One of the greatest joys I have had throughout my years of ministry so far -- whether as a youth pastor, a pastor, or now a missionary -- has been to be involved in the growth of others. Whether it is watching someone begin a new relationship with God, develop their gifts for serving others, or simply plumb the mysteries of God's love, grace, and majesty, being part of these conversations -- which are really conversations between them and the Holy Spirit -- is something I would call a blast.
I'm a whistler. I usually don't realize when I am whistling. You can imagine what it can be like for people to share an office with me, their peace and quiet irregularly interrupted by a shrill sound from across the room. But my whistling isn't always an annoyance. Sometimes it is a signal to those around me that I am in a good mood. Over the past few months, my family has gotten used to me coming home Mondays and Fridays around 5:30 whistling a happy tune.
On Monday and Friday afternoons since December, I have been teaching at SKDE, which is an evangelical seminary here in Port-au-Prince. I have been teaching two courses to pastors from around the area as part of their three-year program. Pastors travel as much as 2 hours one-way to come and develop their minds and skills so that they can serve their communities effectively.
One course was Eschatology - the study of last things. While sometimes Christian conversation around the end of time often centers only around the book of Revelation and can therefore devolve into disagreements about the nature and timing of the rapture and millenium, we have had focussed conversation about the whole sweep of Scripture pointing to Jesus' return. We have been able to focus on the big things that all Christians can hold in common -- that God wins, that Jesus will return, that the Holy Spirit assures us of our citizenship in heaven, and that our certain comfort and hope of these things combined with our love for the rest of the world can drive us to live passionately missional lives until Jesus returns. As I mark the exams they just did (all in French, so it is taking me a little time to translate and mark them!), it is inspiring to hear their personal faith shine through in the answers they give.
The other course was Spiritual Formation. In addition to talking about the pastor's personal need for a close walk with God through Scripture reading and prayer, we talked about accountability, worship, mission, disciplines, disciple-making, and a host of other things. In the context of our class, these developing pastors shared stories of the people God has used to shape them and the ways that God has called and continually calls them to ministry. Again, they just finished their exams as well and reading their responses is giving me great hope for the congregations and disciples God will develop through their service.
In this week of marking exams, I am also preparing to teach one more course yet before we return to Canada in June. We will be studying "Biblical Interpretation" or "Hermeneutics". I anticipate that there will be lively discussion and deepening skill as we talk about the origin of the Bible, translations, Exegesis vs Eisegesis, Hermeneutics vs Homiletics, Observation, Interpretation, Correlation, and Application. And if a few words in that paragraph blew by you, that just means you are normal, but believe it or not, it will be an exciting time for me and the pastors. I anticipate much whistling on Monday and Friday afternoons.
As you remember my work with them here, please pray for them by name: Junior Frantz Abellard, John Enock, Patrice Vilaire, Louis James, Noel Melius, Luxama Velony, Lero Obed, Bellune Lucnel, Cliford Chery, Paul Amos, Sandro Edzer, Norelia Robinson, Domingue Striplet, Pierre Paul Wisnel, Cambrone Pierre Kersaint, Djef Rosalva, Garcon Benito, and Augustin Joseph Walner. Pray for their families, their churches, their teaching, their pastoral care, their leading in mission, and their personal walk of faith in this place where religion is everywhere and yet each sign of the Gospels work is a new miracle, a miracle which makes not just a seminary professor, but our Lord himself, whistle!
I'm a whistler. I usually don't realize when I am whistling. You can imagine what it can be like for people to share an office with me, their peace and quiet irregularly interrupted by a shrill sound from across the room. But my whistling isn't always an annoyance. Sometimes it is a signal to those around me that I am in a good mood. Over the past few months, my family has gotten used to me coming home Mondays and Fridays around 5:30 whistling a happy tune.
On Monday and Friday afternoons since December, I have been teaching at SKDE, which is an evangelical seminary here in Port-au-Prince. I have been teaching two courses to pastors from around the area as part of their three-year program. Pastors travel as much as 2 hours one-way to come and develop their minds and skills so that they can serve their communities effectively.
One course was Eschatology - the study of last things. While sometimes Christian conversation around the end of time often centers only around the book of Revelation and can therefore devolve into disagreements about the nature and timing of the rapture and millenium, we have had focussed conversation about the whole sweep of Scripture pointing to Jesus' return. We have been able to focus on the big things that all Christians can hold in common -- that God wins, that Jesus will return, that the Holy Spirit assures us of our citizenship in heaven, and that our certain comfort and hope of these things combined with our love for the rest of the world can drive us to live passionately missional lives until Jesus returns. As I mark the exams they just did (all in French, so it is taking me a little time to translate and mark them!), it is inspiring to hear their personal faith shine through in the answers they give.
The other course was Spiritual Formation. In addition to talking about the pastor's personal need for a close walk with God through Scripture reading and prayer, we talked about accountability, worship, mission, disciplines, disciple-making, and a host of other things. In the context of our class, these developing pastors shared stories of the people God has used to shape them and the ways that God has called and continually calls them to ministry. Again, they just finished their exams as well and reading their responses is giving me great hope for the congregations and disciples God will develop through their service.
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| Our shaded rooftop classroom provides an ideal place to develop our capacities to serve the church against the backdrop of the sounds of the city and people we are called to serve. Here, the 'Spiritual Formation For Pastors' students are writing their final exam. |
As you remember my work with them here, please pray for them by name: Junior Frantz Abellard, John Enock, Patrice Vilaire, Louis James, Noel Melius, Luxama Velony, Lero Obed, Bellune Lucnel, Cliford Chery, Paul Amos, Sandro Edzer, Norelia Robinson, Domingue Striplet, Pierre Paul Wisnel, Cambrone Pierre Kersaint, Djef Rosalva, Garcon Benito, and Augustin Joseph Walner. Pray for their families, their churches, their teaching, their pastoral care, their leading in mission, and their personal walk of faith in this place where religion is everywhere and yet each sign of the Gospels work is a new miracle, a miracle which makes not just a seminary professor, but our Lord himself, whistle!
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