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What's been going on the past few weeks

Where do I even begin to explain the last few weeks I have been here at Dallas Theological seminary? I have learned so much from the amazing professors on this campus and have run into things I never expected while at seminary. I learned ideas on thing s I thought I knew but did not before. I am so honored to be here and to have such a calling placed upon my life.

                       I am so thankful to have the opportunity to learn about Jesus from these amazing God-fearing Professors. One of my favorite classes this semester (I actually love all of my classes) is Spiritual Life. I have been learning about Grace, the Flesh, Christian Responsibility and Holiness. Studying Holiness changed my view on God. It was something I thought I knew but didn’t. I learned that Holiness is perfection. Perfection is something we cannot even comprehend since there is nothing in this world that is perfect. The only thing that is perfect is the way the planets work in the universe. It is things like this that are changing my life and by understanding of the bible.

            Another one of my classes is Bible Study Methods and Hermeneutics. Hermeneutics is the disciple of interpretation of the bible. I’m being taught how to study the bible. For example I had an assignment to find 25 observations on only Acts 1:8. After we finished that assignment we had to find another 25 observations on that 1 verse. I found more observations on that verse than there are words in the verse and there are so many more that I never saw. This is an amazing class because I m learning skills to see things God says in the bible that have been there but never saw before.

            I have had the opportunity to experience things that I would not have back in Florida. For example, a few weeks ago I attended an Apologetics Conference at Watermark Community Church. I had the opportunity to hear pastors from around the country speak on how to defend the Faith. Heard Pastors like Greg Koukl, Ravi Zacharias, Dan Wallace and others. My favorite was Dan Wallace, who is a professor at Dallas Theological Seminary. He talked about textual criticism and explained the thousands of ancient manuscripts out there in just Ancient Koine Greek there on the bible.

            As for ministry, I decided to end up serving at Northwest Bible Church. God lead me to serve in the Children’s Ministry on campus. Northwest bible is a very traditional church that tries to focus on teaching from the bible and not from other sources. Serving in children’s is a hard thing for me. Over the years, I have loved children but forgot how to deal with them. When I met with their children’s pastor, I discovered they were in the need of an A/V guy and from experience from The Crossing Church in Tampa; it became a good foothold into the children’s ministry.

I appreciate all of your prayers while I attend Dallas Theological Seminary. Specifically can you pray for God to continue to provide for me, specifically for my finances? Thank you so much.

I'm praying for you,

Jacob Drew

2 weeks into Classes

So I have now survived 2 weeks at Dallas Seminary. I can’t believe I am here, in Dallas, Texas attending Dallas Theological Seminary. How is this possible? How can this be real…….?

There are some wondering why I choose to use these words. Its simple, how can a place like Dallas Seminary even exist? A place where I spend all my days learning about God and living in a community designed to help build up each other in Christ. It is such and honor being here to praise Χριστας Jesus.

Sturgeon

At the same time, I was on how unprepared for seminary I feel. I’m in classrooms where people are asking questions that I never would have thought of. I’m in situations where people talk about theologians like Piper and Sturgeon…. I have felt like a small fish in an ocean. Many times, I don’t feel like I should be here. I don’t know who Sturgeon and Piper are? I do now…kinda…but at the same time these conversations are so far above me that I just don’t know. I’ve got caught in conversations about Dispensationalism, covenant theology, eschatology, systematic theology and many times I do not even know what they are referring to.

For example, last night I realized I have spent all of my study time learning about Greek and little to no time studying for any other class. Greek out of all things feels like it owns my life. I spend probably a good 3 hours a day studying this language. I’ve learned vocab, articles, grammar and who knows what else so far and I have had only 4 classes and have 5 semesters of Greek ahead of me (including this semester).

The one thing I do know is this…I cannot make it through seminary. I cant plain and simple, this is something I will not be able to do in my own power. There is no study method; time management program, study aids that could help. I cannot do this. But the Grace of God can allow me to do this. He can help me learn, study, and master the classes I have to take.

