Remember all those times you rolled your eyes at your grandparents when they started a sentence, “You know, when I was your age…” ?  I had one of those experiences the other day, but in reverse.  I felt like I was peering into the future.

I rolled up to a stop light with my window down and noticed that the car next to me was shut off.  Just when I was about to ask if they needed a jump, I realized that it was a hybrid, which basically shuts off when it comes to a stop – the engine stops running so it’s completely quiet.  It struck me as quite weird – and then I fast-forwarded 30 years or so and imagined myself in this same scenario, but as a grandparent with a grandchild sitting next to me (I guess they were old enough!)  Here’s how our conversation went…

Grandchild: “Grandpa, what’s that noise?”

Grandpa: “The car next to us is making that noise because the engine is running.”

Grandchild: “Grandpa, that’s crazy, everyone knows that car engines don’t run when cars are stopped!”

Grandpa (with aged predictability): “You know, when I was your age…”

Grandchild (with youthful predicatability): [rolls eyes]

Grandpa: [smiles with exceeding joy that his grandchild lives in a world where the idea of streets filled with planet-destroying automobiles that all run on non-renewable energy seems just as believable as the idea that one person could own another did when I was their age]

Amy and I are both networkers through and through.  Each of us has enjoyed cultivating networks and communities of friends in the various places we have lived across the US and abroad.  These are people who have helped, encouraged, shaped, and loved us.  Because we want to do what we can to stay in touch with these people (you?), we’ve decided to compile a 1-page letter about every other month that highlights what’s been going on, what’s coming up, matters in which we hope you will rejoice with us, and others in which we hope you will support us in prayer.

We got our first one out in the last few days.  If you didn’t receive it, there are 2 possible reasons.

1) We had no idea you might be interested in receiving it.

2) We tried to send it to you, but must have had the wrong email address.

In either case, if you didn’t receive our letter and would like to, leave a comment or drop us an email via the contact page and we will add you to the list of folks that we email these letters to.

Thanks for continuing to allow us to share our lives with our – nothing means more.  We’re also hopeful that this might be a pathway to more of you sharing what is going on in your lives as well.

Click the image below to download our first letter.

Thanks to the generosity of Amy’s team leader and co-workers, she was given the opportunity to work remotely for the last two weeks.  Throw in three weekends, and you’ve got almost 3 full weeks together!

And thanks to some too-good-to-be-true family and friends, that time was jam packed full of fun and memories.

If you missed it, be sure to check out our engagement story, cause that’s where the fun began.

Engaged on Friday night in Chicago, we drove back to Memphis on Saturday, on the phone virtually the entire time and dreaming about our wedding and honeymoon inbeetween (details on both, TBA).

A neighbor gifted Amy and I with two tickets to see “Light in the Piazza” at the Midtown Playhouse.  It was a fun and romantic show and we had a great time.

There was a blizzard in Memphis Saturday and Sunday, so attendance was way down at our morning services, but two of my co-pastor friends took it upon themselves to announce Amy and I’s engagement from up front to much applause and congratulations.  We spent the rest of the day with our friends taking turns holding baby Asher.

On Monday Amy and I were off to Washington DC.  We were there for a church planting conference and had the chance to stay a couple nights with Amy’s aunt and uncle as well as see a few friends we each have there.

Amy was there as a representative of iTeams - making connections with those who are looking for ways to help people get involved in international missions, and I was checking into Ecclesia as a possible resource and partner for Living Hope as we think about church planting.  The conference was fantastic and we were really happy to connect with our friend and Fuller professor, Eddie Gibbs.  Got to see some of the city on Friday afternoon and then we were off to Ohio.

My mom picked us up at the airport and after visiting for a few hours – it was lights out as we were both dog-tired.  Saturday morning we traveled down to Canton to see some of my closest friends.  We spent the day with them, talking all kinds of wedding details and just catching up.  Monday the 9th was to be my 30th birthday so my friends arranged a dinner and a party at my friend Jay’s sweet new downtown office.  Tons of people came to meet Amy, say congratulations, and Happy Birthday.  As usual, I got sick on Sarah’s puppy chow, but well worth it.

