tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13454015735767631412024-02-07T02:48:20.205-06:00Deaf SeminarianA journal during Bruce's seminary days.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07967091404570836531noreply@blogger.comBlogger51125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1345401573576763141.post-10993118671970340382014-08-23T20:29:00.000-05:002014-08-23T20:39:18.159-05:00Fall 2014 Prayer Update<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: center; width: 241px;"> <tbody>
<tr> <td style="text-align: center;" width="239"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNGPKoi06iRV_AMsL4bfNShUB7QRtMp9VY-FYIJuR8t_5KXxLfJxZ3sjM7NO8Qez-7ynRGawrfOO02ZnIPz1J8qvKSBIEjF_WbW4Q_KYo8DMZ4eZLEq6c0I51so_YxVrjGNFMq9krCYNU/s1600-h/IMG_0209%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><img align="left" alt="IMG_0209" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNqJ2VAOPs86vsy3XB6Y-GvlgY3BoLfyknBNiA6FEhve9jOTEt6Lnk83GoAwSF9QVFET_rZH8IY8qCTccQPFG8YXKZ0m3DvrfrJZjcfPLLFANZwQmuavMTaOzJsb3HQBsaQ9_R2CA-6To/?imgmax=800" height="244" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; float: left; margin: 0px 5px 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="IMG_0209" width="221" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr> <td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;" width="239"><span style="font-size: x-small;">"Consecration of St. Augustine"<br />Cathedral Basilica, St. Augustine<br />St Augustine, Florida</span></td></tr>
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It seemed like my summer went by at a blinding pace. And here’s why:<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">I kicked off my summer two days after my Hebrew final exam by visiting St. Simon Island in Georgia, attending a wedding in Jacksonville, FL, and catching up with a friend in Pensacola Beach, FL. After a week of traveling, I returned to Maryland from Birmingham within a few days and was in Salisbury, MD soon afterwards for ten weeks with Rev. Stephen Hause at <a href="http://www.crosspointenaz.org/go/deaf-ministry" target="_blank">In His Hands Deaf Ministry with Cross Pointe Church of Nazarene</a> (explore its awesome <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/In-His-Hands-Deaf-Ministry/224465457159" target="_blank">Facebook page</a> too!) to complete my final credit for Ministry Leadership Practicum (a.k.a. internship). During the course of my internship, I traveled to Louisville, KY for the 21st Century Deaf Church Colloquium and was also able to spend some quality time with my family and friends (much more compared to the previous two summers).</span><br />
<a name='more'></a><span style="font-size: small;"><br />And now, I just returned to Birmingham this past week and can’t believe this coming Tuesday will mark the beginning of my final year at <a href="http://www.beesondivinity.com/" target="_blank">Beeson Divinity School</a>! I am somewhat sad to see it coming to a close this May, but I am growing more excited to discover what God has in store for me after my graduation! Exciting times lies ahead of me!<br /><br />For my regular readers: thank you <em>once again</em> for your faithful prayers and support over the past three years! You probably don’t realize how much difference it has made for me knowing there are faithful prayer warriors interceding on my behalf.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Here are few things you could add to your prayer list for me this Fall:<strong></strong></span><br />
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<strong>1. For wisdom, strength, and guidance during my studies</strong></blockquote>
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I would not have made it this far in my studies without God and your faithful prayers. Period. There were moments I wondered inwardly and out loud whether I would survive seminary (especially my Hebrew exams!) and finish everything in timely manner on the top of everything else in life. Theological education is rigorous by nature, and it can be taxing on seminarians at times. Not everyone are able to handle its academic demands. I feel blessed, grateful, and to certain extent, fortunate to reach my fourth year of seminary at Beeson, but I still have a few more hurdles to jump over before I receive my Master of Divinity degree in May.<br />
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<em>Could you please pray that God will continue to faithfully endow me with a steady source of wisdom, strength, and guidance, especially in my own studies?</em></blockquote>
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<strong>2. To glorify God through my labors as the president of Beeson’s Student Government Association</strong></blockquote>
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Beeson Divinity School’s student body elected me this past April to serve as the president of Beeson’s Student Government Association (SGA). I am profoundly humbled and privileged to serve the students in this capacity, and I will also be the first-ever Deaf president of its SGA. With this role comes many responsibilities and duties; it is my heartfelt prayers that I will not only meet the expectations but also to serve the student body well and give God all the glory through my labors.</blockquote>
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<em>Could you please pray that I will glorify God in ever-increasing measures as the president of Beeson’s Student Government Association?</em></blockquote>
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<strong>3. For my future beyond seminary</strong></blockquote>
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I am nervously anticipating several big decisions to be made in the next few months that will have direct impact not only on my ministry but also my life. I am beginning my job search process for a church to serve in so that I can do an effective ministry to people, especially the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, while also growing as a pastor. <span style="font-size: small;">My family would love me to work somewhere closer to Maryland, and several people have contacted me about the prospect of working for them, but I have no idea what the Lord wants me to do. Speaking as a human, t</span>here will be acute moments of doubt, frustration, and despair in the next few months – Lord, please forgive me for this! I also hope to pursue a Ph.D. degree at some point in the next few years so I can teach and do leadership development. In spite of all this, I am certain of this: God has a perfect plan for my life beyond seminary (it requires me to take a big step of faith), and I will let nothing else detract me from the two-fold calling I have received from Jesus Christ before I began my seminary studies: to preach the message of Good News to the uttermost, and to equip and edify all saints for greater works of ministry.<br />
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<em>Could you please pray for me as I prayerfully explore my future beyond seminary? Also, could you please let me know of any job opportunities I could explore? If you do, please press the “Contact Me” link at the top and let me know!</em></blockquote>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><strong>4. For a <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/785736488143393/" target="_blank">New Deaf Church plant</a> in Birmingham, AL</strong></span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Birmingham, although located in the heart of the “Bible Belt,” is a spiritually-arid region for Deaf Christians, and I have been praying ever since I arrived here that God will bring spiritual revitalization and awakening in this region. And my prayer seems to be answered now!<br /><br />On August 17th, around 25 Deaf, Hard-of-Hearing, and hearing people of all ages gathered at <a href="http://www.gvbc.org/" target="_blank">Green Valley Baptist Church</a> for its first-ever weekly Deaf worship service! It is the culmination of about six months’ worth of small group meetings started back in January 2014, and I was pumped to find out about it! Although I was still in Maryland that day, I will be attending it on an occasional basis to help out a bit with preaching and teaching. I am excited to see how God will use this congregation to make eternal impact not only on a local but also national and international levels!<br /><br /><em>Could you please pray for a fruitful Gospel ministry in Birmingham and beyond as a result of this new Deaf church plant?</em></span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-size: small;"></span><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>And on a lighter note…</strong></span></div>
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Here’s a humorous picture I came across today making fun of the ALS Water Bucket Challenge that is still going viral on Facebook. Enjoy!</blockquote>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvBVLzBiTP9g5oGqy4NiX5_OL33IS2oiNcU_7oYZ3v3_ZGk5R43tLe3JqALVUmHnze7aNysboWqiKemjoGA70yoSctg8Og9ClgHHybhC_cBphi8EE3WRtKhCoV7VEIIzKbdLCZ5O2Z-6w/s1600-h/10518829_10100365639767189_8179284755953614235_n%25255B7%25255D.jpg"><img alt="10518829_10100365639767189_8179284755953614235_n" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeYhyutXVzREBoRjFHxPQUllxANubcUuK-aXUBppnEZQDVFPpAFSSx970rHk74N6Zow-eZJqvccoyVO6IfRyt1PDNgKRahyphenhyphenoDbGSaelh498Z5iXM-6NFGaQIzL6DCtgD-ldT0eXNhemJU/?imgmax=800" height="225" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="10518829_10100365639767189_8179284755953614235_n" width="321" /></a> Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07967091404570836531noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1345401573576763141.post-13639140980040139112014-07-16T20:42:00.002-05:002014-08-02T10:35:34.474-05:00ASL SERMON – Leave Your Nets Behind<div style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="376" mozallowfullscreen="" src="//player.vimeo.com/video/100834085" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="500"></iframe></div>
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<b>Sermon Title: "Leave Your Nets Behind"<br />Scripture Passage: Luke 5:1-11</b></div>
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<b><i>Sermon voice-interpreted in English</i></b></div>
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This message was preached on July 13, 2014 at<br />
<a href="http://www.fcob.net/deaf-fellowship/">Deaf Fellowship at Frederick Church of the Brethren</a>.<br />
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Special thanks to Deaf Fellowship for filming this sermon</div>
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and making it available online for viewing!<br />
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Please feel free to share this sermon with your friends,<br />
and please leave a comment below if desired.<br />
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If you want to have me come speak at your church or event,<br />
please click the "Contact Me" tab at the top of this blog and fill out your information.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07967091404570836531noreply@blogger.com0Frederick Church of the Brethren39.4221644 -77.425674239.0293114 -78.071121200000007 39.8150174 -76.7802272tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1345401573576763141.post-60580773682482967752014-06-12T14:26:00.000-05:002014-06-14T09:20:37.304-05:00Summer 2014 Prayer UpdateWhat has God accomplished in my life, and what will He do with in the next few months? Read my summer prayer update letter to find out!<br />
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<a name='more'></a><strong><span style="font-size: medium;">1) <u>Completed my third year at Beeson Divinity School</u></span></strong><strong><br /></strong><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6JCrK3yEfHxqrYJgUTOaXP5lVSvfrjJ1CLrAgM4LilxVz74XJvqqTPZGZOysZmfgHJkKQVbTVEHf1GB1Xx4_nNWlbf_OuzHNvMkTAXJ9hnxNeg57JHmnrOTwubiDIxrpXIRdeaLUPhQ4/s1600-h/Beeson%252520Lake%252520February%25252013%2525202014%25255B3%25255D.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img align="center" alt="Beeson Lake February 13 2014" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLil19epU3gJ6q8HPpUO3E-8FiQL22nf8Y7rrUjsKl8uDlOEgJ0yfraDVg6fkbe9deqypwAYBpy92MsdJriM2QoYeDFEOsMKGrKoXJLhqRgpBnpYjF6shpLo_zHisAMGINFQXpB_SjdXg/?imgmax=800" height="320" style="background-image: none; border: 0px; display: inline; float: left; margin: 10px 10px 0px 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="Beeson Lake February 13 2014" width="195" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"The Divine Sea"<br />
Beeson Divinity School<br />
February 2014</td></tr>
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<br />
I finished my third year at Beeson this past May, and I passed Hebrew! I was initially concerned that the Hebrew language would jeopardize my seminary career, but God really helped me to learn this biblical language. I was able to do exceptionally well in four of my classes, and I am pleased with my final grades. I could not have done this well without your prayers!<br /><br />
Also, only one more year remain until I graduate with my Masters in Divinity degree in May 2015! I’m beginning the process of looking for a job after I graduate from seminary. Please continue to keep me in your daily prayers.<br />
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<strong><span style="font-size: medium;">2) <u>Summer Internship @ </u></span></strong><a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/In-His-Hands-Deaf-Ministry/224465457159?ref=br_tf" target="_blank"><strong><span style="font-size: medium;">In His Hands Deaf Ministry</span></strong></a><strong><span style="font-size: medium;"><u> at </u></span></strong><strong><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="http://www.crosspointenaz.org/" target="_blank">Cross Pointe Church of Nazarene</a></span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></strong>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img align="left" src="http://inhishands.pbworks.com/f/1242242414/CPCN.jpg" height="216" style="display: inline; margin: 0px auto;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cross Pointe Church of Nazarene</td></tr>
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<strong style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></strong>I’m sitting in <a href="http://www.starbucks.com/store/91100/us/salisbury-university/1306-s-salisbury-blvd-salisbury-md-21804" target="_blank">Salisbury University’s Starbucks</a> in Salisbury, MD right now enjoying a cup of dark roast coffee, in the company of two esteemed ministers of the Gospel – Rev. Stephen Hause and Dr. Rickey (Rick) McClain.<br />
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Yes, I am actually in Salisbury, MD.<br />
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To be honest, I did not expect to spend my summer in the Eastern Shore of Maryland. But an opportunity was given to intern with Rev. Stephen Hause, pastor of In His Hands Deaf Ministry at Cross Pointe Church of Nazarene, for the next ten weeks, and I am grateful for it. Although located in Maryland, the Eastern Shore feels like a far-away country (some people don’t consider it part of Maryland!). I will be here until August 10th and am excited to see what the Lord has in store for me this summer. I need your prayers because the Eastern Shore has unique ministerial challenges unlike anything I’ve faced in the past. <br />
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<strong><span style="font-size: medium;">3) <u>21st Century Deaf Church Colloquium in Louisville, KY<br /></u></span></strong><br />
<strong style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img align="left" src="http://www.gannett-cdn.com/-mm-/188462d53c08859108de4164aee5512c95c1fe31/c=0-74-2679-3645&r=537&c=0-0-534-712/local/-/media/USATODAY/USATODAY/2013/08/22/1377223023001-082413many-directions.jpg" height="233" style="display: inline; float: left; margin: 0px 10px 0px 0px;" width="179" /></strong>From June 19th – 22nd, several colleagues will gather in Louisville, KY for a colloquium facilitated by Bob Ayres, Director of <a href="http://www.yfc.net/deafteenquest/" target="_blank">Deaf Teen Quest - Youth for Christ, USA</a>. As part of his Doctor in Ministry research praxis project at Beeson Divinity School, Bob Ayres wanted to gather selected individuals to talk about the future of Deaf churches in the postmodern and pluralistic world. I am privileged and humbled to participate in this gathering, and I am positive God will accomplish extraordinary things as a result. Your prayers will be needed as I travel to and from Louisville, KY and during the discussions that will take place over the weekend.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQes1hupvjGSCR90SyMR83YtG3HQe1FrtYahf5Cfm9WS44XXYPFX-sxKNwJVHT5Rz8LC_TFm-t7KYTSzpj2A7B_2EazQ98NKhRAbjUs_wfXQsjyiQGK5Y4Ep0_o7Ekk6qVeUMfXJzigdA/s1600-h/May%2525202014%252520008%25255B5%25255D.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img align="right" alt="May 2014 008" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx8wmmoqLbx1zrRnF8iINwALEPAFnpreytn8XUrDaf3_RdPfMQ3cr-obPMbaT96fxGlXgNDMGPN6KawQ7OzcrEYJ5EJZ5k4IiWaLs3MC71vQfkrsPqkV-dkx956kXufdWB9MngfyLIfas/?imgmax=800" height="244" style="background-image: none; border: 0px; display: inline; float: right; margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="May 2014 008" width="184" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jacksonville, FL<br />
May 2014</td></tr>
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<strong><span style="font-size: medium;">4) <u>And then there’s a girl…</u></span></strong><br />
<strong><br /></strong>On March 1st, I began dating a wonderful woman of God who has been my friend for a long time: Mary Beth (her last name was withheld for confidentiality reasons). I met her seven years ago at a Deaf youth ministry conference in Louisville, KY, and we remained friends ever since that time. Mary Beth is a second-year student at <a href="http://www.gordonconwell.edu/index.cfm" target="_blank">Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary</a>, and we have had many delightful conversations about our studies at our respective seminaries. We were also able to spend some quality time together over the past three months in Alabama, Georgia, and Florida, and I am excited about her upcoming Maryland visit in August! We are currently praying for our future, and we would love to have you pray for us as well.<br />
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Thank you once again for your faithful prayers and support! Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07967091404570836531noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1345401573576763141.post-52926414710345629022014-05-28T11:24:00.001-05:002014-05-28T11:39:25.386-05:00Requiem in Pacem, Dr. Maya Angelou<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: large;">“I believe that each of us comes from the Creator</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">trailing wisps of glory.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><em>(Mary Angelou, after her 65th birthday)</em></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><em><br /></em></span></div>
<img align="left" border="0" src="http://www.askdro.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/mayaangelou.jpg" height="188" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; float: left; margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" width="273" />Influential author, teacher, newspaper editor, poet, educator, civil rights activist, film director and actress Maya Angelou died at 86 years old today in Winston-Salem, N.C. From humble beginnings in rural Arkansas as a teen high school dropout and a single mom, Maya Angelou rose to international fame after the publication of her 1969 memoir, <em>I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings</em>, and became one of the most influential and beloved and renowned writers and poets of her generation.<br />
