Recently, my family and I made a trip down to Texas to see my extended family. My grandfather is nearing death. Every time we see him could very well be the last. There’s so much I want to ask him. What’s his greatest fear in all this...
One of the opportunities that I have while in seminary is working as an Intern in the Chapel office here at Asbury. This year, I am leading the student team that designs and coordinates three services a week as well as many special events. I came to...
You go to every blog, you speak to every pastor, you read every book. They all say the exact same thing about seminary. Sure there are varied articulations, but they all have the same heart: “Don’t lose sight of what matters most.”...
BE SURE TO READ THE ENTIRE POST FOR THE EXCELLENT DEAL FROM BANNER OF TRUTH ONLY AVAILABLE UNTIL JANUARY 15, 2009!!! Way back in August, I wrote a book review on The Loveliness of Christ. What I did not know was that that book was basically a book...
How do you handle it when things don’t go as planned? Big AND Small For me, I feel like I typically roll with the punches, but my wife might tend to disagree with me. The funny thing is that I typically have a much easier time dealing with big...
I find it odd how a comment made on a blog by a total stranger can bother me so much… This morning I was walking to the bus stop and checking my email (on my phone) as is my usual custom. I came across an alert that there was a new comment on...
“… give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” (1 Thess. 5:18) Today, as it was yesterday and will be tomorrow, the will of God is for us to be thankful in all things . To specifically...
Title sound familiar? Jeff’s post Professors Are People Too, got me thinking. On my lap right now sits a stack of theology position papers–a tall stack, I might add–to grade. Jeff and I have been blessed the past three years totag...
A couple years ago I was humbled (okay, a couple minutes ago I was too, but that’s another story) … when I realized that my professors were so caring, authentic, and well, human. This epiphany moment? I was walking across campus and two...
The other day my wife and I had some friends over for a meal after church, one of whom was an American of Hispanic background and also a seminary student. We came to discuss some of our experiences at seminary. One of the things we spent a bit of...
Right now Jeff and I have two possible opportunities (for a pastoral role for Jeff). One seemed like it was a no-go, then the other sprung up, then it died down and the other seemed like it was back on, a done deal. Then, no word for weeks, while...
Perhaps you have encountered some unexpected hardship as a seminary student this semester. Lost a job? Seen unexpected expenses creep up. Seen a side of your anger you didn’t realize was there? God is not surprised. Nor should we be (at least...
While you are in seminary, it is likely that you will come into contact with the term “worldview.” If you have really smart professors or fellow students who want to impress you with their knowledge, you might hear them use the word...
Greek has seemed to be a little disjointed until we arrive in the relative deep-end of participles this semester. I am certainly still wading around in the shallow end, but being pushed further into learning how to swim in this new language (but...
Let me say first that we want you all to know that those of us who write things for this site are real people, and our contributions are often reflections both on our experiences in seminary and on the path of faith. With that said, I want to lead...
This is a guest post by John Dyer. John is the director of web development at DTS and creator of the site Best Commentaries. In my final year at Dallas Seminary I began to emerge from a time where I had become somewhat cynical. As I thought about...
Introduction The longer I am a Christian, the more I discover the power of what I call the ministry of prayer. It seems as though praying is a difficult thing for most people to do. According to one professor, quoting statistics from a prayer...
For the last couple years I’ve been blessed to be a teaching assistant for first-year Theology at Multnomah (actually co-TA, as Kari does most of the paper-grading). Once or twice a semester I get to fill-in for our prof and teach (preach!) on...
It is that time of year again. For many seminaries, this will be the first week of classes. It is an exciting time for most. For some of you, this will be the first time you step into a seminary classroom. I remember my first class like it was...
Ever wanted to sit in on a Systematic Theology class? Not able to attend seminary right now? Too lazy to go to iTunes U and listen to hours and hours of lectures? Well, here’s your solution, follow me through the wonders of a one week...
I am sure that there are many unique stories about how people end up getting to seminary. On our forums there is a topic describing peoples top choices in regard to different schools. I didn’t chime in because the only school that I applied to...
Remember the “Freshman Fifteen”? What about the “Seminary Several”? Perhaps you escaped the undergrad weight gain only to find that now seminary hits you with the one-two punch of entering your *ahem* shall we say, less than...
Many seminaries advertise their core emphases, God-centered and Bible-saturated curriculum, world-class faculty, modern facilities and great equipping strategy. Thank God for these places of higher learning. We want to be prepared for ministry in...
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...
Perhaps you are blessed with a blissfully content heart that enables you to attend seminary for the purest motive of simply learning. You shrug your shoulders at a C+ and praise God that your friend pulled off an A. When someone else’s sermon...
Today is the last day of our Writers Introduction feature. Today we meet Chad Brooks: Chad, how did you come to know the Lord? I am the son of a Southern Baptist preacher so that should give you some sort of a background. I grew up around God, but...
Today we continue our writer introductions with Terry Delaney. Terry, how did you come to know the Lord? The short, short version is that one of my close friends’ girlfriends would not shut her mouth about going to her church for this play. In...
Two tips on how not to waste one’s commute. Most full-time seminary students, it seems, live on or near campus and participate in community life. Then there are commuter students, those who because of jobs, housing and family commitments come...
Today we get to know Jake Belder a little better: Jake, how did you come to know the Lord? I cannot point to a specific moment of conversion, as I was blessed to be raised in a Christian home, by parents who loved and served the Lord with all their...
A couple days ago I introduced you to Kari Patterson. Today, we’ll meet her husband Jeff: Jeff, how did you come to know the Lord? God is so good. I grew up in a mainline Protestant denomination and probably heard the Gospel at some point, was...