Sunday was another full day of cruising around, meeting, and catching up with people – Meysembourgs, Snavely, Solida’s, Neftzer, Gouglers, and many others.

Monday was a full day with my mom and other family.  Amy got the grand tour of Stow, where I grew up and got to meet both my Aunt Fannie and Grandma Ernsberger.

Had an incredible dinner at Macaroni Grill with my buddy Kenny and then ice cream, cake (actually Boston Cream Pie – a personal fav!), and a few gifts back at home.  Amy had written to all my closest family and friends asking for pictures and short blurbs and she compiled them all together into one of the most meaningful presents I have ever received.

We left early Tuesday morning to head back to Memphis where we were set to have a slightly more regular schedule.  Amy was working and so was I and thanks to the generosity of our good friend Lee, we had an extra car to use to help each of us get around to appointments and meeting spots.  Still, the days and evenings were packed.

Tuesday we picked up the car from Lee, gobbled down dinner, and Skyped about all sorts of wedding related stuff with Amy’s parents.  Wednesday we cooked dinner and hosted my house group – that never ends early (which I love!).  Thursday the Donahoe’s, who host Amy when she comes to town, invited us and our friends Matthew and Lisa over for a celebration dinner and then we caught Slumdog Millionaire with Greg and Chandler.

We did lots of wedding planning on Friday and then my friend Ryan from LA flew into town to spend a few days with us.  We took him to Rendezvous to get some good Memphis BBQ and then watched The Dark Knight (it just never gets old).

The night was rounded off with a midnight run to Gibson’s donuts for the after 11 – 6 donuts for 1.25 deal.  Saturday morning we met our friends the Kerrigan’s at Memphis’ best breakfast spot, Brother Juniper’s and then drove around some of the cooler neighborhoods in urban Memphis and even visited an estate sale.

Ryan and I went for a quick run and then the three of us went to see “Race to Witch Mountain.”  No, not because any of us particularly care for “The Rock,” but because Amy was in it.  She did some extra work while she was in LA and in the movie you get to see her twice during the credits.  Have a look!

Sunday morning was filled with plenty of congratulations since it was the first time that many people got to see Amy and I since we had gotten engaged.  Ryan, Amy and I had a great lunch with our friends Zach and Liz and then we spent a few hours (she went nuts!) with Liz as she took some engagement pictures (not currently available).  We actually ended up being late for a surprise engagement party that my house group was throwing for us in the form of an ultimate frisbee game.

We had a great time playing frisbee and then I had the privilege of baptizing a new friend who is on his way of to Fuller.

We spent the evening over at the Kerrigan’s eating up all the leftovers from the folks who have been providing them food while they adjust to having a newborn in their lives and playing everyone’s favorite game, “… And a bottle of wine.”

While I was at staff meeting Monday morning, Amy and Ryan worked from a coffee shop in the Cooper-Young district and got to check out another great BBQ spot – Central.  We went downtown for a few hours to check out some of the sights and walk down Beale St. before Ryan had to had to the airport to head for home.  Amy and I had yet another great dinner with our friends Sam and Allison and then made a short little video for our wedding website (unveiling soon!).

I just put Amy on the Megabus back to Chicago a little bit ago and I miss her already.  While we are bound and determined not to let it take over our relationship, the next several months will be filled with planning and preparation for our big days and those to follow.  We cover all your support and prayers as we try and figure out the future together and plan for a celebration of marriage that will be both enjoyable and meaningful to all those who can celebrate with us.

Time to come clean. I can hide no longer. The Amy G. I have mentioned and interviewed, well… we’re actually a couple. I know, never saw it coming did ya?! That being said…

This was a whirlwind of a Valentine’s Day weekend for us. Though Amy has traveled all over the world & lived in both Los Angeles and Chicago, she had never been to NYC. My brother and his girlfriend live there, so for Christmas, I got Amy 2 tickets to the city. But, as has been the case with all our other times being together, we sought to pack as much in as we possible could.