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<a name='more'></a>Although widely known for her memoirs – totaling six volumes in length! – she probably reached the apex of her career when she delivered her poem, <a href="http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/on-the-pulse-of-morning/" target="_blank">“On the Pulse of Morning,”</a> on a chilly January morning in 1993 at President Clinton’s inauguration.<br />
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Some poignant quotes by Maya Angelou:<br />
<ol>
<li>"Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away." </li>
<li>"If you don't like something, change it. If you can't change it, change your attitude. Don't complain." </li>
<li>"I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” </li>
<li>“While I know myself as a creation of God, I am also obligated to realize and remember that everyone else and everything else are also God's creation.” </li>
<li>“Love recognizes no barriers. It jumps hurdles, leaps fences, penetrates walls to arrive at its destination full of hope.”</li>
</ol>
Several articles on Maya Angelou’s life and her accomplishments:<br />
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New York Times: <a href="http://mobile.nytimes.com/2014/05/29/arts/maya-angelou-lyrical-witness-of-the-jim-crow-south-dies-at-86.html?rref=us&_r=1&referrer" target="_blank" title="http://mobile.nytimes.com/2014/05/29/arts/maya-angelou-lyrical-witness-of-the-jim-crow-south-dies-at-86.html?rref=us&_r=1&referrer">http://mobile.nytimes.com/2014/05/29/arts/maya-angelou-lyrical-witness-of-the-jim-crow-south-dies-at-86.html?rref=us&_r=1&referrer</a><br />
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Relevant Magazine: <a href="http://www.relevantmagazine.com/slices/author-and-poet-maya-angelou-has-died" target="_blank" title="http://www.relevantmagazine.com/slices/author-and-poet-maya-angelou-has-died">http://www.relevantmagazine.com/slices/author-and-poet-maya-angelou-has-died</a><br />
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Maya Angelou’s official website: <a href="http://www.mayaangelou.com/" target="_blank" title="http://www.mayaangelou.com/">http://www.mayaangelou.com/</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07967091404570836531noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1345401573576763141.post-15272058540660349232014-02-11T20:22:00.001-06:002014-02-12T19:11:07.303-06:00How Ought I Respond to a Christian-Turned-Atheist?<div align="left">
<img src="http://images.christianpost.com/full/69431/justin-vollmar.png" height="293" style="margin: 0px 0px 10px;" width="529" /> On Friday night, Justin Vollmar, a self-proclaimed preacher of <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/241761685849654/" target="_blank">the “Virtual Deaf Church” Facebook group</a>, released a sub-titled <a href="http://youtu.be/x1q3GiTJzfM" target="_blank">video blog (“vlog”) declaring his departure from Christianity to Atheism</a>. As he explained in the vlog, it marked the “culmination of four long years struggling with contradictions in the Bible and with Christianity.” He blatantly rejected the cardinal doctrines of Christianity (i.e., the Trinity, Jesus as the Son of God, the authority and veracity of the Scriptures, &c.). Near the end, he has declared his intent to create additional videos to attack Christian doctrines so that people can be freed from “the shackles of religion,” as some Atheists might describe it. He also joined the <a href="http://www.clergyproject.com/" target="_blank">Clergy Project</a>, a support group for 556-plus active and former professional clergy/religious leaders who have renounced Christianity.</div>
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As a result, this video has spread like a firestorm on the Internet, and it even appeared on several prominent websites (<a href="https://www.facebook.com/AmericanAtheists" target="_blank">American Atheists, Inc. Facebook page</a>, <a href="http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2014/02/09/pastor-running-an-online-church-for-the-deaf-comes-out-as-an-atheist/" target="_blank">Patheos</a>, <a href="http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2014/02/10/deaf-pastor-atheist-a-big-surprise-to-his-congregation/" target="_blank">CNN’s Belief Blog</a>, <a href="http://www.christianpost.com/news/online-preacher-for-the-deaf-justin-vollmar-comes-out-as-atheist-god-is-an-illusionit-is-all-nonsense-he-says-114281/cpf" target="_blank">Christianpost</a>, to name only few). There has also been a wide range of reactions from Christians, atheists, and skeptics. On the one hand, most Christians expressed shock, grief, and even anger over his video. Some who may have known Justin Vollmar and followed him over the years may sadly yet somewhat nonchalantly say, “I saw that coming a long time ago!” On the other hand, atheists have welcomed his “coming out” with enthusiasm and even used this as an opportunity to deride, sneer, and mock Christians. The rest have chosen to remain silent about this revelation for various reasons, possibly out of indifference, uncertainty, and fear.<br />
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Regardless of one’s response to this bombshell revelation, all Christians (myself included) have been profoundly impacted by this vlog. Yet this episode is nothing new; it has played out countless times throughout the history of Christianity. One question has nagged me ever since that happened, and it is the same one all Christians – especially pastors and lay leaders - have wrestled with at least once in their lifetime, especially when something like this happens:</div>
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<b><i>“How ought I respond to a Christian-turned-Atheist?”</i></b></h2>
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1) We ought to grieve.</h3>
<br />
When we hear about or witness something completely unexpected, such as a crisis or sudden death, we experience initial shock, often manifested through denial, emotional numbness, and even anger. Once the initial shock wears off, we enter into the grieving phase because we lost something of personal value – whether a loved one, a close friend, a valuable possession, a sought-for job, a dashed dream, or even a beloved pet. It is not a matter of “if” but rather “when.”<br />
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Within the Body of Christ, God’s people grieve on different levels whenever someone apostatizes from their faith. Individually, Christians are pained when someone we know and love chooses to blaspheme the name of our Lord Jesus Christ and reject the very Creator God who zealously longs to have a relationship with every single human being. Collectively, Christians mourn when someone we know fails to honor and give thanks to him. This person exchanged the infinite glory of the Living God for the transient glory of mortals (Rom. 1:23). We also lament deeply because, as Jonathan Edwards famously coins it, we know that a <a href="http://www.biblebb.com/files/edwards/je-sinners.htm" target="_blank">sinner is now in the hands of an angry God</a>. Hebrews 10:31 also tells us, “it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” In short, it is necessary and healthy for Christians to grieve individually and collectively, especially for the sake of the Christian-turned-Atheist’s soul!<br />
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2) We ought to pray.</h3>
<br />
Just as Paul exhorted all believers living in Thessalonica (1 Thessalonians 5:14-22), Colossae (Colossians 4:2), and Rome (Romans 12:12), Christians nowadays ought to devote themselves to faithful and persistent prayers on the behalf of all people – whether a saint or a sinner.</div>
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Jesus told his disciples to never stop praying (Luke 18:1). In a similar vein, we should never stop praying, especially for a Christian-turned-Atheist. Pray that this person will freely receive and fully experience the astounding grace and lavishing mercy of God. Pray that this person will recognize their utter dependence on God, their inescapable condition as wretched sinners, and their pressing need for a Savior. Pray that God will continue to demonstrate his kindness so that this person’s hard and impenitent heart may be softened and led toward repentance (Romans 2:4-5).</div>
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<br />
3) We ought to love.</h3>
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Jesus, responding to a Pharisaic lawyer’s challenge regarding the greatest commandment of the Mosaic law, declared that one must love God first then their neighbors (Matthew 22:34-40). One of the hallmarks of Christian faith should be love forged through a loving community of believers (Gk. <i>koinonia</i>). However, this love should never be exclusive toward other Christians but rather exercised toward all people, even those who are “enemies of the cross of Christ” (Philippians 3:18). God will bless us if we impartially love and pray even for our enemies (Matthew 5:43-45).<br />
<br />
How can we truly love our enemies when they only want to harm us? Paul explained in Romans 12:20-21: “‘if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.’ Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” Love and goodness triumphs over hatred and evil. Always.</div>
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4) We ought to beware.</h3>
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Jesus warned his listeners and disciples throughout the Gospels to watch out for those who might lead us astray from our faith. During his famous Sermon on the Mount, he declared, “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will recognize them by their fruits” (Matthew 7:15-16a). In Matthew 24, he explained to his disciples that “many prophets will arise and lead many astray […] [and], if possible, the elect” (v. 11, 24; Mark 13:22). Those who fail to hold fast to the Scriptures and their faith, and also maintain a good conscience before God and men, will end up shipwrecked in their faith (cf. 1 Timothy 1:19). Beware of anyone who opposes Christ and the Gospel message, or even proclaim a “watered-down” Gospel; that person is essentially a false teacher and prophet, and their destructive heresies must be avoided at all costs (cf. 2 Peter 2:2).</div>
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5) We ought to persevere.</h3>
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Suffering in this world is a given, not an option. As Christians, we must constantly encourage one another to persevere and not give up, no matter what might happen (1 Thessalonians 5:11; Luke 18:15). To the leaders: “keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers” (1 Timothy 4:16). Here’s a promise to those who persevere in their faith to the very end: "Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him." (James 1:12)</div>
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The writer of Hebrews exhorted his readers in chapter 10:</div>
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<i>(35) “Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. (36) </i><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=1345401573576763141"></a><i>For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised. (37) For,</i></div>
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
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<i>“Yet a little while,</i></div>
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<i> and the coming one will come and will not delay;<br />
(38) but my righteous one shall live by faith,<br />
and if he shrinks back,<br />
my soul has no pleasure in him.”</i></div>
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
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<i>(39) But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls.”</i></div>
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Final Words of Exhortation</h3>
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My fellow brothers and sisters in Christ, don’t lose hope or give up fighting the good fight of faith, even if anyone – even a Christian-turned-Atheist - fall away from their faith and deny our Lord Jesus Christ. Instead, be sober-minded and realize that the same thing could happen to you if you are not careful.<br />
<br />
Regardless of what happens in this lifetime, no single person or being in heaven, on earth, or even in the deepest pit of hell can snatch us out of God’s hands, steal away the joy within our hearts, and separate us from the love of God (Romans 8:31-39). We belong to Christ, and we are united to him through his death and resurrection. Keep pressing forward in this great race of our lifetime with eyes fixed on the glittering crown of life awaiting us in heaven through Jesus Christ (Hebrews 12:1-2). In the meantime, continue loving one another boldly and fearlessly as we await the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.<br />
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In the meantime, may we courageously proclaim before the entire world – even to Christian-turned-Atheists - the great mystery of our faith:</div>
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<span style="font-size: medium;"><i>“Christ has died, Christ has risen, and Christ will come again.”</i></span></h3>
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<iframe align="center" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="280" mozallowfullscreen="" src="//player.vimeo.com/video/86543440" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="500"></iframe> </div>
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<a href="http://vimeo.com/86543440">How Ought I Respond to a Christian-Turned-Atheist</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/user22571294">Bruce Persons</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.</div>
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<i>Do you desire to contact Bruce Persons and share your thoughts or how this post has blessed you in specific ways? You can either leave a comment below or click the "Contact Me" tab at the top to send me a personal message.</i></div>
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<u><i><b>UPDATE #1 (2/12/14 @ 12:15 PM CST)</b></i></u></div>
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<i>Wow! I am overwhelmed and profoundly humbled by how many people have read, shared, and commented about this blog post in the past twelve hours - may all the glory be given to God! Due to a widespread and global response to this blog post, an American Sign Language version of this post will be released soon. Thank you for your continued support, encouraging words, and prayers!'</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i><u><b>UPDATE #2 (2/12/14 @ 7:15 PM CST)</b></u></i><br />
<i>An American Sign Language production of my original blog post has been added to this blog post. This is the first time I have produced a so-called "vlog," and any suggestions or feedback would be greatly appreciated! Please feel free to share this video by referring people directly to this blog post.</i></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07967091404570836531noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1345401573576763141.post-36157328109528209052014-01-30T13:47:00.001-06:002014-01-30T13:48:24.880-06:00The Perfect (Snow) Storm: Birmingham Gridlock Explained<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyLENYPeqmUmFDcifePapVx8VOsiR851Yfy8p2zVkXgMvHn3xiaUmJi0SbHQ7GA01a5hgM9Q92nNRgBltV30QMYlr5kTTBr_XIIWh2JPGXmNNw10JqTmqiIiAUjYYvwyny4WflH4qtrc8/s1600-h/20140128_122201%25255B11%25255D.jpg"><img align="left" alt="20140128_122201" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH-xNvXsxSi74WyN_pVvb568h7JnThpf6hZqEJzmUNBwoJKJqixlr_bS-RaKppan_MAZiU1RFlNmj_7pPhwgb_53rHZAPxTOp6gG_vAaLrmfTwWNNZEnX48AZ9nq15sXkT74EaGui1o1Q/?imgmax=800" height="182" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; float: left; margin: 0px 6px 6px 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="20140128_122201" width="242" /></a>I was stuck at Beeson Divinity School Tuesday night because a rare snowstorm passed through the Birmingham region and shut down a significant portion of Alabama and Georgia. Now dubbed by some as the “Birmingham Gridlock” and (somewhat humorously) “snow apocalypse,” it was a relatively minor system that only served to reinforce the stereotypical view that Northerners had about the Southerners. As someone who has lived in the North for most of his life (Maryland, to be specific), I decided to chronicle exactly what transpired and why the entire city was paralyzed by it. Why? So that you not only understand exactly what happened but also to shine light on the plight some people have experienced since Tuesday night.<br />
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Also, I have prepared a five-minute video clip at the bottom of this post, and I hope you will enjoy it!<br />
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<h2>
A Brief Chronicle of Birmingham’s Perfect (Snow) Storm</h2>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJRyYVPbT4j4vi_8jXfKyVeGsIuK8R0i2w5syNixoR43RYFeYfzdXfEzXgyqZGjVe1YjH5Olgy3gDQMuqobvNn2LO0bQCGbcuCcoLxSfDb1arN9vWJGcyELt6Ne_QLlVgMUzAMAsBBYv0/s1600-h/image%25255B5%25255D.png"><img align="right" alt="image" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsUi01lgsDctTRKaf0MnJ_7APKYKuJfBZ6DioMQlwQik-SyqRi_LOp2jPfzfHPaCuGmOMqsDXyJ2diEoiQFyAESOgpuTEb-BYgrGkbxdepfiV_9SoxfP7mogs9P6a9ZTa24KIy4NJmCWM/?imgmax=800" height="278" style="display: inline; float: right;" title="image" width="317" /></a>Over the few days prior to January 28th, James Spann, the iconic and somewhat legendary weatherman in the Birmingham area, asserted his followers that less than a “dusting” of snow would fall in the Birmingham area, while the worse would hit the area around Montgomery (see the graphic on the right). As a result, people were not too alarmed about it. Piece of cake.<br />
<br />
People began their day as always – school buses came to pick up the children on time, people went to work, and college students got up for classes. It just happened that Tuesday was only the second day of the Spring Semester for Samford University and the first day of classes for most of its graduate schools (such as Beeson Divinity School).<br />
<br />
Around 9:00 am, flurries began to swirl around in the Birmingham area. Just as predicted. No big deal.<br />
<br />
However, by 11:00 am, “flurries” became more heavier and people started to notice it. Soon mayhem ensued: multiple school districts, county and state governments, and colleges/universities simultaneously announced that they would be closing and everyone headed started trying to reach home. People – especially those with children – left their workplaces immediately to pick up their children from school. Apparently the forecast was wrong!<br />
<br />
<img align="left" src="http://media.al.com/alphotos/photo/2014/01/14177421-standard.jpg" height="161" style="display: inline; float: left; margin: 0px 6px 6px 0px;" width="240" />Then the perfect (snow) storm happened. In a city of roughly one million residents, unaccustomed and unprepared for snow, thousands of motorists crashed, ran off the street, or were unable to go uphill (by the way, Birmingham is surrounded by hills). As thousands of people tried to leave their workplaces to pick up their children at the same time, traffic logjams were inevitable. People were forced to abandon their cars, trudge in the snow (think: high-heels shoes and sneakers with maybe a light coat) for several miles to seek warmer locations. The snow removal crews were unable to get anywhere, and emergency responders had problems navigating through the traffic jams. Everything came to a standstill.<br />
<br />
Oh, I must also mention that <a href="http://blog.al.com/spotnews/2014/01/final_counts_in_11375_students.html" target="_blank">about <strong>11,375 children</strong> were stranded all over Alabama</a> (not including those in Georgia!), unable to go home. Since their parents were unable to pick up their children, the students had to spend the night at their schools with their teachers.<br />
<br />
