GroshLink

Rt. Rev. N.T. (Tom) Wright sings Genesis & Bob Dylan’s When the Ship Comes In. Video of Saturday afternoon music by a theologian at Hearts & Minds Books (Dallastown, PA) rolled out on the Emerging Scholars Network Blog, click here :)

Question: anyone interested in summer reading group of How God Became King: The Forgotten Story of the Gospels (HarperOne, 2012)?

Lots of "virtual"-seminary based on hearing N.T. Wright (Research Professor of New Testament & Early Christianity at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland) speak at various InterVarsity conferences (e.g., Following Christ 08) and reading his numerous publications.* Great to have a brief opportunity to chat with Wright, hear him present on the King and the Kingdom, and enjoy his singing (watch for video, in progress) at a fun/conversation filled Saturday afternoon reception/garden party at Hearts & Minds books. Great work Byron! Thank-you!

*Note: Picked up a copy of Tom's Targum. Will let you know my thoughts over the summer. If you've already engaged with it, please pass along your "review."

According to David A. Dorsey (Evangelical Seminary), Walter C. Kaiser suggests that a proverb is not a promise; that "a stitch in time saves nine" expresses an important truism that a wise person will incorporate into his or her life; but it is not -- nor is it intended to be -- an iron-clad promise (occasionally a stitch in time may not save nine). Dorsey asked as part of the homework:

Do you think this is true of the biblical proverbs? Briefly respond, dealing with each of the following four proverbs in your response: (1) Proverbs 10:1; (2) Proverbs 10:4; (3) Proverbs 15:1; and (4) Proverbs 22:6.

Not sure how well I answered this question. In my homework I shared that I agreed with Kaiser, but preferred Gordon D. Fee and Douglas Stuart’s description of a proverb:

“all things being equal, there are basic attitudes and patterns of behavior that will help a person grow into responsible attitude. . . . a brief, particular expression of truth. The briefer a statement is, the less likely it is to be totally precise and universally applicable . . . phrased in a catchy way to be memorable" (How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth. 3rd ed. Zondervan, 2003, 231-2).

Below are my brief explorations of Proverbs 10:1, Proverbs 10:4, Proverbs 15:1, and Proverbs 22:6, let me know if you agree/disagree with these responses AND what you have to add :)

In Proverbs 10:1, one sees the consequences of one’s behavior. When one follows the way of wisdom, joy comes to one’s parents. When one chooses the path of folly, one brings grief to one’s parents. But it is possible that there is nothing to bring joy to one’s parents, they may be fools and not find joy in their children becoming wise.

In Proverbs 10:4, we read diligence, in contrast to laziness, brings wealth. Although generally true, one may work diligently, as in Christian ministry and/or in a difficult economic context/time (e.g., present day Haiti or the United States during the Great Depression), but receive low income or even live in poverty. Furthermore a rich kid may be lazy, but find wealth increasing due to the diligence and wise investment of those who came before him/her.

In Proverbs 15:1 a gentle response, in contrast to a harsh word, receives reward. But at times and/or with particularly quarrelsome people, gentleness is not received no matter how hard one tries.

In Proverbs 22:6 the consequences of being set in the right direction when young is said to lead to proper behavior throughout one’s life. This is true in many cases, but we all know children who have been raised in a local congregation only to choose another past for the rest of their days. Furthermore, transformation/conversation can occur later in life.

Earlier posts in the series: Are you wise? What is wisdom?, Are you wise? What is wisdom? II.

In partnership with the church, Evangelical Seminary develops servant leaders for transformational ministry in a broken and complex world by nurturing rigorous minds, passionate hearts, and Christ-centered actions.

Building on Are you wise? What is wisdom? we now have a series birthed by a Proverbs homework assignment for OT532 Historical & Poetic Books (Professor: David A. Dorsey. Evangelical Seminary). Why? Honestly, for the first time in my life I've found the Book of Proverbs hard to put down and I'd like to explore this further ;)

I think that in the past I brought too much of my natural/intuitive inclinations toward the lens of Job and Ecclesiastes to my reading of life, thereby making me impatient with the brevity of assertions/statements found in Proverbs. But this time I've been struck that there's good reason for the Solomonic package to include Proverbs and Ecclesiastes, not to mention the Song of Songs ;) Could it be that intimacy with Lady Wisdom and Lady Folly runs throughout? Let's begin with reading Proverbs 1-9 and wrestling with the question, "What do you perceive to be 5 of the author's most important themes or points in this section?"