Our journey began in Indianapolis where I got to meet some of her close college friends as well as a bunch of people she used to work with at Global Partners. Then, we traveled to NYC where we were able to spend time not only with my brother and his girlfriend, but 2 of my good friends who were in from OH and DC.

We took the Staten Island Ferry to view the Statue of Liberty.

Saw ground zero.

The flat iron building.

And went to the top of the Empire State building – an unforgettable experience!

We also got to see Grand Central Station and Time Square.

For Valentines Day dinner, my brother managed to get reservations at a swanky Tapas bar that (though sadly small in size) offered some amazing tasting cuisine.

Quite serendipitously, we got to spend time with a good friend of mine and a good friend of Amy’s, both of whom happen to be part of the same church community that we were visiting on Sunday morning – and got to have lunch at the Seinfeld restaurant!

On Sunday, we traveled down to Princeton together. We got to see and stay with 2 of Amy’s good college friends, Dave and Holly and their 2 little girls. Dave is working on a PhD at Princeton and they were good enough to take us by “Schuller Field,” recently named for a good friend of mine who passed away a few years ago after finishing the first year of his MDiv there. Here’s a few pictures of small plaques fixed to two benches at the field.

The next day we got to take a nice stroll through Central Park, followed by visits to the coolest looking Mac store around and FAO Schwarz (remember the piano scene from Big?) where Amy got to choose any stuffed animal she wanted for her Valentine’s Day present.

Monday afternoon we traveled back to Chicago where we got to spend the evening with our friends Noel and Ashley in Lawndale.  Tuesday morning it was back to Memphis for me.  Told you we packed alot in!  Some more pictures here if you’re interested.

It’s been a while since I did some sort of a, “here’s what’s going on with me” sort of post.  Well, the wait is over.

Where to begin?  Remember my interview with famed, “Amy G.”?  Let’s start there.

That was right before Christmas, and then for Christmas, my mom and brother came to town.  None of us really have any money right now (a gloriously freeing reality) so our Christmas morning was spent opening up tons of random stuff that I had picked up at the dollar store for everyone.  I’m not sure I can even remember a Christmas morning that was so full of laughter and enjoyment.

That’s right, I’m wearing shorts for Christmas!

The day after Christmas we all had to go our separate ways.  Mom, back to OH, Alex, back to NY, and me, off to Kenya.

A few days after I got back, as part of the contract we had negotiated for the interview, Amy G. came down for a follow up interview.  This one lasted for a few days and was filled with plenty of serious conversations.

This is from when I asked some questions on sensitive subjects and she tried to choke me.

The highlight of the middle of the month was offered by way of my friend Jimmy and his floor seats to the Memphis Tigers basketball game at the FedEx Forum.  We sat down a ways from Penny Hardaway!

I love living in midtown and have been anxious to find a way to get more involved in the community.  That desire has finally taken shape in being able to help teach ESL (English as a Second Language) classes to a group of beautiful adult refugees on Monday evenings through the Refugee Empowerment Program of Memphis Leadership Foundation.

The capstone event of January was a trip to Chicago where I serendipitously ran into Amy G. who invited me to go see her family in Davenport, IA and do some bald eagle watching off of the north Mississippi River.

Not bad for the first month of the new year.  Can’t wait to see what February has in store.

My dad has too much time on his hands.  If you’re Christmas wasn’t already Merry enough, here’s me, my two brothers, my sister, and my dad’s dog to throw it into hyperdrive.

I spent the 4th of July with friends and family back in Ohio and on Pelee Island on the Canadian side of Lake Erie.

I left Memphis Wednesday night, was supposed to switch planes in Detroit and then get into Akron/Canton.  Unlike my brother, for whom traveling is almost always filled with surprises of the negative sort, things often work out in my favor when I travel and this was no exception.  Instead of landing in Detroit, adverse weather forced us to land in Columbus where I was able to get off the plane affording me the opportunity to see my friends Ryan and Heather (6ish months pregnant with twins).