All the hotels were booked by stranded motorists, and its lobbies were overflowing with many people trying to stay warm. Emergency shelters at community centers and churches sprang up to accompany the stranded motorists. Thousands more were stranded on I-20, I-65, and I-459 unable to go anywhere, and many spent the night in bone-chilling vehicles hoping that they had enough gas in tank to last the night.<br />
<br />
Hence the “Birmingham Gridlock” and “snow apocalypse.” (And no, zombies were not walking around the city.) The same scene unfolded in Atlanta as well.<br />
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</h2>
<h2>
Birmingham Gridlock Explained</h2>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh21iscFknDPfc866JCIUk01z8yxVJpJPHlYy6Oixe5izPn_9IkAOirQF7IORV-MItftTDF7JNDPuHbOXTrlGI1-aenLKOFMEnedZa2Ed2yMlODpKBU5Th9d3FuMwI-90ym0fmJicWjXGc/s1600-h/20140129_125124%25255B12%25255D.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img align="right" alt="20140129_125124" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJoxBl-o2E9kPbcL7nvaSzWVtpNpehO4YXO922Dw8A0E_Dc3eJNmg20e8T5noL_UUp6h9MWZMI2r-STXAacBEgSDJENvbZXsC3ngdleW2RdZSPpmkmq-UBvC7ustJCs6afZXcA_Sx1Oh0/?imgmax=800" height="242" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; float: right; margin: 0px 6px 6px 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="20140129_125124" width="182" /></a>Alabama is indeed a stranger to snowfalls; it rarely receives a snowfall accumulation exceeding two inches at any given time. As a result, Birmingham doesn’t have the proper equipment or expertise to pre-treat the streets before a snowstorm hits. Alabama also experienced an unseasonably cold weather over this past week, and many people don’t have much cold weather clothing at hand. Finally, if you have been following the news over the past few years, Jefferson County and Birmingham city was still reeling from <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/19/business/jefferson-county-ala-falls-off-the-bankruptcy-cliff.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0" target="_blank">its recent bankruptcy court decision – in fact, the largest U.S. municipal bankruptcy ever</a>. That meant the government has no cash left in its reserves to repave the streets, pay overtime money for court employees, support its prisons to keep our society safe, or even keep the city streets litter-free. Would they have money to invest in new snow removal equipment, road salt, and sand? Nope.<br />
<br />
In fact, as I type this post, the road crews, state troopers, and even Alabama National Guardsmen are still working on clearing up the roads so that life can resume in “the gem of the South.” Kudos to them for their hard work!<br />
<h2>
A few concluding thoughts for the Northerners</h2>
<em>1) Don’t ridicule Southerners for “shutting down” everything in the South or not being able to drive in wintry conditions.</em><br />
<br />
As noted above, Alabama and Georgia rarely get any snow, and they do not have the right equipment to quickly remove the snow. Because we don’t have as much sand or salt available, it is more difficult for us to get it spread out on the roadways before motorists start venturing on the streets. Also, it was rather unexpected and the weather forecast was wrong this time. You would face the same problem if the government didn’t do their jobs through the night before you went to work in the morning.<br />
<br />
But more importantly, please think twice before you say anything like that. Think about how your words might sound to those who might be trying to reach their loved ones if not only their own children, only to be forced to leave them with other people in a strange and uncomfortable location. Think about how your words might sound to those who are worried that their loved one will be warm enough overnight while stuck on an Interstate, unable to move anywhere. Think about how it would have sound to those whose loved ones were in hospital, and they were not able to reach them in time. That, to me, is an unkind thing to do in the immediate aftermath of a storm.<br />
<em><br /></em>
<em>2) It is no laughing matter when weather-related phenomenon resulted in fatalities.</em><br />
<br />
As far as I know, five people were killed and 20+ injured in Birmingham last night as a result of this storm. The hospitals was full, and many emergency responders struggled to get to people who were in a dire need. <a href="http://www.cbsnews.com/news/police-officer-helps-deliver-baby-born-on-atlanta-highway-during-snow-caused-traffic-jam/" target="_blank">Even police officers helped deliver a baby while they were stranded on an Atlanta freeway during the snowstorm on Tuesday.</a> That could have turned out bad in a moment’s notice, but it thankfully did not.<br />
<em><br /></em>
<em>3) Pray for those who are confronted with and suffering from extraordinary and unusual circumstances beyond their control.</em><br />
<br />
At Beeson, a group of students and faculty/staff members stranded on campus gathered to pray for those who were having problems traveling on the streets. I hope you prayed wherever you were when you first heard about what was happening on the news stations. We should always be quick to listen and pray on the behalf of other people, making a special petition to the Lord that he will grant mercy and protect people from harm.<br />
<em><br /></em>
<em>4) Praise the Lord that there are still many compassionate and kind people in America!</em><br />
<br />
This storm has also been an amazing chronicle of extraordinary Southern hospitality and kindness. Strangers were taking care of each other while stuck on highways, truckers brought coffee and food to motorists who were unable to get anywhere, and even <a href="http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2014/01/29/chick-fil-gives-free-food-to-motorists-stranded-in-southern-snowstorm/?intcmp=latestnews" target="_blank">Chick-fil-a gave away free chicken sandwiches</a> to the stranded drivers. <a href="http://samford.edu/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=21474859244" target="_blank">Samford University even served hot meals for the commuters and faculty and staff members</a> who were stuck on the campus (me being one of them). As I think about it, I am truly fortunate to live in a place like Birmingham and experience the Southern hospitality in such a time like this!<br />
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*****</div>
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On a final and lighter note, I hope you will enjoy a brief 5-minute clip of the various pictures I took during the snow storm close to where I live in Homewood, AL!</div>
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All images and video were taken by Bruce L. Persons. Video can be used with prior written permission. © 2014 Bruce L. Persons. All rights reserved.</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07967091404570836531noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1345401573576763141.post-43416379651434348972014-01-29T10:32:00.005-06:002014-01-30T14:16:15.730-06:00Beeson "Lock-In" and Birmingham Gridlock<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://media.al.com/alphotos/photo/2014/01/14169581-standard.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://media.al.com/alphotos/photo/2014/01/14169581-standard.jpg" height="132" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Traffic jam on I-65</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
About 50 students, faculty, and staff members are stranded in Beeson Divinity School since last night, in addition to countless people from Samford University. We were ordered to stay where we are and we have no idea when we can go home, but I am fine and everyone on campus is fine. However, it's a nightmare throughout Birmingham right now...<br />
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As you might have seen on TV, a weather system dumped a significant amount of snow and ice across the Southeastern part of America, and many people were caught off guard by it. The weather channel predicted that we would only get a dusting of it but the Birmingham area got up to two inches of snow. Around 11:30 am, a civil emergency was declared for multiple counties across central and southern Alabama, and authorities are urging people to not venture on the streets except in emergency cases. There are thousands of motorists stranded throughout the streets of Birmingham, AL, and in the immediate vicinity of Samford University, the traffic are at a dead stop and no one is going anywhere.<br />
<br />
All schools, county and state government offices, and businesses are closed today, and many people are still stranded in various schools, hotels, and shelters across Alabama and Georgia now.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BfKJhf1IYAACpSC.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BfKJhf1IYAACpSC.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Home Depot employees passing out<br />
free coffee to motorists in Pelham, AL.</td></tr>
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There are also multiple accounts about amazing Southern hospitality and kindness strangers are sharing with one another. It makes me grateful to live in this part of US especially during something like this!<br />
<br />
For the latest pictures, follow @Fox6Traffic on Twitter - many of the pictures illuminates well what's happening around here.<br />
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It will be a long week for many of us, and your prayers are much appreciated!<br />
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Here are some pictures that have surfaced on Twitter so far this morning:<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BfG69MwIMAAuSk8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BfG69MwIMAAuSk8.jpg" width="360" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rt. 280 close to Samford University</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BfKGl7ACMAERO7R.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BfKGl7ACMAERO7R.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Road leading up to my apartment complex on Greensprings/Columbiana Road</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07967091404570836531noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1345401573576763141.post-9991404691383806592014-01-21T21:14:00.002-06:002014-01-21T21:32:56.989-06:0010 Best Places in Alabama<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img align="left" src="http://www.idahoflagpole.com/images/products/alabama-state-flag.jpg" height="147" style="display: inline; margin: 0px auto 10px;" width="240" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Alabama's State Flag</td></tr>
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I am a Yankee boy, and I have a confession: I still love the North and nothing will change it! Since that was the case, my perception on the South – especially the Deep South – consisted of fried chicken, grits loaded with butter and cheese, Confederate flags flying everywhere, and hoards of rednecks driving beat-up pick-up trucks covered with Confederate flags and hunting stickers. Oh, you can't forget its state sport too: college football!<br />
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But ever since I moved to Alabama - nicknamed "The Heart of Dixie" - I learned that Alabama is truly the gem of the South. How come? Just take a look at an article titled, “<strong>10 Best Places in Alabama,</strong>” complied by Natalie Grigson of <a href="http://www.movoto.com/blog/top-ten/best-places-in-alabama/" target="_blank">Movoto Blog</a>! What caught my attention is the number of top ten cities not being far away from where I live (notably Pelham, Mountain Brook, and Alabaster)! Although Vestavia Hills and Homewood (where I currently live) are ranked 17th and 18th respectively on <a href="http://s3.amazonaws.com/movotoblog/2014/01/best-places-alabama/best-places-alabama.png" target="_blank">this list</a>, Mountain Brook is also literally next door to these cities! There is also a botanical garden, a zoo, great running paths, cool stores, and awesome restaurants located in Mountain Brook. It sure is nice being close to several “best places/cities” located in the surrounding area of Birmingham, Alabama!<br />
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Do you agree with the list complied by Natalie? For the residents of Alabama: what is your favorite city, and why?<br />
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<iframe frameborder="No" height="580" scrolling="yes" src="http://s3.amazonaws.com/movotoblog/2014/01/best-places-alabama/index.html" width="600"></iframe><br />
<i>(Please pardon the oversized slideshow frame - I study Greek and Hebrew for a living, not a computer language.)</i>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07967091404570836531noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1345401573576763141.post-16270757527278217442014-01-01T12:18:00.000-06:002014-01-23T21:00:55.213-06:00Kyrie Eleison!<h2>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.windstarembroidery.com/cw2/Assets/product_full/2329_250.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://www.windstarembroidery.com/cw2/Assets/product_full/2329_250.gif" height="200" width="163" /></a></td></tr>
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<i>© Windstar Embroidery Designs</i><o:p></o:p></div>
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<strong><em>“The mercy of God is ultimately seen in Jesus Christ!”</em></strong></div>
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<strong><em>(Bruce L. Persons)</em></strong></div>
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Deaf Fellowship at Frederick Church of the Brethren invited me to fill the pulpit for Rev. Peter Myers, and I preached a message this past Sunday on Luke 18:9-14. It is my prayer that this message will bless and challenge you, and also enrich your personal walk with our Lord the Savior! If you ever want me to preach at your church or an event, please <a href="http://blpersons.blogspot.com/p/contact-bruce.html" target="_blank">click here</a> to contact me.<br />
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A special thanks is in order for Deaf Fellowship at Frederick Church of the Brethren for recording this sermon as a part of their ongoing "virtual" ministry. However, due to unforeseeable technical difficulties, the beginning of my sermon was not recorded. For that reason, I decided to write up a rough transcript of what I said at the beginning:</div>
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<em>Hello brothers and sisters in Christ! It is a honor, joy, and privilege for me to join you this morning to worship our Almighty God and to share His Word with you. I wanted to thank the Deaf Fellowship Steering Team for inviting me to preach this morning. I also wanted to thank Pastor Peter Myers for entrusting me with this pulpit in his absence because it is a sacred spot where the Word of God is proclaimed and preached in this church and throughout the world.</em></div>
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<em><br />
</em> <em>Let us begin with a word of prayer... <strong>[PRAYER]</strong></em></div>
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</em> <em>You might notice the title for our sermon today, as indicated on the screen, is "Kyrie Eleison!" I'm going to teach you a Greek phrase this morning, and it is important for us to understand the rest of the message. "Kyrie" means "Lord," and "Eleison" means "have mercy!" Put together, it means "Lord, have mercy," and it is often recited in various liturgical churches (especially the Greek Orthodox Church).</em></div>
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</em> <em>But before we begin, I want to share a story. Just imagine that you are in a beautiful sanctuary with many stained glass windows, similar to the Washington National Cathedral (if you have already visited it). This place is massive, beautiful, and breathtaking every time you are here.</em></div>
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</em> <em>Two men came to the church one Sunday morning. Let me introduce you to the first man: Jim. He is an elderly member of the church and a devout husband of one wife. He also has two grown children and several grandchildren.</em></div>
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</em> <em>He is also very dedicated to your church and the surrounding community. He is a gifted (and popular too!) teacher for the Sunday School program, and you love to listen to him whenever he teaches. He also gives double or triple the amount of tithe to the church and even more to the local community. On the top of that, he volunteers his free time for various charitable organizations. He is well-respected and well-liked within the church and also in the larger community. Because he is the prime example of how a Christian should look and behave, you admire and respect him for his piety and dedication to the Lord. You are glad to see him there in church.</em></div>
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</em> <em>Then there is a second man, and his name is Danny. He looks young, maybe a mid-aged man. He has light brown hair and a somewhat unkempt appearance (he hadn't shaved that morning and his shirt was slightly wrinkled as well). But were you glad to see him in the church? No...</em></div>
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</b> <b>[Click on the video for the rest of the message!]</b><br />
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<b><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="5" height="376" mozallowfullscreen="" src="//player.vimeo.com/video/83117536" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="500"></iframe></b></div>
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<strong><br />
</strong> <strong>Scripture: Luke 18:9-14</strong><br />
<strong>Preacher: Bruce L. Persons</strong></div>
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<strong>Date: 12/29/2013</strong></div>
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<strong>Location: Deaf Fellowship at Frederick Church of the Brethren</strong></div>
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<b>Website: <a href="http://www.fcob.net/deaf-fellowship/">www.fcob.net/deaf-fellowship/</a></b><br />
<b>Direct Link (Vimeo): </b><b><a href="http://vimeo.com/83117536">http://vimeo.com/83117536</a></b></div>
<strong><em>Presented in American Sign Language, along with a voice interpretation in English</em></strong></div>
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I would love to hear how this sermon has impacted, blessed, and challenged you. After viewing the video, and if you have any comments, questions, or thoughts about the message, please do not hesitate to leave a comment right below. If you prefer to contact me privately, please <a href="http://blpersons.blogspot.com/p/contact-bruce.html" target="_blank">click here</a> to do so.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07967091404570836531noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1345401573576763141.post-82053719510112306702013-11-23T07:04:00.001-06:002014-01-23T21:01:21.203-06:00Five Tips on Air Travel<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://thegraphicsfairy.com/wp-content/uploads/blogger/_CarNcodpCMA/TROVG95wsxI/AAAAAAAAKL0/KTtqzfkuelw/s1600/travel-luggage-clipart-graphicsfairy004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://thegraphicsfairy.com/wp-content/uploads/blogger/_CarNcodpCMA/TROVG95wsxI/AAAAAAAAKL0/KTtqzfkuelw/s1600/travel-luggage-clipart-graphicsfairy004.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a></div>
I am at an airport once again, and I only have an hour to spare, so I decided to share five things I have learned over the past three years flying all over America. Here are a few things you might want to heed the next time you travel:<br />
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<strong>1) Arrive early! </strong><br />
