church, I did believe in God, so I began to pay my tithe. I want to avoid going into the whole “Prosperity Theology” fiasco, but I will say that I feel that he was 100% correct. I think that I have arrived to where I am today not because of what I did myself. I did not have a 3.75 GPA or even a degree from one of the top universities like most of my coworkers. So looking back, I see me entering my firm as an act of following God and his blessings rather than my own success.
Finally, I think there is one more step in this whole process of wisdom.
6. Do not despise the LORD’s discipline or be weary of his reproof, for the LORD reproves him whom he loves, as a father the son in whom he delights.
The path is narrow, as we know, and difficult. The sins of our former life were fun. The problem with being born-again is that our minds are not erased. Please do not throw stuff at me for using this as a metaphor, but when unplugged from the Matrix, you know both worlds. You know the matrix (old you) is wrong and not real. But keep focused on your walk. Do everything you do in the name of Jesus Christ. Do not wish to satisfy the flesh is Paul calls it, but push forward to satisfy the desires of your God who loves you.
For those of you that are hurting and seeking to be cleansed of something in your life, I have a task for you. Now, you can’t tell anyone you are doing this though. If you have to work, you can do this as your work through out the day. I invite you to have a day of fasting and prayer. It is hard, but I am a big fan of it. Remember, do not tell anyone else what you are doing. If I am doing it, I just tell people I had a big breakfast or lunch depending on the meal that I am explaining why I can’t go grab a burger with someone. If you can, get somewhere and be alone. Turn off all electronics. Just sit there with your bible and read / pray for however many hours you can get away. If you have to work, then do it when you get home. If you have a family to take care of, do it after they go to sleep. No mater how you do it, get alone with God with no distractions. Remember though, this is a secret. This is time that you are giving to the Lord alone.
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Endorsed
Not that there was ever any fear that it would not happen, but the very last step in my application has been completed. My church has voted and endorsed me to attend Seminary. I also spoke to the new pastor of my old church, and he will be sending the form in tomorrow as well.
I feel like I am ready to be set loose. I met with one of the minister's at my church today and discussed different opportunities that were available based upon my calling. It looks like I will either end up working with a small group with high school students or working to expand the singles ministry. Either way, I'm ready to get going with serving and seminary. Granted, my own person battle is keeping me plenty busy, but I'm ready to start working with people to start theirs.
I feel like I am ready to be set loose. I met with one of the minister's at my church today and discussed different opportunities that were available based upon my calling. It looks like I will either end up working with a small group with high school students or working to expand the singles ministry. Either way, I'm ready to get going with serving and seminary. Granted, my own person battle is keeping me plenty busy, but I'm ready to start working with people to start theirs.
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Christian History in America
As many of you know, people attend university to gain a higher level of education. Those that attend college learn that their bachelors degree more or less enhances their ability to learn. That is why we have masters programs, so that we can dive into the major and become more apt to mastering our trade.
As you enter into your studies at the ripe age of 18, you convince yourself that you have learned the new way of thinking. Your eyes have been "opened up". Many young matriculates find politics. Within their new found study, they believe they have reinvented the wheel. A lot of times, they want to express their newly found freedoms. Freedom of speech, freedom of thought, and freedom of religion. Religion is soon found to be a crutch of the weak minded. We as Christians are said to not have the capacity of the higher level thought, so we are forced to rely on a non-existent God. Perhaps this theory dates back to the Greeks. Science to them did not exist in the way it does for us today, and gods were used to describe why things happened. For example, a wind god caused the winds, or related gods for rain, the ocean, the sun, and victory in battle.
Ultimately, we are told that our morals cannot dictate the lives of Americans. I know this is not the best source, but Wikipedia shows that 76% of Americans claim to be Christian. If a certain class owned that much of a company, they would dictate what the company does. However, if 76% of the nation is Christian, yet our laws are not Christian, how does that work?
According to Gary De mar, America's Christian History:
The early constitutional framers were convinced that there was an intrinsic connection between morality and good government. In practical terms, this means that non--Christians are not exempt from God's moral law. An atheist, for example, cannot appeal to his atheism and freely live as an ethical anarchist. While the State certainly has no jurisdiction over his believes, it does have something to say about how he acts. This moral and civil authority remains an irritant for many in our day. All people, however, answer to some standard of behavior. The question is this: In a religiously diverse society, what ethical standard should the civil magistrate use to make moral judgments about civil activity? This question is the essence of the debate about a "Christian America."