Then, my friend Pam drove me 1/2 way up to Canton while my friends Jay and Clay drove 1/2 way down to pick me up.

I spent Thursday in Canton trying to soak up as much time with my community of friends and former students as I possibly could.

Babs and I had breakfast at John’s Bar and Grille where we happened to see a former professor of mine, John Geib.  Then, we went over to hang out with Caris and JJ – 2 of my favorite kids in the world.

Josh came down to visit me at Muggswigz that afternoon, then Lauren joined us.  The thee of us went to visit Lauren’s sister Olivia at work where I received my typical huge-and-excited Olivia hug – always a treat!

A number of us went out for dinner together and then caught Hancock later in the evening.

I was off early in the morning to catch a plane over to Pelee Island where I spent some time my my grandma, mom, brother Alex and his girlfriend Michelle, my cousin Beth and her husband Kale, and my long-time high school bud, Kenny.  Of course there were all kinds of other cottager friends who were there for the weekend – which was filled with plenty of boating, jet skiing, cards, bonfires, fireworks, and other goodness.

Ken and I tackled the 2 mile hike out to Fish Point, the southern most part of the island and a feat I have been wanting to accomplish for as long as I can remember.

All in all, a great way to spend a weekend.

I was in California this past weekend.  I was most excited to see my family and friends as well as to remind myself of just how awesome LA is.  However, I was also set to appear in court to handle an outstanding matter.

I first left Pasadena in the summer of 2006.  I left a car in the hands of my house church and asked them to find someone down on their luck who could use it.  They did, and I was thrilled.  Until about a year later when it came to my attention that I was receiving parking tickets on the donated car.  I spoke with the person who assured me that they would rectify the situation immediately.  This past February I flew out to California and was mortified to find out that the recipient of this car had not in fact rectified the situation and had amassed nearly $5,000 worth of parking tickets in my name.  Again, I spoke with this individual – this time in person – and again they promised me that they would do what was necessary to make things right.  A few months went by – still nothing.  So, I was forced to file a small claims court case, which was scheduled for yesterday in Pasadena.

As I guessed, although this person was served with court papers, they did not show up for the court date.  I explained the situation to the judge and he found in my favor.  Translation, “Yes, she owes you the money for the tickets.  Have fun collecting!”

I have not paid for these tickets yet and I am going to try a few other avenues, but the matter remains largely unresolved.

This is not unlike when I came home to Ohio to discover that renters had done $15,000 worth of damage to my home.  There was a judgment in my favor there as well, but I haven’t (and don’t presume I ever will) see a cent.

In all honesty, I am not complaining, just sharing.  I am not really sure exactly what to feel.  It would be easy to play the victim, I mean in reality I suppose I am, but I’d rather not settle for that.  I am trying my best to push through the frustration and financial hardship and ask myself, “What evil must have been done to a person to bring them to a point where they act like this?”  Certainly we all bear responsibility for our actions, but I do not count myself among those who feel people simply act evil impulsively.  I think we act out evil because some sort of evil has been done to us.

So, while not merely excusing the actions of these folks, I am really trying to sympathize with their situation and ask for justice – not just for me, but for them.

Oh yeah, I had my car in the shop while I was away to the tune of $500 in repairs for stuff and then I wrecked it this afternoon when I decided to drive through a ditch and into a fence rather than up the rear end of the lady who slammed on her brakes at the last minute to make a left turn she didn’t signal for.  Evil abounds!  (Yes, I’m fine)

** I almost hesitate to use the word “evil” to describe this sort of stuff – there are far worse travesties and situations in the world that are far more deserving of the title, but hopefully you get my drift.

