First class and some pics

I had my first day of seminary today...8 a.m. - 5 p.m. It really went by fast, our professor is good and we took frequent breaks. Southern Baptists have an interesting history but I'm looking forward to the more recent events of the convention. My professor, Dr. Greg Wills, from Southern Seminary, is from Arkansas and knows my pastor, Bill Elliff. It's always funny when I meet somebody in a random place and we have mutual friends.


I also got to talk to Nick on Skype tonight. That was cool. I have a high-speed internet connection in my room today so that's been really nice, hopefully it will stay considering it wasn't working yesterday and most of today.


So here are some pictures of ILC where I'm staying. Very cool place, nice and quiet and secluded from the rest of the crazy world.

Habakkuk 3:2


The pond


Gazebo and pond


Africa Village quads


World fountain outside international center

Back at ILC

This is my first attempt at blogging so let's hope I'll stick with it. So I woke up at 5 a.m. this morning to catch a 7 a.m. flight to Cincinnati, then on to Richmond, VA. I got to Richmond just before noon and made it out to the International Learning Center (ILC) in Rockville shortly at 1 p.m. I got checked into my room in the Europe House and unpacked all my stuff. It's really nice out here on the "farm" out in the middle of the Virginia countryside. Very quiet and secluded. I've been hanging out in my room all afternoon, reading and got in a short nap but dinner is at 5 p.m. and after that, I'll probably go for a run and maybe take some pictures to post.

Tomorrow I start my first seminary class through the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary (Louisville, KY) as part of the Master of Arts in Theological Studies - Intercultural Leadership (MATSIL) program I'm doing. The first class, which I've already done a lot of reading for and taken some online quizzes, is Southern Baptist Heritage. The reading has been pretty interesting, especially the missions part, so I think the class will be good. My second class will be Principles and Practices of Missions and I'll do that over the course of my Field Personnel Orientation (FPO). I'm currently registered for another class, Survey of Systematic Theology, that meets the week after FPO, but I'm thinking about dropping it and taking it online a bit later. If so, I'll be back in Arkansas a few days longer before I go to South Africa.

As for my timeline from here on out, I'll be in Virginia until October 8, or sooner if I drop the other class. I'll get to spend some time back in Arkansas before I depart for Johannesburg, South Africa, October 14. I've committed to a two-year assignment with the International Mission Board (IMB), serving with a team in Jo'burg but have the option to be there three years if the Lord so chooses. After I serve my term in Jo'burg, I'll go to Louisville, KY, to complete the MATSIL on campus at Southern. After that, I'll go where the Lord wants me.

Habakkuk 1:5