Thailand is going great and all is well here. I have a few new pictures for you all. And I will sit down in a few days and tell you about our time so far here in Bangkok. Until then.. God bless
Wednesday, December 26, 2007
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Thailand
I made it to Thailand! As a transition to the Philippines we as a team stop over in Thailand for a few weeks to get our visas and adapt to a new culture and climate. I will be here for 19 days before leaving for the Philippines on the 7th of January. We are going to be working with a college ministry that houses students for the campus close by. I am excited to spend Christmas and new Years here. We get to go caroling Thai style tomorrow. I miss you all and will try to keep up the blogging as I travel around. God Bless!
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
THE LAST WEEK!
This is my last week and it is already Tuesday. I have a 4 hour cumulative final on Friday. I am so excited to be headed for outreach a week from now.
I haven't been taking enough time to really look back on all that I have learned because I am studying for the final on Friday but I am hoping to while on outreach. Still, I would like to take a short time now to reflect on the past 12 weeks so that you may know what God has been teaching me. And perhaps better understand why it is that God placed me in this school through you.
1) An intro week to the course and a overall perspective of its goals to enhance our knowledge of God and give us the tools to communicate Him to both Children and Adults without any loss in content or significance. This was a great motivation for me. I could see God wanting me to pursue Him and seek Him. It also served another purpose; it provided me with the basis with which to test if I was really understanding the material. If I can effectively teach Christ to both a child and an adult without losing content or power I will have truly mastered the material.
2) This week was bible survey week. In one week we go through the entire bible focusing on the "big Picture" - God's redemption of mankind. This week emphasized the old testament prophecies and stage setting for Jesus' coming, death, and resurrection. This was the first time that I had ever seen the big picture presented to me. I have been taught stories out of order and out of context with what the bible was trying to say. This week brought me to a new level of love for God by seeing His hand work all things out for the good of those that love Him.
3) This was a teaching on the Inductive Bible Study Method. It is one of the many ways to look at the bible and do an in depth study of it. It operates under the primary formula of
"Content + Context= Meaning." This was a great tool for me to learn. t provides so much knowledge of scripture and allows for God's word to impact my life in a more powerful way.
4) This was the Basic Christian Doctrine week. We went through the first 9 chapters of Romans searching for what Paul was communicating in what is called, "the most succinct gospel chapters in the bible," effectively summarizing the entire gospel in just 9 powerful chapters. This really gave me hope that all that Christ has reveled to us is simple and straight forward. It smacks of the truth and welcomes any challenge to its claims. This week was life changing. I no longer question whether or not God exists through my suffering or circumstances.
5) This week was a video series on the Beatitudes that are found in Matthew chapter 5. It setup a biblical model for brokenness and service of Christ. Beginning with the realization that we can't do anything without Him and ending with a deeper hunger for God that only repeats the cycle from brokenness to hunger. This week was a very heart breaking time for me. God drew me into deeper intimacy with him through only a few versus of the Bible and left me wanting more of Him.
6) We had our introduction to worldviews - a worldview is the way people perceive the world, in other words the way they believe that the world works and the way they act according to those beliefs. This week was a large kick in the butt to wake up and smell the flowers. Ideas have consequences and it was time for us to start living out of a place of conscious love for Christ.
7) This week was on Cross Cultural Communication. We had the privilege of learning from a professor of CCC at Moody Bible Institute. This laid the ground work for viewing cultures and ourselves correctly so that we may effectively minister Christ cross culturally. This was a hilarious week of weird food and old time jokes. Dr Ray Badgero really extended to us a model that works within any culture we are placed in, allowing for us to really love people and their culture.
8) This week was the presentation of our worldview projects. we each had been given a project to research, explain, and teach one of the major worldviews of today. I had the topic of communism. This week opened my eyes to how much of the West has been impregnated with communist ideas and ideals. It brought into sharper focus the need for a Biblical view of the world and the need of the belief of God in order for our country to remain working the way it was designed to.