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The last time I flew out of Birmingham to Baltimore (for my sister’s wedding, in case you were wondering), I booked a late evening flight and arrived at the airport a bit less than an hour before its scheduled departure. Now, Birmingham was a small airport and you can easily go through the entire process of checking in, do screening check, and find your gate within 30 minutes of your arrival. But when I arrived at the airport, my flight was delayed by two or three hours due to a severe storm in Baltimore earlier in the day which disabled the controller tower, so I was offered the option of boarding an earlier flight <u>for free</u>. Of course, I could not resist leaving earlier, but the only catch was this: the plane was boarding RIGHT NOW and I had only minutes to spare before the gate closes. I was able to get on the plane in a nick of time, but once I arrived at Baltimore, my luggage was not on the plane I was switched to, so I had to wait until the next flight (yes, the one that was delayed!) arrived with my bag. My parents were not too happy about that…<br />
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The moral side of the story: arrive at least 1-1/2 hours earlier (2-1/2 is the best) if you don’t want to rush and lose your baggage! You never know what will happen on the day you travel…<br />
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<strong>2) Dress smartly!</strong><br />
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I am plainly annoyed by all the checking that TSA agents do before you enter the terminal, so I have devised a way to get through it as quickly and painlessly as possible. Here’s a few things I <u>DON’T</u> do whenever I travel on a plane:<br />
<ol>
<li>wear a belt,</li>
<li>wear a shoe that is difficult to put on, and</li>
<li>not bringing a sweater/coat/fleece coat.</li>
</ol>
And here’s what you DO when you travel:<br />
<ol>
<li>wear a lounge or running pants,</li>
<li>wear a sandal (during summer months) or a sneaker (during colder seasons), and</li>
<li>bring a bag or coat which you can shove all of your stuff in and not having to worry about emptying your pockets.</li>
</ol>
I did all of the stated items above, and I <em>breezed </em>through the checkpoint (~3 minutes!!!). Precious seconds were saved for me to buy a Starbucks coffee, do some people watching, and writing a blog post like this one!<br />
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<strong>3) Be courteous with TSA agents and friendly with flight attendants.</strong><br />
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Face it, people: TSA agents (no matter how much we hate them) and flight attendants (no matter how nice they appear to us) do have a pretty tough job. TSA agents are responsible for protecting our people from crazy blokes and terrorists who want to harm us, and flight attendants’ job is to ensure that we are as happy as possible while riding on a plane. I am amazed at how many obnoxious people are at the airport, but I digress…<br />
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If you really want to enjoy your flight, smile at TSA agents (do terrorists smile? I don’t think so…) and also be sure to extend some good ol’ Southern or Australian greetings to your flight attendants (i.e., “G’day! G’day, mateys!” or “Hi y’alls! The weather’s sure beautiful and pleasant for our flight today! I reckon it would be a smooth flight, right?”). Who knows, you might receive some special treatment from the flight attendants (like an extra extra bag of peanuts/pretzels).<br />
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<strong>4) If at all possible, pack smartly!</strong><br />
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My parents know that I tend to over pack (yes, this is a confession) for a weekend trip, and after my baggage fiasco during my last trip, I made a resolution in a “Jonathan-Edwards-ian” fashion this time around:<br />
<blockquote>
<em>Resolved, to pack as lightly as possible when travel via plane!</em></blockquote>
Believe me – it is much easier to travel with a smaller bag! Now if I had to take a longer trip or didn’t have an easy access to a washer and dryer, then I would have to take a bigger bag instead. But taking a bigger bag should only be an exception when I travel on a plane!<br />
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<strong>5) Sit on the window aisle, and enjoy the view!</strong><br />
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How often is it that you get to see the marvelous beauty of God’s creation from high above? I am always amazed with how many people are engrossed in their latest novels (<em>50 Shades of Grey</em>, seriously? Not for me!) or listening to Beyonce/Lady Gaga/Eminem/whatever. I love looking down the window and see the landscape change before my eyes, and it only causes my soul to praise the Lord as the Creator and Sustainer of the entire universe! And you paid around $300 minimum for a round-trip ticket, so make it worth your money!<br />
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Gotta catch my flight now – see y’all later, mateys!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07967091404570836531noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1345401573576763141.post-23075662237664960182013-11-11T09:30:00.001-06:002013-11-11T11:21:05.149-06:00An Encounter at Diplomat Deli<a href="http://www.lajollalight.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/2/files/2011/03/Reuben-Sandwich-20110308-3792.jpg" target="_blank"><img align="left" height="160" src="http://www.lajollalight.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/2/files/2011/03/Reuben-Sandwich-20110308-3792.jpg" style="display: inline; margin: 5px 15px 15px 0px;" width="240" /></a> This past Saturday, I was blessed to have a friend come to Birmingham and spend his day with me. Seminarians do not get out too often those days, and any change to my daily route, albeit slight, is always a welcoming one!<br />
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After spending an entire afternoon shopping at <a href="http://2ndandcharles.com/" target="_blank">2nd & Charles</a> (it is an awesome and mind-blowing but dangerous store to go for those who love books!), we decided to eat dinner at <a href="http://diplomatdeli.com/" target="_blank">Diplomat Deli</a>, a mom-and-pop joint in Vestavia Hills. It did not only have good selection of food but also a mean Reuben sandwich that leaves me wanting for more! I highly recommend this place to any of you who want some good local fare, but don't go if you are a recovering alcoholic: this store prominently sells and displays liquor on its walls. But I digress...<br />
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As we entered the restaurant, three people at a table caught our attention when a college-aged girl signaled and signed to us in a rather halting manner a question I rarely hear in Alabama:<br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><strong>“Are you Deaf?”</strong></span><br />
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What ensued was a delightful conversation with an elderly lady at the table who was also Deaf. She graduated from Alabama Institute for the Deaf and Blind in Talladega, AL and currently lives in Birmingham not far from the restaurant and where I currently live. At one point during our conversation, I discovered that she was 96-years-old and that her husband died a while ago, so I told her with a beaming face, "Well, you look great for your age!" My friend affirmed something like that as well.<br />
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The countenance of this lady was <strike>changed</strike> <b>transformed</b> into one of sheer delight and appreciation. It was as if her weary bones has taken a deep drink of <strong>refreshing</strong> water drawn out of a deep well on a hot day. And she kept talking to her daughter-in-law and granddaughter long after we ended our conversation how encouraged and good she felt by "these young men" that evening. When they left, this elderly lady said, "It was really great to meet you. I hope I will see you again!" Her daughter-in-law also thanked us before leaving the deli.<br />
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As I chomped into the delicious Reuben sandwich I ordered, an epiphany occurred: I was also transformed. Without realizing it at first, God had a divine appointment for me that day and showed up in an unexpected manner. I was reminded of 1 Timothy 5:3-16 where Paul explained to Timothy, his <span class="hw">protégé</span>, on how the Ephesian church and its families can minister to widows and young widows. Verse 3 says, <i>"<span class="versetext" id="1ti5-3" style="display: inline;">Honor widows <a href="http://www.blogger.com/null" name="1"></a>who are truly widows." </span></i><span class="versetext" id="1ti5-3" style="display: inline;">Within the context of this section, it is a clear reference to those who are elderly and way past the age of child-bearing.</span><br />
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How do we honor and serve the widows and elderly people in our present-day churches? We often rationalize that a larger share of our church budget, our ministerial efforts, and our energies should be devoted toward those who are younger. "We got to invest in our children's future... we got to have a bigger, badder, and better program to draw teenagers and young adults to our churches... we got to have this cool mission trip to a third-world country to impact these people's lives..." on and on we go. But as we do this, we tend to sacrifice if not only subtly tell the widows (and orphans too in the light of James 1:27) and tell them that they are not worthy of our attention. Under the guise of "we got to be wise stewards of our scarce resources," we are in fact subscribing to a socialist's perspective – which is un-Scriptural – that elderly people are of no use in this society and should be “dismissed” if not "discarded." Because each person in this world has been created in the image of God (Gen. 1:27; 2:7; 9:3) and belong to the Creator himself, we should never ever dismiss, marginalize, or diminish the dignity of any single human being on the basis of their usefulness, their intelligence capacity, or even their social standing.<br />
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Brothers and sisters, how often do we pay attention to the elderly members of our congregation? How often do we visit them during the week? Do we find ways to show them their intrinsic value as humans within our society and, yes, even on Sunday morning in our churches? What about the widows among us? How can we continue to support and encourage their families to take care of them? If they have no families in the area, how can churches best support and encourage them? I do not pose these questions with a condemning heart to all Christians and churches who have failed to do so (I am often a failure with this as well!), but rather with a repentant and pastoral heart.<br />
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Because of my encounter at Diplomat Deli, I am reminded and resolved to neither diminish, devalue, or marginalize widows and elderly people, but rather to affirm, honor, and respect them in whatever ways possible. And the Lord promises that he will bless those who pay attention to those who are on the fringe of the society.<br />
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<a href="http://www.drewsmarketingminute.com/images/2011/11/bigstock_Question_mark_symbol_dice_roll_18529607.jpg" style="font-style: italic; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img align="left" height="91" src="http://www.drewsmarketingminute.com/images/2011/11/bigstock_Question_mark_symbol_dice_roll_18529607.jpg" style="display: inline; margin: 0px 15px 0px 0px;" width="91" /></a></div>
<strong><u>For you to consider and respond in the comment section below</u>:</strong><br />
I am especially curious and interested in discovering how churches have supported elderly people and widows in unique and special ways. If you have any unique ideas, suggestions, or thoughts on how Christians can minister better or have effectively ministered to the widows and elderly people, please share in the comment section below. Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07967091404570836531noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1345401573576763141.post-16284356160616839732013-11-10T20:45:00.002-06:002013-11-10T20:51:38.314-06:00Jonah: An American Tale?<div align="center">
<strong><span style="font-size: large;"><i>"Our God is a God of second chances!" (Rev. Rick McClain)</i></span></strong></div>
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I discovered this morning that Dr. Rick McClain, a D.Min. graduate from Beeson, would be preaching at Deaf Calvary Church in Frederick, Maryland this morning. Deaf Calvary Church is an Assemblies of God congregation close to Deaf Fellowship at Frederick Church of the Brethren. He happens to be my mentor, a dear friend and colleague in Deaf ministry. He has been my source of encouragement and wisdom whenever I face difficult periods at Beeson or in ministry.<br />
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He is an exemplary preacher of God's Word, and I always listen to him whenever I get the chance to! With his gregarious and humorous personality, Rick has been endowed with a special gift to preach God's Word in a manner that is clear and accessible while not mincing his words at the same time. I was so blessed by his message this morning on Jonah 1-4 that I wanted to share it with you tonight because I think it is something that every American needs to hear in this present day and age.<br />
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<span style="text-align: -webkit-center;">A special thanks is in order for <a href="http://www.deafcalvarychurch.com/" target="_blank">Deaf Calvary Church</a> to make this video, "Jonah: An American Tale?" available for everyone!</span><br />
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<a href="http://vimeo.com/79045999"><iframe align="center" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="281" mozallowfullscreen="" src="//player.vimeo.com/video/79045999" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="500"></iframe></a><br />
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<i>Disclaimer: I can't guarantee the sound quality on this video for my hearing colleagues, but if you can understand this, you will be blessed as well! Please leave a comment below and let me know.</i><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07967091404570836531noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1345401573576763141.post-72138832272403951712013-11-10T13:19:00.002-06:002013-11-10T17:03:29.532-06:00Father of Anglicanism: A Concise History of Thomas Cranmer<blockquote>
<div align="center">
<b><i><i><span style="font-size: medium;"><strong>“Man that is born of woman hath but a short time to live, and is full of misery. He cometh up, and is cut down, like a flower; he fleeth as it were a shadow, and never continueth in one stay.” </strong></span></i></i></b><br />
<b><i><i><span style="font-size: medium;"><strong>(The Book of Common Prayer)</strong></span></i></i></b></div>
</blockquote>
<br />
<a href="http://www.firstthings.com/blogs/firstthoughts/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/cranmer-214x300.jpg" target="_blank"><img align="left" src="http://www.firstthings.com/blogs/firstthoughts/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/cranmer-214x300.jpg" style="display: inline; margin: 0px 15px 15px 0px;" /></a>Thomas Cranmer (July 2, 1489 – March 21, 1556) was an English Reformer and also the Archbishop of Canterbury. He was born at Aslacton or Aslockton in Nottinghamshire, England to Thomas Cranmer and his wife, Anne Hatsfield. His parents were <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gentry" target="_blank">minor gentry</a>, and Cranmer received his early education from “a marvellous severe and cruel schoolmaster.”<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=1345401573576763141#_ftn1_9466" name="_ftnref1_9466">[1]</a><br />
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When Cranmer was fourteen, Anne Hatsfield, already a widow for two years by this point, sent him off to Cambridge to begin his studies as a fellow at Jesus College. It took him eight years to complete his Bachelor of Arts degree. His Master of Arts degree was completed in three years, and he specialized in humanism, especially on the writings of Jacques Lefevre d’Etaples and Erasmus. Upon receiving his Master of Arts degree, Cranmer was elected to a fellowship at Jesus College in 1515.<br />
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Cranmer married Joan, a relative of the landlady of the Dolphin Inn, and, although not yet a priest, he had to vacate his fellowship at Jesus College. During his married life, he was a lecturer at Buckingham Hall, which is now Magdalene College. However, his wife died in her childbirth a few years later, and Cranmer devoted himself to theological study and was subsequently allowed to rejoin the fellowship at Jesus College. He was ordained in 1523 and received his doctorate of divinity in 1526.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.luminarium.org/renlit/henry81540c.jpg" target="_blank"><img align="right" height="240" src="http://www.luminarium.org/renlit/henry81540c.jpg" style="display: inline; margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px;" width="200" /></a>In 1502,<strong> </strong>King Henry VIII married Catherine of Aragon, who happened to be the wife of his deceased elder brother, Arthur. She beget six children, all being either stillborn or later died in infancy (only two were princes). Although Mary was born in 1516 and survived, Henry had no male heirs to succeed him on the throne and his wife was no longer healthy enough to have more kids. Henry sought Pope Clement VII’s permission to annul his current marriage to Catherine and marry another woman, Anne Boleyn. Because Pope Clement VII refused to do so (due to political pressure), the King approached Cranmer and sought to have him appeal to the pope on the legitimacy of his divorce. After Charles V, the Holy Roman Emperor, refused to allow Clement VII to bow to Henry’s demands, the King broke away from the Roman Catholic Church, instituted the Church of England so that he could marry Anne Boleyn, and appointed Thomas Cranmer as the Archbishop of Canterbury in 1533. However, King Henry later executed Anne Boleyn and married Jane Seymour, who beget Edward VI.<br />
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During his tenure as the Archbishop, he established the doctrinal and liturgical structures for the Church of England. Although faced with constant struggle with religious conservatives and reformers, he succeeded in publishing the first authorized vernacular service, the Exhortation and Liturgy.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyfniO8Zzj63DbER1pIsmqfwRWW3Ym8kXd6mP5WwT77jQc235CnfbnVKG4TCRIXzJW8usGomhVd0CM6TFD79lwKpNIt4czHBPeQYCbwShQH8E1uJmntdV0HL-Cn82-xmve8vegARkpz6Y/s1600/1st+Book+of+Common+Prayer+%231.jpg" target="_blank"><img align="left" height="156" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyfniO8Zzj63DbER1pIsmqfwRWW3Ym8kXd6mP5WwT77jQc235CnfbnVKG4TCRIXzJW8usGomhVd0CM6TFD79lwKpNIt4czHBPeQYCbwShQH8E1uJmntdV0HL-Cn82-xmve8vegARkpz6Y/s1600/1st+Book+of+Common+Prayer+%231.jpg" style="display: inline; margin: 0px 15px 15px 0px;" width="240" /></a>During Edward VI's reign from 1547 to 1553, Cranmer pushed various reforms within the Church of England. He prepared and published the first two editions of <i>The Book of Common Prayer</i>, a complete liturgy for the Church of England. He also wrote several doctrinal treatises on various subjects such as the Eucharist, clergy celibacy, the role and place of images in worship, and the veneration of the saints. He was deeply aware of what was happening during the Reformation period and even began to affirm some of Luther’s and Zwingli’s theology.<br />