I have no poems or whimsical prose – just a simple of message of, “My mom is incredible!“

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aEKZP3HbDWE[/youtube]

Attention: Long Post Ahead – For your own safety please consult bold headings and pictures

Home to Ohio – Thursday, May 24

I am in Cleveland airport returning from a week home in Ohio. I was home to spend time with family, to be with my community of friends who were taking advantage of the long weekend to be together, and just to plain break the monotony and have a change of scenery. My travel schedule wasn’t the best as I left at 12:30 am last Thursday (LA time) and I’ll be arriving at 1 am tomorrow. However, on the way out here the flight was overbooked and though I volunteered to step off, I was instead assigned a seat in first class. I didn’t put up much of a fight. I got to spend my first day at home with my mom. We had a nice afternoon and dinner together and then she deposited me down in Canton as she was leaving the next morning to spend a few days with my grandma up at Pelee Island in Lake Erie. I went out with Babs and Jay for some wings and to watch a disappointing loss by the Cavs.

My Worship Gig – Friday, May 25

No sooner was I home than I got an offer from my friend Nicole to help with a Kindergarten graduation by playing guitar for a song the kids were gonna be singing and dancing to. I was thrilled to help. So, Nicole and her husband Johnny came over to Sarah, Jay, and Wendy’s where I was staying and taught me the song, “Ain’t Nobody.” It was a camp sort of song with a funky rhythm, which, I forgot 5 minutes after I mastered it. We rehearsed with the kids on Friday morning. After I left rehersal I stopped off to see Sean and Julie who had just gotten in town and visited with them for a bit as well as Ryan and Christina and the rest of the Savage clan. I was set for a nap by the time I got back, but made the mistake of asking Jay if he wanted to go for a run. I pretty much relaxed after that until the actual graduation that evening. After that, we just waited for Cris to get in town from D.C., and we watched a movie together.

Lindsay’s, Angle Ball, & Bonfire – Saturday, May 26

Saturday morning began with a visit to famed breakfast spot, Lindsay’s in Massillon. Lindsay’s is a little hole-in-the-wall restaurant that, between the clientèle and cheap breakfasts, is a must-do. Heather and Ryan made it in that morning and joined Jay, Wendy, Sarah, Cris, and I. We hung out for a long time just chatting, catching up, and laughing.

The mandatory game of Angleball was slightly delayed due to some revolutionary construction on Babs’ part, aided, of course, by his trusty sidekicks (Sean, Josh, and I).

We played Angleball in the rain which made it way more fun. Sean, in true Sean fashion, played barefoot and amused several with a punt which landed him flat on his back. Jason, who was able to play as well, appropriately wore his Under Armor, and toasted all of us all over the field.

We went home and cleaned up and then reconvened at Babs and Carrie’s house for dinner and a Bonfire. Babs and Carrie were extremely gracious as hosts and I was so happy that a whole slew of people showed up. Besides the hosts, I got to see Jay, Wendy, Sarah, Ryan, Heather, Sean, Julie, Jess, Trisha, Nate, Shawn, Sarah, Branden, John, Greg, Natalie, Josh, Rachel, Cris, and maybe a few others I am unfortunately forgetting right now. It was a really good evening together.

My Favorite Lunch & Then to Chargrin Falls – Sunday, May 27

I was able to visit my friend Dave who serves as a campus pastor in Hartville on Sunday morning. He was preaching and it made me nostalgic for the days when we served together.
Sunday was also Nate and Trisha’s 1-year anniversary. Thanks for the reminder Trish I visited with Dave and his wife Tami for a bit after the service and then I was off to my most favorite lunch that I have each time I am home, when I get to reconnect with the students who are still so dear to me. I was able to share a meal with Josh, Ryan, Adam, Nate, Olivia, Lauren, Marci, Alex, Shawn, Sarah, and Leanne at Chili’s. Of course I wasn’t able to spend as much as time with each of them as I would have liked, but it was great to get a glimpse into what’s going on in their worlds and to fill them in on what’s going on in mine.

On my way back to the house, I ran by and said hello to my friends Ryan and Sarita, Sarita’s sister Rachel who was home from college, Sarita’s folks, Nate and Trish, and Ryan and Sarita’s new-born, Kayla. They were hanging out at Cici’s for Ryan’s birthday.