So my question to American is a curiosity of if the majority of Americans are in fact Christians, why do we have such a mass of immoral values that are making their way through our society. This is something that I would argue is new. In the early 1900s, Woodrow Wilson, and many other figures still held on to what our founding fathers knew, which is Christian values. Maybe it was in the 1960s or 19760s that we began the feel good stage. Whatever it is, and however it happened, I think America is going down a dark path.
The free thinking and perversion of our laws is becoming rampant in my opinion. We try to give labels and excuses for criminal acts. We are too busy tiptoeing around the important issues to avoid any social faux paus. If we do not stop the train that is heading forward without breaks, what kind of society will our children grow up in? Nude billboards on our roads and commercials such as they are in europe? We have our work cut out for us.
As you enter into your studies at the ripe age of 18, you convince yourself that you have learned the new way of thinking. Your eyes have been "opened up". Many young matriculates find politics. Within their new found study, they believe they have reinvented the wheel. A lot of times, they want to express their newly found freedoms. Freedom of speech, freedom of thought, and freedom of religion. Religion is soon found to be a crutch of the weak minded. We as Christians are said to not have the capacity of the higher level thought, so we are forced to rely on a non-existent God. Perhaps this theory dates back to the Greeks. Science to them did not exist in the way it does for us today, and gods were used to describe why things happened. For example, a wind god caused the winds, or related gods for rain, the ocean, the sun, and victory in battle.
Ultimately, we are told that our morals cannot dictate the lives of Americans. I know this is not the best source, but Wikipedia shows that 76% of Americans claim to be Christian. If a certain class owned that much of a company, they would dictate what the company does. However, if 76% of the nation is Christian, yet our laws are not Christian, how does that work?
According to Gary De mar, America's Christian History:
The early constitutional framers were convinced that there was an intrinsic connection between morality and good government. In practical terms, this means that non--Christians are not exempt from God's moral law. An atheist, for example, cannot appeal to his atheism and freely live as an ethical anarchist. While the State certainly has no jurisdiction over his believes, it does have something to say about how he acts. This moral and civil authority remains an irritant for many in our day. All people, however, answer to some standard of behavior. The question is this: In a religiously diverse society, what ethical standard should the civil magistrate use to make moral judgments about civil activity? This question is the essence of the debate about a "Christian America."
So my question to American is a curiosity of if the majority of Americans are in fact Christians, why do we have such a mass of immoral values that are making their way through our society. This is something that I would argue is new. In the early 1900s, Woodrow Wilson, and many other figures still held on to what our founding fathers knew, which is Christian values. Maybe it was in the 1960s or 19760s that we began the feel good stage. Whatever it is, and however it happened, I think America is going down a dark path.
The free thinking and perversion of our laws is becoming rampant in my opinion. We try to give labels and excuses for criminal acts. We are too busy tiptoeing around the important issues to avoid any social faux paus. If we do not stop the train that is heading forward without breaks, what kind of society will our children grow up in? Nude billboards on our roads and commercials such as they are in europe? We have our work cut out for us.
Monday, June 15, 2009
Back to Normal
Well that was a crazy week. I am now on vacation and will be for the next 4 weeks! Getting ready for it was insane though. There were many 2:00 am nights in order to get everything done that needed to be so that I could get away.
However, it is all done now and I can enjoy my vacation. My goal is just to relax and hang out. If anyone has any good reads that they would recommend, please do so!
Seminary Update:
I ended up having to go to my previous church to get their endorsement as well. I sent it last week, and I am not sure what stage it is in. Also, my current church is voting on Wednesday night, so very excited about that. Hopefully my application with be completed and approved soon to allow me to register for the classes that I want.
However, it is all done now and I can enjoy my vacation. My goal is just to relax and hang out. If anyone has any good reads that they would recommend, please do so!
Seminary Update:
I ended up having to go to my previous church to get their endorsement as well. I sent it last week, and I am not sure what stage it is in. Also, my current church is voting on Wednesday night, so very excited about that. Hopefully my application with be completed and approved soon to allow me to register for the classes that I want.
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