I braved the freezing ice and rain and survived the slippery drive to Ashland, Ohio for my winter quarter class. I realized as I drove the now familiar route that it was exactly three years ago this week that I began my seminary journey. Since then I have continuously taken at least one course, mostly in Ashland, though I did spend one summer in Detroit. The old adage about enjoying the journey more than the destination seems to apply to my seminary experience. (I haven't arrived at the destination yet so I admit I don't have an accurate comparative.) What I do know is that I have enjoyed my studies immensely.
This quarter I'm taking Old Testament I from Dr. Daniel Hawk. The word on the street is that he is a great lecturer and a hard grader. I'm not masochistic or anything - I'll take the easy grade when it comes my way - but if I have the choice between the great teacher or the easy teacher, I'll take the great teacher every time. I'm here to learn. So far, no one has ever asked me about my Seminary grades.
This quarter will be different in that I'm now self-employed as a pastor. My reason for beginning three years ago was because Crossroads offered me the Director of Maturity position, which involved quite a bit more teaching. I figured if I would be responsible for teaching men and women Biblical truths that I had an obligation to learn everything I could myself. Nothing has changed in terms of my self-imposed obligation. If anything, now that I'm the pastor of a church - small though it is currently - that responsibility to be schooled is even greater.
My McDonalds chicken sandwich is now gone and my soup has one slurp left. The time is almost 6pm. Time to stop blogging and to start being a student. Classroom, here I come!