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There are four things on earth that are small but unusually wise:

Ants — they aren’t strong,

but they store up food all summer.

Hyraxes (Or Coneys, or Rock badgers) — they aren’t powerful,

but they make their homes among the rocks.

Locusts — they have no king,

but they march in formation.

Lizards — they are easy to catch,

but they are found even in kings’ palaces.

-- Proverbs 30:24-28New Living Translation (NLT)

Hope to wrap-up the Proverbs assignment for OT532 Historical & Poetic Books (Professor: David A. Dorsey. Evangelical Theological Seminary) this morning. You may be interested in reading that this is the first time I've found the Book of Proverbs hard to put down ;) More thoughts coming, but must turn to the assignment due today at 3pm.

In partnership with the church, Evangelical Seminary develops servant leaders for transformational ministry in a broken and complex world by nurturing rigorous minds, passionate hearts, and Christ-centered actions.

May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you wherever he may send you; may he guide you through the wilderness, protect you through the storm; may he bring you home rejoicing at the wonders he has shown you; may he bring you home rejoicing once again into our doors (197).

After reading week, I once again led opening prayer for SF823: Spiritual Direction Strategies (Professor Jo Ann Kurz, Evangelical). As in the previous sessions I turned to Common Prayer: A Liturgy for Ordinary Radicals (Shane Claiborne, Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove, & Enuma Okoro, Zondervan, 2010, http://commonprayer.net/) for insight.*

Harriet Tubman was born into slavery in the 1820s. In 1849, she had a vision that compelled her to run away, traveling under the cover of night with only the North Star as her guide. Arriving safely in Pennsylvania, she felt like she was in heaven. “I had crossed the line,” she wrote. “I was FREE; but there was no one to welcome me to the land of freedom.” Tubman committed herself to helping others escape to freedom, guiding at least three hundred fugitive slaves to Canada over the course of fifteen years. To those who traveled under her guidance, she was known as Moses. . . .

In a letter to Harriet Tubman, fellow abolitionist Frederick Douglass wrote, “Most that I have done and suffered in the ser-vice of our cause has been in public, and I have received much encouragement at every step of the way. You, on the other hand, have labored in a private way . . . most that you have done has been witnessed by a few trembling, scared, and foot-sore bondsmen and women, whom you have led out of the house of bondage, and whose heartfelt ‘God Bless You’ has been your only reward.” . . .

Thank you, Lord, that throughout history there have been women whose steadfast faith and hope in you have brought about justice, freedom, and security for those who most needed it. We pray we can learn from women like Rahab and Esther and Harriet Tubman what it means to commit our lives to your service. Amen (196-7).

Scriptures were Psalm 119:153 – 56, Exodus 12:14 – 27, Mark 9:30 – 41.

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Tuesday, April 3, 2012. 11 am. Zinn Commons, Evangelical Seminary, 121 South College Street, Myerstown, PA, 17067.

"Grab a cup of coffee with..." Ralph and Carol Honderd from Friendship Ministries, and (CLC Network), both interdenominational ministries designed to share God’s love with persons having intellectual impairments and other developmental disabilities. Click here for a PDF of poster and share with members of your local congregation's pastoral ministry. I'll introduce the gathering by sharing the story of several families, including our own. 

The Honderds retired early from their teaching professions in order to devote more time to spreading the messages of CLC Network and Friendship Ministries and the overall goal of making churches complete and blessed by including and welcoming all God’s people into church families.They emphasize the need for churches to surround and support families dealing with a child or adult with intellectual impairments, disabilities and/or autism. CLC Network has developed a course and course information that can be used by seminaries. CLC is also in the process of putting their seminary presentations on DVD to be used either in classes on site or online. 

