Class Begins!

Today is the first day of Seminary classes for Andrew! This semester is going to be a busy one for him. The classes he is taking are:

1: Ordination Prep with Prof. Bob White:

One of the hardest classes apparently. The boys need to memorize the theme and outline for every book in the Bible with its chapter breaks, all the key chapters, people AND verses for every book, and be ready for weekly quizzes of large sections, a mid-term and a final exam. Here's an example:

GENESIS

THEME: Beginnings/Covenants/Generations

OUTLINE:

I. Primeval History (Ch 1 - 11)

II. Patriarchal History (Ch 12 - 50)

KEY CHAPTERS:

1 Creation (broad perspective)

2 Creation (focus on man)

3 Temptation, Fall, Curses

4 Cain & Abel, Cain's line -- civilization

6-8 Flood: deliverance in the Ark

9 Noahic covenant, curse of Canaan

11 Babel: dispersion of nations

12 Abrahamic covenant established

18-19 Sodom & Gomorrah

22 Isaac is offered up

32 Jacob wrestles w/God

37 Joseph is sold by his brothers

49 Jacob blesses his sons

KEY PASSAGES:

1:24-27 6th day of creation

1:31 Creation is declared "very good."

2:24 A man shall leave, cleave, and weave

3:15 The promised seed (see below)

6:1-4 The "sons of God"

12:1-3 Abrahamic covenant

35:9-12 Jacob becomes "Israel."

50:20 "God meant it for good."

KEY PEOPLE:

Adam & Eve - the first humans

Cain - Adam's first son; the murderer of his brother

Abel; a wanderer.

Abel - murdered second son of Adam

Enoch - Father of Methuselah; walked w/God; never died but was taken.

Noah - walked w/God, built ark, father of Shem, Ham & Japheth; cursed Canaan.

Shem - Noah's eldest, ancestor of Abraham

Nimrod - hunter, great King, founder of cities, son of Cush.

Terah - Abram's father, left Ur for Haran

Abraham - father of nation Israel

Lot - Abram's nephew, dweller in Sodom

Sarah - Abraham's wife, Isaac's mother

Melchizedek - priest, king of Salem

Isaac - son of Abraham & Sarah, father of Jacob

Esau - Isaac's first born, sold birthright

Rebekah - Isaac's wife, favored Jacob

Jacob - (Israel) Father of 12 tribes

Leah - Jacob's less loved first wife

Rachel - Jacob's beloved wife, mother of Joseph, dies bearing Benjamin

Joseph - Son of Jacob, sold as slave, exalted in Egypt

And that's one book of 66! At least this is one of the longer ones. The New Testament is easier...

2: Pastoral Ministries with Dr. Montoya:

A comprehensive look at philosophies of ministry.

3: Preaching Lab:

This class requires them to preach once every two weeks for half an hour in a specified genre, and then bear under the criticism by lecturers and students alike. Sounds really scary! Andrew has not had many opportunities to preach so is excited to see how he does!

4: Church Leadership with Rob Iverson, the Chairman of the Elder Board at Grace

5: Marriage and Family Counseling with Dr. John Street

I am really excited about this class because I will be going to sit in with him for this class. It will be good for our marriage and for future ministry!

My friend Jenny should be doing the class too since Master's College is not offering it this semester. It'll be fun to get to know her better too! We will probably drive down together since our husbands carpool together in the mornings.

This leads me to another exciting thing! I have been allowed to audit Master's of Biblical Counseling classes at the college! They start next week! I am just so blessed to be able to have this opportunity! I will not be an official student or receive any credit, but will be attending and handing in assignments with the rest of the students! There is a wealth of knowledge to be harvested and I am looking forward to learning to better counsel myself and others biblically. With my husband going into ministry I am sure these classes will make me better equipped to be his helper!

I am taking:
Methods of Biblical Counseling
Hermeneutics
Child Development
Theology of Biblical Counseling

Please pray for us! The next few weeks should be really busy and I won't have much time to post, but will try my best!