This week, in talking about Why we Pray (and praying), I was reminded of a simple truth I learned last year. It was put together in a post on GoingtoSeminary.com. Let’s together celebrate our independence today through our dependence upon the Sovereign King of all. Here’s what I wrote then, and swim in now: [Fall '08] Greek has seemed to be a little disjointed until we arrive in the relative deep-end of participles this semester. I am certainly still wading around in the shallow end, but being pushed further into learning how to swim in this new language (but still with those orange...

Today we celebrate my wife Kari , who will walk across the platform to receive a Masters Degree in Pastoral Studies (emphasis in Women’s Ministry). We entered seminary at Multnomah in ‘05, full of energy, no kids, both working full-time, and making a 90+ minute commute each way. She is the first of us two to graduate — an excellent student, a true friend, the best mom possible, and the most faithful wife I could imagine. It is ironic my wife doesn’t know her own GPA (3.9+), and our son doesn’t realize she was even in graduate school, as most of her work was accomplished...

Kari piggy-backed on my reminder about seminary professors being human and thus in need of encouragement and our intentional efforts to bless them. Read her post at goingtoseminary.com: "Give Graders a Break ." She ended with a short how-to list for blessing TAs/graders: Don’t tweak your margins or your font size (follow directions!) No plastic binder/covers Use the appropriate citation form Consider your voice as you write — for humility goes a long way in presenting an argument. Use quotations sparingly. Quotations are meant to support your claims .  When possible, incorporate...

Not from me, but from a fellow student on the East coast. Jake Belder writes in "Make Yourself at Home": "… seminary can sometimes come to be viewed more as a means to an end or as a stepping stone than a time of formation and growth…. Understanding seminary as a stepping stone to something else will only lead you to view your whole life at that particular time and place as a stepping stone. You will never fully unpack the boxes, so to speak. Your apartment will be more like a hotel room than a home." (He then offers some advice on two fronts: relationships and church.) Read...

I wrote a brief and hopefully helpful article on "Considering Seminary When Others Do Not ," aimed at helping those who sense the call of God to go to seminary while serving in a church context with leaders who don’t specifically rally around the idea. Here’s a brief excerpt: Consider all aspects Both the good and the bad. Jesus commanded that we truly “count the cost” before following Him (Luke 14:28 ), and this must certainly include life-shaping decisions like heading to seminary. What are your motivations to attend seminary? What school(s) are you considering? Do you...

As Kari mentioned, we’re both starting to write for GoingtoSeminary.com. I found that site back in the Fall, when the founder “Just a Guy” started anonymously chronicling his journey towards beginning seminary, with his wife “Just a Gal” and two kids. Ryan Burns turns out to be his name, and he’s done a forgotten group of students a great service — connecting those in seminary and those considering taking the plunge an opportunity for insights and community while on the journey. It’s been helpful to be part of the receiving end and interact in the...