9) This week was another video series by the late Francis Schaeffer. It is titled "How Then Should We Live." At its core it shows the history of dominant thoughts about God, morality, and Man and how they influence all aspects of societies. He lead this up to where we are at today in society and how we arrived here. This week showed me the power of an idea. God can, will, and does change hearts and minds.
10) This week was on Post modernism and the emergent church. These are the two main roles that can be seen as dominant in society. Post-modern is the time that we are considered to be in right now. It is an age where the youth are casting off the systems of the old because they have not worked for them. This can be seen very easily in the 60's and 70's and more subtly today. The Emergent church is the new breed of church that produces such things as "relevant" magazine and other such publications.
11) This week touched on the competing beliefs systems to Christianity. This was facilitated by Dr. Ron Carlson, one of the worlds foremost expert on cults and world religions. This week gave me a concise explanation of the major religions of today and what the Bible says in contrast to them. This is a wonderful tool for me to witness to people of all religions.
12) This was a week on apologetics. Which is simply giving a reasonable answer for why you believe the Bible to be true. This week was by far the most intellectually challenging but was one of my favorite. It really was amazing to see how this world truly proclaims the Glory of God. Creation is evidence of his handiwork. And I will never look at it the same way again. I can now only marvel at the simplest construction of God's creativity.
Needless to say I have been up to ALOT the past few weeks! :-P
God bless you all and I look forward to telling you stories from Thailand and the Philippines.
I haven't been taking enough time to really look back on all that I have learned because I am studying for the final on Friday but I am hoping to while on outreach. Still, I would like to take a short time now to reflect on the past 12 weeks so that you may know what God has been teaching me. And perhaps better understand why it is that God placed me in this school through you.
1) An intro week to the course and a overall perspective of its goals to enhance our knowledge of God and give us the tools to communicate Him to both Children and Adults without any loss in content or significance. This was a great motivation for me. I could see God wanting me to pursue Him and seek Him. It also served another purpose; it provided me with the basis with which to test if I was really understanding the material. If I can effectively teach Christ to both a child and an adult without losing content or power I will have truly mastered the material.
2) This week was bible survey week. In one week we go through the entire bible focusing on the "big Picture" - God's redemption of mankind. This week emphasized the old testament prophecies and stage setting for Jesus' coming, death, and resurrection. This was the first time that I had ever seen the big picture presented to me. I have been taught stories out of order and out of context with what the bible was trying to say. This week brought me to a new level of love for God by seeing His hand work all things out for the good of those that love Him.
3) This was a teaching on the Inductive Bible Study Method. It is one of the many ways to look at the bible and do an in depth study of it. It operates under the primary formula of
"Content + Context= Meaning." This was a great tool for me to learn. t provides so much knowledge of scripture and allows for God's word to impact my life in a more powerful way.
4) This was the Basic Christian Doctrine week. We went through the first 9 chapters of Romans searching for what Paul was communicating in what is called, "the most succinct gospel chapters in the bible," effectively summarizing the entire gospel in just 9 powerful chapters. This really gave me hope that all that Christ has reveled to us is simple and straight forward. It smacks of the truth and welcomes any challenge to its claims. This week was life changing. I no longer question whether or not God exists through my suffering or circumstances.
5) This week was a video series on the Beatitudes that are found in Matthew chapter 5. It setup a biblical model for brokenness and service of Christ. Beginning with the realization that we can't do anything without Him and ending with a deeper hunger for God that only repeats the cycle from brokenness to hunger. This week was a very heart breaking time for me. God drew me into deeper intimacy with him through only a few versus of the Bible and left me wanting more of Him.
6) We had our introduction to worldviews - a worldview is the way people perceive the world, in other words the way they believe that the world works and the way they act according to those beliefs. This week was a large kick in the butt to wake up and smell the flowers. Ideas have consequences and it was time for us to start living out of a place of conscious love for Christ.
7) This week was on Cross Cultural Communication. We had the privilege of learning from a professor of CCC at Moody Bible Institute. This laid the ground work for viewing cultures and ourselves correctly so that we may effectively minister Christ cross culturally. This was a hilarious week of weird food and old time jokes. Dr Ray Badgero really extended to us a model that works within any culture we are placed in, allowing for us to really love people and their culture.