Note: Ralph and Carol are graduates of Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and Ralph received both his MA and Ph.D. from Michigan State University. Ralph was a professor and coach at Calvin College for 38 years and Carol taught in alternative high school programs for more than 25 years. They have three children and six grandchildren. Their middle child, Karyn, has severe developmental disabilities and presently lives in a local Christian group home.

For more event information call Evangelical at 1-800-532-5775.  

Related article which recently caught my attention: No Barriers Between Us: Enabling people of all (dis)abilities to take part in the community of faith by Nancy J. Patrick (InPart. Winter 2011). Nancy J. Patrick is an associate professor of special education and the director of the graduate program in education at Messiah College (Grantham, Pa.). She’s authored several books on autism spectrum disorders, the most recent entitled Social Skills for Teenagers and Adults with Asperger Syndrome (2008). She and her husband serve as core team members at a church plant, Living Legacy Church, in Hershey, Pa. I have a stack of the periodical with me on April 3 :)

In partnership with the church, Evangelical Seminary develops servant leaders for transformational ministry in a broken and complex world by nurturing rigorous minds, passionate hearts, and Christ-centered actions.

Come and hear, all you who fear God; let me tell you what he has done for me. -- Psalm 66:16

Today, I'm leading opening prayer for SF823: Spiritual Direction Strategies(Professor Jo Ann Kurz, Evangelical). As last term, I turned to Common Prayer: A Liturgy for Ordinary Radicals (Shane Claiborne, Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove, & Enuma Okoro, Zondervan, 2010) for insight. Note: For the song we'll listen to and/or sing visit Prayer Time: "Woke Up This Morning with My Mind on Jesus". On-line material available at http://commonprayer.net/.

As for the entry itself, material is drawn from

• Two saints who have gone before us on this day . . .
  • Maximillian of Thavaste's martyrdom (3/12/295) is celebrated by a feast day today. Apparently because his father Fabius Victor was a soldier in the Roman army, Maximilian was obliged to join at the age of 21. But he refused based on his understanding of the call of Christ, leading him to be considered one of the early conscientous objectors.  
    • "I cannot enlist for I am a Christian. I cannot serve. I cannot do evil . . . You can cut off my head, but I will not be a soldier of this world, for I am a soldier of Christ."
  • Jesuit priest Rutilio Grande (7/5/1928- 3/12/1977, El Salvador) was the first of 17 priests to be martyred in his country due to the countercultural nature of the Gospel. He was driving through the sugar fields near the village of El Paisnal in the Aguilare parish on his way to evening Mass with Manuel Solorzano (72 years old) and Nelson Rutilio Lemus (16 years old), when all three were killed by a machine gun attack. Note: a close friend of Archbishop Oscar Romero and an outspoken opponent of the abuses of the U.S.-backed government.
    • "In 1971 in Rome, the Synod of Bishops on Justice in the World declared: "Action on behalf of justice and participation in the transformation of the world fully appear to us as a constitutive dimension of the preaching of the Gospel, or, in other words, of the Church's mission for the redemption of the human race and its liberation from every oppressive situation. . . . [Rutilio Grande, S.J.] had taken the bishops' statement seriously, and was supporting the efforts of the poor to organize themselves and to struggle for justice." -- Remembering a Salvadoran Martyr (Joseph E. Mulligan, S.J.).
    • 3/12/2012 is the 35th anniversary of the assination of Rutilio Grande, S.J.

What are you using for Monday Prayer Time in your own life and/or with a gathering of believers?

In partnership with the church, Evangelical Seminary develops servant leaders for transformational ministry in a broken and complex world by nurturing rigorous minds, passionate hearts, and Christ-centered actions.

Tomorrow, I lead opening prayer for SF823: Spiritual Direction Strategies (Professor Jo Ann Kurz, Evangelical). As last term, I turned to Common Prayer: A Liturgy for Ordinary Radicals (Shane Claiborne, Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove, & Enuma Okoro, Zondervan, 2010).

The selection for tomorrow, has an amazing fit for a class conversation regarding grief.* More on Common Prayer: A Liturgy for Ordinary Radicals March 12 entry, but for now let's turn to the song they ask us to sing, "Woke Up This Morning with My Mind on Jesus," http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4CvId9Z6ebw. Note: Music posted here.