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When Edward VI died and Queen Mary claimed the throne, she wanted to reunify with the Roman Catholic Church. Cranmer was subsequently arrested, brought to trial for heresy, found guilty, and sentenced to death in November 1553. He was brought before a papal court in 1554, given an opportunity to explain his theological positions, and was condemned for treachery, disobedience, and heresy. He was soon stripped of his archbishopric title by Roman curia, and the papal authorities gave secular government the permission to execute him.<br />
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<a href="http://www.online-utility.org/image/ImageCache?file=7/7f/Cranmer_burning_foxe.jpg/800px-Cranmer_burning_foxe.jpg" target="_blank"><img align="left" height="175" src="http://www.online-utility.org/image/ImageCache?file=7/7f/Cranmer_burning_foxe.jpg/800px-Cranmer_burning_foxe.jpg" style="display: inline; margin: 0px 15px 15px 0px;" width="240" /></a> On the days leading up to his execution, Thomas Cranmer recanted up to five times on various Reformation doctrines, and he would have been absolved immediately if it was not for Queen Mary’s desire to make an example out of him to everyone. On the day of his execution, he was told he had to make a full and final recantation during a service at University Church in the public. He stood up at the pulpit on the day of his execution with a prepared statement approved by the Catholic Church, but he deviated from his statement and took back all of his recantations. He said, “And for the pope, I refuse him, as Christ’s enemy, and Antichrist with all his false doctrine.” Cranmer was pulled from the pulpit, brought to the stake, and he steadfastly stuck his hand in the flames before perishing in the midst of flames, saying, “Lord, receive my spirit.”<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=1345401573576763141#_ftn2_9466" name="_ftnref2_9466">[2]</a><br />
<br />
His martyrdom was immortalized in <a href="http://www.blogger.com/%3Ca%20href=%22http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0882708759/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0882708759&linkCode=as2&tag=deafsemin-20%22%3EFoxe's%20Book%20of%20Martyrs%20(Pure%20Gold%20Classics)%3C/a%3E%3Cimg%20src=%22http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=deafsemin-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0882708759%22%20width=%221%22%20height=%221%22%20border=%220%22%20alt=%22%22%20style=%22border:none%20!important;%20margin:0px%20!important;%22%20/%3E" target="_blank">Foxe’s Book of Martyrs</a> (click here for <a href="http://www.blogger.com/%3Ca%20href=%22http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007D3CU3W/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B007D3CU3W&linkCode=as2&tag=deafsemin-20%22%3EFoxes%20Book%20of%20Martyrs%3C/a%3E%3Cimg%20src=%22http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=deafsemin-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B007D3CU3W%22%20width=%221%22%20height=%221%22%20border=%220%22%20alt=%22%22%20style=%22border:none%20!important;%20margin:0px%20!important;%22%20/%3E" target="_blank">the Kindle edition</a> if you want to purchase it in an e-book format).<br />
<b><br />
</b> <b>His enduring impact in the modern world</b><br />
<br />
Thomas Cranmer’s impact on English Reformation movement was so comprehensive that it can still be felt and seen today. He published <i>The Book of Common Prayer</i>, and several revisions were made to it since the sixteenth century. In addition, with Edward VI’s blessings, Cranmer published “42 Articles,” which provided the backbone for the future “Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion” commissioned during Queen Elizabeth’s reign in 1563. It is a Statement of Faith for the Anglican Church in the world.<br />
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Eventually, this denomination led to what is now known as the Episcopal Church (a liberal denomination) and also several conservative Anglican denominations such as PEARUSA and the Anglican Church of North America, in addition to many more diocese throughout the world.<br />
<b><br />
</b> <b>Resources on all things Anglicanism:</b><br />
<br />
<ul>
<li><b><a href="http://www.luminarium.org/renlit/cranmerbio.htm" target="_blank">A detailed biography on Cranmer’s life</a>, plus a few of his writings! </b></li>
<li><b><a href="http://www.thirtyninearticles.org/basics/" target="_blank">Basic overview of Anglican doctrines</a></b></li>
<li><b>The Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion (the Statement of Faith for Anglicanism) </b><ul>
<li><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thirty-Nine_Articles#Thirty-Nine_Articles_.281563.29" target="_blank">General Information</a> </li>
<li><a href="http://www.thirtyninearticles.org/religion/" target="_blank">Actual text</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><b>Some denomination-specific websites: </b><ul>
<li><a href="http://www.episcopalchurch.org/" target="_blank">The Episcopal Church (of America)</a> </li>
<li><a href="http://www.pearusa.org/" target="_blank">PEARUSA (Rwanda)</a> </li>
<li><a href="http://anglicanchurch.net/" target="_blank">The Anglican Church in North America</a> </li>
<li><a href="http://churchofengland.org/" target="_blank">The Church of England</a> </li>
<li><a href="http://www.anglicancommunion.org/" target="_blank">The Anglican Communion</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><b>Several Episcopal/Anglican churches to check out in America: </b><ul>
<li><a href="http://www.ecdeaf.org/directory-of-episcopal-churches-providing-services-for-deaf-people" target="_blank">A List of Episcopal Deaf churches and churches providing interpreting services</a>, provided by <a href="http://www.ecdeaf.org/home" target="_blank">the Episcopal Conference of the Deaf of the Episcopal Church in the USA</a>. </li>
<li><a href="http://adventbirmingham.org/" target="_blank">Cathedral Church of the Advent</a>, an Episcopal church based in Birmingham, AL. Several of my seminary colleagues and professors attend this church on a regular basis. </li>
<li><a href="http://ctkbirmingham.org/" target="_blank">Christ the King Anglican Church</a>, an church plant at Beeson Divinity School! Its services are held in the Hodges Chapel at Samford University, and its rector is The Reverend Dr. Lyle Dorsett and assistant rector The Reverend Dr. Graham Cole, two of Beeson Divinity School’s professors. </li>
<li><a href="http://www.stmartinsepiscopal.org/" target="_blank">St. Martin’s Episcopal Church</a>, a church I visited in Houston, Texas. It is the largest parish in North America, and its rector, Dr. Russell Levenson Jr., is a recent graduate of Beeson Divinity School’s D.Min. program. He also serves on its Advisory Board. I have been blessed by this church in incredible ways since it joined <a href="http://www.beesondivinity.com/leagueofchurches" target="_blank">the Beeson League of Churches</a> last Spring and started supporting me through seminary.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><b>Recommended books on Anglicanism: </b></li>
<ul>
<li><b><i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0300074484/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0300074484&linkCode=as2&tag=deafsemin-20" target="_blank">Thomas Cranmer: A Life</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=deafsemin-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0300074484" style="border-bottom-style: none !important; border-left-style: none !important; border-right-style: none !important; border-top-style: none !important; margin: 0px;" width="1" /></i></b> (a biography on Thomas Cranmer’s life) </li>
<li><b><em>The Book of Common Prayer</em> 1979</b> (the most recent edition) <ul>
<li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0898690609/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=211189&creative=373489&creativeASIN=0898690609&link_code=as3&tag=deafsemin-20" target="_blank">Hardcover</a> Edition </li>
<li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B009V0X142/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B009V0X142&linkCode=as2&tag=deafsemin-20" target="_blank">Kindle</a> Edition </li>
<li>If you like Old English language, get <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0521600952/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0521600952&linkCode=as2&tag=deafsemin-20" target="_blank">The Book of Common Prayer 1662</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=deafsemin-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0521600952" style="border-bottom-style: none !important; border-left-style: none !important; border-right-style: none !important; border-top-style: none !important; margin: 0px;" width="1" /></i> edition!</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0191070580/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=211189&creative=373489&creativeASIN=0191070580&link_code=as3&tag=deafsemin-20" target="_blank"><i>Love's Redeeming Work: The Anglican Quest for Holiness</i></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=deafsemin-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0191070580" style="border-bottom-style: none !important; border-left-style: none !important; border-right-style: none !important; border-top-style: none !important; margin: 0px;" width="1" /></b> (A theological work on Anglicanism) </li>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00A7LNCVG/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B00A7LNCVG&linkCode=as2&tag=deafsemin-20" target="_blank">Kindle</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=deafsemin-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B00A7LNCVG" style="border-bottom-style: none !important; border-left-style: none !important; border-right-style: none !important; border-top-style: none !important; margin: 0px;" width="1" /> Edition</li>
</ul>
<li><i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0946307849/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0946307849&linkCode=as2&tag=deafsemin-20" target="_blank"><b>The Faith We Confess: An Exposition of the Thirty-Nine Articles</b></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=deafsemin-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0946307849" style="border-style: none !important; margin: 0px;" width="1" /></i> (A theological commentary on the Thirty-Nine Articles)</li>
<li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1893051013/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1893051013&linkCode=as2&tag=deafsemin-20"><b><i>A Church to Believe In</i></b></a> by Peter Moore</li>
<ul>
<li>It is a nice and simple work that introduces the life of the church. Recommended by my fellow colleague and blogger, Daniel Logan. Thank you!</li>
</ul>
<li><b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0195200330/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0195200330&linkCode=as2&tag=deafsemin-20"><i>Anglicanism</i></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=deafsemin-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0195200330" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /></b> by Stephen Neill<br />
</li>
<ul>
<li>Stephen Neill is an historian, theologian, and an Anglican Bishop. He wrote an excellent introduction and overview of Anglicanism. Again, recommended by Daniel Logan. Thank you!</li>
</ul>
<li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/083082832X/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=083082832X&linkCode=as2&tag=deafsemin-20" target="_blank"><b><i>Exploring Protestant Traditions: An Invitation to Theological Hospitality</i></b></a><u></u></li>
<ul>
<li><u>Personal note:</u> this is an excellent book that provides an overview of eight different major Protestant traditions and how they can work together: Reformed, Lutheran, Wesleyan, Baptist, Anglican, Anabaptist, Pentecostal, and Dispensational. I was assigned this book for my Worship and Ecclesiology Class in Spring 2013, and I will be referring to this book many times in the future.</li>
</ul>
</ul>
</ul>
<div style="font-style: italic;">
<i>Nota bene: </i><em>when you click on the book links above, you will be taken directly to Amazon. If you purchase these books, a portion of your proceeds will also support me during seminary!</em></div>
<ul><ul></ul>
</ul>
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<hr align="left" size="1" width="33%" />
<u>References:</u><br />
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=1345401573576763141#_ftnref1_9466" name="_ftn1_9466">[1]</a> <a href="http://www.luminarium.org/renlit/cranmerbio.htm">http://www.luminarium.org/renlit/cranmerbio.htm</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=1345401573576763141#_ftnref2_9466" name="_ftn2_9466">[2]</a> Sources: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Cranmer">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Cranmer</a>; <a href="http://www.luminarium.org/renlit/cranmerbio.htm">http://www.luminarium.org/renlit/cranmerbio.htm</a>; <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/cranmer_thomas.shtml">http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/cranmer_thomas.shtml</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07967091404570836531noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1345401573576763141.post-622199645637654902013-10-28T12:43:00.000-05:002013-10-28T14:12:26.117-05:00Forerunner of the Reformation: A Concise History of Jan Hus<blockquote>
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<b><i><i><span style="font-size: medium;"><strong>"God is my witness that I have never taught that of which I have by false witnesses been accused. In the truth of the Gospel which I have written, taught, and preached, I will die today with gladness."</strong></span></i></i></b> <b><i><i><span style="font-size: medium;"><strong>(Jan Hus, July 6, 1415)</strong></span></i></i></b></div>
</blockquote>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzPBJT6B7N9oebKtGDD1czIaPWKyCvUi-f-24MhRbQXZBChkE_d5fU5AtW81xW_gqFH_6S31GMrqZy7mMhUVGgDm5umrJgs-hALNkcnE7rN2OizyorjU5sutDOWA_DRL76CfwWsBXtpcs/s1600-h/clip_image002%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img align="left" alt="clip_image002" border="0" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtb8qDgMH_YkZcHtcm9oP0l1MdrZ8cEyQU63UTmGuDsQacdL9M2_vj9QVOOEvh2xFs1vDpVcSzzl9HdWJipqrDpIXT7tLCmgj75mOhgyh_ATKTYC5hI3s-nbOoOwJD5HMgQjR6As6W0Y8/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 15px 15px 0px;" title="clip_image002" width="168" /></a><b>About Jan Hus</b><br />
Jan Hus (c. 1369 – July 6<sup>th</sup>, 1415), known in English as John Hus or John Huss, was born in Husinec, Bohemia (in modern-day Czechslovakia). He was not wealthy by any means, and his parents made sure that Hus had enough money to obtain his Bachelor of Divinity (1393) and Masters of Arts (1396) degrees from the University of Prague. He was ordained in 1400/01 as a Bohemian (Czechoslovakian) priest, and he is widely known as a religious thinker, philosopher, and reformer of the Scottish Reformation movement, which was influenced by John Wycliffe’s teachings. He lived a full century before Luther, Calvin, and Zwingli existed.<br />
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During his career, Jan Hus taught at Prague University and was a preacher in the nearby Bethlehem Chapel. Rising in prominence, he became involved in politics of the university and soon found himself at odds with the Catholic Church and the papacy when he opposed the two decrees issued by Archbishop Sbynko concerning Wycliffe’s books. He believed that professors should read whatever they wished and without any harassment from the religious establishment.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkNSiJMws3ZzfhZ0s0zY3dKlETdxsJRRn25XC0bLsF9GcyDNDXqPmK81Unr2NrGWbtX_wLZgda6Kn9_BPcmYmwk3ybZn5TxdpamGrTiCADMNjfbhQ5jytDikRi-GW89gXuM4ZR0yrzaio/s1600-h/clip_image004%25255B4%25255D.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img align="right" alt="clip_image004" border="0" height="184" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9cGO2dpVtoU7eBPsdEQG_p1oKX1Kxieh6RLbcNUVfRGfOw8kBqZVT_I5HyIaJxk0ObpjjksCo05f4_uURia3smPsFjADIs_Tn0BjiaBD17hD8OHDIwy4cP3v-UjS94OLFnEyjug43wl0/?imgmax=800" style="border: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;" title="clip_image004" width="244" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">Bethlehem Chapel, Prague</td></tr>
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He was also a vocal critic of the pope and cardinals concerning the established doctrine of the Catholic Church, which by large stood contrary to Scriptural teachings. He consistently preached about personal piety, purity of life, and the primacy of Scriptures as the final authority of the church. For instance, in his treatise, <i>On the Church</i>, he emphasized that there is nothing in the Bible claiming that priests could forgive sins because only God forgave sins. He also condemned priests who insisted that people follow their instructions when it ran contrary to the Scriptures. He soon expanded his criticism of the Catholic Church’s doctrines of ecclesiology, Eucharist, and other theological topics. For instance, he criticized the immoral conduct and corruption of the clergy; the practices of pilgrimage, idol worship, and indulgences (which were important parts of penance); the doctrine of impanation, or the Real Presence of Christ in the bread and wine, in the Eucharist (Holy Communion); and also the withholding of the wine from the worshipers during Eucharist. Hus ended up being widely influential in the Swiss states of Europe and gained prominence even with King Wenceslaus.<br />
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As Hus became bolder in his criticism of the Catholic Church, and in the light of Roman Catholic Church’s distaste of Wycliffe’s writings, Alexander V (the “antipope”) issued a papal bull on December 20, 1409 authorizing Archbishop Zbyněk Zajíc to confiscate and destroy Wycliffe’s writings, force his followers to repudiate his teachings, and ban free preaching. Jan Hus and his followers were soon excommunicated by Alexander V.<br />
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After his excommunication, the Hussites (his followers) rebelled against the papal authority in Bohemia (it was sanctioned by King Wenceslaus and his government), and Hus’ influence continued to spread across Europe. However, when Alexander V died in 1410 and the Archbishop in 1411, John XXIII, the successor (and later also declared an antipope), placed greater emphasis on the doctrine of indulgences (probably because they needed more money). Hus was still safe in the land of Bohemia even though Prague was placed under a ban by the Church, until he was summoned by Pope XXIII to appear before the Council of Constance.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTP4nyG7HomZnyJdfmL-mll4r_MGZys75YuqQNTeNYy1c3HYVuUlcvf5RK-co44XFcNNAlmNAeg4hY8bKtzZYtPbNJCcldLuZMc-smNutGy-0WACzR4VOcCMoyMA91GSHZsu5Wu20KZtI/s1600-h/clip_image006%25255B4%25255D.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img align="left" alt="clip_image006" border="0" height="193" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdYBErYtV11wAQvHM_ig4PcvfLBH4r3pd6WmERHI0HL_iynIniXqAgm0mSDG_SHW90ZDxY8B9o_KjfEsKfpmubrhquKMKn6pwdtw4rX35DDYD3FNFX2th40G0eEwrFINMqeSNIAhBdJEU/?imgmax=800" style="border: 0px; display: inline; margin: 15px 15px 15px 5px;" title="clip_image006" width="244" /></a></div>
Pope XXIII wanted Jan Hus to explain his views before the Council of Constance convened on November 15<sup>th</sup>, 1414. Because Hus was perceived as a threat to the Catholic Church, the Council was determined to do anything to get rid of him. He was condemned as a heretic, given several chances to recant (which he subsequently refused), and was sentenced to die. He perished upon a fiery stake on July 6<sup>th</sup>, 1415.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=1345401573576763141#_ftn1_5119" name="_ftnref1_5119">[1]</a><br />
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</b><b><br />
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Jan Hus’ impact on the Reformation movement</b><br />
<b><br />
