Updates
Spent five sessions in the College Sunday School dept at Grace Stillwater (the church we attend) teaching on the Historical Geography and Redemptive Tapestry of the Old Testament. The O.T. message God intended us to receive is tied up not only in the people, but in the land. We studied the movement of mankind from its original location in modern day Iraq, between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, into Asia Minor and Africa and back again to the land promised by God to the line of Abraham. We studied the mountains, deserts, coasts and a little known but crucial area called the Shephelah. We looked at topo maps, photographs, and timelines. We identified early and then continued to follow the threads of the redemptive tapestry of God so beautifully outlined in the Word.

We begin this Sunday a study on the early years of the church. 70 A.D.-1500 A.D. We'll look at the spread of the gospel, the establishment of a dominant world wide religion, the canonization of the letters we now call the Bible, the major heresies that developed and that were countered, and many of the major players in that ongoing plan of redemption.

We've had a Coed Bible Study in our home this fall, co-led by our dear friends the Karns. With the crazy schedules that Students have to live by, the average attendance has been around 45-50, but more than 70 are actually studying the Word with us. I can only remember one other group of students in the last 10 years who have been as hungry to learn as this group has been. Many of the men gather at a local restaurant after Bible Study and continue to discuss life and the scriptures for another 1 1/2 hours.

God has graciously provided through our church and Reformed Theological Seminary-Charlotte payment of 2/3 of our seminary expenses, while Victoria and I are paying the balance out of our savings. I am taking "distance courses" during the school year and then we plan to go to Charlotte to take the required on site courses during the Winter and Summer breaks. We felt this option allowed us to continue to minister and learn. The ministry has allowed me to reinforce what I'm learning as I am teaching what I am studying.

I'm mentoring two men who have been in study with me for four years.
I eat dinner at the FIJI (on campus fraternity that God has drawn 21 men from for Thursday night study)house on Wednesday evenings to continue to engage these men in relationship and dialogue about life.

We are trying to have three couples in the home every other week for snacks and cards or games. Last night we opted to hear a lecture on campus about the Big Bang Theory instead.


Prayer Requests
For better utilization of each moment. As my brother would put it, "I feel like a mosquito in a nudist colony. There's a whole lot of work to be done, but I'm having a hard time figuring out where to start." Don't want to waste any opportunities as the days are short.