Praise God! Hope you were singing, swinging, and clapping to the glory of God with me!

*Also a topic which I dug into with

1. David C. Downing on Friday. His angle being "grief in the life of C.S. Lewis, not just 'A Grief Observed."
2. Emerging Scholars as part of two posts based upon Paul Nisly's Sweeping Up the Heart: A Father’s Lament for His Daughter (Good Books, 1992), click here.  

In partnership with the church, Evangelical Seminary develops servant leaders for transformational ministry in a broken and complex world by nurturing rigorous minds, passionate hearts, and Christ-centered actions.

Yesterday, I shared a quote from Tremper Longman III* on Poetry appeals more directly to the whole person . . . 

To emphasize the power of poetry in storytelling, Longman contrasts Exodus 14:26-31 with Exodus 15:1-5. Quite a difference . . .

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Poetry appeals more directly to the whole person than prose does. It stimulates our imaginations, arouses our emotions, feeds our intellects and addresses our wills. Perhaps this is why poetry is the preferred mode of communication of the prophets, whose purpose depends on capturing the attention of the listeners and persuading them their message is urgent. -- Tremper Longman III. How to Read the Psalms. InterVarsity Press: 1988, p.92.*

As you may have guessed the class on Old Testament Historical and Poetic Books (David Dorsey, Evangelical) has brought me back to the Book of Psalms. At present I'm working on a paper proposal which will dig into Psalm 139 AND I can't wait to get started! I'm going to focus on Psalm 139:13-16.

 ¹³ For you created my inmost being; 
   you knit me together in my mother’s womb. 
¹⁴ I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; 
   your works are wonderful, 
   I know that full well. 
¹⁵ My frame was not hidden from you 
   when I was made in the secret place, 
   when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. 
¹⁶ Your eyes saw my unformed body; 
   all the days ordained for me were written in your book 
   before one of them came to be.

*Note: if you're interested in discussing the material with me (possibly even reading How to Read the Psalms alongside me), please drop me a message. For a post from when I read Longman's book in the fall for a class on the Psalms, also with Dorsey, click here.

Yesterday via Facebook I read a good report from Tony Blair, President, Evangelical Seminary,

"Evangelical Seminary won re-accreditation from the Association of Theological Schools this week! That's the second group in one week who have looked at us very, very closely and liked what they've seen. It is good to enjoy the affirmation of our peers, and to hear others say what we already know... that what we're doing is good. Very good."

Praise God! As some of you know I've started taking classes at Evangelical. Yes, I'm once again enjoying the opportunity to be an official student at a very good school. To God be the glory!

PS. On Thursday Evangelical Seminary will be host an 11:30 am campus brown bag lunch with Kent Annan, author of two InterVarsity Press books and co-founder of Haiti Partners. For more information click here. What a joy to have this opportunity to partner in the work of the Kingdom of God!

In case you were wondering about what books round out those posted at What do these books have in common? Note: First two for OT 532 Historical & Poetic Booksw/Professor David A. Dorsey, the remaining for SF823: Spiritual Direction Strategies with Professor Jo Ann Kurz.

• Dorsey, David A. "The Literary Structure of the Old Testament: A Commentary on Genesis-Malachi." Grand Rapids, MI: Baker, 1999. 
• Fee, Gordon D., and Stuart, Douglas. "How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth." 3rd ed. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2003. 
• Kelsey, Morton. "Dreams: A Way to Listen to God." New York: Paulist Press, 1978. 
• May, Gerald. "The Dark Night of the Soul: A Psychiatrist Explores the Connection Between Darkness and Spiritual Growth." San Francisco: HarperCollins, 2004. 
• Ruffing, Janet. "Spiritual Direction: Beyond the Beginnings." New York: Paulist Press, 2000.

Hmm . . . Must check to see if I have received:

• Conroy, Maureen. "Experiencing God’s Tremendous Love: Entering into Relational Prayer." Neptune, NJ: Upper Room Spiritual Center, 1988.

