lifeasmission

1st Day of Classes at Fuller

September 27, 2004

Hey friends, well 1 day of classes under my belt. Actually that’s 1/20 of my entire first quarter. This quarter stuff is for the birds. It’s just not enough time. I love my classes, I’m loving the reading. I am thinking I’ll love writing the papers and I am loving getting to know new people. I am taking: Systematic Theology 3 (Ecclesiology & Eschatology), Teaching for Christian Formation, and Contemporary Culture in Missiological Perspective. All told we’re looking at about 4,000 pages of reading, 100 pages of writing, and some other fun stuff thrown in there. Did I mention the quarter ends Dec. 10! Sweeet!

Saturday I went to ths LA county fair with my west coast fam. I had a fairly significant insight there. I have often lamented regarding crowds and amusement park type environments. I now know why. My heart cannot take it. Everyone has a story and just being near people, hearing them talk, watching them, studying them, you can begin to know their story before they even utter a word to you. Maybe not the details (depends on how close you listen), but you get a sense nonetheless. For the Christian, who posesses the Holy Spirit, I am inclined to believe this sense is even heightened a bit as we are presumably more atune to Our Creator. Unfortunately, whatever else the details of someone’s story might be, by and large it is a story of lostness, pain, anxiety, fear, and hopelessness. So, for someone who cares deeply about knowing peoples stories and discovering where they’re at with God, as I am and many others are, beign in close quarters with thousands upon thousands of people with stories like this weighs heavy on my heart and my attitude quickly diminishes. This is why God is so big on Christian community. The Holy Spirit has the power to inhale death and breathe out Life and Life is contagious. Ever been around someone so in love with Jesus that you feel more alive when you are with them?

So I end this post with a question for our mutual reflection?

Are we in touch with God in such a way that people are more alive as a result of being with us?

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Posted in: Fuller Seminary