Ready to start classes

It's good to be back.

I've been meaning to blog for awhile and even had written quite a bit when my Internet connection quit on me and I figured it just wasn't meant to be.

I've been reading some interesting books lately: Prayer by Richard Foster, Keeping the Sabbath Wholly by Marva Dawn, Permission Evangelism by Michael Simpson and Slaves, Women and Homosexuals by William Webb.

The last one has been something real new for me in terms of content. The book, which I believe is a required text for a course at Asbury, looks at what the Bible literally says about different issues (the status of slaves, women and homosexuals among them) and then examines the text in terms of its historical and societal context (i.e. what was going on at the time) and then uses that to point toward its modern application.

So, for example, it talks about the laws in the Old Testament regarding the treatment of women that are, well, barbaric, really. But when you compare those rules to what was going on at the time in the surrounding cultures, you can see that the law was actually elevating the status of Hebrew women.

Similarly, laws regarding slavery put many more restrictions on the treatment of slaves and even provided for their having a number of days off work, something you would not find in the surrounding people-groups.

Then, Webb, after analyzing the direction the Bible was headed (i.e. giving women more rights and giving slaves more rights in a divine hope that the people would actually develop mercy in their hearts), uses that to apply the text to today's world. When it came to women, for example, there were many examples of Hebrew women being given a higher legal status than was the norm. So, what does that tell us today about where women should stand in terms of rights today? In other words, Webb argues that the redemptive work of the law is still a work in progress. We don't have to stop where the Hebrews left off.
I haven't read the whole thing, but I'm getting a lot out of the little I've read.

In other news, I attended the three-day orientation for students last week and it was awesome. It just confirmed for me that God has called me to this seminary. Asbury is so focused on the workings of God in our lives and provides so many opportunities to allow us to participate in His plan. So much of what goes on here is intentional. The prime example is the chapel services. I've been to about a half dozen chapels now and none of them have failed to stir my heart. I feel the presence of God, I'm given the opportunity to worship Him in a genuine way and it's obvious nothing about the service has been thrown together. There is a dean of the chapel as well as other staff and student interns devoted to making chapel a meaningful, God-glorifying time.

I'm continuing to meet a variety of neat folks -- all with their individual stories and journeys bringing them here. My downstairs neighbors are both seminary students who graduated from Bible college in the past couple years. My next door neighbors are not related to the Asbury community and work blue-collar jobs in the area. I'm told that they are not church-goers. God is laying it on my heart to get to know them better ... the guy is really nice and quick to help with a ladder, tire gauge or whatever you need.

Classes start tomorrow. I'm taking comprehensive Greek (the first of two semesters), Introduction to New Testament and Kingdom, Church and World (a prerequisite for a ton of classes). I bought my first Greek New Testament on Friday. Of course I can't read a lick of it, but I was still excited and opened it up to John (KATA IOANNEN) 1:1, just to look at the words and to pick out logos. I'm looking forward to actually being able to make sense of it.

All in all, God is blessing the heck out of me. I can't tell you how well things just seem to be falling into place. Sure, I've got a couple details that I'm going to worry about, but when I get on my knees and pray, I'm getting answers or at least reassurance. You know it's not always like that, but God appears to be pouring out His grace on me right now as I start this journey.

Thanks to all who are praying for me, sending me notes of encouragement, supporting me, etc. The encouragement I received in Bakersfield and continue to receive buoys me up. I haven't forgotten about you, either. I love you guys!