Here is the thing I know…I am here not for me. I did not come to Dallas Theological Seminary so I could do something I want but something I need to do. I need to go where my savior wants me to be.  God spoke to me through John 17:18 As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. Jesus spent thirty years before he began his ministry. I am here for Him and Him alone, not myself, not for family, not for any church or organization and not for a pastor. I am here to learn about God only. This is a preparation stage for me.

Please continue to pray for God’s provision in my life.

1 More Day until Seminary Begins

Today doesn’t seem real… it feels like a dream. How is it possible I have been blessed with the Calling of becoming a Pastor and being trained a Dallas Theological Seminary? Why Jacob Drew and not someone else?

            Besides that Today marks the beginning of a new era or a new season in my life. Today is the last Day until I begin my life a DTS Seminary Student. Starting tomorrow I will be trained on the things of the bible so one day I will be able to speak Gods word into the lives of others. God has placed in my heart a love for people I have never had before. For example, The Batman shooting in Colorado, I prayed for the victims and the families of that senseless tragedy but I prayed even more so for the man who committed the crime. You see that is a man who is so lost in the darkness so vulnerable to the enemies bidding he listened to the enemy. It is our job of Christians to be the Salt and Light of the world.

            The salt one can think of a bag of potato chips you grab one you can’t help but grab another one and another one. Our lives should be so radically different in this world; people should want to know why we do what we do. Light should be that beacon of light that draws people from a far to hear the good news of Jesus Christ.           

          

                   As was saying earlier, today marks the end on one season and the beginning of a new season. Since my time here at DTS I have met some amazing people who are either attending Dallas Theological seminary as a student or as staff/Faculty. It is awesome to be here in this environment. I have met some people I believe we will be in regular contact for years to come. Then there are the classes. Of course this is a graduate school. I have a total of 13 credit hours registered for which equals to 6 classes. I will be taking…Introduction to Theology with Doctor Horrell, Spiritual Life with Ralston, Bible Study methods and Hermeneutics with Dr. Yarbrough, Evangelism with Doctor Cecil, Basics of Biblical Greek with Dr. Fanning and Spiritual Formation. I’m excited in taking all of these classes this semester. I cannot wait to see what God has in store for this area and me in this next semester.

            

Even from Dallas I miss the people I left in Florida. My best friends Pablo and Chad to the people I referred to as family and friends and my coworkers at McDonalds. God has something amazing planned for each of you in these coming months, and years. I wish I could be a part of it but God has something planned for me here in Dallas. I may not know what it is right now but I’m excited to see God work.

1 Month until Seminary Begins

In the past week I have survived my stay at Dallas Theological Seminary. There are many things I miss in Florida. Mainly the people I have called family, sister, and brother. In my life I always longed for a friendship with someone on a deep level. It is one that has longed plagued my life. One that when I was younger made me lose sleep and one that even broke me down emotionally to a point I would not let anyone else in. I cannot explain it but God showed me what true community was like though a few people I have come to call brother. This is something I greatly miss from Florida. These people were brothers and sisters to me. Not in a worldly view but on a deep spiritual level. Relationships bound by our faith in Jesus Christ are ones that will forever change someone.

            Anyway, I have come against many things spiritual since I have left Florida. I had to confront the things the enemy uses often in my life to make me fall short of the Glory of God. I also have had to confront things I did not know existed. After a recommendation from a dear friend of mine, Scott McIntosh, I began reading Wild at Heart by John Eldredge. I began reading it after I left Florida and arrived at my first stop in North Carolina. This opened my eyes to what true masculinity is. How the church has almost feminized what masculinity means. A man desires in his heart adventure, he longs for more that what goes on in his life. Whether that means just going on a weekend hike or simply trying something new at work. A man was never designed to be the nice guy but so much more. Those who grew up in church remember seeing the images of Jesus. The ones in which he was white, long brown hair, and almost looking physically weak, you know the picture I am referring to. For me Jesus was so much more when He walked on this earth. I see Him being a man who built things; His earthly father was in fact a carpenter. I can only imagine what it took to be a carpenter at that day and age. Must have been a lot of work.