8) This week was the presentation of our worldview projects. we each had been given a project to research, explain, and teach one of the major worldviews of today. I had the topic of communism. This week opened my eyes to how much of the West has been impregnated with communist ideas and ideals. It brought into sharper focus the need for a Biblical view of the world and the need of the belief of God in order for our country to remain working the way it was designed to.
9) This week was another video series by the late Francis Schaeffer. It is titled "How Then Should We Live." At its core it shows the history of dominant thoughts about God, morality, and Man and how they influence all aspects of societies. He lead this up to where we are at today in society and how we arrived here. This week showed me the power of an idea. God can, will, and does change hearts and minds.
10) This week was on Post modernism and the emergent church. These are the two main roles that can be seen as dominant in society. Post-modern is the time that we are considered to be in right now. It is an age where the youth are casting off the systems of the old because they have not worked for them. This can be seen very easily in the 60's and 70's and more subtly today. The Emergent church is the new breed of church that produces such things as "relevant" magazine and other such publications.
11) This week touched on the competing beliefs systems to Christianity. This was facilitated by Dr. Ron Carlson, one of the worlds foremost expert on cults and world religions. This week gave me a concise explanation of the major religions of today and what the Bible says in contrast to them. This is a wonderful tool for me to witness to people of all religions.
12) This was a week on apologetics. Which is simply giving a reasonable answer for why you believe the Bible to be true. This week was by far the most intellectually challenging but was one of my favorite. It really was amazing to see how this world truly proclaims the Glory of God. Creation is evidence of his handiwork. And I will never look at it the same way again. I can now only marvel at the simplest construction of God's creativity.
Needless to say I have been up to ALOT the past few weeks! :-P
God bless you all and I look forward to telling you stories from Thailand and the Philippines.
Sunday, December 2, 2007
Hiya!!
School is done in 2 weeks and it is taking a lot of love from Jesus and your prayers to keep me going. I am definitely worn out and rubbed raw. This school has taught me so much about God and the world around me. Thank you all so much for your prayers and support in getting me to this school and providing for me.
I am now changing my focus to outreach, which is coming up very quickly. You all have done so much for me and I thank you so much. Through you God has changed my whole outlook on life. He has so much in store for each one of us. Through him all things are possible, and its through Him that we gain all things. I leave on the 18th for Thailand and then on to the Philippines. Money and prayer has been coming in from you all and I am so humbled by it. You are teaching me and providing loving examples of what the family of God is all about. I tell you with tears, thank you for changing my life. Thank you.
So the money is coming in left and right. Thank you all for praying for me. I still need money for getting some clothes for the Philippines. I came prepared for cold weather before I learned that I was getting to go to the Philippines so I need to go get a couple more pairs of shorts. I only have 2! I am praying for you all daily. And I am praying that He will teach you more and more about Himself. It is only by the Holy Spirit that we can say that Jesus Christ is Lord. May God Bless you!!
School is done in 2 weeks and it is taking a lot of love from Jesus and your prayers to keep me going. I am definitely worn out and rubbed raw. This school has taught me so much about God and the world around me. Thank you all so much for your prayers and support in getting me to this school and providing for me.
I am now changing my focus to outreach, which is coming up very quickly. You all have done so much for me and I thank you so much. Through you God has changed my whole outlook on life. He has so much in store for each one of us. Through him all things are possible, and its through Him that we gain all things. I leave on the 18th for Thailand and then on to the Philippines. Money and prayer has been coming in from you all and I am so humbled by it. You are teaching me and providing loving examples of what the family of God is all about. I tell you with tears, thank you for changing my life. Thank you.
So the money is coming in left and right. Thank you all for praying for me. I still need money for getting some clothes for the Philippines. I came prepared for cold weather before I learned that I was getting to go to the Philippines so I need to go get a couple more pairs of shorts. I only have 2! I am praying for you all daily. And I am praying that He will teach you more and more about Himself. It is only by the Holy Spirit that we can say that Jesus Christ is Lord. May God Bless you!!
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