A special thank-you to those who have invested in these seminary classes/expenses (prayer, finances, child care, gifts of books . . .), providing a next step in equipping as the work has extended beyond all earthly expectations with the Christian Scholar Series, Emerging Scholars Network, Penn State Hershey Christian Medical Society (CMS)/CMDA! You are a great blessing for God. As I begin this new day of ministry, I am reminded how the Kingdom of God does not advance except by the Body of Christ serving together.

Look at the time! Must run to a breakfast appointment regarding these labors and then the weekly Penn State Hershey Christian Medical Society (CMS)/CMDA noon lunch lecture featuring a physician from the PSU-Hershey Medical Center. Pray for these conversations/presentations and the advance of the Lord's work. To God be the glory!

• Howard, David M., Jr. "An Introduction to the Old Testament Historical Books." 2nd ed. Chicago, IL: Moody, 2007.
• Josselson, Ruthellen. "The Space Between Us: Exploring the Dimensions of Human Relationships." Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, 1995.
• Merrill, Eugene H. "Kingdom of Priests: A History of Old Testament Israel. 2nd edition." Grand Rapids, MI: Baker, 2008.
• Merrill, Eugene H.; Rooker, Mark F.; and Grisanti, Michael A. "The World and the Word: An Introduction to the Old Testament." Nashville, Tenn.: B & H Publishing, 2011.
• Nemeck, Francis Kelly and Marie Theresa Coombs. "O Blessed Night: Recovering from Addiction, Codependency and Attachment based on the insights of St. John of the Cross and Pierre Teilhard de Chardin." New York: Alba House, 1991.
• Noll, Mark A. "Jesus Christ and the Life of the Mind." Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 2011.

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"The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge." To God be the glory!

Photo taken en route to The Power of Forgiveness: Lessons From Nickel Mines (Sponsored by The Young Center for Anabaptist and Pietist Studies at Elizabethtown College. 9/22/2011)

In Responding to "The heavens declare the glory of God" (12/8/2011), I noted the focused attention I was giving to Psalm 19. I finished the final paper for Dr. Dorsey's Psalms class at Evangelical with more to proces, more say, more to revise, but such is the writing of a recovering perfectionist embracing the mystery of God manifested in His creation ;)

In order not to overwhelm my readers (and to encourage them to come back for more), I've divided the posting of the paper by sections. May you find the piece a blessing. Feel free to recommend revisions, corrections, affirmations . . . Heading out the door with my small upright dolly to help a family involved with the Penn State Hershey Christian Medical Society (CMS)/CMDA with a mid-academic year move. Pray for God's blessing upon their household. Catch-up with you later :)

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After much prayerful consideration, exploration of future direction in higher education, and a scholarship from a friend, I enrolled in SF511 Spiritual Formation in Ministry. God richly blessed me, my family, and those with whom I minister through the material explored in SF511 Spiritual Formation in Ministry. By registering for SF723: Christian Spiritual Direction, I took a second step in an emerging path toward a Masters of Spiritual Formation and becoming a spiritual director. This paper provides a mid-course window into the discernment process of whether to pursue a path toward a Masters of Spiritual Formation and becoming a spiritual director. The mid-course conclusion is a resounding, “Yes!” To God be the glory! -- From Spiritual Direction Reflection Paper: Masters in Spiritual Formation (11/14/2011).

“When Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die.” - Deitrich Bonhoeffer. Cost of Discipleship

As a seminary student (Evangelical), parent, and one who equips followers of Christ in their vocation, I've been reflecting on "Our Mission to Theological Educate," http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OKPxZVoQo_0 (Timothy Tennent, President of Asbury Seminary, 9/11/2011 Convocation). I encourage you to do likewise, becoming deep, thick, and different with the people of God.

According to the most recent testing, for a Personal Foundations in Ministry class (Evangelical Theological Seminary), my preferences lie with what has been termed ENTJ. In case you're not familiar with the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator^TM (MBTI^TM), I'm Extroverted (people person), iNuitive (sees possibilities), Thinking (makes decisions based on objective analysis), and Judging (organized/systematic). Supposedly, I'm one of "Life's Natural Leaders."