            With that in mind God has blessed me more that I could imagine. It is amazing what God will do in your life when you follow him. Even me getting to Texas could not have happened unless it’s Gods will. I desire in the depths of my heart to serve Him. To do his will. As I prepare to begin my studies in a few weeks I desire to grow to a point in my walk with Jesus that is similar to David. I want to share all the blessings in my life so far here in Texas but I do not want to take away from the idea that I am here to prepare for the work God has for me. Perhaps soon I will share the blessing God has for me but for now I am still trying to understand a few of the blessings in my life right now.

In the mean time, Please continue to pray for me. Please Pray for God to continue to provide for me and for his guidance in my life.

My Travel from Florida to North Carolina

So in the past 72 hours my life has completely changed. I went from a person who worked 60 hours a week at McDonalds and spent 20 at the crossing Church. I loved it and I was very comfortable where I was. I was in good standing at work with a possibility of a promotion and the church offered some grand possibilities also. I loved where I was but I knew God’s plan was greater than where I was. That’s where the last 72 hours come into play.

            Sunday was a day to remember. I spent many Sundays at the church serving wherever the church needed. Last Sunday was my last Sunday at The Crossing Church so I intended to just spend time with Pastors and learn everything I could. But I ended up serving as the Backstage Manager for the media team. This weekend Beckah Shea ended up singing at the Church That weekend. This gave me the blessing to meet her and have her sign a cd for me. She has such a passion to sing for the Lord. I love the Crossing Church so much more than words can express. The thing that causes this love is that I see the Lords hand at work within the Church. God brought together an amazing team, which is only getting better every day. The thing I have learned which is very important from the Crossing Church is the idea of Grace. There are many things within the bible about God and the important thing is that Grace is the story within the entire bible from the beginning to the end its about the Grace God extends grace.

            Monday was a very busy day. Spent the entire day packing and cleaning my apartment within Brandon Florida. My family came down to bless me and help me in the transition. We cleaned and packed up the rest of my things. Then I got to spend time with some of the Best people in the world: Pablo and Ashley Felix. I love them so much and praying always for those three amazing blessed people.

Tuesday was a day, It was the Day that I began my journey to where the King of Kings has for me. My Alarm went off at 5am but I hit snooze. Finally, I got up early in the morning to begin driving across the country. I left around 7:30 am from Brandon. Took may photographs and things throughout the entire trip to North Carolina Check out Facebook (facebook.com/jacobdrew). I drove on my own and followed my family to North Carolina. The only issue was a 10-hour drive turned into a 12-hour drive. I was just too long of a day.

I’m doing all of this to follow God. I will have an amazing story to share with people on trusting god. I will follow him and cannot wait to serve him with everything in my life. I can only imagine the blessings I will receive by attending Dallas Theological Seminary. I love the lord and wish to only serve him.

I will serve you Abba Father!

Freedom!!!

You might be wondering why I began with Freedom, as many of you know I will be on my way to Dallas Theological Seminary in 2 weeks. I can't thank God enough for the blessings I have received from him as I have lived in Florida. From my friends, my church, my family (even though they all left Florida and even from my time employed at McDonald's. I have learned many things here that will forever be with me from the time I tried to run from Gods calling on my life to the time I was told I would be a Godfather.

I don't know what God has for me, I don't know where he will take me but I know 6 years ago when I heard Morgan sing the sing by Chris Tomlinson "god of this City" that Greater things were to come in this city. Little did I know the extent to the blessings he had for me.

I know God has called me to attend DTS in order that I receive the training the know e Bible. But while I'm there I need a lot of prayer. For provision of course by that I don't loose my relationship with Jesus in the academia of the seminary. I am going to follow God to the ends of the earth. Jesus will always be my first. I desire in my heart and I pray that my heart will be like King David. A man after Gods own heart"

God has shown me many this of his kingdom since coming to Florida. When I came to Florida I resented God for moving me. I just did not wait for Gods blessing. God wanted to bless me beyond my imagine and he did. I will always thank him for that. I have developed a relationship with Jesus that words can't describe. All I want to do is praise him, love him and serve him.

Thank you Abba Father,
Lord of Host