Southwestern Seminary

I graduated from Dallas Baptist University in May of 2001, majoring in Biblical Studies with a minor in English Literature. The follow fall of '01, I began attending what is widely known as the largest seminary in the world, Southwestern. It's main campus is in forth worth, I began attending the campus in Houston. This was a mistake! However--almost irreversable. There have been shortage of classes, miscommunication with the main campus, registration issues because of distance and lack of personel in Houston, etc. Add to this, I began full time ministry a month before beginning Southwestern, so I didn't need to extra complications. My program typically takes the average student 3 years to complete. Because of the pressures of being full-time Minister of Education then, starting a new family, etc., my grades were not as they should have been. Many things contributed to my poor grades and eventual status of being put on probation, limiting me to 6 hours a semester. This continued from 2002 to 2005. Add to this, many of the courses that I had taken by Soutwestern professors at DBU would not transfer. I was devestated at that time. I didn't know that the Lord, even then, was shaping and molding my character. In March of 2005 I started Cornerstone--I continued the semester there. I can't even begin to tell you the trials that I experienced in the Spring of '05. Financial setbacks, hectic schedules, meeting with hundreds of churches. It is shameful to say that I could not continue at Southwestern due to many reasons, including financial, academic, time, etc.

The past two years I have really began to reflect on the importance and value of the integration of faith and learning. According to the first century philosophers, we are all engaged in 'the great conversation', as introduced to me by my College philosophy prof. Dr. Davey Naugle. I have matured, grown and began to value the entire process of education and the pursuit of living the dream of one day teaching on the seminary and Christian college level.

It is my presumption that I have been gifted to preach and teach to persons at every station in life. But I have noticed, particularly when our church was in Pearland (I'll talk more about that later--we are now in Houston) that we attracted (and still do) doctors, lawyers, professors, etc. So not only is my continuing at SWBTS something I enjoy and is needed to 'sharpen my tools', my environment demands it.

I am pursuiing my Master's of Divinity degree, with an emphasis in Biblical Languages. I have accumulated about 50 hours and need 91 to complete my degree. I estimate my expected graduation to be late '08 or early '09. I am praying for a miracle of a transfer of hours for an earlier date. I am in no rush--I just want to raise my GPA so that I can get into a good doctoral program. I am pleased to say that I am more disciplined in my study--and so far I am doing an okay job in New Testament Greek, my joy--also a thorn in my flesh.

IF anyone views this blog some time before 2009, I seriously NEED and solicit your prayers..