Tuesday, May 1, 2007

My Plans...I Think

I was just thinking that although I blog frequently, I rarely share information about myself. My life is constantly changing, but I have failed to inform people of my plans for the future (whenever that may be).

Those who know me well know that I deeply desire to go to seminary one day and was even going to a seminary here in Sioux Falls for over a year. I wasn't exactly pleased with the quality of education I was getting, so I quit going there. My wife is finishing her graduate degree currently, but when she is finished we will begin to think about doing seminary the right way, the way we want to and at the place we want to.

The school that is currently on the top of my list is called Mars Hill Graduate School in Seattle, WA, and no, this has nothing to do with Rob Bell in Grand Rapids, MI, even though I would marry him if he asked. Mars Hill is attempting to do seminary in a way no other seminary is currently doing it, by combining strong theological and biblical training with real life, practical preparation for ministry. They teach you how to figure out how to do ministry in whatever culture God places you in.

Mandy and I will be flying out to Seattle in November to tour the school so you can be praying for us as we seek God's direction for our future. If you are interested in exactly how Mars Hill is different, you can check out their website at http://www.mhgs.edu/common/new-mdiv.asp. Here are a few thoughts on the program I am considering:

What if you truly believed that the gospel could change the world?

Sometimes the questions are more important than the answers. Sometimes the process of discovery is more important than the discovering. Sometimes mystery is more important than certainty. Mars Hill Graduate School students are uniquely curious, deeply passionate and intentionally thoughtful about both the theory and practice of their faith. They are keenly aware of the vast reality of what they don’t know…and that awareness shapes the dialogue of the classroom as well as the life of the community. They’re asking questions of text, soul & culture in order to experience God through transformed relationships. Will you join them? What if…?

3 comments:

  1. Is this tied in with Mark Driscoll?

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  2. I don't think there is any connection. I think it is just coincidence that there is a Mars Hill Bible Church in the same town as Mars Hill Graduate School. In fact, I've even heard that Driscoll is somewhat critical of Emerging Worship. Since Brian McLaren is on the faculty at Mars Hill Grad School, I doubt that there would be any tie to Driscoll. What do you think about Driscoll? Mandy and I plan on visiting his church when we visit the school, just to see what it is like.

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  3. Driscoll tends to sympathize with emerging issues, but does not see himself as emergent. He tends to have a growing church and do a lot of good things. But in my opinion, he is also a blowhard that is a little too big for his britches. He tends to be more reformed in this theology, and is adamantly against women in ministry.

    Check out the "Listening to the Views of Emerging Church

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