Mission Trip or Religous Tourism?

Great article by Bob Lupton called Honorable Marketing. A lot of great points on the value of mission trips.

(HT: Kruse Kronicle)

TSE is over...

Our introductory course, Transforming Seminary Education, is now over. This makes me sad. I absolutely loved this course, even though it was only two weeks. I had a great time interacting with the students and professors, and it's truly a time I will never forget! I'm so very glad I came to this seminary. God keeps revealing to me how the Holy Spirit has been guiding me through this entire process. I am humbled greatly by this, and I pray I can be of service in the kingdom, during and after seminary. Thank you everyone who made TSE a wonderful experience!

On an unrelated note, something I found very interesting:

From Falsani's blog...
If you "tweet" your prayers to the Twitter account @thekotel, Alon Nil, the service's 25-year-old founder in Tel Aviv, will print them out on paper and have a group of kind souls in Jerusalem take them by hand and tuck them into the wall for you.

Complaints

I am going to complain about complaints! We have been talking about our church visits, and there have been a seemingly endless series of complaints about churches and our reactions to churches. One megachurch has seemed to be the most provocative. I've quickly lost interest in this type of conversation. I don't say that to be snarky, but it might seem that way. Some people don't like some churches, but it seems many of us want to force our opinions. A few folks have gotten too preachy for my taste, and I'm fighting feelings of resentment for that. God help me!

Courage to Dream

So occasionally, I'm going to try to post a rap/poem here just to try to keep the creative juices flowing. This one's called "Courage to Dream".

that's right, i'll blow a spot up any night
what dreams may come, i watch dreams take flight
...and now i'm at it again
hey, i used to get ill with a pad and a pen
but now i mostly study to show myself approved
so act like ya know, don't act brand new
ya see, my style's on cue with a tank on empty
don't trust the inner man when he's acting kinda shifty
09 til infinity, this general vicinity
will not be the same when we recognize the trinity
or at least get a taste of his grace
that transcends gender and it transcends race
so my brothers and sisters can now be free
or die tryin' but not spiritually
cuz the spirit lives on and a legacy remains
if the courage is there, then the game's about to change

Downtown Tour

Yesterday morning, we took a short tour of downtown Louisville with the class. We watched a short video about KY called KentuckyShow that was really well-made. We all called it KY propaganda because it cast the state in such a positive light.

After the video, we went to city center at 6th and Jefferson. We explored the monuments and learned a little about the history of the city. Later that night, Amber and I both said how much we really like this city. It's not Indianapolis, but it will do!

Much love!
Beau

When the levees broke

In TSE today, we watched and discussed Act 2 of Spike Lee's documentary When the Levees Broke! This was an incredibly moving film based on what went wrong in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. After we watched, we talked about our feelings and personal experiences with regard to Katrina. Ultimately, the question we began to wrestle with was, "where was God in all this?" I have a few opinions about this matter, but I just listened today soaking in all the thoughts people were verbalizing. I really love this class, and I look forward to writing a theological response to this film.

Reflecting

Wow! Amber and I were doing some reflecting yesterday about how all of our life experiences have combined to bring us to this point. Louisville Seminary seems to be the perfect place for us at this point in our lives! In class, we have been talking and reading about all the things Amber and I have been passionate about (namely social inequality). Now, I finally get some time to study and wrap my head around what I (we) need to be doing to work toward a more just society. God is good!

Sunday church

A group of my fellow seminarians, Amber, and I went to Grace Hope Presbyterian Church yesterday. It was the first Black Presbyterian church I have ever attended. It was a small congregation but seemed to be full of life. I'm not sure it's a good fit for Amber and me, but it was a great experience!

Much love!
Beau

First couple days

My first few days of seminary have been amazing! Amber has done a great job of making our dorm room feel like home! Louisville seems like a great city, and bardstown rd is such a cool strip of shopping and restaurants. It kind of reminds me of broad ripple, only bigger. The student body is really cool. I think I could honestly have a great time hanging out with any member of my class! I feel very blessed to be here. Please keep praying that Amber will find a job!

Much love!
Beau