</b> Although he was not as radical of a critic as Martin Luther was, Jan Hus’ ideas had substantial influence on the Reformers. For instance, Martin Luther criticized, just as Hus did, the Catholic doctrine of transubstantiation, and he also promoted the development and dissemination of vernacular Scripture. Hus was also not shy to criticize the papal assertion that the Pope held the keys (authority) to govern heaven (spiritual power – such as excommunication) and earth (temporal power – such as who was appointed a king). Luther wrote several treatises on this topic as well.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=1345401573576763141#_ftn2_5119" name="_ftnref2_5119">[2]</a> Jan Hus’ boldness to stand up for the Scriptures and his convictions in face of imminent death sounds strikingly similar to what Luther declared over a century later at the Imperial Diet of Worms in 1521:<br />
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<i>"Unless I am convinced by Scripture and plain reason - I do not accept the authority of the popes and councils, for they have contradicted each other - my conscience is captive to the Word of God. I cannot and I will not recant anything for to go against conscience is neither right nor safe. God help me. Amen."</i></blockquote>
<b>Links for more information about Jan Hus</b><b><br />
</b>1) <a href="http://www.reformationtours.com/site/490868/page/257218" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">More about Jan Hus</a><br />
2) <a href="http://www.prague.cz/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">See the city of Prague, Czech!</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=1345401573576763141#_ftnref1_5119" name="_ftn1_5119">[1]</a> Sources: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jan_Hus">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jan_Hus</a>; <a href="http://www.thereformation.info/jan_huss.htm">www.thereformation.info/jan_huss.htm</a>; and <a href="http://www.theopedia.com/John_Huss">http://www.theopedia.com/John_Huss</a>.<br />
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<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=1345401573576763141#_ftnref2_5119" name="_ftn2_5119">[2]</a> See Luther’s <em>Treatise on the Power and Primacy of the Pope</em> as an example. Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07967091404570836531noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1345401573576763141.post-51495839555074385732013-10-27T17:00:00.000-05:002013-10-28T12:53:15.375-05:00Morning Star of the Reformation: A Concise History of John Wycliffe<div style="text-align: center;">
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<i><i><span style="font-size: medium;"><strong>"Englishmen learn Christ's law best in English. Moses heard God's law in his own tongue; so did Christ's apostles.” (John Wycliffe)</strong></span></i></i><br />
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<b>About John Wycliffe</b><br />
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John Wycliffe (c. early 1320’s, possibly 1324 – December 1384) was an English scholastic philosopher, theologian, lay preacher, translator, reformer and a professor (university teacher) at Oxford in England. He was born in Ipreswell (modern Hipswell), Yorkshire, England about 200 years before the Protestant Reformation movement began, but his beliefs and teachings influenced if not mirrored Luther and Calvin and other reformers during the 16<sup>th</sup> century.<br />
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He is widely known for his zeal to make the Vulgate available in vernacular English so that commoners could read it. Known as the Latin translation of the Septuagint, the Greek Bible of the Old Testament and the New Testament, the Vulgate was completed largely by St. Jerome and commissioned by Pope Damascus I in 382 AD, and it could only be read and understood by the clergy and people educated in the university. Wycliffe advocated making the Bible available in the common English so that people could read it for themselves, and he completed translating the Vulgate into English in 1382 (it is now known as <a href="http://wesley.nnu.edu/fileadmin/imported_site/biblical_studies/wycliffe/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Wycliffe’s Bible</a>). This work was opposed by the Roman Catholic Church, but it was not until after his death when Wycliffe was declared a heretic and his remains exhumed and burnt at stake (more about it later on).<br />
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John Wycliffe was an early opponent of the papal authority’s (Pope and the Roman Curia’s) involvement in temporal (secular government’s) powers and affairs. He also sent out itinerant preachers known as Lollards throughout England, and the Lollardy movement opposed the clergy establishment of the Roman Catholic Church and emphasized Biblically-centered reforms. But the Lollardy movement was short-lived because the Roman Catholic Church expelled Wycliffe from his teaching position at Oxford.<br />
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Wycliffe died at Lutterworth (near Leicester) on December 28, 1384, which was the Holy Innocents’ Day, from a stroke. After he has been dead for 44 years, the Council of Constance declared him a heretic on May 4, 1415, banned his works, ordered his remains exhumed and burned at stake, and gathered his works to be destroyed. The Roman Curia also actively persecuted Wycliffe’s followers, especially John Hus and his followers known as the Hussites.<br />
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Many considered Wycliffe “a man ahead of his time” as the precursor to the Protestant Reformation. Historians sometimes label him as the “Morning Star of the Reformation.”<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=1345401573576763141#_ftn1_5237" name="_ftnref1_5237">[1]</a><br />
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</b> <b>Wycliffe’s impact in the modern-day world</b><br />
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The roots of Wycliffe’s zeal for translating the Bible in the vernacular can be traced to William Cameron Townsend (July 9, 1896 – April 23, 1982), an American Protestant Christian missionary to the Cakchiquel Indians in Guatemala. His vision to translate the Bible into the vernacular was born when the Cakchiquel-speaking Indians expressed concern that the Bible was not available to them in a language that was clearly and easily understood. Townsend resolved from that moment forward that every man, woman, and child should be able to read God’s Word in their own language. As a result, Summer Institute of Linguistics (SIL International) was founded in 1934 and Wycliffe Bible Translators in 1942. To date, Wycliffe Bible Translators have played a major part in completing the translation work of the Protestant Bible in 700 different languages.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=1345401573576763141#_ftn2_5237" name="_ftnref2_5237">[2]</a><br />
<strong><br />
</strong> <strong>Fun Links to Explore</strong><br />
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1) <a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=1345401573576763141#_ftn2_5237" name="_ftnref2_5237" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Wycliffe's Bible translation from Northwest Nazarene University</a><br />
2) <a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.wycliffe.org" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Wycliffe Bible Translators</a><br />
3) <a href="http://greatsite.com/timeline-english-bible-history/john-wycliffe.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Website on John Wycliffe</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=1345401573576763141#_ftnref1_5237" name="_ftn1_5237">[1]</a> Information found in this section were derived and adapted from the following sources: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Wycliffe">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Wycliffe</a>; <a href="http://www.wycliffe.org/About/OurHistory/JohnWycliffe.aspx">http://www.wycliffe.org/About/OurHistory/JohnWycliffe.aspx</a>; and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vulgate">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vulgate</a>.<br />
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<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=1345401573576763141#_ftnref2_5237" name="_ftn2_5237">[2]</a> Sources: <a href="http://www.wycliffe.org/About.aspx">http://www.wycliffe.org/About.aspx</a>; <a href="http://www.wycliffe.org/About/OurHistory/CameronTownsend.aspx">http://www.wycliffe.org/About/OurHistory/CameronTownsend.aspx</a>; and <a href="http://www.sil.org/about">http://www.sil.org/about</a>.<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07967091404570836531noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1345401573576763141.post-59885401728063748462013-10-27T13:29:00.002-05:002013-10-27T13:29:36.756-05:00Reformation Sunday <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWBv16yawd2AhhjdR56NMh4WxT8Bp-NqXFjEsWPph4l6E-Kix94P3Wa6huCTMczn8iOcj17nQ8y6L8ctzPwd9_-QGP54p6EGJMe0epULoXV_Dvuezbs8KO-bnEehNiM3U_tRlEHNodwhjK/s320/Luther+Rose.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWBv16yawd2AhhjdR56NMh4WxT8Bp-NqXFjEsWPph4l6E-Kix94P3Wa6huCTMczn8iOcj17nQ8y6L8ctzPwd9_-QGP54p6EGJMe0epULoXV_Dvuezbs8KO-bnEehNiM3U_tRlEHNodwhjK/s200/Luther+Rose.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Luther's Rose</td></tr>
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On October 31st, 1517, an audacious and brilliant Augustinian monk marched up to the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg, Germany, armed with a mallet in his hand and some nails, and affixed a document on the church door titled, “The Ninety-Five Theses on the Power and Efficacy of Indulgences,” or more commonly known as, “The Ninety-Five Theses.” This monk was compelled due to his ardent love for God and the lost souls. This event was what many considered the beginning of the Reformation movement. But this monk, Martin Luther, had no inkling of how profound his action would have on that day.<br />
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The Reformation movement turned out to be one of the major defining moment in the history of church comparable to the Trinitarian controversy of the major ecumenical councils during the early church era (especially Nicaea - 325, Constantinople - 381, Ephesus - 431, and Chalcedon - 451), and the ecclesiological conflict of the Great Schism in 1054, when the East (Orthodox) and West (Roman Catholic Church) split up. In fact, the Reformation movement is sometimes considered one of the greatest revivals since the day of Pentecost (see Acts 2)!<br />
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Because today is the Sunday closest to the Eve of all Hallows/Saints (October 31<sup>st</sup>), Protestant churches all over America are commemorating and celebrating the Reformation Sunday. This day has always held a special place in my heart since I grew up as a Lutheran, but it has became even more meaningful since I took my Reformation history class at Beeson Divinity School.<br />
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In the light of the upcoming Reformation Day on October 31<sup>st</sup>, in addition to the upcoming <a href="http://www.beesondivinity.com/reformationheritagelectures" target="_blank">Reformation Heritage Lectures held at Beeson Divinity School</a>, I will be writing several brief posts on various reformers of the 14<sup>th</sup>, 15<sup>th</sup>, and 16<sup>th</sup> centuries who had tremendous influence and also impacted on the Reformation movement. It is my prayer and hope that those posts will give you a greater appreciation of the rich heritage we share with all the saints who have preceded us throughout the Christian history and motivate you to learn more about the Reformers.<br />
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Keep your eyes peeled for another post about a man whom historians often call the “Morning Star of the Reformation.”Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07967091404570836531noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1345401573576763141.post-79223459789897378792013-10-16T09:26:00.001-05:002013-11-11T14:39:43.913-06:00Thunderous Silence<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: left;">
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<b><i><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">“So, when he heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was.” </span></span></i><span style="font-size: large;"><i><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">(John 11:6)</span></i></span></b></div>
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<a href="http://universalflag.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/grief.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="132" src="http://universalflag.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/grief.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"> In John 11, John the Evangelist introduces us to Lazarus of Bethany. Lazarus was gravely ill and was being attended to by Mary and his sister, Martha. A messenger, bearing an urgent message from the sisters, found Jesus and told him, “Lord, he whom you love is ill” (v. 3). Can you sense the hurrying tone in his voice here? Lazarus, your beloved friend, is gravely sick! Lazarus, your beloved friend, will soon be dead! Come quickly! Yet in spite of this urgency, Jesus issued a mystifying and seemingly dismissive response back to the sisters whom he loved: “This illness does not lead to death. It is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it” (v. 4).</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"> Then Jesus did something even more absurd: he remained in the place where he was staying for two more days (v. 6)! He goes against every humans’ conventional thinking and wisdom. Jesus did not leave immediately to see Lazarus, but rather left two days later. And by the time he arrived in Bethany, Lazarus was already stone dead for four days and might even have started to rot.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"> But let’s dwell with Mary and Martha here. What must it be like for Mary and Martha to anxiously wait for Jesus for four days? Did they felt betrayed by their friend? Neglected? Lonely? Perhaps slightly. They might also be hopeful that Lazarus would rebound and be healed at a moment’s notice. But when Lazarus died, their hopes were subsequently extinguished and their world collapsed under the onerous weight of grief and sorrow.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"> <i> In the moment of their most urgent need, God seemed thunderously silent.</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"> Can we identify with Mary and Martha in our lives too? Although Psalm 37:7 encourages us “to be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him” and Psalm 46:10 tells us, “Be still, and know that I am God,” it is difficult to do so when we are shell-shocked by a tragedy. We end up becoming increasingly restless in our silence, discussing and arguing with an imaginary person within ourselves. The world, the flesh, and the devil constantly taunts us in our own consciences, implying that those who speak the loudest and do the most are the best stewards of time. Indeed, sometimes the loudest place in the world is found in the quietest recesses of our soul. But the wise person will recognize the infinite value of silence in one’s spiritual life. That person will know that in the midst of a thunderous silence, God is busy at work preparing the person’s heart and mind to hear his quiet and still voice in fresh and invigorating ways.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Brothers and sisters, if not already, we will experience our Mary and Martha moments in our lives. When God seems thunderously silent in our lives, take heart: God still does hear our deepest prayers and cares for us, and he also continues to speak and work in mysterious ways in the innermost place of our souls. Silence is the perfect prescription for our restless souls, and it is administered directly from our Great Physician. When He seems silent, God is actually busy at work preparing a new meeting place for us to encounter and hear Him in fresh ways.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> But God alone chooses when, where, and how he will speak to us. He might choose to speak to us in a clear, booming, and distinct voice just as he did with Moses and the Israelites at Mt. Sinai </span><span class="MsoFootnoteReference" style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">[1].</span></span></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> He might choose to speak to us in the darkest hour of the night just like he did with Prophet Samuel in the temple when he was a young boy </span><span class="MsoFootnoteReference" style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">[2].</span></span></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Just as what he did with Mary and Martha later on in the chapter, he might choose to tenderly speak into the thunderous silence of our souls </span><span class="MsoFootnoteReference" style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">[3].</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><u>References:</u></b></span><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><br />
[1]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span> Exodus 19.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="line-height: 115%;">[2]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span> 1 Samuel 3.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="line-height: 115%;">[3]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span> Also consider how God spoke to Prophet Elijah "in a sheer silence," or with "a low whisper" in 1 Kings 19:11-12.</span><o:p></o:p><br />
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</i> <i>Nota Bene: This devotional was prepared and delivered on October 15th, 2013 in Dr. Robert Smith Jr.'s Christian Preaching I class based on John 11:1-6, 17. I pray that this has refreshed, strengthened, and blessed your soul and mind. Please feel free to leave a comment below!</i></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07967091404570836531noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1345401573576763141.post-25825236790214684892013-10-07T13:12:00.002-05:002013-10-07T13:49:15.587-05:00Bonhoeffer on Reading the ScripturesWhile collecting information for my doctrinal synthesis paper due by the end of the week, I read something from Dietrich Bonhoeffer's <i>Life Together</i> that privides an accurate reflection of what churches are facing in the modern age.<br>
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Dietrich Bonhoeffer completed <i>Life Together</i> in 1939 while teaching at the underground, or "illegal," Finkenwalde seminary during the heyday of Nazism. Here's what Bonhoeffer had to say concerning reading the Scriptures:<br>
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<i>We
must learn to know the Scriptures again, as the Reformers and our fathers knew
them. We must not grudge the time and the work that it takes. We must know the
Scriptures first and foremost for the sake of our salvation. But besides this,
there are ample reasons that make this requirement exceedingly urgent. How, for
example, shall we ever attain certainty and confidence in our personal and
church activity if we do not stand on solid Biblical ground? It is not our
heart that determines our course, but God's Word. But who in this day has any
proper understanding of the need for scriptural proof? How often we hear
innumerable arguments "from life" and "from experience" put
forward as the basis for most crucial decisions, but the argument of Scripture
is missing. And this authority would perhaps point in exactly the opposite
direction. It is not surprising, of course, that the person who attempts to
cast discredit upon their wisdom should be the one who himself does not seriously
read, know, and study the Scriptures. But one who will not learn to handle the