Honestly, I'm not much for these tests. I think I took my first at the Pennsylvania Governor's School for Teaching (1991) and haven't been convinced of their authoritative value. I appreciate Otto Kroeger and Janet M. Thuesen's TypeTalk: The 16 Personality Types That Determine How We Live, Love, and Work (Dell: 1988) focuses on the MBTI^TM as a preference indicator on a scale.

Questions:

• If you've taken the MBTI^TM, where do you fall? 
• Do you find the MBTI^TM (or similar tests), helpful (personally and/or for those with whom you work)? 
• Am I really an ENTJ? If not, how would you characterize me? Note: For more info on personality types, click here.
• Where does Theresa land on the chart? Do opposites attract? Or are we more alike than different?

More coming . . . 

In partnership with the church, Evangelical Seminary develops servant leaders for transformational ministry in a broken and complex world by nurturing rigorous minds, passionate hearts, and Christ-centered actions.

Initially I was forwarding The Money May Be Lacking, but a Library Refuses to Go Quietly (Dan Barry. NY Times. 10/1/2011) to share the "good" and "bad" news with a local librarian. As the email developed, I shifted toward a note of encouragement which focused on a particular program which I have recently come to really appreciate.*

Let me encourage you to take a few minutes today to visit your local library and/or share a note of appreciation for their hard work through challenging times. If you have the resources, consider a small gift to assist them as they press on during these difficult financial times.

*Recently I've been enjoying a monthly Genealogy Workshop. I've appreciated the research tools, hints, and personal mentoring as I've begun the arduous construction of a multi-generational genogram for a Personal Foundations in Ministry class (Evangelical Theological Seminary). As you may guess, the professor is zeroing in on how family traits/behavior/stories (positive/negative) are passed on through generations. I'm not sure how many stories of family dysfunctionality and their generational influence I can handle, but the wrestlings approached from the proper direction enable one to actively engage in the healing process in one's life with a ripple effect out into family, life, ministry.

Currently I'm reading Secrets of Your Family Tree: Healing for Adult Children of Dysfunctional Families, which 'sets the stage' by reviewing the stories of David and Isaac. The professor made an excellent choice. It's going to take quite awhile to process through and discuss the material in Secrets of Your Family Tree. I encourage you to check to see if your local library (in the community, local assembly, campus) has a copy. More on the book (and family tree/genograms/storytelling) coming . . .

FYI: Reformation Day (Oct 31, 2007) is a post with some Grosh family history.

In partnership with the church, Evangelical Seminary develops servant leaders for transformational ministry in a broken and complex world by nurturing rigorous minds, passionate hearts, and Christ-centered actions.

On Saturday, a part-time seminary student heard his spouse express surprise with the line:

Secondly, Dahood’s reading of verses 2-4 as “an introductory stanza of praise,” leads an emphasis on Ugaritic cultic worship parallels of “my mountain” and “my stronghold” in verse 2 (1965-1970, 104). 

The spouse was proofing the seminarian's paper on How to Read the Psalms: Psalm 18:2, 16. Afterward she thought there should be an honorary degree for such reading.

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In a phone conversation on Friday, a friend mentioned the film Time Changer (2002). I remember hearing about Time Changer a few years ago, but I never took the time to watch it. Now that I'm finally becoming part of a seminary community -- heading out to Evangelical Seminary later this morning and then logging in via Blackboard tomorrow -- I'm once again reminded of the importance of how seminary communities and their professors consider their calling/legacy. Maybe with Grove City College's Homecoming on Saturday and our celebration of 15 years since graduation, I'm also reflecting about the incredible legacy of the work of God at Grove City College.

So I'm adding Time Changer to the queue. If you have a copy which you could loan us, let us know. Also, if you've seen the film and have thoughts about it (especially if you're connected with a seminary in some fashion), let me know.

In partnership with the church, Evangelical Seminary develops servant leaders for transformational ministry in a broken and complex world by nurturing rigorous minds, passionate hearts, and Christ-centered actions.

Since its founding in 1876, Grove City College, committed to Christian principles, has striven to be equal in academic quality to the finest four year colleges. It seeks to provide liberal and professional education of the highest quality that is within the reach of families with modest means who desire a college that will strengthen their children's spiritual and moral character.