After my sophomore year of college, I went to Bulgaria with an Athletes in Action basketball team. Every meal we had salad with tomatoes and goat cheese. It tasted good at first but we soon were looking for something different to eat at meal times. But one dinner was different for me. An American missionary family hosted our team one meal and shared about their ministry of theological education at a seminary in Sophia. I remember my thoughts as the missionary shared,
“Could I be in his shoes some day?” While I was asking that question and coming to realization, it was God who had been working in my life long before.
I grew up in a pastor’s home the oldest of four boys at 7 I placed my faith in Jesus Christ. Being a pastor’s kid wasn’t the hardest thing in my life, because my parents were wise. The challenges came from being a foster family. I hated it growing up and blamed my parents for my troubles. But isn’t it just like God to use hardships as the catalyst for life transformation. It happened to me and now I see my parent’s mission for foster kids as the greatest teaching moment of my life.
Before Jodie and I started dating, I loved two things. 1. Basketball and 2. Being right. I pursued both at Cedarville University as a walk-on and a Bible major. My dream was to play basketball and score points, instead God taught me selfless teamwork and gave me great friends. My other dream was to learn the truth of the Bible, and God taught me that I was wrong, he was right, and he gave me a great education.
My friendship with Jodie grew after college and soon we were dating, getting married and moving down to Dallas where I went to Seminary. In Seminary Jodie and I went to India for an internship where we experienced first hand the real need of theological education overseas. I’ve heard it said, 90% of pastors in the US have a college degree. 90% of pastors outside the US do not.
When I read Matt 10:8 where Jesus gives his instructions to his disciples before they go on their first missionary journey, he says, “Freely you have received, freely give.” I apply this to my education. For a long time I have wanted to be a Bible teacher, then God introduced me to a Bible teacher in Bulgaria and gave me a vision. In his grace he taught me his word I did not deserve to learn, and now he has asked me to teach this word to others.
The combination of God’s transformation of my life, my passion to learn and teach, and exposure to the needs in the church have lead me to pursue theological education overseas.
“Could I be in his shoes some day?” While I was asking that question and coming to realization, it was God who had been working in my life long before.
I grew up in a pastor’s home the oldest of four boys at 7 I placed my faith in Jesus Christ. Being a pastor’s kid wasn’t the hardest thing in my life, because my parents were wise. The challenges came from being a foster family. I hated it growing up and blamed my parents for my troubles. But isn’t it just like God to use hardships as the catalyst for life transformation. It happened to me and now I see my parent’s mission for foster kids as the greatest teaching moment of my life.
Before Jodie and I started dating, I loved two things. 1. Basketball and 2. Being right. I pursued both at Cedarville University as a walk-on and a Bible major. My dream was to play basketball and score points, instead God taught me selfless teamwork and gave me great friends. My other dream was to learn the truth of the Bible, and God taught me that I was wrong, he was right, and he gave me a great education.
My friendship with Jodie grew after college and soon we were dating, getting married and moving down to Dallas where I went to Seminary. In Seminary Jodie and I went to India for an internship where we experienced first hand the real need of theological education overseas. I’ve heard it said, 90% of pastors in the US have a college degree. 90% of pastors outside the US do not.
When I read Matt 10:8 where Jesus gives his instructions to his disciples before they go on their first missionary journey, he says, “Freely you have received, freely give.” I apply this to my education. For a long time I have wanted to be a Bible teacher, then God introduced me to a Bible teacher in Bulgaria and gave me a vision. In his grace he taught me his word I did not deserve to learn, and now he has asked me to teach this word to others.
The combination of God’s transformation of my life, my passion to learn and teach, and exposure to the needs in the church have lead me to pursue theological education overseas.