Then, it was up to Chagrin to hang out at Heather’s for the day and to hit downtown for a Hot Air Balloon launch. Sarah and Ben Drenik as well as Amy Smith came in town for the afternoon and Jason, Sarah, Josh & Rachel, Jay & Wendy, and Cris were there as well. We tossed the football around the back yard, had a great lunch, spent some time at the launch and then had the chance to go to Josh’s parents’ house for a bonfire. It was really a sweet day just being with everyone.

Making the Rounds – Monday, May 28

Monday was designated “see-as-many-people-as-possible-day.” I met up with Sean & Julie and Ryan & Christina at the Savage’s house in the morning. Julie and I taught Sean and Ryan how to play euchre and had a good time as always. From there I went over to visit Nick and the rest of the Snavely clan for a while. It was good to catch up with them as well. I got to meet up with Gina after that at Panera – our usual meeting place and she filled me in on her life at college, plans for the summer, and nervousness about finding a job in the “real world” after she graduates next year. We walked down and said hi to Leanne who was working her first day at Old Navy, and then I had to take off. The Gougler’s had me over for an awesome dinner and I got to meet Liv’s new boyfriend Steve. They just have to be about one of my most favorite families in the world. We were only missing Krysta who is over serving in Africa. After dinner I got to meet up with probably my most favorite person in the world, (also a contemporary Jonah) Jordane. We walked a few laps around Jackson park talking about life, love, God, and everything inbetween. We parted and I closed out the day of visits with some time at a d-group meeting with some of my favorite guys. I got back to the house where Jay, Wendy, Cris, Sarah, and I played a little game called, “Tell Everyone Your Most Embarassing and Private Secrets.” If you have (or want) really good friends, I highly recommend this game! We started to watch Stranger Than Fiction, but one by one, we all faded away.

Winding Down – Tuesday, May 29

Tuesday was nowhere near as exhausting, but fairly packed and fun nonetheless. I met up with Dave in the morning at Starbucks and had a good chat and visit with him. I envy so much his character and desire to be used by God. I ran by the alumni office at Malone basically just for the heck of it and it was good to connect with Deb and keep her informed of where I am at and what I am looking to do. You just never know what connections God might make through who. Later in the afternoon I spent sometime with Jason and Suzi and their awesome kids Caris and JJ.

After that Babs and I went to check on some stuff at my house. My mom came down and I got to have dinner with her and Ken, my best friend from high school and his girlfriend Emily. After dinner my mom and I went to see Reign Over Me, which we both enjoyed (me for the 2nd time – great soundtrack) and then we got some ice cream with Ryan and Christina. I said good bye to my housemates for the week and headed back to Stow.

On My Way Back – Wednesday, May 30

Slept way in this morning. Today was the only day that I didn’t have to get up for anything. I helped my mom with some stuff around the house, we took lunch and visited with my grandma, and watched a movie together in the afternoon. I caught my plane back and now I am sitting in the Las Vegas airport wondering how that week went so dang fast. My buddy Sam will be picking me up at the airport and then it’s back to work tomorrow.

Thanks to everyone who made my trip home a sweet time. I miss you already.

Before I even had the chance to introduce my newest family member, “Huffy,” he was taken from this world. 

I bought a bike a few weeks ago so that I could ride more to work and around town in general – a great feature of living somewhere like Pasadena.  But, as I was returning from the gym on my newest buddy the other day, I, or more specifically, Huffy, was struck by a car and died.  I tumbled across the hood of the car and inexplicably landed on my feet and hands without a scratch on me.  It was fairly unbelievable and I was probably lucky that I was nice and loose after having just worked out.

The guy who hit me was deeply apologetic and a few days later, gave me enough money to replace the bike. 

So, while Huffy’s time was far too short, I am please to introduce you  to my even newer family member, “Schwinn!”

This is the title of my masters thesis.  The subtitle is, “Exploring the Relationship Between Culture, Theology, and the Church.”  It is divided into 3 main sections – the first with regard to the relationship between God’s people and the idea of culture, a second on narrative approaches to theology, and a third on missional understandings of the church.  In the conclusion I suggest how these three sections come to bear on the three church practices of preaching/teaching, baptism, and Holy Communion.

