My name is Bruce, and I am a Northern boy living in the Deep South! In August 2011, I decided to begin a new chapter in my life by relocating to Birmingham, AL to begin my formal education and training as a minister for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing people.
At the publication of this entry, I just completed my first semester of seminary at Beeson Divinity School at Samford University (Beeson) in Birmingham, AL pursuing a Master of Divinity (M.Div., Latin magister divinitatis) degree. For those who do not know what a M.Div. degree is, it is a common graduate-level professional degree for people to become full-time ministers and/or missionaries, and it is also the standard prerequisite for ordination to the priesthood or pastorate or other appointment, ordination or licensing to professional ministry. Beeson offers a rigorous 96-credit M.Div. degree program that includes eight semesters of classes in Greek and Hebrews, three semesters of practica (internships), and a required 14-days mission trip (i.e. Peru, Turkey, London, etc.) called Cross-Cultural Ministry Practicum (CCMP) (to view a complete list of program requirements and classes from Beeson, click here). I hope to graduate with this degree by the spring of 2015 at the earliest, Lord willing.
Many of you reading this blog post have either providing financial means for me to attend seminary through The Fund for Theological Education’s Congregational Fellowship or prayerfully supporting me while I am apart from you. I have been privileged to meet and know some of you in my life. Some of you might even be my seminarian colleagues whose friendships I have come to cherish. It is my hope and prayer that this blog will serve several purposes for you: 1) to share my life stories and experiences at Beeson as the only Deaf seminarian (to this date); 2) to communicate with you some insights and life lessons that God has taught me through my classes and devotional studies; 3) to inform/educate you about the immense need and burden God has placed on my heart for Deaf and Hard of Hearing people; and 4) to remind you that the financial sacrifices you have made, your continued prayers, and your words of encouragement do play an instrumental role during my time at Beeson and are making an eternal difference in the kingdom of God.
You are more than welcome to be one of my followers by clicking on the “Join this site” found at the right side of this webpage.
Soli Deo Gloria,
Bruce Persons
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