VOLUME 3- BOLDNESS IN CLASS

I promise that this is my last volume for the date of 2-3-05, but this story was just so exciting that I couldn't help but sharing. As I was sitting in one of my Management classes, we had to break off into teams to discuss the hiring practices of employees from one of our own companies that we work for. Jarrod, the guy just to the right of me actually interns for a church, and is currently on the committee to hire a new pastor for their church of 2300 here in the valley. So, sensing an opportunity for conversation about God, I said, that sounds like a great "company" to analyze. As he was going over some of the essential characteristics of hiring such an employee as a head pastor, things were brought up like being a male (fortunately, I had just read a great article written by Casey Ryan as to why being a male is mandatory as a pastor or elder (http://rustypth.blogspot.com -egalitarian article), having gone to seminary, pastor experience in a large church, and etc. So, I casually asked Jarrod in this group setting of 6 people "do they have to be a Christian?" Naturally he said yes, and so I asked him what a Christian was to his committee, since a lot of people simply claim to be Christians. He did a great job answering my question by saying that they need to have "Jesus Christ as their Savior." I also asked "what about grace through faith alone?" He said this was also a mandatory. He mentioned a few other great points of doctrine that maybe God will cause to be the seed for a few of the members in our group.

As we were having this great discussion, our teacher came over and said, "So I guess as a Unitarian, I needn't bother even applying." This one statement helped me a ton in my understanding of where my teacher is at since I ran into a Unitarian a couple of semesters ago. Maybe this will turn into some kind of witnessing op to my teacher. After we had finished discussing this in our small group our teacher asked if there were any groups that wanted to present to the whole class. . . desiring to have God's name some how be proclaimed, I quickly raised my hand and gave the floor to Jarrod. We had some great conversations as a class, and I was so thankful that God allowed his name to be shared.

To put some whip cream and a cherry on this wonderful day, I walked out with Jarrod and let him know that I was also a Christian. I had a chance to talk with him for an hour about ministry. I also had a chance to pray for him. By the end of the conversation, I went to shake his hand, and he used the good old Tommy Boy line, "Brothers don't shake hands, brothers got to hug." So, again, God encouraged me with yet another fellowship conversation yesterday. Just so you all know, this doesn't normally happen so frequently that I share with 3 people and a class all in one day. Yet, our God is so big and his name is so great, I am surprised that I don't take more opportunities to share His name. I pray big prayers, yet I am so often like the Christians who were praying for Peter's release from prison and when it happened they didn't believe it. I wonder why my faith is so small. I guess I must say with the father of the child whom Jesus healed in Mark 9:24, “I believe; help my unbelief!”

"Lord, anything good in life is from You alone. I praise your name for extending your hand of grace upon me yesterday to share with Maria, Brian, Jarrod and our Management class. Lord thank you for these opportunities to share your name, yet I ask that you would give me the faith to believe that my big prayers will be answered through your mighty power. Please let me revel in your ever flowing mercies that are new every morning. Even as I wake up tomorrow to go work at the good old BofA, extend those mercies, and grace me with your presence. Sanctify me for Your glory! Amen."