In the paper I didn’t include any acknowledgments, so allow me to do so now.

I have benefited greatly through my family – my parents, grandparents, brothers, and sister, my extended and blended family.  Thank you all for the role you have and continue to play in my life.

Deep thanks and appreciation goes to the teachers, professors, pastors, and mentors who have taken a unique interest in me and shared their lives, experience, and giftedness with me – John Toth, PJ Meduri, Shane Minne, Andy Bennett, John Geib, and Steve Moroney, though not alone, come to mind.  Thanks to Malone College and Fuller Theological Seminariy, two of the finest Christian schools I am aware of.

To say that my community of friends has been a blessing in my life would be the largest understatement I have ever made.  I am who I am today because of the love, grace, forgiveness, humility, and commitment of the friends who have shared their lives with me for almost ten years now.  They have seen me at my best, and more importantly at my worst and yet they love me still.  These are the people that give me life.

I must note the profound impact my girlfriend Maria Bjordal has had on me.  Everything I have written in this thesis is colored by the presence of Maria in my life.  Her constant encouragement and the conversations we return to time and time again have been invaluable.

Though it sounds common to place it at the beginning, and perhaps foolish to place it at the end, the fact of the matter is that nothing is more important to me that God’s presence in the world, and consequently, in my life personally.  As one being saved by grace and learning anew each day that the Triune God is the beginning and end of all things, I am both humbled and thrilled.  Humbled by my weakness and inability in comparison – thrilled by the mere though of being included in His plan for the world and even within the very life of the Trinity.  To God be all praise forever and ever, Amen.

To each and all – thank you for your part in the story which has been unveiled as my life.

All that being said…

You can get the entire thesis (375 pages, including appendices) here.

You can get just the thesis (70 pages) here.

Here is a zip file with all the appendices so you can pick which ones to read.

I would love to hear any thoughts or remarks. I do not fear criticism, in fact, I encourage and welcome it. Actually, come to think of it, it is vital to the aim of my project, so let fly!

Ok, I know I promised an apology and explanation. Believe me, it’s coming. In fact, it’s half written – I just had to get this on there first.

 
Today was a monumental day in the life of JR Rozko. With the push of a (send) button, a project, quarter, school year, degree, and season of life was brought to a close. Told you it was big!

I finished my masters thesis this morning and sent it off to the professor who mentored me through the process, Dr. Ryan Bolger. The writing process was a good one for me. As I read and researched, my topic seemed to get bigger and bigger – making it harder and harder to narrow it down, but also more and more interesting.

It was only today that I finally decided on a title, “Restoring Hope to the Church in Western Culture: Exploring the Relationship Between Culture, Theology, and the Church.” The paper ended up being divided into three main sections – one on the Church and culture, one on narrative theology, and one on missional ecclesiology. The main authors I interacted with in the thesis were Nancey Murphy, Lesslie Newbigin, James McClendon, and Darrell Guder as the editor of Missional Church. As I was writing I realized that the direction I had decided to go intersected at many major points with the rest of the work I have done throughout seminary. So, I decided to choreograph the thesis in such a way that I could reference all my other major writings as appendices.

All said and done I have a 374 page project (including 17 appendices) which represents a compendium of my integrated thought on a missiology of Western culture. I’ll try to get it uploaded soon and provide links for anyone who wants to give it a glance. The actual thesis (minus appendices) is only 70 double-spaced pages.

What now? I get to relax and enjoy the next 10 days with family and friends while I am in Ohio. On Dec. 18th I’ll be heading back to California to celebrate Christmas with family out there. Maria returns from Norway just before New Year’s and we’re excited to be reunited and celebrate the new year together (guess this paid off!).  In January she will be continuing her MDiv program at Fuller and I will have the opportunity to partner with my good buddy Wess as TA’s for Ryan’s class, Church in Mission.
I’ll be looking for work on top of that, so if anybody who reads this knows of anything interesting in the Pasadena, please let me know.