Bible for himself is not an evangelical Christian.</i></blockquote>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07967091404570836531noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1345401573576763141.post-78236058046342216972013-09-11T22:41:00.000-05:002013-09-11T22:41:10.409-05:00Why Doth Thou Hidest Thy Face?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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On this day twelve years ago, four groups of Muslim terrorists boarded American Airlines Flight 11 and United Airlines Flight 175, American Airlines Flight 77, and United Airlines Flight 93, and, after commandeering each plane, they crashed each plane into the World Trade Center towers in the district of Manhattan, New York City, into the Pentagon of Washington D.C., and in an open field of Shanksville, PA on its way to Washington D.C. As the events of the day unfolded before Americans' eyes on television, fear and horror seized the hearts of men and women of America and the world. People were confronted with the gruesome and heartless face of evil once again. They tried to piece together the pieces that led up to this event and make sense out of this brazen act of terrorism against humanity under the banner of the Islamic God, Allah. They also asked on that day, "Where were you, God, when this happened?"<br />
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On this day twelve years later, people all over the nation commemorate once again the day of infamy that permanently altered the 21st century world. Some people still grieve the loss of their loved ones, others remain befuddled by what took place, and many might take a few minutes out of their day to remember what transpired on this terrible day. War and destruction via chemical agents in Syria are constantly broadcast on the news and military action is currently being debated in the vaulted chambers and hallowed halls of the U.S. Congress and Senate, all while injustice and oppression continue to perpetuate all over the world. Many, whether silently or audibly, still ponder, "Where were you, God, when this happened?"<br />
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On this day, long before India attacked Hyderabad, Pakistan in 1948,(1) long before the Quebec Bridge collapsed and killed 90 construction workers in Canada in 1911,(1) long before the cries of the unborn ones were forever silenced, long before the heartless Nazis exterminated millions of Jews and the non-Aryans, people were already asking this ageless question, “Where were you, God, when this happened?”<br />
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Pain and suffering is a perplexing reality of human experience and something that many people cannot fully comprehend. Many people and philosophers have attempted to rationalize or spiritualize away the answer to this dilemma. After losing a loved one to a premature death, some might receive momentary yet fleeing solace from their family and friends. After being confronted with the multitude of dead children and women due to an act of terrorism, some might dismiss God as a cruel and heartless monster and proclaim that <em>Gott ist tot </em>(from Friedrich Nietzsche, which means “God is dead”). After someone close unexpectedly dies, some might drown in the turbulent sea of hopelessness and despair and loneliness. After being confronted with the reality of pain and suffering, some with watery eyes might bitterly accept this event as an unfortunate "fate" or "karma." Yet the answer to the question of pain – indeed, a caricature of sin and evil – remains unanswered. Pain, sorrow, and suffering often robs humans of their happiness and rosy hopes, and it can bring the ivory towers of lofty dreams and desires crashing down to the ground in an instant – just like it did on September 11th, 2001.<br />
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"Pain is unmasked, unmistakable evil;” C.S. Lewis writes in <em>The Problem of Pain.</em> “Every man knows that something is wrong when he is being hurt.” C.S. Lewis continues even further:<br />
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“We can ignore even pleasure. But pain insists upon being attended to. God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pains: it is his megaphone to rouse a deaf world.”</blockquote>
Christianity provides an answer to the problem of pain and suffering. At the dawn of creation, the Creator brought everything into existence from nothing and declared the entire universe “very good” after Adam was created (Gen 1:31). But after sin entered the created order through Adam, humans were separated from God and degenerated into a cesspool of conflict, strife, and enmity with God and with other humans. It also had a profound impact on the entire creation, and God could have easily destroyed everything and started all over again. But he chose not to because he made a commitment to his creation and loved humans too much. He did not simply created everything then walked away; rather, he created and continues to sustains everything in the universe because he wants to redeem and reconcile everything to himself (Psalm 147:8-9; Nehemiah 9:6; Acts 17:25, 28; 2 Corinthians 5:18; Colossians 1:7, 20).<br />
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God’s redemptive plan was supremely revealed in and through the person and work of Jesus Christ, “a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief” (Isaiah 53:3). He assumed humanity through his incarnation, lived among men for about thirty years, experienced every possible temptations and pain known in the world yet didn’t sinned once, suffered and died on the cross, and rose and triumphed over death three days later (1 Corinthians 15:50-57). He ascended into the heaven forty days later and has been reigning from "the heavenlies" (Ephesians 1:3), and he will return one day in the future. From the moment of his ascension to his eventual return, God is actively drawing men and women of all nations, tribes, and tongues to be reconciled to himself through the gospel message of Jesus Christ (John 6:44-45), which is the power of God for salvation (Romans 1:16; 1 Corinthians 1:18-21; 2 Thessalonians 2:14). The only way anyone can be saved is to respond to God’s loving initiative by “confess[ing] with your mouth [or hands] that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead” (Romans 10:9).<br />
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Paul Chappell writes, “Because of His resurrection, we can have peace during even the most troubling of times because we know He is in control of all that happens in the world.” The great Unchangeable I Am has always been sitting on his throne and reigning as the King of King and Lord of Lords of the Universe throughout eternity (Psalm 2:4; 10:16; 11:4; 1 Timothy 1:17; 6:13-16; Revelation 19:16). Regardless of where the winds of time and change blows, the omnipotent God remains the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8). God still tenderly speaks to the hurt and broken, "Come to me and rest in my presence, " and to the weary and faint of heart, "allow me to bear your heavy burdens and troubles," because He is the one who “binds up the brokenhearted” and comforts the crushed in the spirit (Psalm 34:18; Isaiah 61:1; 1 Peter 5:7). He is the God who is not only all-powerful but also desires people to have a relationship with him.<br />
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There is no escaping the reality of pain and suffering in this world, and Christians are not exempt from this either. But the hope and power of Christ’s resurrection enables His followers to persevere through the darkest valleys marked by pain and suffering. Whenever anyone cries out from a broken heart, “why doth thou hidest thy face,” Jesus cried out the most heart-wrenching words ever spoken on earth as His heavenly Father turned his face away from him while he hung on the cross dying: “<em>'Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani,’ </em>which means, ‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me’” (Mark 15:34).<br />
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References:<br />
(1) - http://www.thepeoplehistory.com/september11th.htmlAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07967091404570836531noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1345401573576763141.post-17964291464029211852013-09-09T21:36:00.000-05:002013-09-09T21:37:29.249-05:00Back in the land of sweet tea, barbecue, and football…<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5paGUJ7MLHHiEkS307hoPlhM7JCoBUMjYbvKuplfOBbQSYYb2HwHVE4ciYdjIrf5eWcrXoDfsrTqZccnHcwKEB5ddhHc06IPp_995CIIi7NGV9aOQTSGbETcMquLKeQyLnpNT_ORV-D8/s1600-h/20130906_161546%25255B20%25255D.jpg"><img align="left" alt="Beeson2013BP" border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbkomwEMgfVNxIi2soDJ1jvTrbOcTfT6AUHoApPtLED7wqR6KQkK_U9-RQ5wKr3V7-saPHdvnprt6VMnB9yn6icEUltgCNKXJ2V1U6oWDjJci9zsGCrJQ5gGij_4yDIbefn3RBb0bnp6w/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 10px 0px 0px;" title="Beeson2013BP" width="240" /></a>The past nine months has been, quite frankly, overwhelmingly busy (although amazing)! I took ten classes this past year (five per semester – for a total of 28 credits, or almost 1/3 of all credits to complete my M.Div. degree!) in addition to completing a 10-weeks summer internship in Cleveland, OH with <a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.gracecma.org">Grace Christian & Missionary Alliance Church</a>’s <a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.signsofgrace.org">Signs of Grace Deaf ministry</a>. While I passed all of my classes (I got the highest semester GPA ever this past Spring, and I was elated!) and completed my internship on a great note (here are some pictures from Signs of Grace’s <a href="http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/signsofgrace/slideshow/Classic%20Car%20Show%202013" target="_blank">Classic Car Show</a>, <a href="http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/signsofgrace/slideshow/SoG%20Dinner%20and%20a%20Movie%20Soul%20Surfer" target="_blank">Soul Surfer Dinner Night</a>, <a href="http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/signsofgrace/slideshow/Deaf%20Chat%20and%20Beach%20Party" target="_blank">Deaf Chat & Beach Party</a>, and <a href="http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/signsofgrace/slideshow/Deaf%20Chat%20July%202013" target="_blank">Summer Family Fun Night</a> events, and also Signs of Grace’s <a href="http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/signsofgrace/slideshow/Deaf%20Worship%20July%202013" target="_blank">first-ever Deaf Worship service</a>), I was worn out by the time August rolled around and needed a bit of vacation. I was happy to see my family for a short time before heading back to the Deep South to start my third year at Beeson Divinity School. The picture on the left was taken on my first day of classes; as you can see, it was a drop-dead gorgeous (but hot) day!<br />
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<a name='more'></a>Just a quick recap on what is in store for me this semester at Beeson. I am beginning my first of four Hebrew class, this one with the eminent yet hilarious professor, <a href="http://www.beesondivinity.com/allenpross" target="_blank">Dr. Ross</a>, who also wrote <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0801021472/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0801021472&linkCode=as2&tag=deafsemin-20" target="_blank">Introducing Biblical Hebrew</a> that we are using for our class. So far, I find Hebrew to be a lot easier than Greek (but it might bite me later on in the semester though) and it has been quite fun too!<br />
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I’m also taking my first Christian Preaching class with <a href="http://www.beesondivinity.com/robertsmithjr" target="_blank">Dr. Robert Smith Jr.</a>, who is a phenomenal and fiery African American preacher with a huge heart for his students. In this class, each student will have several opportunities to have one-on-one sessions with him to receive feedbacks on how to improve sermon outline manuscript, preparation, and delivery. You can search his name on Youtube and see some of his sermons – you won’t be one bit disappointed!<br />
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Finally, I’m completing my Doctrine & Ethics with <a href="http://www.beesondivinity.com/grahamcole" target="_blank">Dr. Cole</a>, and it is a new course that combines systematic theology (i.e. answering questions such as “What should we believe about God,” “What should we regard the Scriptures as,” and “Who is Jesus/Holy Spirit/Trinity”) and ethical issues (i.e. abortion, euthanasia, and homosexuality) that Christian ministers will need to be prepared to address with other people.<br />
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Since I am now taking only three classes this semester, I am able to breathe a bit and enjoy life a bit more in Birmingham, AL and keep in touch with my family and friends such as you, my readers, through letters and blog posts. Moreover, I am able to be more involved with some extracurricular activities at Beeson such as the intercessory prayer ministry, which is what I am excited about! As always, thank you for your steadfast prayers, support, and words of encouragement over the past months! It is only by the grace of God I have been able to get this far in seminary, and I still have a long road ahead of me. And did I mention it is also great to be back in the land of sweet tea, barbecue, and football?!<br />
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Please comment below and let me know where y’all went this past summer.<br />
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Yours in Christ, for the glory of God alone,<br />
BruceAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07967091404570836531noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1345401573576763141.post-1324441796920149262013-03-24T16:01:00.001-05:002013-03-24T16:01:28.275-05:00Prayer request from Houston, TX<p dir=ltr>Prayer warriors: I will be speaking to a bunch of teenagers (about 1,000 total) at St. Martin's Episcopal Church tonight (see the excerpt below) and at Episcopal High School tomorrow morning. I have been looking forward to this opportunity and please keep me in your prayers as I strive to faithfully proclaim the hope and glory of Christ and his resurrection.</p>
<div class='separator' style='clear: both; text-align: center;'> <a href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9VVvvC0Danufth1gLQQiocII0HHyptEz0T3f0WfJN_rjVcAfKomIWh-fUU1DAUBIHFqo5DBKBOH3o6lDNW9Sc8pLjD0ZlgmAxC0iXs_aJB4mdb1WmTbf8rIoO39Ily4grDb34GlhdSTj7/s1600/20130324_155421.jpg' imageanchor='1' style='margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;'> <img border='0' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9VVvvC0Danufth1gLQQiocII0HHyptEz0T3f0WfJN_rjVcAfKomIWh-fUU1DAUBIHFqo5DBKBOH3o6lDNW9Sc8pLjD0ZlgmAxC0iXs_aJB4mdb1WmTbf8rIoO39Ily4grDb34GlhdSTj7/s640/20130324_155421.jpg' /> </a> </div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07967091404570836531noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1345401573576763141.post-64665924795071819812013-03-19T13:56:00.002-05:002013-03-19T19:56:57.866-05:00March Prayer Update<img align="left" height="180" src="http://www.onestopwebmasters.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/spring-white-flowers.jpg" style="display: inline; margin: 0px 10px 0px 0px;" width="240" /> I am on my Spring Break right now, but I'm nowhere near a beach! I'm staying in town because I need to finish several papers for my classes due next week. It is hard to believe that I am halfway through my semester, and it has been a busy one! In fact, so busy that I have not been able to find time to update you on what’s happening in my life through this blog. But here's my prayer update letter for you, my readers and prayer warriors!<br />
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Exciting things have been happening in my life since the semester started. I preached at a Deaf church in Birmingham on February 10th and traveled to Cleveland, OH (exciting things are happening there, and you will find out more about this in a later post once things are finalized). I am loving all of my classes, but they have proved to be quite demanding in terms of papers and readings! As a result, I have less "free time" to do things that I enjoy such as blogging.<br />
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Springtime is around the corner here in Birmingham with tulips blooming, trees budding, and temperature getting warmer! I love this time of the year in the South because I can be outside more often for leisurely walks, biking, and running without having to “bundle up." In fact, as I write this post, I am wearing shorts and short-sleeved shirt. Jealous yet?<br />
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I just want to take some time to share with you a few things I'm thankful about and how you can pray for me.<br />
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<strong><u>THANKS</u></strong><br />
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<strong>1) God’s continued faithfulness and providence. </strong>I continue to be in awe of God’s faithfulness and Providence in meeting all of my daily physical, social, emotional, and spiritual needs, whether big or small. God’s lovingkindness, abundant love, and mercy is put on forefront as I am reminded that each day is a gift from God and that it is only by his providence that I am here at Beeson. I am impelled as a result to give him thanksgiving and praise through every moment of my life because he has been so good to me.<br />
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<strong>2) Beeson community.</strong> I have already said this many times in the past, but it is worth being repeated: I have been blessed beyond belief to be part of a great community at Beeson. I am grateful for this opportunity to experience life together with other brothers and sisters in Christ who care for and love one another regardless of their backgrounds or theological bents – it is but a foretaste of heaven itself! Transformation does not happen only through intellectual pursuits or personal piety, but also within the context of a loving Christian community (<em>koinonia</em>) of people who long to glorify God and serve Him forever.<br />
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<strong>3) KDF – Birmingham’s growth and strength. </strong>Since the beginning of this semester, a few young adults have been gathering every week on Sunday afternoons for a meal, fellowship, prayers, and bible studies. While we have been off to a slow start, we are beginning to develop a core group of people who have recognized the vital need of a community for mutual support and encouragement. I have been blessed through the whole experience and am encouraged by how hungry people are for the Word of God. It is exciting for me to see people encountering God in fresh and new ways as we work through the book of John!<br />
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<u><strong>PRAYERS</strong></u><br />
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<strong>1) Strength and focus with my academic studies.</strong> This semester has been challenging for me and time always seems to be on a short supply when I have a pile of papers to write on a weekly basis. I am often weary by the end of the week (if not mid-week!), and I often wonder whether I will be able to write one more paper or finish one more Greek translation project. Sometimes my focus is lacking and I am tempted to be less disciplined with my studies. As I think about it, I realize that Satan has been working overtime in my life, and while God has been faithful in giving me the needed strength and focus, I truly believe that your prayers do make a big difference.<br />
