1/11: Please pray for safe travel. Both Pittsburgh and Seattle have seen bad weather lately, but I know God is of course in control of all of that. Also, pray for Julie and Kyra and Sierra while I'm away. I'm sure Julie will have her hands full, and she'll need lots of support while I'm away.
1/12: This is the first day of class, and we'll be doing introductions and receiving an overview of the Doctor of Ministry program. Ray Bakke and Brad Smith will be lecturing, and we'll be touring Columbia Tower. Please pray that I'll be able to keep up with all of this information and settle on a specialization that fits right with the research I'd like to do with LAMP.
1/13: Today's topic is Understanding the City. We'll be learning about geography of the city and exegeting the city (lectures), plus walking tours of World Relief and Pike Place Market. Please pray that God will show me how the learning from this day could apply to the context of Pittsburgh.
1/14: Today's topic is World and Personal Perspectives. We'll have lectures about conceptualizing the city, connecting the city, concretizing leadership development, contextualizing leadership, worldview immigration, incarnational leadership, and emergent church. This sounds like a full plate for me, so please pray that I'll be able to process what is going on in the world for application to my own perspectives.
1/15: Today's topic is Ministry Perspectives. In the morning we'll be studying urban youth ministry by touring New Horizons. Then we tour Church on the Hill to examine church plants. In the afternoon we do an exercise called Sharing my Life. Please pray that I'll have many take-aways to apply to LAMP upon return to Pittsburgh.
1/16: Today's topic is again Ministry Perspectives. Lectures will be about reflective leadership and servant leadership. Please pray that God will teach me to make these learnings on leadership a part of my skill set.
1/17: On this day we go to Ray Bakke's home for a day of learning, including participation in the mission trail. We'll also enjoy a piano concert by his wife, Corean. Please pray that God would draw my heart close to him during this day.
1/18: Day off! Please pray that I'll have a chance to rest up for another intense week to follow.
1/19: Today's topic is Calling-based Leadership. We'll be learning about business as pastor, business as stewardship and mission, and theology of work. We'll also be watching a movie called Power Trip. Please pray that I am able to understand these topics that are mostly new to me.
1/20: Today's topic is Church and Ministry Multiplication. We'll be learning about at-risk youth, missional church, and touring church plants all afternoon. Please pray that I'll be able to apply these at-risk youth ideas to LAMP, and that everything I'm learning in general will be beneficial to North Way's vision.
1/21: Today's topic is Theological Reflection and Organizational Transformation. Lectures involve academic writing, organizational transformations, and spiritual formation, as well as group discussions. Please pray that God would bless me with the gift of academic writing (which does not come naturally to me).
1/22: Today's topic is Ministry in Complex Contexts. I'll be learning about ministry in India and Appreciative Inquiry. We'll also participate in communion and the last supper. Please pray that God would give me a more global perspective on His church.
1/23: Today's topic, the last day of the class, is Feedback and Conclusion. We'll be reflecting on our take-aways. Then I fly out (red eye) at 10:35pm from Seattle. Please pray that I will be able to finish this race well!
1/24: Please pray for safe travels again this day. I'm sure I'll be looking forward to seeing my family, so hopefully all the flights will be on time.
Thanks for praying! Also, I will probably be journaling almost every day so there should be lots of content on here. I'd love to hear your feedback as I'm journaling!
Bryan
2 comments:
One of the blessings in following Christ comes to us when we take on the needs, desires, fears, sorrows, ambitions, joys and praises of fellow believers. In a sense, when we do so with sincerity, they become a part of our walk and a part of our lives.
All who are reading Brian's post should make his pursuit a part of their walk and celebrate with him the experience and blessing he receives as he takes it on.
Thanks, Tom! I'm so glad to have met you through Light of Life. I appreciate your support as I go through this journey. I'm also looking forward to seeing what God has planned for our partnership in 2009. I am learning so much about God's plan for people in the margins of society here in Seattle. You are doing amazing work!
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