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<strong>2) Increased vibrancy in my relationship with the Lord. </strong>While somewhat related to my first point, Satan has been busy trying to steal my time away from just being with the Lord, and when I neglect to commune with him, it has great impact on my academic, spiritual, and physical lives. It might seem ironic to some, but seminary can be a spiritually dry place if students approach their studies as if it was a “duty” rather than a spiritual discipline that causes one to worship Lord in mind and spirit. When I neglect to simply be with the Lord and dive into His Word on a daily basis, my ”spiritual” well become dried up, causing me to be overwhelmed, frustrated, and stressed with everything in my life. It is always challenging for me to balance my time between academic pursuits and my walk with the Lord.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07967091404570836531noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1345401573576763141.post-79783944627028707672013-01-19T17:08:00.002-06:002013-01-19T17:09:23.929-06:00Our Only Comfort<div class="tr_bq">
<a href="http://ssmarowsky.files.wordpress.com/2012/09/heidelberg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="178" src="http://ssmarowsky.files.wordpress.com/2012/09/heidelberg.jpg" width="320" /></span></a><span style="font-family: inherit;">Something celebrated its birthday today, yet it deftly maintains its youthfulness! Rest assured, my readers: I am not that old (I will confess that my birthday did took place a few weeks ago). Today marks the Heidelberg Catechism's 450th birthday!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The first version of Heidelberg Catechism was published on this day in 1563. This treatise has been widely used in the Reformed stream of Christianity, and many churches throughout the ages past have found this document extremely useful in guiding, instructing, and even comforting its believers. I had the opportunity to peruse a portion of this document for my Reformation History and Doctrine class last year, and it has been a source of great comfort for me as well, and it can also serve as a great primer if you want to become a more Gospel-saturated person. It is written in a manner that is uniquely personal and warm not commonly found among the majority of theological works or creeds (such as <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Systematic-Theology-Introduction-Biblical-Doctrine/dp/0310286700/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1358635597&sr=8-5&keywords=systematic+theology" target="_blank">this one</a>!).</span></div>
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This is a long creed in its entirety, but I wanted to quote one of the most famous, oft-quoted, and beautifully man-made portion of the Heidelberg Catechism below. I just happen to love this one as well!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><strong>Question 1.</strong><span style="background-color: white;"> What is thy only comfort in life and death?</span></span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><strong>Answer:</strong> That I with body and soul, both in life and death, am not my own, but belong unto my faithful Saviour Jesus Christ; who, with his precious blood, has fully satisfied for all my sins, and delivered me from all the power of the devil; and so preserves me that without the will of my heavenly Father, not a hair can fall from my head; yea, that all things must be subservient to my salvation, and therefore, by his Holy Spirit, He also assures me of eternal life, and makes me sincerely willing and ready, henceforth, to live unto him.</span></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">If you want to learn more about the Heidelberg Catechism, here are a couple of wonderful articles by Kevin DeYoung that explains some of the benefits of and why the Catechism should be read along with the Bible, along with links from the Center for Reformed Theology and Apologetics (www.reformed.org) about this creed:</span><br />
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<li><a href="http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/kevindeyoung/2013/01/18/five-reasons-to-read-the-heidelberg-catechism-this-year/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Five Reasons to Read the Heidelberg Catechism</span></a></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/kevindeyoung/2009/02/25/heidelberg-truth-rockets/" target="_blank">Brief History on the Heidelberg Catechism</a> (Kevin DeYoung)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://reformed.org/documents/index.html">http://reformed.org/documents/index.html</a> - click on the link, then scroll down and click on The Heidelberg Catechism link to open the whole document (there is another link immediately below that gives a brief history of this creed as well)</span></li>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07967091404570836531noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1345401573576763141.post-14148693657622820972012-12-31T07:00:00.000-06:002012-12-31T11:21:02.118-06:00The Christmas Bells That Still Ring<a href="http://www.familychristmasonline.com/music/trad_american_carols/heard_the_bells_title.jpg" target="_blank"><img align="left" height="188" src="http://www.familychristmasonline.com/music/trad_american_carols/heard_the_bells_title.jpg" style="display: inline; margin: 10px;" width="200" /></a> Yesterday morning, I attended Trinity Lutheran Church with my family, and Pastor Virgil Cain gave a brief yet excellent meditation drawing from a poem-turned-into-a-hymn penned in 1863 by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807-1882), a great poet and literary scholar, titled “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day.” As I listened to the pastor, my heart was encouraged and comforted by his message and I had to share this poem with you.<br />
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In order to understand the background of this hymn, a very brief history must be given about Henry Longfellow (very brief, I promise!). He was married to Fannie Elizabeth Appleton, and both of them had, among three other children, a son named Charles Appleton Longfellow on June 9, 1844 in Cambridge, Massachusetts. In 1861, Mrs. Longfellow died in a tragic fire in their house, and American Civil War broke out the same year. The seventeen-year-old Charles Longfellow joined Mr. Lincoln’s army in March 1863 and was severely injured in November by a bullet that traveled across his back, nicked his spine, and exited under his right shoulder (he missed being paralyzed by one inch!). After bringing Charles from Washington D.C. to Cambridge, Henry Longfellow as a single parent nursed Charles slowly back to health, and Charles survived but never returned to combat. On Christmas Day of 1863, six months after the infamous Battle of Gettysburg where 40,000 people were killed in three days and while Charles was healing from his wartime injury, Henry sat at a desk and composed a seven-stanza poem while the church bells continually pealed in the background.<br />
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Henry Longfellow composed this rime during one of the darkest chapters of his life. In the light of his wife’s tragic death, the outbreak of the American Civil War, and the future of his son’s life in question, there was not much hope for Henry to hold onto. The fear and uncertainty he faced on the Christmas Day of 1863 could probably paralyze the strongest man or render him impotent (if not only me!). Yet Henry refused to let his grief crush his spirit and cause him to lose hope. One can’t help but pause and wonder: what is the source of his strength, comfort, and hope in the face of such an incredible pain and sorrow?<br />
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In contrast to Nietzsche, the eminent poet knew one thing was certain: God was <u><em>not</em></u> dead. The source of Henry Longfellow’s strength, comfort, and hope was found only in Jesus Christ, the One who has conquered pain and death through his resurrection and victory over sin and death (John 16:33; 1 John 5:3-4). Henry depended on Christ as his solid rock, able to weather through any storms of this lifetime. People were moved by his poem, and it was tuned into a carol nine years later by John Baptiste Calkin, an English organist and composer, and is now one of the most treasured Christmas hymns in America.<br />
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The words of this poem have brought great comfort and peace to me because this world is full of uncertainty, despair, rumors of war, moral debauchery, and rampant unemployment. Henry Longfellow’s heartfelt words flourished from the seeds of profound grief and heart wrenching sorrow, and the poem serves as a constant reminder to everyone that hope, joy, love, and peace is found in Christ alone.<br />
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My friends, I pray that you will not miss what I am saying here. True hope, unbounded joy, unconditional love, and lasting peace is found only when you place your complete faith and trust in the person and work of Jesus Christ. You see, I am not being a "closed-minded" person when I say this; I write this with a heart full of love and concern for your souls. Jesus came on earth to bring forgiveness, joy, hope, redemption, and a promise of new life to the mankind in the face of sin, sorrow, despair, damnation, and death. The Christ child was the greatest gift from God that was opened on Easter morning. Easter wouldn't happen without Christmas. The cross and an empty tomb would be meaningless without the cradle.<br />
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Do you hear the Christmas bells that still ring across this land?<br />
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<em>Here is the original poem of the</em> Christmas Bells<em>:</em><br />
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<strong><em>I heard the bells on Christmas Day <br />
Their old familiar carols play, <br />
And wild and sweet <br />
The words repeat <br />
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!</em></strong></div>
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<div align="center">
<b><i>And thought how, as the day had come, </i></b><br />
<b><i>The belfries of all Christendom <br />
Had rolled along <br />
The unbroken song <br />
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!</i></b></div>
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<b><i>Till, ringing, singing on its way, </i></b></div>
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<b><i>The world revolved from night to day, <br />
A voice, a chime, <br />
A chant sublime <br />
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!</i></b></div>
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<b><i>Then from each black, accursed mouth </i></b></div>
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<b><i>The cannon thundered in the South, <br />
And with the sound <br />
The carols drowned <br />
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!</i></b></div>
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<b><i>It was as if an earthquake rent </i></b></div>
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<b><i>The hearth-stones of a continent, <br />
And made forlorn <br />
The households born <br />
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!</i></b></div>
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<b><i>And in despair I bowed my head; </i></b></div>
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<b><i>"There is no peace on earth," I said, <br />
"For hate is strong, <br />
And mocks the song <br />
Of peace on earth, good will to men!"</i></b></div>
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<b><i>Then pealed the bells more loud and deep; </i></b></div>
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<b><i>God is not dead; nor doth he sleep! <br />
The Wrong shall fail, <br />
The Right prevail, <br />
With peace on earth, good-will to men!</i></b></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07967091404570836531noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1345401573576763141.post-5376547224318768842012-12-27T17:13:00.001-06:002012-12-28T08:30:37.021-06:00Winter Prayer Update<a href="http://xn--80aqafcrtq.cc/img/2/2/6/226155.jpg" target="_blank"><img align="left" height="150" src="http://xn--80aqafcrtq.cc/img/2/2/6/226155.jpg" style="display: inline; margin: 10px;" width="200" /></a> At this moment, I am home sitting in my parents’ house’s family room under a blanket, surrounded by Christmas lights, as I happily write this prayer update letter to you, my valued readers. <br />
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The past month has proved to be intensely busy for me as I completed five term papers (about 30 pages in total) and four final exams, in addition to taking a two-days road trip through four different states (about 970 miles one way) on my way home, spending a couple of days in Louisville, KY getting reacquainted with some of my ministry colleagues, and finishing some last-minute Christmas shopping for my family. I finally was able to relax over the past couple days sitting around with my family and reading some books for fun (for real!) while the snow falls. In fact, a roaring fire in our hearth is in order for tonight!<br />
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Christmas with my family was a wonderful one, and I am deeply grateful that I was able to spend my holidays (and my birthday too!) with my family! It can get quite difficult to find time to recover and rest during semester, and it is easy to become busy when you are not quite busy with studying! I love to come home because, among other things, it is a great opportunity for me to get away from life in Alabama, reflect on what has transpired over the past year in a new light, and give thanks to God for all the transformation that he has wrought in my heart as a result of my academic studies and personal spiritual walk with the Creator.<br />
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There are many things that I want to share with you, but time and space forbids me to do that. I will instead highlight three praises and prayer requests here for you. It is my prayer that you will be encouraged and motivated to devote more time and energy toward your “closet life” of prayer on my behalf.<br />
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<strong>Praises</strong><br />
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1) <strong>For safe passage home from Alabama</strong>. I always enjoy taking road trips because I think America is full of fascinating places and cities to discover! However, the trip can be emotionally and mentally taxing for me since I travel alone. I am especially grateful for good weather during my trip to Louisville from Alabama and from Louisville to home. I had to take a detour somewhere in the mountains of West Virginia on the second leg of my trip because an utility crew decided to close the interstate on Sunday (since when did people started working on Sundays??) to complete some sort of wire work. That forced me to take the back roads through the countryside and it afforded me the opportunity to see a piece of this state that I would have never seen in my lifetime, and that was quite an adventure!<br />
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2) <strong>For a strong finish at Beeson this semester</strong>. I was able to finish five of my classes on a strong note, managing to get a 3.46 GPA for this semester. I was thrilled about that, but I must also admit that I was quite surprised how well I performed in some classes. Greek remains my “thorn in the flesh” because it is, quite frankly, still Greek to me. It was tough translating the whole letter of Ephesians and writing two Greek exegesis papers that consumed a lot of my time and energy. Next semester, I will be taking my last Greek exegesis class, and we will be studying the Book of Acts. I suspect that when my next Greek class is completed, it will be a bittersweet moment for me (and I don’t even want to start thinking about taking Hebrews yet…).<br />
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3) <strong>For Koinonia Deaf Fellowship – Birmingham group</strong>. A group of young Deaf adults continue to gather twice a month at Roly Poly Sandwiches to eat a meal together, share life together, pray for one another, and engage in Bible studies. I praise God that there are young Deaf men and women who long to deepen in their relationship with our personal Savior and God in addition to experience a community where spiritual transformation and renewal takes place. It is encouraging for me to see something like this happen, and I pray that this will serve as a catalyst for further ministerial activities to the Deaf and Hard of Hearing community in Birmingham and in the state of Alabama.<br />
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<strong>Prayers</strong><br />
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1) <strong>Summer Internship</strong>. Several internship opportunities are in the works, but I have no idea what will happen at this point. I’m hoping to gain some experience doing pastoral ministry in a church-setting with Deaf ministry or a Deaf church with a strong leadership team. Before things are finalized, I might have to travel for a weekend to visit a potential placement to meet the church staff and Deaf ministry team. Please pray that the details will fall in place and that God’s name will be glorified throughout the entire process.<br />
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2) <strong>Koinonia Deaf Fellowship – Birmingham</strong>. Although a lot great things have happened so far with this group and several lives have been impacted, our Enemy remains busy at his work of trying to splinter our group and destroy the unity. He is always trying to divide and conquer us when we are alone or at our weakest point. Some believers are facing uncertain futures in face of present sufferings resulting from external life circumstances and the consequence of personal sins. A couple of people could not continue to participate in our groups due to financial difficulties and time constraints, and I am trying to work with other believers to establish a group where they live. Even among our active group members, we are faced with our daily struggles and constant temptations as we strive to maintain a godly and holy lifestyle. Finally, there are many more young adults in the Birmingham area who are not plugged in a local body; please pray that God will use our group to bring the Gospel message to those people who are ready to receive it. Much work remains to be done with this group, yet not enough seems to get done.<br />
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3) <strong>2013 Spring Semester</strong>. I am just beginning to think about the upcoming semester, which will be no easier than the last one. There is a nice line-up of classes that I will be taking next semester: 1) Ecclesiology and Worship; 2) Family and Marriage Counseling; 3) Exegesis of Acts; 4) 20th Century History and Doctrine; and 5) Biblical/Theological Perspectives on Missions (14 credits total). On the top of that, I will continue with my part-time job working for the University Library at Samford University helping out with the Reference department, in addition to doing odd-jobs for several people around Birmingham when the temperature warms up a bit. There will be moments during the next semester when I will be pushed to the limits of my strength and stamina, but I know that God will carry me through it and help me to excel in whatever he has called me to do.<br />
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On a final note: I want to express my thanks once again to you, my faithful prayer warriors, for your constant intercessions on my behalf. You have no idea how encouraging (and comforting) it is for me whenever I receive a note of any kind – especially personal ones in mail – from you. I miss my family and friends often (yes, even while I’m crazy busy at Beeson), but it is your prayers and notes of encouragement, along with God’s continued provision of strength, that helps me remain faithful to the calling God had given me. Thank you for partnering with me in the Kingdom work through various ways, and I continue to keep you in my regular prayers as well.<br />
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Soli Deo Gloria!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07967091404570836531noreply@blogger.com0